The RecSports Program is housed within the Activities Program as a part of the Sports Area. The RecSports Program is one of the largest co-curricular activity programs that complement the formal academic curriculum. It offers opportunities in over 70 Recreational activities each year. Participation in the program is voluntary and driven by participant interest. Participation can provide one with opportunities to develop spiritually, physically, socially, emotionally and intellectually.

“Play and recreation are more than mere diversions, they are

recuperative requisites in the process of physical, intellectual,

and moral development.”

-Karl G. Maeser • 1893

Team sports generally take on a league structure with league contests and a post-season tournament to determine divisional champions. Special events range from one-day to several day tournaments. In all of the activities, divisions are established to allow competition for Men's, Women's, Coed and Mixed teams at various skill levels. The RecSports program strives to provide programming for all levels of ability and experience. Our aim is to serve the recreational needs of the majority of the student body and not just the athletic minority.

A competitive spirit of fair play and good sportsmanship is encouraged in order to provide all with a wholesome recreational experience. Participants and staff are asked to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the BYU-Idaho Honor Code.

“Athletics are explosive, as any of us know who have participated in them. Athletes make every effort to win. The problem therefore, is to do everything that is fair and honorable to win, and also to know the line where sportsmanship stops and mockery starts…Stop short of winning if integrity is to be impaired…Sportsmanship is the spirituality in athletics.”

-Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson

General Information

Office hours and address

The RecSports office is typically open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday-Friday, closed during Devotional.

The office is located in the John W. Hart building room 227.

The RecSports phone number is (208) 496-2115.

Our email address is recsports@byui.edu

Our web address is http://activities.byui.edu/sports

Participants are encouraged to provide feedback and/or concerns regarding the RecSports program. Please email, call or stop by during office hours to talk to a RecSports staff member with any feedback or concerns you may have.

Participation

In compliance with the American Disabilities Act, BYU-IDAHO makes reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities. In order to ensure the accessibility of programs and services, we encourage anyone needing information, assistance and/or accommodation of any kind to contact the RecSports office. Every effort will be made to find ways to assist with any special needs in a confidential manner.

Entry Fees and Charges

We do not charge eligible participants an entry fee for most RecSports programs. Church funds are used to cover most of the expenses. Since Church funds are used, any team that forfeits without giving the office at least 24 hours notice will be charged a $10 forfeit fee (excluding ward teams). Any program that has a charge will be made known at the participant meeting and on the advertising.

Because of this, participation is limited to enrolled students in good standing and their spouses, school employees, and ward Bishoprics. For more detailed information about who is eligible to participate, refer to Section V

Facilities

The RecSports program uses the following facilities throughout the year:

Indoor:

Main Hart Main Gym Pool Hart Swimming Pool

Aux. West Hart Auxiliary West Wrestling Room Hart Wrestling Room

Aux. East Hart Auxiliary East Court 1 Racquetball court 1

FH1 Hart Fieldhouse court 1 Court 2 Racquetball court 2

FH2 Hart Fieldhouse court 2 Court 3 Racquetball court 3

FH3 Hart Fieldhouse court 3 Court 4 Racquetball court 4

FH4 Hart Fieldhouse court 4 Court 5 Racquetball court 5

Outdoor:

Stadium Stadium Upper N Upper North Playfield

4Plex 1 4-Plex 1 Upper S Upper South Playfield

4Plex 2 4-Plex 2 Upper M Upper Middle Playfield

4Plex 3 4-Plex 3 Lower East Lower East Playfield

4Plex 4 4-Plex 4 Lower West Lower West Playfield

Lower N Lower North Playfield West Soccer West Playfield

Maps with specific field/court and office locations are on the web. With the high use and traffic in all facilities, participants are asked to be responsible for their own garbage/trash. Your cooperation and help is also needed with keeping bicycles, scooters, skateboards and other hazards away from all playing areas. Please notify RecSports staff of any safety hazards regarding the equipment or facilities.

Special care is also required with the new outdoor synthetic turf fields. No food or drinks with the exception of water will be allowed on the field especially chewing gum, sunflower seeds and sports drinks. Participants found to be violating this rule may be given a sportsmanship card.

Pets

Pets are not permitted in or on any BYU-Idaho court, field, or facility.

Proposal for New Activity / Event

Students are given the opportunity to introduce new activities to be included in the RecSports program. Approval will be based upon philosophy of program, facilities required, student interest, safety, cost of equipment, personnel needs, etc. Proposals should be submitted through the online application.

http://activities.byui.edu/NewPrograms/WelcomeNewApp.htm

RecSports Student Employment Opportunities

The RecSports program could not be conducted on a successful level without the services of volunteers and the RecSports staff. Whether working for pay or completing requirements for a class the program provides practical training and "hands-on" experience in the organization and administration of the overall program and its activities. None of these jobs will prevent participation in the program. BYU-Idaho is an equal opportunity educator and employer.

RecSports Staff are hired with preference given to those who have been involved in RecSports as volunteer board members. Job descriptions are available at the Activities website: http://activities.byui.edu/getinvolved/default.htm.

Officials are required to have taken or to be currently enrolled in the sports officiating class or be able to demonstrate appropriate knowledge and skill. Previous experience as an official is desirable but not required. Evaluation of those taking the class will be done by the Officials Coordinator and the RecSports Student Director.

Policies and Procedures

Health, Injuries and Insurance

The RecSports Program will provide initial first response care, such as the provision of bandages, ice, or immobilization, to any participant injured during a RecSports contest.

1. There are inherent risks associated with participating in RecSports. The RecSports Program DOES NOT carry health or accident insurance for the participants. A medical insurance program is required by BYU-IDAHO for all students enrolled in school. This policy covers accidents that occur during RecSports Programs as well as many other cases. Each participant should check his or her personal coverage and be certain that his or her medical insurance is adequate and current before participating in any activity. All participating non-students are responsible to provide their own accidental/health insurance.

2. It is the responsibility of every person participating in RecSports to ascertain whether they have any health conditions that make it inadvisable to participate in that sport. The University and RecSports Program DO NOT assume that responsibility. Persons who are uncertain should consult their physician.

3. The RecSports staff should be notified of ALL INJURIES sustained during RecSports competition. If needed, the participant will be given first aid and referred to a physician and/or the Student Health Center. An ambulance may be dispatched (208-496-3000) TO ASSESS AN INJURY (PARTICULARLY IN THE EVENT OF HEAD, NECK, BACK OR MAJOR JOINT TRAUMA). THERE IS NO COST FOR INJURY ASSESSMENT BUT COST FOR AMBULANCE TREATMENT/TRANSPORTATION IS THE PARTICIPANT'S RESPONSIBILITY. An accident/injury report will be completed for all injuries.

4. BYU-IDAHO Student Health Center is open M-F 8am to 5pm and is available to students for treatment of most injuries. For treatment of injuries when the Student Health Center is closed you can go to the Emergency room at Madison Memorial Hospital (450 E. Main) or Community Care (72 E. Main) which is open M-S 8am to 8pm and Sunday 10am to 6pm.

Safety

The safety of all who participate in the program is of utmost importance to the organization and administration of each activity. Institutional resources such as the Safety Office are used to establish procedures to minimize the inherent risks to participants and spectators. Such procedures include sport rule modifications, scheduling and trained personnel.

In an effort to maintain a safe playing area, all participants are to adhere to the following BLOOD RULE: Any player who is bleeding must be substituted for until the bleeding stops. A RecSports staff member or game official has the authority to remove the player. If by removing the player who is bleeding the team falls below the minimum number necessary to play (sport specific), the following will apply: the game clock will stop and a maximum of five (5) minutes will be allowed for the player to stop the bleeding. Either a RecSports staff member or game official must approve the player to re-enter. If the bleeding is not stopped within the allotted five (5) minutes the team will forfeit the game. THE ALLOWANCE IS ONLY FOR PLAYERS WHO ARE BLEEDING WHEN THE TEAM CANNOT CONTINUE TO PLAY WITHOUT THEM. If there is any blood on the uniform or clothing it must be changed before the athlete may participate. All staff members MUST wear gloves when handling a person who is bleeding.

In all supervised activities a RecSports Staff member will be available to assist a bleeding player. All games management coordinators and managers are required to be CPR certified.

Eligibility rules and regulations

The RecSports Program was developed to provide Recreational activities during the academic year for matriculating students, faculty, staff, ward bishopric members, and spouses of students and BYUI faculty. Some eligibility restrictions are necessary to provide fair opportunities for participation. These restrictions have been developed by students and employees to reflect the philosophy of the RecSports Program and campus administration at BYU-Idaho. Individuals deemed ineligible to participate may seek reconsideration by written petition to the Student Director / Advisor. The petition must be in memo format and written in a professional manner. This must be done prior to any participation. Violation of any eligibility rule will cause a contest to be automatically forfeited.

Eligible participants- The program is open to all:

1. Accepted day time students and their spouses.

2. Full time faculty and staff

3. BYU-Idaho Ward bishopric members participating on the ward team of which they currently serve.

Eligibility Stipulations:

1. Playing on More Than One Team: A player may play on only one team within a given division (Independent and Ward) offering. Participants may also play on one team in the co-ed division in the same sport at the same time since this would be considered a separate league offering. A player may play on a ward team and an independent team of the same sport. However, a player may not participate in the same sport in the same division (i.e. playing on two men's softball teams in the independent division is not allowed). Once you have played two games with one team, you may not switch to another team without approval from the RecSports Office.

2. All players must check in using a BYU-I Student ID with a RecSports staff member before playing in a game.

3. To be eligible to participate, each player must be added to the online team roster by noon the day of your game. If a player is not on the roster they will not be allowed to play.

4. Assumed Name: If an individual participates using a false name or false ID, the result will be a forfeited game, and that student will be barred from RecSports for the rest of the semester. The player and captain must appear for a misconduct council and the team or team captain will receive 2 sportsmanship points.

5. BYU-Idaho Competitive Sports Team Members: A student is considered a "competitive player" if they are currently participating in the Competitive Sports Program. No more than two competitive players may participate on one team in a related sport, except for softball and soccer, which allow three players per team in any division. (i.e. Competitive baseball and RecSports softball are related sports, Competitive football and RecSports flag football are related sports).

6. The RecSports Program reserves the right to handle eligibility violations without formal protest.

7. Dishonesty with regards to player eligibility on the part of the captain or players on the team will result in the issuing of a Red Card.

8. Players may only participate on one ward team in each sport at any given time

Registration

To register your team, go to the RecSports Web site at http://activities.byui.edu/sports, select the recreational tab, find the sport you would like to play, and click on the “Register Online” link.

1. ONLY THE TEAM CAPTAIN can register a team. IF YOU REGISTER A TEAM YOU ARE THE CAPTAIN BY DEFAULT.

2. Enter team/captain information with conflict requests in the notes/comment box. It is the captain’s responsibility to come up with an appropriate name for your team. No vulgar language, alcohol/drug or discriminatory references may be in the name. If your team is a ward team, your team name must have the number of your ward included in it.

3. Online Roster: After registering you will receive an email from EZ Leagues to your student email if you would like to add/remove players in the future. Please save this link because it is your only way of accessing it.

For questions on how to register online, please refer to the tutorials once available, or come by the RecSports Office. Links to register a team will be available beginning two weeks prior to the start of league play until the “Create a Team” deadline. Game rules will be available online and in the office. Game rules, policies/procedures, etc., are also discussed at Captain’s Meetings as well.

Individual and dual activities take on several different styles and tournament structures. Each sport will have information available on the RecSports website and outside Hart 227 prior to the event.

Units of competition and skill classification

· Division- Unit of competition that includes a specific group of participants

o Independent and Ward Divisions exist

§ Ward teams must be made up of members whose records reside within a given campus ward. Ward teams are open to Bishopric members. The spouses of Bishopric members may play only if they hold a leadership calling within the ward. Children of the Bishopric members are not eligible to play.

§ Independent teams are made up of anyone who is eligible to participate.

· League- Regulated competition for a number of people to competing in a specific sport.

o Each division may be divided into three leagues: Advanced Intermediate, and Beginner. Teams may choose* which league they prefer to participate in according to their skill level. The leagues are defined as follows:

§ "Advanced" league is for players who want to compete in a highly competitive environment.

§ "Intermediate" league is for players who want to compete in a moderately competitive environment.

§ "Beginner" league is for players most interested in playing for pure enjoyment. The leisure league is focused primarily for social interaction and is not as competitive in nature.

· Mini-League- A shortened version of a league.

· Tournament- A competition involving multiple matches, each involving a subset of the competitors, with the overall tournament winner determined based on the combined results of these individual matches.

o There will be no tournaments held in the Ward Division unless a lack of teams in the Independent Division requires them to play Ward Teams.

*The RecSports staff reserves the right to move any team to any division as they deem necessary.

TOURNAMENTS

League tournaments include all teams who have qualified by maintaining proper sportsmanship, meeting game minimums etc. Tournaments that follow league play are generally single elimination.

Event tournaments may be single or double elimination. Event tournaments that are offered may be found at http://activities.byui.edu/sports/recreational/events

AWARDS

Championship t-shirts will be presented to all league champions within each division as budget allows.

Scheduling of Games

The RecSports Program provides some opportunity to meet team’s requests when scheduling. Space and time are limited but RecSports will try to accommodate requests as long as they are received before the schedule is made. All schedule requests must be submitted when registering a team. You may change schedule requests in the office after registering a team but they will not be implemented until a new schedule has been made. Due to the new scheduling system, schedules will not be generated on a weekly basis. Schedules may be generated every 1-7 weeks. Therefore, it is important that you make a long term scheduling request. We also do not honor scheduling changes once schedules are posted. If a team cannot make a scheduled game then another team will sub in for their spot just for that week. Teams may block out times or days that they are unable to participate and we will try to schedule them during their available time, but they must be available to play at least three hours a day, two days a week for each sport. (i.e. can’t play on Tuesdays, Can’t play after 10pm). Information regarding other teams on which the team is participating should also be included with the team conflicts. Teams must understand that they may be required to be more available during tournament play.

During tournament time, the team with the higher seed will be given scheduling priority. It will then be the responsibility of the lower seeded team to notify the RecSports Office if they are unable to play in the scheduled game.

Regular Season

1. The team captain should contact the RecSports office during office hours with any questions or concerns.

2. If your team roster does not have the minimum number of players your team will not be scheduled.

3. No rescheduling of games will be allowed after the schedule has been posted. (Friday at 5:00pm)

3. Each team must be available to play at least two days a week for each sport.

Tournament

1. During tournament, team members may be scheduled in more than one contest at the same time. Please be sure you have more than enough players on your team to meet the minimum number required to start a game. (Only rescheduling requests due to an academic, religious, or RecSports conflict for a majority of the team will be considered.) In order to be eligible to play in tournament, a player must have participated with his or her team for two regular season contests.

2. Games at least one round away may be requested to be rescheduled with the higher ranked team getting schedule priority if the teams have conflicting schedule requests. The requesting captain should contact the RecSports Office as soon as possible during business hours. The Scheduling Manager will contact the opposing captain to determine an appropriate game time.

3. Both captains will be contacted by the RecSports Office to confirm the rescheduled time. If either captain does not receive confirmation of the reschedule they should contact the RecSports Office at 496-2115.

CHECK-IN

All players must check in prior to participating in each game. All players must check in using a BYU-I Student ID with a RecSports staff member before playing in a game. To be eligible to participate, each player must be added to the online team roster by noon the day of your game. It is recommended that players arrive and check-in at least fifteen minutes prior to game time. Game time is forfeit time. If the participant is not on the roster or their privileges have been suspended, they will not be allowed to check-in.

Forfeits and Cancellations

If a minimum number of players fail to appear or check in at the designated playing site at the game's scheduled starting time, the RecSports staff will declare the contest forfeited to the team that is present. The team minimum is considered TWO LESS than the maximum number of players that can legally play in a contest at any given time. (Exception: Soccer teams may start play with 8 players, Coed Basketball needs 4 players 2 of each gender).

Forfeits: Game time is forfeit time. Game time is determined by the Games Management watch/clock on each field/court, which is set to the Official Clock on the web page. The minimum "start number" for the sport must be checked in order to avoid forfeiting the contest. When a contest is forfeited, the captain will be charged a $10 forfeit fee and that team will not be scheduled again until the team captain comes and clears the forfeit with the RecSports office. If neither team has the minimum number checked in and ready to start at game time a double forfeit is declared. If both teams are checked in and ready to play at the designated start time, but due to a previous game running long or the court/field not being ready for play, the starting time will be adjusted so that the teams receive a full allotment of time. When this happens, game time begins as soon as the field/court is available for play. No forfeit will be called if the field is not available.

Cancellations: If a team knows they cannot make a game, the captain must call the RecSports Office a minimum of 24 hours in advance to avoid a forfeit. They MUST talk to or leave a message for the Scheduling Manager. Instead of receiving a forfeit for notifying us, the team will receive a default or cancellation.

Regardless of the reason(s), after a team receives two forfeits or two cancellations (defaults), they will be DISQUALIFIED FROM FURTHER COMPETITION. If a team cannot fulfill their commitment to play in their scheduled games, they are encouraged to notify the RecSports Office of their wish to be dropped from the league.

Weather

If weather is questionable, no decision will be made as to the games' status until after 4:00pm the day of the game. This decision will be posted on the RecSports web page and bulletin boards in the Hart Physical Education Building. If possible the games will be rescheduled.

Equipment

A limited amount of equipment specific to the RecSports sport in progress is available for use. Use of the equipment is for the duration of your RecSports game. Users shall be responsible for payment for loss and/or any and all damages/repairs to equipment (other than normal wear & tear).

Players' Dress

Outside: Normal BYU-Idaho approved personal play attire or BYU-Idaho Physical Education issue clothing is required. In cold or inclement weather, stocking caps or headwear may be worn, but no bandanas. Baseball or "brimmed" caps will only be allowed in softball. No jewelry, (including earrings, and wedding bands/rings) is allowed. Wearing any clothing with pockets is not allowed. Clothing with hoods is not permitted to be worn while playing. If there are any exceptions for dress for certain sports they will be made in that sport’s rules.

Inside: BYU-Idaho P.E. issue (shirt and shorts) or personal athletic wear. No caps or bandanas may be worn inside the building and all clothing must be worn in the proper manner.

Teams may use their own matching jerseys- (all participants must have identical jerseys-no markings other than a number and team logo) may be worn. Matching jerseys at minimum must have a number on it.

All form fitting or spandex-type clothing must be completely covered by clothing that abides by the dress standard if worn separately. If a player is clearly in violation of the BYU-Idaho Dress and Grooming standards, they will not be allowed to play. As soon as the problem is taken care of, they are then eligible to play. If a person is borderline, by the RecSports staff judgment, they will get a warning that will need to be taken care of by the next game. The students name and violation warning will be recorded on the roster.

Footwear: In all sports players must wear athletic type shoes that cover the foot completely. Sandals, boots, and open toe shoes are NOT allowed. For outside sports, cleats are limited to studs or projections that do not exceed ½ inch in length and are made with nonabrasive rubber or rubber-type synthetic material that does not chip or develop a cutting edge. There are no metal cleats allowed. Grass volleyball may be played without shoes if everyone plays without shoes.

HONOR CODE

BYU-Idaho exists to provide a university education in an atmosphere consistent with the ideals and principles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This atmosphere is preserved through commitment to conduct that reflects those ideals and principles. The RecSports program supports the University Honor Code including the Dress and Grooming Standards. We appreciate your shared responsibility in helping us maintain these standards. Those who fail to comply with the honor code will be asked not to participate until they can comply. All participants and Staff are expected to abide by the honor code. A sports/competition setting does not provide exceptions for our behavior. Enforcement of the honor code is broken down into the following areas:

Dress & Grooming

· A clean and well-cared-for appearance should be maintained.

· Clothing is inappropriate when it is sleeveless, revealing or form fitting.

· Hairstyles should be clean and neat, avoiding extreme styles or colors.

· Men’s hair must be trimmed above the collar leaving the ear uncovered.

· Sideburns should not extend below the earlobe or onto the cheek.

· If worn, mustaches should be neatly trimmed and may not extend beyond or below the corners of the mouth.

· Men are expected to be clean-shaven; beards are not acceptable.

· Men--Earrings and other body piercing are not acceptable.

· Women—Excessive ear piercing (more than one per ear) and all other body piercing are not acceptable.

If a participant is not in compliance with the dress and grooming standards, they will not be allowed to play.

Living the Gospel

· Be Honest

· Obey the Law and All Campus Policies

· Use Clean Language

· Respect Others

Infractions in these areas are to be handled with yellow/red cards and incident reports. Some examples of these infractions would be: profanity; arguing; taunting opponents; verbal or physical assault; threatening behavior; fighting; illegal participation; etc.

TEAM CONDUCT RESULTING IN A FORFEIT

In addition to the sportsmanship system, the following team behavior will result in a game being immediately stopped and FORFEITED (regardless of score or time remaining):

o Three (3) separate individuals receiving any combination of warning or ejection cards and/or two (2) individuals receiving red card ejections.

o Failure of ejected participant(s) and/or spectator(s) to leave the vicinity within the allotted three (3) minutes or returning to the vicinity during or after the game. A player cannot return for the second game when back to back games are scheduled.

o Any player(s) and/or spectator(s) leaving the team area/bench to join a situation in the game. A person's intentions are irrelevant

o Failure of a captain or team to provide required information to the RecSports Program

Any inappropriate behavior following the forfeiting of a game could lead to a season ending rating. Serious on site situations will also result in initiating the involvement of campus police and the referral to the Dean of Students.

Any player(s) who enters the court of play during a dispute or to dispute with an official or another player results in that player being ejected and suspended for at least one more game. That player must also meet with a RecSports administrator prior to any further participation.

Any spectator(s) who enters the court of play must meet with a RecSports administrator prior to participation or attending any RecSports contests again. The spectator shall be suspended from participating for a minimum of two (2) games. They shall also be banned from attending any RecSports contests for at least two weeks.

SPORTSMANSHIP

“Good sportsmanship is absolutely essential in athletic competition. Good sportsmanship includes thoughtfulness and concern for others; sincere admiration for the skills of teammates, opponents, and officials; self-control; humility in victory; and calmness and composure in defeat. It is fair play, following both the spirit and the letter of the rules. It is the Golden Rule in action on the playing court, on the bench, and in the stands. Promoting good sportsmanship in competitive activities is everyone’s responsibility.” Physical Fitness, Sports, & Recreation Manual. - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1984. p. 17.

Manipulation of the rules and intentional fouls are considered cheating and a gross offense against the spirit of competition. Abusive language and/or “trash talking” toward opponents, teammates or officials is not "part of the game" participants or teams who make a mockery of the game either through their actions or attire will not be allowed to participate in Sports Activities.

Sportsmanship is everyone's responsibility. We hope that everyone will conduct themselves in a mature and friendly manner. Team captains are responsible for the conduct of their players and their spectators. Spectators may be asked to leave if necessary. Abusive language and/or “trash talking” toward opponents, teammates, and officials is not "part of the game." Participants or teams who make a mockery of the game either through their actions or attire will not be allowed to participate in Sports Activities.

A yellow/red card system will be used to monitor unsportsmanlike behavior, rough play and improper conduct. A participant who receives a yellow card will be required to sit out for two minutes of game time. A participant who receives a red card shall be ejected from the game and will need to leave the field/court before play resumes. A team with a carded player will be required to play with one less player until the penalty time has expired (Yellow = 2 minutes & Red = 5 minutes). If a player is carded and refuses to tell his name, the game will be forfeited.

The following are examples of yellow/red card offenses that apply to all sports:

Yellow Card Red Card

Arguing Illegal Participation

Rough Play Flagrant contact

Taunting opponents Profanity

Fighting

Threatening Behavior

Inappropriate Team Names

RecSports upholds a no-swearing/verbal abuse policy. Any participant found to be violating either of these policies will be given an immediate Red Card.

Yellow/Red Card Point System:

Individual

•Yellow card (1 pt each) = a 2 minute power play + specific sport penalty.

•2 yellow cards in one game = the player is ejected from the game.

•Red card (2 pts each) = ejection from game, 5 minute power play + specific sport penalty.

If a player receives a red card he will be suspended from all Sports Activities until he meets with the Student Director/Advisor. Players are responsible for arranging their own misconduct meetings with RecSports authorities. After the player has met with the Student Director/Advisor a decision regarding the length of suspension will be made. Any red card related with violence of any type will receive a 2 week suspension from sports. If a player receives three sportsmanship points during a semester in one or more sports, his Sports Activities privileges will be suspended for the remainder of that semester.

Individuals that receive 6 sportsmanship points are sent a letter indicating that they will be on probation with the Sports Program. If they choose to continue to participate they are made aware that any more sportsmanship problems will result in a two-year suspension of Sports privileges.

Team

If a team receives a total of 6 sportsmanship points during the season they will be dropped from further play. However, during elimination tournament play a team will be dropped if they receive 4 sportsmanship points or a total of 6 for the season—whichever comes first.

Protests

Protests are permitted in RecSports in order to ensure fairness to a player or a team. Protests are divided into two categories: Game Protests or Player Eligibility Protest. All protests must be typed and submitted via email by the team captain to the RecSports Office. During league play the form must be received within 24 hours of the incident. During tournament play, a typed protest must be submitted via email to the RecSports Office by 11:00 am the next school day.

GAME PROTEST: The only acceptable reasons for a game protest are:

1. Misinterpretation of a playing rule

2. Failure of an official to apply the correct rule to a given situation, or timing mistake.

3. Failure of an official to impose the correct penalty for a given violation.

4. To be a valid game protest, it must actually affect the final result of the game. The game protest must be "announced" to the RecSports staff and officials at the time of the incident in protest. During tournament play when the winner advances to play again that night, then a verbal request to protest must be to the Games Management Coordinator immediately following the game. A written protest must also be submitted within the hour. Game Protests WILL NOT be considered if they are based on a decision involving the judgment of an official or if protest procedures are not followed, or if a player is ejected for arguing at the time of the incident.

Game Protests will result in a review of the game to ensure the incident affected the final outcome of the game. Team rosters will be checked to ensure player eligibility.

PLAYER ELIGIBILITY PROTEST: Protests concerning a player’s eligibility must be submitted to the RecSports office within 24 hours of being notified of the player’s ineligibility. A team in violation of any eligibility rule will cause the contest to be automatically forfeited.

Player Eligibility Protests will lead to a review of eligibility of both team’s players involved in the contest.

The Student Director and/or Assistant Student Directors review protests. Any decisions made by the RecSports Program shall be final with no appeal process. The Individuals may be asked to provide additional information. During tournament play, protests will be reviewed before the next scheduled contest, generally the next day.

Participant Information

Players without a Team

If you wish to participate in a team sport and either do not know enough people to form your own team or your campus Ward does not sponsor a team, you may do any or all of the following:

1. Go to the RecSports Web site at http://activities.byui.edu/sports, find EZ Leagues on the left side and click on the “Classifieds” link.

2. Attend the captain's meeting try to get on a team at the meeting.

3. Attend games looking for a team to join.

Meeting for Captains

There will be one (non-mandatory) Captains Meeting for all RecSports teams to discuss game rules, safety, policies and procedures, etc. Captains must be aware of everything covered at the captain's meeting and must pass this information on to their players. Dates, locations, and times of meetings are available on posters around campus and on the RecSports website. Rosters do not need to be created before the meeting, but must be created before that team will be scheduled to play. Final semester deadlines for new rosters in each league will be announced at each meeting.

Team Captains’ Responsibilities

Team captains serve as the contact between the RecSports Office and their team. Matters affecting the team are communicated to each team captain, and in turn they are responsible for conveying the information to their team members. Captains must provide us with a direct contact number for us to get a hold of them (Cell or Local).

Teams are required to designate ONE individual playing in their contest to serve as the liaison between members of your team/spectators and the RecSports officials/staff members. It is necessary for this person to have a thorough knowledge and understanding of the game rules and program policies and procedures.

Captains’ duties include all of the following:

o Inform members of your team about activities available to foster and promote participation.

o Enter the team in the desired sport before the announced deadline. To register your team, you will submit a roster online.

o Represent, or see that the team is represented, at all RecSports captains meetings for, misconduct matters and/or protests. Cooperate fully with all RecSports employees while they are performing their duties.

o Teams are permitted to add eligible players throughout the league season. CAPTAINS ARE RESPONSIBLE TO UPDATE THEIR OWN ROSTERS. In order for any player to be eligible they must appear on your roster and be able to show a valid student ID to the RecSports staff member. Roster updates must be completed by noon the day of the game for new players to be eligible to play. Once a player has played twice for one team he or she may not switch to another team. A player may only switch teams once within a sport season.

o Be sure that all players on your team have knowledge of and meet the eligibility regulations. If in doubt about a player's eligibility, have that person complete an eligibility petition form prior to participation.

o Study procedures governing participation in the program and the rules of each sport. Be sure that your players are also aware of these rules. Inform and educate all players and spectators affiliated with your team about the sportsmanship system.

o Notify all team members of the date, place, and time of each contest the individual and/or team plays. (Teams are responsible for checking schedules in person or online). Schedules are posted Friday evenings on the RecSports bulletin board located outside the RecSports Office and on the RecSports website at http://activities.byui.edu/sports/recreational/. Only the current schedules posted outside of Hart 227 and on the RecSports website will be considered official.

o Be sure that after each game, that the score sheet is correct and that you know your sportsmanship points for the game.

o All schedule requests must be submitted when registering a team. You may change schedule requests in the office after registering a team but they will not be implemented until a new schedule has been made.

o Check in with the RecSports staff on site before your scheduled game and fill out your score sheet legibly with members of your team who will participate. Verify that all players are checked in and eligible to participate.

o Cooperate fully with the RecSports staff regarding enforcement of policies and procedures.

o Provide scorekeepers for your game.

o Maintain control of your team and spectator behavior in terms of conduct, safety and sportsmanship before, during and after your RecSports game.

o In the event a player and/or spectator is ejected from the game, assume immediate responsibility for ensuring the player(s)/spectator(s) cooperate and leave the vicinity within the allotted three (3) minutes. RecSports employees will notify you that the individual(s) have to leave. The game will not resume until the player has left. Failure to comply completely with removal of the individual(s) from the vicinity within three (3) minutes will result in forfeiting your contest.

o Notify the RecSports Staff of any safety hazards/injuries/concerns regarding participants, equipment, facilities, etc. Please share with your team the RecSports policy regarding first aid supplies and the need to prepare yourselves to play.

If the designated game captain is unable to finish their responsibilities for any reason (injury, illness, receives any red card not associated with spectators, etc.) the team must appoint a playing member to take over their duties for the remainder of the game. Any captain that gets ejected will not remain a captain for the remainder of the season. A contest may not continue without a designated captain. The RecSports staff reserves the right to require teams to re-appoint a team captain when deemed necessary.

PARTICIPANT CONDUCT

Participant Code of Ethics

1. As a participant in RecSports I will abide by the word and spirit of both the playing rules and RecSports Policies and Procedures.

2. As any sport competition requires two teams and officials, I will strive to ensure that teammates, opponents and officials are given every opportunity to fully enjoy RecSports.

3. I will respect the decisions of game officials.

4. I will not engage in any tactic, strategy or behavior that puts a teammate, opponent or any other person at an unnecessary risk of injury.

5. I will encourage others to abide by the Participant Code of Ethics.

6. I will behave graciously regardless of the outcome of my game or match.

The development of individual sportsmanship is of fundamental importance in all RecSports activities. A yellow/red card will be verbally announced during contests to warn and/or eject individuals/teams/spectators. However, a yellow card is not required before a red card is displayed; and, a red card is not required for a suspension to occur. Players who have been ejected are required to leave the vicinity within three (3) minutes. Failure of ejected participant(s) and/or spectator(s) to leave the vicinity within the allotted three (3) minutes or returning to the vicinity during or after the game will result in the game being forfeited and additional individual/team sanctions.

AN EJECTION FROM ANY RECSPORTS CONTEST FOR INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR CARRIES A MINIMUM OF ONE GAME SUSPENSION, TO BE SERVED IN THAT TEAM'S NEXT GAME IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE EJECTION. If a player gets ejected from a game, that player must meet with a RecSports Director to be eligible to participate in any Sports Activities, not just the team he/she was playing with when the ejection took place.

The following behavior results in ejection from a RecSports contest & may result in referral to police and the Dean’s office:

1. Verbal or physical abuse and/or the threat of, by participant(s)/spectator(s) in the form of fighting, baiting, and/or wrestling with an opponent and/or teammate before, during or after a RecSports contest.

2. Any threatening behavior (verbal and/or non-verbal) towards any RecSports employee before, during, or after a RecSports contest.

3. Any physical contact with any RecSports employee.

4. Failure to cooperate by providing information requested by the RecSports staff.

5. Persistent infringement of the spirit and intent of the game rules.

6. Damage/destruction of facilities/equipment.

7. Any violation of BYU-Idaho policies and procedures governing the conduct of students.

Any of the above behavior results in a minimum one game suspension.

Actions before, during, and after the game in question will be taken into account when determining sanctions. Sanctioning may range from a minimum of a one game suspension to expulsion from the program for an indefinite period of time. Incidents may be referred to a conduct administrator in the Dean’s Office. Ejected individual(s) who are suspended for longer than two games will remain suspended from all Sports Activities until they meet with the RecSports Advisor after meeting with a Conduct Officer in Deans Office and serving their sanction.

Individual(s) playing while under suspension will receive a minimum suspension of one year and will be referred to the Dean of Students.

Team Captains will be notified of the suspended status of their players.

The RecSports staff reserves the right to suspend any participant or team from RecSports competition for conduct, behavior, or attitude that they perceive as interfering with the orderly conduct of activities and/or safety of the individuals participating in the RecSports Program.

Team Requirements:

1. All participants will be required to read and sign the Participant’s Contract before participating in RecSports leagues. This includes a waiver that indicates that players understand that they are playing at their own risk and are responsible for providing their own insurance in the case of an injury requiring professional treatment.

CONSEQUENCES

Individual

•Yellow card (1 pt each) = a two minute power play + specific sport penalty.

•2 yellow cards in one game = the player is ejected from the game.

•Red card (2 pts each) = ejection from game, four minute power play + specific sport penalty.

If a player receives a red card he will be suspended from all Sports Activities until he meets with the student director. After the player has met with the student director a decision regarding the length of suspension will be made. Any red card related with violence of any type will receive a 2 week suspension from sports. If a player receives three sportsmanship points during a semester in one or more sports, his Sports activities privileges will be suspended for the remainder of that semester.

Team

SELF- OFFICIATED LEAGUES

Individual and team sportsmanship is of paramount importance in all self-officiated activities. The responsibility to ensure fairness in all contests is shared by the teams involved. If RecSports staff are needed to intercede and remove/eject player(s)/spectator(s) for any inappropriate conduct the situation will be handled very seriously. Minimum sanctions will likely remove the player involved for the remainder of the sport season. Teams will be held to a very high code of conduct. Absolutely no inappropriate conduct of any kind will be tolerated.