Intramural
Sports Handbook

ATTENTION TEAM CAPTAINS:

YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION

Updated 11-4-09

Dear Intramural Captain:

Thank you for volunteering to be an Intramural Captain. Your job is very important to us. Without your involvement, knowledge of the rules, and ability to guide your teams, the intramural program could not go on. In the eyes of the Intramural Staff, you are what makes the program run succesfully, competitively, and recreationally.

As a Captain, your team is relying on you to take on many responsibilities. It is critical that whether you have been elected, appointed, or self-designated, that you are prepared to accept the commitment and duties inherent in the title you are assuming. This booklet has been prepared as a self-help guide and contains information that is vital for you to accomplish your job. Please read this guide carefully and keep it handy at all times. If after completing this guide, you do not feel you can accept this responsibility and commitment of being a team Captain, then please find someone else who is willing to accept the job. A team’s success is directly correlated to its Captain.

From a Captain’s standpoint this can often be a thankless job. You spend a lot of time tracking down enough bodies to form a team, trying to make registration, reorganizing rosters, understanding the rules, and making sure everyone gets to play - all of this, often without a word of thanks from anybody. Let it be known that we do appreciate your efforts. Again, thank you for your help, and if we can be of any service to you or your team, please do not hesitate to call or stop by the IM office. The door is always open for you. Good luck to you and your team, and more importantly, HAVE FUN!!

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of Intramurals, Recreation, and Club Sports is to provide programs, services, and facilities that encourage personal development, community interaction, and educational experiences through enjoyable sport and recreational opportunities.

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Intramural Sports Program. Intramurals is a fun way to meet new people, become physically active and participate in friendly competition. The Intramural Program offers the University Community (students, faculty, and staff) structured team, dual, and individual recreational sport opportunities within a healthy, safe, and enjoyable environment for both participants and student employees. The Intramural Program is planned, organized, directed, and evaluated by the Intramural Program Captain with the support of the student directors.

TEAM CAPTAIN RESPONSIBILITY

The team Captain is the most vital element of a team’s successful participation in the Intramural Sports Program. Research has shown that teams with alert, organized, and efficient Captains most often are competing well into the playoffs. Ordinarily, team Captains have a strong interest in team sports, are reasonable, reliable, possess good communication skills and can recruit a group of players to form a solid team. The following are suggestions to help you be come a successful team Captain. Please use them as a checklist to guide you through the regular season and playoffs. Team Captains are responsible for:

• Actions of Players
• Bench Personnel
• Team Representatives
• Team Spectators
• Score Card
• Eligibility
• Updated Roster
• Regular season schedules
• Playoff schedules

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Participation in the Intramural Program is voluntary which means that individuals assume responsibility for their own health and safety. The risk of injury is inherent in many of the recreational sport activities offered by the Intramural Program. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that individuals intending to participate in IM sports should, for their own protection, have a physical examination to determine if they are physically able to participate, be fully aware of all inherent risks involved in that sport, and have medical insurance to cover expenses incurred in the event of injury.

IM Staff memebers are there as a first response only. They are not to transport anybody, and in case of emergency campus police or 911 should be called immediately.

ELIGIBILITY RULES

The purpose of these eligibility rules is to provide fair and equitable participation for University of Minnesota, Morris students, staff, and faculty. The rules have been established to facilitate enjoyable participation for everyone in the Intramural Program. Therefore, the spirit of the rules is extremely important. To insure a positive atmosphere in the program, it is essential that participants abide by the rules and encourage their teammates to do the same. Although all Intramural Program participants must be familiar with eligibility rule, TEAM CAPTAINS ARE ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ELIGIBILITY OF THE PLAYERS ON THEIR TEAM.

Individual Eligibility

Students whom pay the student services fees, faculty, and staff are eligible to participate in the Intramural Program.

Intercollegiate Award Winners

There will be a limit on the number of current varsity players on a roster for sports that have the equivalent varsity teams. Each sport is subject to different rules, and the maximum number of varsity sport players will be notified on specific sport rules. The following Intercollegiate sports shall be considered equivalent sports for Intramural competitions:

BASEBALL………….. Baseball, Softball

BASKETBALL……… 3 on 3, Basketball

FOOTBALL…………. Flag Football

VOLLEYBALL……… Indoor Volleyball, Sand Volleyball

SOCCER.............Indoor Soccer

Intercollegiate Athletic squad members should obtain permission from their coaches before participating in Intramural sports.

TEAM ROSTER

Complete names, and signatures of all participants must appear on the team’s official roster. A team Captain or representative must record additions on the roster/sign-in sheet before competing. Only players that are on your roster and have played with your team during the regular season are eligible for the playoffs. Therefore, please report any additions or changes to your roster as they occur. The winners of the tournaments will receive UMM IM champion T-shirts.

ELIGIBILITY VIOLATIONS

Cases of individual or team violations of Intramural eligibility rules will be reviewed by the Intramural Coordinator. Team Captains will be held responsible for the actions of their players. Some examples of Intramural eligibility violations, which provide cause for loss by default and possible suspension, are listed below:

• Use of any other ineligible players.
• Players participating under assumed names.
• Deliberate misrepresentation of a score.
• Use of players who are suspended from Intramurals.
• Poor sportsmanship.
• A player is only eligible to play for one team in each sport. At no time during the quarter can any team add a player who has played, or is presently playing for another team in the same sport.

Any team that violates eligibility requirements will forfeit the last game in which they used the ineligible player. This means that both teams that the ineligible player participated on will default their most recent game. Both teams will also be placed on probation for the remainder of the season and the following season, with another eligibility violation resulting in the team being removed from the league. A flagrant violation of this rule (ex. Using more than one ineligible player) may result in suspension of the entire team. In playoffs, any team using an ineligible player will be eliminated!

DEFAULTS AND FORFEITS

Although there may be legitimate reasons at times for not being able to field a team, to take a default or forfeit a game is very demoralizing to both the team being deprived of a game, and the entire Intramural Program.

If for some reason, your team cannot avoid taking a default or forfeiting a scheduled game, common courtesy requires that both the opposing team and the IM office be notified well in advance of the scheduled playing time. Games lost by default or forfeit will not be rescheduled for any reason.

The Intramural Program defines defaults and forfeits as follows:

DEFAULT — Teams will receive a default if they:

1. Cannot make a scheduled game (a loss will be recorded if proper notification has been given in advance) AND let the IM Coordinator know at least 24 hours in advance.

A default will not automatically prevent a team from qualifying for playoffs or getting their forfeit fee back at the end of the session.

FORFEITS–Teams will forfeit if they:

1. Fail to show up at the appointed playing site, at the scheduled time (a 10 minute leeway will be given for every event or league game) and did not notify their opponents and the IM office 24 hours in advance, or 4:00 p.m. on the Friday before weekend games.
2. Are guilty of poor sports behavior and conduct, and the game must be discontinued.
3. Knowingly misrepresent a score.

Teams must turn in a $10.00 forfeit fee payable to UMM with their team roster prior to the league sign up deadline. This must be dropped off in the Student Activities Office when your roster is turned in. If your team does NOT forfeit during the season, you will be refunded your $10.00.

PROTESTS

Team captains are responsible for eligibility of their team members and will be held accountable for using ineligible players.

Protests based solely on a decision, which involves accuracy of judgement on the part of the IM Staff, will not be considered.

Protests based on misinterpretation of a playing rule may be reviewed. Arguing about a call does not constitute lodging a protest. The team captain must lodge his/her formal protest with the IM Staff immediately following the questionable interpretation (prior to the next pitch, serve, play, etc.). The IM Staff will then notify the opposing team captain that the game is being played under protest. The game will continue and details will be brought to the IM Coordinator for final ruling.

Protests based on the eligibility of a participant must be lodged with the IM Staff working before the conclusion of the contest. At the time of the protest both captains, the IM Staff, the director, and the individual(s) in question will meet. If the protest is valid , the team with the offending player will lose. If the protest is invalid, the result of the game will stand.

PROTESTS BY PHONE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED FOR ANY REASON!!!! ALL Captains ARE ADVISED THAT BEFORE AN OFFICIAL PROTEST WILL BE CONSIDERED, THEIR OFFICIAL TEAM ROSTERS (ON FILE) WILL BE CHECKED FOR ACCURACY AND COMPLIANCE.

REMEMBER: NEVER ARGUE A CALL WITH THE IM STAFF; INSTEAD, PLEASE DISCUSS IT IN A RESPECTFUL MANNER! REMEMBER, IT ISN’T EASY!!

SUSPENSION

Individual Suspension may result when:

• Any player is involved in a fight.
• Any player exhibits aggressive behavior or intentional physical contact.
• Any player exhibits poor conduct.
• Any player is ejected from a game or facility due to poor conduct.
• Any player verbally or physically threatens or intimidates the IM Staff or director.
• Any player or spectator physically contacts an IM Staff member or director.
• Any player or spectator exhibits wanton disregard for IM equipment.
• Any player or spectator exhibits wanton disregard for IM policies.
• Any player or spectator ignores the University’s NO ALCOHOL POLICY.
• Any player fails to abide by the spirit of the rules.

Team Suspensions may result when:

• Teams exhibit poor sportsmanship.
• Teams violate IM rules/policies.
• Teams fail to control the actions of their players, bench personnel, team representatives, and team spectators.
• Teams fail to properly identify their players or present photo ID upon request.
• Teams violate the University’s NO ALCOHOL POLICY.

REINSTATEMENT

In the event that a player/team is ejected from an IM game or activity or exhibits poor sports conduct, the individual/team captain must schedule a conference with the IM Program Coordinator and/or Student Director to determine the length and severity of suspension. Any suspended player remains ineligible until officially reinstated. Only the IM Program Coordinator or the Student Director has the authority to grant reinstatement.

POSTPONEMENTS AND RESCHEDULING

POSTPONEMENTS

As a general rule, games will be played rain or shine. Only in the case of unsafe playing conditions will games be postponed and/or cancelled. The IM Staff will determine whether conditions are safe or unsafe. The IM office will not automatically reschedule games postponed due to unsafe playing conditions. Please check your messages carefully and stay in contact with the IM office to find out if and when the game has been rescheduled.

RESCHEDULING

During both the regular season and playoffs, facility schedules and staffing issues make it nearly impossible to reschedule games at participants’ requests. Team captains must check with their teammates about possible conflicts before signing up for a league. Teams that qualify for playoffs must be prepared to play on nights and times other than those played during the regular season.

CHECKLIST FOR TEAM CAPTAINS

HELPFUL HINTS FOR MANAGING YOUR TEAM

BEFORE THE SEASON

• Meet with prospective team members to decide on the most agreeable team name. The IM staff reserves the right to disallow any team name that is offensive or inappropriate in any way.
• Obtain copy of eligibility and game rules (available at the Student Activities Office or on the IM website), go over them with the team, and constantly abide by these rules.
• Following registration, inform all team members of the day, time, and location of your first scheduled game.
• Attend all captain's meetings and inform all team members of any important information received, including rules, sportsmanship issues, and playoff information.
• Stay in close contact with the IM office in order to be aware of any changes which may directly affect your team.

DURING THE SEASON

• Refer to the IM bulletin board in the PE center or stop in to the Student Activities Office and copy down your regular season schedule prior to your second game. The team captain is responsible for communicating the season schedule to all team members.
• Visit the IM office frequently and keep in close contact with the IM bulletin board in the PE center. We assume these records to be correct and select playoff teams on the basis of these records. Any records which appear to be incorrect must be immediately brought to the attention of the IM office staff which will verify the game scores by examining the original scorecard and/or calling the opposing team captain.
• Update your official team roster whenever necessary. This includes any player additions, deletions, address, or phone number changes. The roster on file prior to the last day of the regular season is considered the official team roster and cannot be changed. Good captains keep their rosters current and finalize them prior to the last regular season game.
• Make every effort to play all games as scheduled (at the correct day/time/site). A successful captain avoids forfeits at all costs.
• Insure that your team is on hand for all contests, be ready to play well ahead of the scheduled time.

AFTER THE SEASON

• Please stop by the IM sports office to pick up your forfeit fee (if you did not ever forfeit!) and give us suggestions to improve programs. We need your feedback.