Liberty University Club Sports Policies and Procedures Table of Contents I. Introduction 1 II. Student Eligibility 1 A. Eligibility B. Rosters III. Official Roster 1 IV. Coaches Duties and Responsibilities 2 V. Budgets and Finances 3 A. P Card B. When P Cards cannot be used VI. Travel Guidelines 3 A. General Information B. Preparations Before Travel VII. Facility Use 5 A. Requests B. Music Guidelines VIII. Fundraising 6 IX. Marketing & Advertising 6 A. Website Management X. Health and Safety 7 A. Insurance B. Athletic Training C. In case of emergency XI. Recruitment 8
I. Introduction IV. Coaches Duties and Responsibilities The following handbook has been developed as a guideline in which all coaches must follow. Our mission is to develop successful teams by providing administrative structure and financial support to enrich students collegiate experience through athletic competition and academic integration. II. III. Student Eligibility A. Each team is to follow the policies for eligibility indicated by their sport s collegiate governing association. (Ex: LU Synchronized Skating abides by guidelines of USFSA United States Figure Skating Association). See eligibility handbook for further details B. Student Athletes must be residential students. C. Undergraduate students must take a minimum of 9 credit hours and Graduate students must take a minimum of 6 credit hours in order to participate. D. Starting in their sophomore year, students must have a minimum GPA of 2.0 to participate unless otherwise stated by their team s governing body. E. For inquiries about any exceptions, contact the Club Sports Office. Official Roster: Before their first practice, game, or special event, teams must submit a complete roster of all student athletes to the Club Sports Office at the beginning of each semester. This will be the official roster recognized by Liberty University. Anyone who is not listed on the official roster is not permitted to participate in any team related functions. This roster must be updated monthly. All operations of a club sport are the coach s responsibility under the direction of the Club Sports Office. Responsibilities of the coach include, but are not limited to: Creating a tentative budget for each fiscal year Managing budget All travel plans Handling all money related to team Managing required fundraiser(s) Traveling with team on all road trips o Please prepare your own set of directions for road trips. Recruiting student athletes. Recruiting must abide by the regulations of each sports governing body. Scheduling of practices, games, and events at least four weeks prior to event Ensuring that all students have signed the Club Sports waivers prior to any organized team function. Submitting required forms from students Completing First Aid certification Communicating website content updates, game results, team news, etc to the Club Sports Office weekly. Making sure students are aware that the Liberty Way is in effect at all team events, both home and away. Taking their team binder to all events Getting approval for all apparel designs & logos Monitoring students academic progress Coaches are to abide by the Liberty University Employee Handbook and the policies set forth by Liberty University, Which can be found on the coach s portal. V. Budgets and Finances 1 2
Coaches must work closely with the Club Sports Office to ensure that expenses do not exceed the funds available in your club s account. Keep in mind there may be restrictions on how the funds in your account are spent. For any questions or concerns, e mail Kyle McQuillan at kamcquillan@liberty.edu VI. A. P Card All purchases less than $2,500 per transaction are to be made via the Purchasing Card process. All purchases made with the P Card must abide by the policies set forth by the Liberty University Purchasing Department. B. When a P Card is not to be used: For purchases over $2,500 & vendors who do not take credit cards; 1. Coaches need to submit a purchase/expense/travel request form 3 weeks in advance to the Club Sports Office (This form includes referees, larger equipment, conference dues, etc ). i. Club Sports Office hours of operation: Monday Friday 8 a.m. 5 p.m. Travel Guidelines Please visit the coach s portal & read the transportation guideline document A. General Travel Information: 1. The Club Sports Office will only approve a trip if all required travel roster information has been received. No travel funds will be allocated unless the proper protocol (explained in previous section) has been followed, funds have been approved, and funds are available at the time of the trip. 2. Only approved LU drivers, LU club coaches, Club Sports staff, recognized staff and recognized team members will be allowed on the LU vehicle during trips. No other personnel are allowed, including family. 3. Coaches are to make sure that all students abide by The Liberty Way on all trips. 4. Students must park in the areas designated by their LU parking decal. Any vehicles not parked in the designated area risk being towed. 5. Any team trips must be submitted to Derek Young at dpyoung@liberty.edu at least 3 weeks prior to the date of departure. B. Preparations Before Travel: 1. Any Club Sport coach who wishes to drive a Liberty University owned vehicle must complete the requirements set by the Liberty University Transportation Department. To begin this process please visit the coach s portal for the link to the Transportation department 2. A travel roster must be submitted to the Club Sports Office at least 2 days prior to departure. 3. Suggested parking during team travel, for those not living on campus (commuter students and coaches), is Lot 3, the gravel parking lot located on East Campus past the Men s Lacrosse Field. 4. If you have any questions regarding travel, please contact Derek Young (434) 592 5438. 3 4
VII. Facility Use A. Facility Requests 1. Facility requests can be made by emailing tmgomez@liberty.edu. All facility requests for practices, games and special events must be submitted a minimum of 4 weeks prior to desired date. 2. For use of conference rooms located in LaHaye Ice Center, please contact Nicole Docksteader at nkboferraro@liberty.edu. 3. For use of the club sports workout room or the strength training center, please contact Matt Sherry msherry@liberty.edu. B. Music Guidelines 1. Statement of Purpose: This policy is not meant to limit nor impact what individuals listen to in their own vehicles, dwellings or ipods, but to provide a set of principles within a framework that would allow for standards to be set and followed at all University sponsored public events (any music output of any type for any purpose broadcast over University supplied amplification systems or at University events). We acknowledge that beliefs regarding the choice of music are often an issue of preference, mostly related to one or more specific genres of music. Liberty is a unique University, which is held to a very high standard by the communities who support, participate or observe the manner in which LU is represented in a wide variety of elements; the most debated and contentious of these elements is acknowledged to be music. In order to protect the public image of the University, the following guidelines have been established and must be followed/applied without preference being given to each individual s music choices. 2. Foundational Guidelines NO sanitized music is acceptable (music from which the bad elements have been removed) NO music which contains profanity in its basic, original format (even VIII. IX. when edited to stop just before the problem appears ) NO music which, in its intended or implied message, contradicts the lifestyle standards established by the Liberty Way (drinking, clubbing, promiscuity, innuendo, etc.) Fundraising A. All fundraisers must be approved by the Club Sports Office B. If your club decides to use apparel for fundraising, the design and text must be submitted to the Club Sports Office for approval. (tmgomez@liberty.edu) C. My Liberty Dreams is a fundraiser in which all club sports teams are suggested to participate. D. Teams are encouraged to work concession at Men s D1 hockey games to earn $500 for their team. E. For any questions regarding fundraising, please contact Derek Young at dpyoung@liberty.edu Marketing & Advertising The Club Sports Office must approve any and all marketing and advertising. Any request for splash page announcements, posters, convocation announcements, e cog announcements, reader board announcements, etc. can be submitted to tmgomez@liberty.edu. A. Website Content Updates: Coaches... 1. Must send weekly updates 2. Must submit full roster to be posted & updated monthly 3. Must send scores from weekend events immediately after to sniemi@liberty.edu 5 6
X. Health and Safety Coaches must bring all club participants forms to the Club Sports Office prior to any practices, games, special events, and travel. A. Insurance Liberty University does insure student athletes, but each athlete must have their own insurance policy that should be used as the primary insurance. B. Athletic Training Coordinator of Athletic Training: Angie Witt, ATC (awitt@liberty.edu) GA Athletic Trainer: Kyle Swanson, ATC Part time Athletic Trainer: Cordell Hood, ATC C. In Case of Injury/Emergency 1. First response for injury/emergency is contacting LUPD at 434 582 3911. Provide LUPD with information needed such as extent of injury and location. Emergency personnel will be responsible for determining if and how an injured person will be transported to a local hospital. Coaches are responsible for having all their student athlete s medical forms at all team events. XI. 2. All injuries must be reported to Angie Witt or her staff within 30 days of the injury. The injury must be reported on a referral form signed by the coach. Proper procedure must be followed in order for Liberty University insurance to be responsible for payment as secondary insurance provider. Recruitment A. As previously mentioned in the coaches responsibilities portion of this handbook, coaches are expected to recruit athletes for their team. To better assist coaches with this Club Sports has implemented a new GA as recruiting coordinator. Kaycee Tripp will be able assist you with the following recruiting needs. 1. Register coach s contact information on various sports recruiting websites to attain information on potential student athletes for their teams. 2. Assist coaches with planning potential athlete s visits to Liberty, including but not limited to, setting up a campus tour, gift baskets, and give valuable team specific information (provided by each teams coach). a. You must notify the recruiting coordinator at least 2 weeks in advance for the above services. 3. Meet with potential athletes when coaches aren t available. 4. Kaycee Tripp can be contacted at ketripp@liberty.edu or by contacting the club sport office at (434) 592 3957. 2. In the event of an injury, please contact Angie Witt (awitt@liberty.edu) with the athlete s name, injury, and steps taken after incident occurred. 7 8