GUIDELINE

Team Travel

Last updated: August 19, 2021

This document is meant to complement the existing OFVC Team Travel Policy.

Unless there is a municipal, provincial, federal or public health directive to the contrary that may change the OFVC normal practice, the following guideline shall be in effect.

Responsibilities

Head Coach

• Determine the following and communicate to athletes prior to departure:

• Schedule and curfews, including free time
• Rules, expected behaviour - review Club Code of Conduct
• Team rooming assignments
• Planned team activities

• During tournament time (arrival at facility until released by coach), coaching staff is responsible for the whereabouts and behaviour of athletes.  Athletes must not leave the facility (even with their own parent) without checking first with coach.  (While it does not happen regularly, the time and/or location of a match can be changed without notice.   Athletes need to be available just in case.)
• Ensure that athletes are aware of the designated emergency meeting place at both hotel and tournament facility
• Monitor athletes’ behaviour, assess consequences for infractions, document and report to the board
• Ensure that you do not enter players’ hotel rooms without notice in respect of their privacy; however, if you are coaching an opposite gender team (male coach/female players or female coach/male players) do not enter the players’ hotel rooms at all, without a second coach/adult/parent accompanying you, without notice, and with assurances by all players that players are fully dressed. Entering opposite gender players’ hotel rooms should only be done if there is a sick or injured player or an emergency. In essence, all social and team communication with players needs to take place in a common room (hotel lobby) as a group or individually in the hall with another coach/parent/adult present.

Team Manager / Designated Parent Chaperone

• Team Manager (or designated parent chaperone if the team manager is not travelling with the team) should meet with the head coach in the week prior to the tournament to review rules, plans for the tournament
• Confirm that all athletes and coaches have transportation to the tournament; confirm anticipated departure/arrival times
• Communicate coach’s tournament plans to parents (schedule, curfews, rules, etc)
• Ensure that parents are aware of the designated emergency meeting place at both hotel and tournament facility.
• Make arrangements, supporting the coach, for team activities (team dinners, sight-seeing, etc.)
• Monitor athletes and report any infractions to head coach (curfew, rules, Code of Conduct infractions)
• Outside of tournament time, team manager or designated parent chaperone must be aware of the whereabouts of all athletes at all times

Covid updates:

• Team Manager should watch the OVA Tournament page for updates on their venue related to Public Health updates, # of spectators allowed, etc.
• Select/track the spectators at each tournament understanding that all spectator parents/guardians will be expected to do the scorekeeping or lines and set up a schedule for the games.

Athletes

• Act in a manner consistent with the Fusion Code of Conduct
• Know and adhere to schedule, curfews, rules set out by your coach.  Understand that infractions will have consequences, including being sent home for a major infraction.
• Respect team rooming assignments – no changes without permission of head coach
• Participate in all planned team activities
• Notify team manager/designated parent chaperone/coach if you are leaving the hotel/tournament facility even if you are with a parent, including your own.

Parents

• Ensure your child's transportation to the tournament, by yourself or another parent.  Communicate travel plans to the team manager. Players are not allowed to drive themselves to tournaments.
• Respect the schedules set out by the coach especially if you are providing transportation for athletes.   Plan your travel to ensure that athletes are present for team meetings and that they can meet curfew unless you have made prior arrangements with the coach.  Get them to tournament facilities and team activities on time.
• Support the coach and team manager/designated parent chaperone in enforcing curfews and the established rules.  Report infractions to the team manager/designated parent chaperone or coach.
• Notify the team manager/designated parent chaperone if you are taking athletes off-site (even your own); make sure they know how to reach you if needed.

Other Notes/Considerations

• Coaches and parents should review the Club Code of Conduct and the policy on dealing with behaviour contrary to the code with the athletes prior to the tournament.
• Rooming assignments are a useful tool for coaches in support of team building.  All athletes will stay at the team hotel in their designated room unless prior approval has been given by the coach for other arrangements.
• ** Not valid in 2021-22 as of this update due to Covid restrictions ** As per club policy, athletes in the 15-18U age groups should be rooming together in team rooms separate from parents. At 13U & 14U, the coach may allow athletes to room with their parents at the team hotel.  Teams are responsible for providing rooms for coaches. (see OFVC Travel Policy for more information)
• Team Managers – in booking hotel rooms, try to get all of your team’s rooms (including parents and coaches) in close proximity.  That way you can monitor curfew and noise levels more easily.
• A meeting location to be used in case of an evacuation should be set upon arrival at hotel and tournament facility, especially the larger venues (provincials, nationals, etc.).  
• Curfew – be specific, for example: athletes in their own rooms by 10:00, lights-out by 10:30.  Team manager/parent chaperone should check in to verify.
• Schedule – the more detailed the better.  Let parents and athletes know where they are expected to be at all times, preferably in writing.  Review the schedule daily with parents and athletes. (For multi-day tournaments, the tournament schedule for the next day is typically only known once all play has been completed in the group for the day.)
• Study time – coaches should schedule mandatory study/quiet time whenever athletes are missing school for tournaments.  This is not to be considered free time for those who don’t have school work – they should come prepared with something to occupy the time.  Travel time can be used for this purpose.
• Team activities – At the coach’s discretion, certain meals and activities will be designated as team activities.  These are mandatory for all athletes.  
• Free time – coaches & team managers should set out any limitations/restrictions and make sure they are reviewed and understood.

• In general, athletes should not be allowed to leave the hotel/tournament facility without a parent chaperone.  
• Older athletes (17U, 18U) may be allowed out on their own at the coach’s discretion, but they should be in groups of at least 3 and make sure they can be reached at all times.  Team manager/designated parent chaperone must know where they will be, who they will be with and how they can be reached.  Curfews/schedules must be respected.
• Many of the hotels will have pools, hot tubs, fitness facilities.  Coaches should make clear any restrictions to their use.

• At no time will athletes of the opposite sex be in the same hotel room or in other secluded areas of the hotel or tournament facility.   Common areas can be used to ‘hang out’ with your fellow club-mates.