Newsletter Articles
April 06, 2011
Brian A. Kile
Assistant Director-Sport Clubs
University of Maryland
While Sport Club policies on travel play in an important role in managing one of the largest areas of risk in Sport Clubs, they are not effective unless consistently monitored and enforced. With an increase in club travel and overall participation, the University of Maryland turned to technology to increase efficiency and help ensure that their risk management requirements were being met.
In Spring 2005 the Sport Club staff at Maryland began a project with the department’s IT staff to develop Sport Club software called Sport Tool. After months of development and testing, Sport Tool was introduced to all club officers in Fall 2005.
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April 06, 2011
Everyone Has Questions but Nobody Has Answers
Matt Gaden, Recreation and Fitness Coordinator
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
Recreational sports professionals never want to see a participant injured while taking part in a programmed activity or competition, but injuries to players are an inevitable part of any Sport Club program. Every university and state has different rules and laws that pertain to risk management, medical insurance requirements, and the university’s responsibility in the event of an injury. This has lead to a variety of different medical insurance requirements which varies from one school to the next.
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April 06, 2011
Mark Fletcher
Associate Director of Athletics:
Director of Intramural Recreational Sports
University of Virginia
So what is the relationship of Club Sports to your University? Will you provide legal representation for them in a court of law? Is your department responsible for their unpaid hotel bills? Do you make the decision whether they choose to drink alcohol on a road trip?
These types of questions and the actual relationship of Club Sports to the University of Virginia and the Department of Intramural Recreational Sports were reviewed to determine a clarified understanding of the roles and responsibilities of all entities. The end result…….Contracted Independent Organizations.
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April 06, 2011
Shelley Timms, B.A., LL.B., LL.M.
Timshel Services Inc.
Alcohol Risk Management
Timshel@timshelservices.com
Editors Note: In the US, this is referred to as ‘Premises Liability’. While there may be differences from state to state, the principles are essentially the same.
Part I of the series discussed invitees, those who are permitted on an occupied land by the occupier, usually for the benefit of the occupier.
The “licencee” is identified as one who, for his or her own purpose or interest, goes onto premises occupied by another with the occupier’s consent or sufferance. It is important to note that consent can be implied as well as express.
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April 06, 2011
Alan Glick
Assistant Director of Recreational Sports
Virginia Tech
Many college and university Recreational Sports departments do not have the staffing resources or the desire to require a staff member or Advisor to travel with their Sport Clubs. At such institutions, it then becomes imperative for the Sport Club staff to do everything in their power to ensure the safety of their students as they prepare to get behind the wheel to travel hundreds and sometimes thousands of miles to compete in their sports.
There are a number of pro-active steps that Sport Club staff can take to help students deal with the responsibilities and inherent risks associated with traveling on their own:
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April 06, 2011
Rob DeFazio
Director of Campus Recreation
St. Bonaventure University
Chaperone, babysitter, Advisor, figure head, just along for the ride? Volunteer, or paid? Assigned or chosen? Does it matter when it comes to the safety of our students?
When a Club Team travels there are greater concerns than if everyone brought their cleats for the game. Who is driving, what are they driving, and who is capable of driving? Many clubs operate on limited budgets and leave it to students to arrange game, travel, and hotel accommodations. No matter where you live, traveling can be an adventure with a Club Sport Team. Club Teams will travel many distances and endure many different types of weather, and deal with many different personalities along the way. This is where the Advisor comes into play.
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