Rules and Policies.
Mystik Program Code of Conduct: Basic Foundation
Our long term plan is to establish a highly respected and competitive program within the Four Corners region. We will do this by putting integrity and ethics above all else when making decisions that impact the Club, our teams, our players, or our coaches. We believe athletes should be given fair opportunities to tryout, be evaluated and placed on teams based on age and skill as compared to a group of their peers. We place no importance on: team placements from prior seasons, school enrollment, district location, school team placement, referrals from other programs, parental involvement with the Club, sibling placement, carpooling arrangements, etc.
Our integrity-based value system extends to our policy around parent-coaches. We are the only Club in the Four Corners area that has strict parent-coach policies. At Mystik we believe: 1) it is a conflict of interest for parents to coach their own kids in competitive club sports; 2) we do not allow parent-coaches beyond 12 and under; and 3) parent-coaches may not participate in the placement decisions for teams at or above age groups for which they may have eligible players. We should note that while we have solely focused on the parent-coach/child relationship for the purposes of the code of conduct discussion, we intend to extend the spirit of this policy to any immediate familial relationship that may pose a conflict of interest. (Sister, Brother, Aunt, Uncle, etc.) Undisclosed relationships are grounds for immediate dismissal of the athlete with no refund due.
Mystik Program Code of Conduct: Behavioral Expectations
It is our expectation that all affiliated with the program will exude the highest level of good sportsmanship. Upon invitation and acceptance to a team each participant and their parent(s) will read and sign a Player/Parent Contract. Violations of this contract will result in the immediate dismissal of a player from the Club. No refunds of any kind will be given to a player dismissed from the Club due to inappropriate behavior. Players associated with the program will not use alcohol, tobacco, vaping products or drugs at any time while associated with our program. Any use or suspected use may result in an immediate release from the team with no refund due. All players, parents and coaches will conduct themselves in a respectful manner with appropriate language and behavior. This also includes any outward display of inappropriate behavior or anger towards anyone.
Bullying
The Club will not tolerate any form of bullying (physical, verbal, psychological, cyber, social) within our organization. Mystik is a safe place for our athletes and coaches. Any reports of bullying should follow the Chain of Command. The consequences will be determined by the Club Director, which may include the player or family in question being immediately dismissed from the Club with no refund due.
Chain of Command
The Club’s expectation is that everyone within Mystik will follow the documented chain of command. All players with concerns or issues must first contact their coach. If this approach is unsuccessful, the player and parent will talk to the coach together. If further escalation is required, the coach will contact the Director and ask for assistance. If a player and/or parent first contacts the Director, the Director will remind the player and/or parent of the proper protocol.
Team Communication
Each family should designate ONE email address as the primary email address on-file for your player. Please nominate one parent or guardian per athlete account to be the party responsible for receiving Mystik emails. This individual will be responsible for taking action or forwarding emails on to further recipients. I recommend nominating the parent or guardian who checks their emails most frequently due to the time-sensitive nature of emails.
At the beginning of the season, a team Group Chat (in an app of the Directors’ choosing) will be created by the Director to include the coach and parents. The invite will be sent to the email on file with the Club for the player. Once the invite is sent, if you do not accept the invite or interact with the group periodically, the app may remove you. It may be good to “thumbs up” a message periodically so as to interact with the app and group and keep it updated.
Each coach will determine whether they would like to create an entirely separate chat for the team or whether the athletes are added to the initial team group chat. This chat will be the primary method for communicating last minute changes or updates by the coach and/or Director. Not email. It is each parent(s) responsibility to check the Group chat regularly for updates. If you don’t you will miss critical updates. It is your responsibility to stay up to date.
Team Rules
The team comes first. Always.
Any involvement or suspected involvement with alcohol, tobacco, or any other illegal substance is grounds for immediate dismissal from the program.
Any outward display of anger, frustration and/or negative emotion by a player will not be tolerated. We cannot afford to lose our emotional composure during competition; therefore, it will not be tolerated at any time a player is with the team. Expect to be subbed out should this occur. Depending on the severity this may be applicable for the remainder of the current game, match, day or tournament.
Any behavior by a player that puts the program, coaches or other players at risk is strictly prohibited and is grounds for immediate dismissal from the program, no exceptions.
Each team is required to wear Mystik issued gear as indicated by Coaches.
Practice Rules
Practices are mandatory. You must notify your coach prior to practice if you cannot attend. Failure to make practices or team activities will affect your potential playing time. Remember that we must all have the same commitment to the team. It is not fair for others to show up consistently, while some miss practice and expect to have the same amount of playing time.
Our gym rentals start on time, so be early ready to enter the gym and setup equipment. Your personal equipment (shoes, knee pads, ankle braces, tape, etc.) should all be on before you enter the gym so we can start as soon as possible. All players should arrive at least fifteen to twenty minutes early to help.
Since our gym time is valuable, all players will come ready to practice. When we are in the gym you must have a single focus: VOLLEYBALL. Stay focused. It is our belief that it is not a good use of time to discipline players during valuable practice time due to a lack of focus but we will certainly use our gym time that way if it’s necessary.
No one will leave the gym at anytime during or after practice without your coach's approval. Failure to comply will result in a one-tournament suspension. Coaches must know where players are at all times. We practice in the evenings in spaces that are not our own. It is a matter of safety and responsibility.
No outside visitors at practice facilities. Our practice facility insurance covers our athletes and coaches only. It does not cover friends of athletes. This includes gym space, bathrooms, etc. The entire site.
We understand some parents commute in and it’s not practical to go home during practice. You are welcome to hang out inside. In our smaller practice spaces, we ask that you do not setup camp chairs in the gym. It’s a safety issue and could cause an injury.
We will always leave the gym in the same or better condition than we found it. If you see trash, pick it up. If you see spilled water, clean it up or notify someone. Our usage of gym space depends on us being responsible and respectful of the spaces we use.
No one leaves the gym until the last piece of equipment has been put away and the last ball has been counted.
Tournament Rules (Registration)
Stay-to-Play tournaments are called stay-to-play for a reason. This was not created by Mystik but rather USAV. We MUST STAY in the designated hotel(s) TO PLAY.
Each player must stay in the designated hotel(s) or your player WILL NOT be eligible to play in that tournament. No exceptions - this includes having family in the area, having a timeshare, finding a cheaper option on Hotels.com, staying in a RV, etc. The answer is NO.
Admission into tournaments is highly competitive. Even getting a chance to register for a tournament is a challenge. Acceptance is granted on a team-by-team basis once a team has hit its stay-to-play requirement by the deadline. If your player does not register for the designated hotel(s) by the deadline indicated in the email and causes the team to not be granted acceptance into the tournament, that player will be immediately released from the team with no refund due.
If a player registers for the designated hotel(s) and later cancels the reservation without prior Director approval, that player will be immediately released from the team with no refund due. (Tournament hosts continually check registrations expecting families to cancel reservations and will remove us from the tournament without notice.)
3-day Stay-to-Play tournaments require 3-night hotel reservations at the designated hotel(s). No exceptions.
Understand that the deadlines within the emails for hotel registrations are REAL deadlines. They are not suggestions. Our room blocks are released and made available for other teams at the end of the date on the email.
Tournament schedules are subject to change based on a number of factors. One of which is a player on the team not adhering to the stay-and-play policy which results in a team losing its admission into the tournament. While the Club will naturally try to minimize any impact to the rest of the team, the Club will ultimately not be responsible for any refunds due to the negligence of other families.
We will specifically state when a tournament is “family choice.” Only then may a family book a hotel of their preference or stay with family/friends.
Parents take full responsibility for not reading, checking, or missing emails containing critical information containing tournament hotel registration. They understand it is not the Club Directors job to send reminder emails. They understand it is their responsibility to take action immediately. If they forget to take action and it results in negative consequences for their player, such as tournament ineligibility, they take accountability for their lack of inaction.
Tournament Rules (At Venues)
You are responsible for knowing when and where you are to be at all times.
Parents must support the Coaches with their words and actions, this is crucial to our success.
All players must obey any and all facility rules at all times. Remember that we are guests at these places and we could be booted from a tournament for not following their rules.
Only the floor captain or the coach is allowed to talk with the officials. Keep your comments to yourself. Let your coaches deal with the bad officiating.
All players on the bench must stay warm and mentally prepared to enter the game at any time in any position. Failure to be ready may cause an immediate substitution. Don’t miss an opportunity.
Everyone is responsible for the balls we have. It is everyone's responsibility to keep track of our equipment. Remember lost balls means more cost to everyone.
You will be responsible to help with officiating, scoring, line judging, etc. You need to know when and where the team will be helping with these duties. We must be early when responsible for the officiating or the team can be fined or penalized.
We will try to support our other Mystik teams whenever possible. Remember that we are a program that takes pride in each other as well as ourselves.
Players must arrive at the team hotel for tournaments no later than 10:00 pm the evening before play begins. It is important that players are fully rested and prepared for the competition for which we have spent time preparing. We understand there could be extenuating circumstances to this arrival time which must be previously approved by the Director.
Curfew is 10:00 pm unless an athlete is out at dinner with their parent(s) and/or guardian. All athletes should be in their own rooms with their own families. Wandering around the hotel or being in a room other than your own will result in a one set penalty.
Failure to comply with competition rules can result in being dismissed from Mystik. Leaving practice or a tournament early without express permission of the Director, in writing, is considered "quitting". The Competition Rules, as stated, should not be taken lightly. Understand them. Remember that you are paying for practice .... you EARN playing time.
Tournament Rules (Parent Communication)
Parents will not approach a coach about decisions or play time at any time during a tournament and must wait a minimum of 24 hours after the conclusion of a tournament to schedule a meeting to do so. This includes sending electronic messages via app, text messages, or via another coach. Doing so will result in a one set suspension during the following match. This will be escalated at the Directors discretion depending on the severity of the violation or for repeated violations of the policy. In extreme cases, such as yelling by a player/parent or berating by a player/parent of the coach at a tournament, the Director may dismiss the player in question from the team immediately with no refund due.
The following steps will be followed when discussing a players role on the team:
a. Players must contact their coach outside of the 24-hour window to schedule a time before or after practice to meet. The request must be via email and include the subject matter to be discussed, and this meeting will involve the coach and player. Parents of players on teams 14 and under may also elect to be present at this initial meeting.
b. The goal of the initial meeting is to obtain a clearer understanding of the coaches’ decisions and opportunities for the player’s improvement. If that goal is not met, parents may request a second meeting with the coach and a director. However, this scheduling request must also be via email. Players must also be present at this meeting.
Travel
Families are responsible for their athlete’s transportation to and from tournaments. Players may travel with their parents or someone over 21 years old with their parent's permission. Players are not allowed to drive alone to away tournaments, no exceptions. The Club is not responsible or liable for players during travel to or from tournaments. It is each parents responsibility to pay for and make all arrangements surrounding the travel for their player.
Absence Policy
The intent of this policy is to not "punish" a player for missing a practice or game, but to favor those players who put in the time and commitment required by the Club. Special circumstances and exceptions may be reviewed and approved in advance by the Director, otherwise the following chart will be used by all coaches at all levels. The count will reset following the return from each tournament.
Excused absences include illness and family emergencies - notify the Coach immediately in all instances. All other absences are considered unexcused without written notification and permission of the Club Director.
Not attending a tournament for any reason without written notification and permission of the Club Director is grounds for dismissal from the Club.
Leaving a tournament early without written notification and permission of the Club Director is grounds for dismissal from the Club.
Excused Practice Unexcused Practice Excused Match / Tournament Unexcused Match/Tournament
1st None Two Games None One Match
2nd One Game One Match One Match Two Matches
3rd One Game Two Matches One Match One Tournament
If a Player is injured and cannot practice - then a release from a Medical Doctor that states the Player can practice and compete in Events is required. After that requirement is met, the Coach has discretion to hold the Player out until the Team and Player have acclimated to the change in roles. Being released from injury does not guarantee your Player will immediately play in an event- several practices are typically needed.
Something to remember: Parents, you are paying for practice time - for Mystik to train your Player ... and then in these practices, your Players EARN playing time.
The Director has the right to change this Policy on a case-by-case notice.
Quitting Policy
Any player who has been "placed and accepted a spot on a team" and then quits for ANY reason is not eligible to participate for a year and one day from the day of quitting. A player is considered "accepted" once they have participated in tryouts, accepted the placement offer and paid the deposit.
If a player goes through tryouts and is placed on a team, and then quits for ANY reason, they forfeits their deposit and tuition. Any player leaving an event early or during the event without the express permission of the Director, in writing, is considering quitting.
Any player "quitting" for ANY reason, still owes the remainder of their tuition and fees. Also, any scholarship money that was made available for a player will be forfeited if a player quits, and the remaining tuition is due in full. If that player's fees have not been paid by the end of that club season, it will be turned over to a collection agency or in small claims court. All fees & charges from the collection agency will be paid by the player/player family.
Tuition Policy
Tuition is non-refundable. Upon signing the player contract, the family is responsible for the full tuition amount. While payments towards player accounts can be made via autopay through Sports Engine, those payments incur a fee. Those payments are not considered donations to the program. Families have a right to avoid any fees assessed by Sports Engine by sending checks directly to Mystik. When paying by check, families understand that they are taking full responsibility for keeping track of account balances since the electronic tracking capability has been taken out of Sports Engine.
Late Payment Policy
A player is not permitted to practice or compete until their account is brought current, unless other agreements have been made with the Director. The uniform package will not be disbursed until the outstanding account balance has been cleared; no exceptions. This means past due accounts put players in jeopardy of not being able to play in the first tournament. Please note that although the Club has a local physical address, this address does not accept hand delivered mail. Be sure to put checks in the mail with enough time for them to cycle through the USPS and be delivered.
Donation Policy
Mystik is a 501(c)(3) and accordingly will issue donation receipts once annually no later than January 31st of each year for any donations or sponsorships received for tuition during the tax year. We will not provide donation receipts in advance; the donation must be sent and payment must clear. We must receive the donation by December 31st in order for it to be counted in the current tax year. In order to make a donation for tuition or participate in the sponsorship program, you must either send a check made out to Mystik Volleyball Club to the mailing address listed on the website or you must click the link on our website and donate directly through the link on our website. The payment processor on our website does charge fees, so we recommend sending a check directly to our mailing address. If you provided your email address when you made your donation, your donation receipt will be emailed to you. If we do not have an email address on file for you, your donation receipt will be sent to the last mailing address on record.
All donations made to Mystik Volleyball Club are the property of the Club regardless of a specific player being named as the intended recipient. Donations will either be directed towards: tuition, sponsorship program or the unrestricted fund. There will be no refunds of donations for any reason regardless of its intended destination. Unless otherwise indicated, all donations are unrestricted and the Club may use the donations as the Club sees fit. Any donations made on behalf of a specific player that exceeds that player's tuition for the current year, may be rolled over one year only. In rare circumstances, the Director may grant a one-time exception to this policy in writing. If the player does not return to the Club in the following year, the donation will become unrestricted and will be redirected at the Club’s discretion.
Parental Support
It is an expectation of the Club that our parents set an example for all players. Parents are expected to show support of the program, its leaders, and the coaches at all times. If a parent sets an example or demonstrates behavior that is unacceptable, inappropriate or contrary to the standards of the Club, a player may be removed from the program without any refund of fees or payments.
Our program is founded upon strong parental support. We encourage parents to ensure their athletes understand the rules and policies of the club. This means sitting down as a family and discussing the rules and policies prior to accepting the team placement offer. We want to ensure all affiliated with our club are aligned with our values and principles prior to accepting a team placement offer.
It is also important to understand that the Club has no full-time employees. All Directors and Coaches contribute their time and expertise to the club in their evenings and weekends in lieu of spending time with their families. As such, understand that rude or disrespectful behavior towards any club staff could result in placement offers being rescinded or in cases of continued disrespect, complete removal from the team with no refund due.
Rules and Policy Changes
The Director has the right to alter, update, clarify at any time, the Rules and Policies of Mystik Volleyball Club. Families are responsible for regularly reviewing the list of policies and rules with the expectation that updates and changes will be made from time to time.