End of Regular Season
For all ages, the end of the Regular Season is one day following the final ZBT event for the region. While some teams may continue on to the USAV Girls Junior National Championship, this is likely the last competitive event for most athletes, teams, coaches, and clubs.
Following the End of the Regular Season
- Athletes can initiate contact with any coach or club.
- Athletes can attend camps, clinics, lessons, evaluations, and pre-tryout activities as they see fit.
- Clubs can host camps, clinics, lessons, evaluations, and pre-tryout activities as they see fit.
- Recruiting of any kind, whether initiated by an athlete, parent, coach, club personnel, etc. can not occur and is prohibited.
End of USAV/RMR Season and Open Recruiting Period
The open recruiting period and free agency begins one day after the conclusion of the Girls Junior National Championship. This is also the end of the RMR competitive season for the Girls Division. At this point, all athletes are free agents and free to explore other clubs. The open recruiting period extends through tryouts until an athlete has signed a contract with a club.
During the open recruiting period
- Athletes can initiate contact with any coach or club.
- Athletes can attend camps, clinics, lessons, evaluations, and pre-tryout activities as they see fit.
- Clubs can initiate contact with the parent or guardian of any athlete in accordance with SafeSport.
- Clubs can host camps, clinics, lessons, evaluations, and pre-tryout activities as they see fit.
- Clubs can give verbal offers. Verbal offers are not binding or contingent in any way. Any offer in writing does not count as a verbal offer and should be considered undue influence which could qualify as a recruiting violation.
- Clubs can not distribute or gift athletes gear, apparel, or anything of monetary value as a result of any verbal offer being extended, accepted, or otherwise.
- Clubs can not ask for nor accept deposits of any kind.
- Clubs are encouraged to provide a sample contract for a parent or guardian to read through in advance of potentially signing with that specific club.
- Teams that compete in any USAV event and compete in events offered by other organizations are bound by all RMR/USAV rules. Teams that violate any RMR/USAV rule are subject to disqualification and sanction
During the Contract Signing Period
- Contracts can be signed and countersigned by the athlete’s parent or guardian and the offering club. An athlete can not sign a contract, regardless of age.
- Clubs can ask for and accept deposits.
- Clubs are encouraged to timestamp and date signed contracts. An example would be an email including all involved parties with a clear timestamp and date that includes the signed and countersigned contract.
- Once a contract is signed, the athlete can not sign with another club for the 2023-2024 season unless a transfer is granted as outlined in the “RMR Transfer Policy”. You are recognized as being a member of that club once a contract is signed by both parties. This is in anticipation of the athlete being affiliated with the contracted club when USAV registration opens.
- Any contracts signed prior to the contract signing period are null and void and subject to disciplinary actions by the RMR and USAV.
Closed Recruiting Period
Once an athlete has signed a contract with a club for the upcoming season, recruiting, by a team or club representative, is prohibited. Clubs are allowed to send out direct mailings or advertise for upcoming events, but they are not allowed to contact individual unaffiliated families or athletes unless the family has reached out to them first.
Recruiting Violations
If allegations of recruiting or undue influence are made against a team or club representative, the burden of proof in substantiated form must be borne by the accusing party. Anyone with direct knowledge of perceived recruiting violations should report the incident in writing to the RMR office immediately. Substantiated allegations of recruiting violations or undue influence will be processed by imposing the penalties established by the RMR Board of Directors.
