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HomeMy WebLinkAboutYouth Athletic Assn Relationship Document ☒City Council Approved: 8/1/2006 ☐City-Wide Revised: Click here to enter a date. ☐Department YOUTH ATHLETIC ASSOCIATIONS’ RELATIONSHIP WITH THE EDINA PARK BOARD AND THE PARK AND RECREATION STAFF (RELATIONSHIP DOCUMENT) The mission of the Edina Park and Recreation Department is to do our part in further developing, preserving, and maintaining the City of Edina’s parks, recreation programs, and resources as a premier and comprehensive park and recreation department in the Twin Cities area. This relationship document between the Edina Park and Recreation Department, Park Board and with each association establishes a common set of guidelines that are to be adopted by all athletic associations. The intent of these guidelines is to ensure that associations are mindful of the public’s desire for positive and healthy athletic experiences for children and families in our community. The “Youth Sports Core Values and Community Strategy,” established by the Edina Park Board in cooperation with the Edina Park and Recreation Department, is to be adopted by all associations. This document formally defines the City’s core values and philosophy in the delivery of the community’s youth sports programs. 1. Edina Park and Recreation Department will provide facilities and fields for boys and girls at each age group within the association. 2. It is the City of Edina’s view that the public is best served when there is only one independently incorporated youth athletic association per sport. The City of Edina also understands and supports that in some cases the public and volunteers are best served by having the traveling component of a particular sport administered by its own independent youth athletic association. 3. The Edina Park and Recreation Department in cooperation with the Park Board will help each association plan, and provide safe and well maintained public athletic facilities to meet the youth sports programs, and give professional staff liaison services regarding the operation of their association, and offer appropriate clerical and administrative support services. 4. The Edina Park and Recreation Department shall act as a liaison between the associations and the Edina Park Board to assist associations in providing a well-rounded and equitable program for all participants. The Edina Park Board expects that all associations follow these minimal guidelines in the operation of their association: 1. All boys and girls have a fun, positive, safe, age-appropriate, educational experience that is open to all residents of all abilities, and receive equal opportunity to participate at whatever ability level they may play. 2. Boys and girls build good sportsmanship and character; learn to be a team member; learn to accept discipline; incorporate psychological and physical health. 3. Boys and girls, at each level of play, will receive basic fundamental and skill training in the sport in which they participate. Page | 2 4. Associations manage team schedules and provide equitable playing time for each level of competition within the age group. 5. Associations shall have a common code of conduct for players, coaches and parents. 6. Qualified citizen volunteers should serve in positions as Board of Directors. Board of Directors must have knowledge of the program/sport. Associations are encouraged to have open member elections to elect Board of Directors. 7. Edina Park and Recreation Department personnel shall attend at least semi-annually association board meetings. Department personnel shall be available and provide resource help to associations in training of coaches, operations, and other functions with which the association needs assistance. 8. The Park and Recreation Department mandates background checks on all individuals 18 & older who serve as a coach, referee, or on the Board of Directors in any association. It is our intent to protect our children, families and the associations. It is strongly recommended that Edina youth athletic associations work jointly to contract with one private organization to conduct the background checks and manage the data. The Park and Recreation Department mandates that each Edina youth athletic association use the following standard for any coach, referee or Board of Director applicant who has been found guilty, pled guilty, or entered a plea of nolo contendere (no contest), regardless of the adjudication for any of the disqualifying offenses: All Sex Offenses – regardless of the amount of time since the offense (Examples: child molestation, rape, sexual assault, sexual battery, sodomy, indecent exposure, etc.) All Felony Violence – regardless of the amount time since the offense (Examples: murder, manslaughter, aggravated assault, kidnapping, robbery, etc.) All Felony Offenses – other than violence or sex within the past 10 years (Examples: drug offenses, theft, embezzlement, fraud, child endangerment, etc.) All Misdemeanor Violence Offenses – within the past 7 years (Examples: simple assault, battery, domestic violence, hit & run, etc.) All Misdemeanor Drug & Alcohol Offenses – within the past 5 years or multiple offenses in the past 10 years (Examples: driving under the influence, simple drug possession, drunk & disorderly, possession of drug paraphernalia, etc.) Any other Misdemeanor Offenses – within the past 5 years that would be considered a potential danger to children or is directly related to the functions of that volunteer (Examples: contributing to a minor, theft – if person is handling monies, etc.) 9. To ensure that the public has an open, fair and just process to handle grievances that are not resolved at the association board or staff level, the City of Edina will facilitate a grievance process. (See below) This grievance process is not intended to deal with team assignment, coach assignment or tryout process grievances. 10. The City of Edina requires that each and every athletic association have a minimum $1,000,000 Page | 3 general liability insurance coverage policy that lists the City of Edina as an additional insured. In addition, each and every athletic association must also carry workers compensation insurance for any paid employees of their association. Up to date proof of insurance must be provided to the Edina Park and Recreation Department for each and every association that uses Edina’s public athletic facilities. This insurance shall provide for the general liability protection of volunteers, associations, and the City of Edina. 11. The Edina Park Board and Park and Recreation Department shall provide and review annually guidelines to be followed by all associations and users of facilities and gymnasiums in our community as to the priority use of the Edina School District’s gymnasiums and facilities, and the Edina community practice and game facilities. This is to assure a fair allocation of gymnasiums and facilities use for all participants, at all levels. It is imperative that all associations, coaches, board members, volunteers and parents understand and appreciate the positive experience that is desired for all participants in Edina youth sports. Therefore, it is the expectation of the Edina Park and Recreation Department and Park Board that youth athletic associations do their best to encourage all new parents, volunteers, coaches, board members, etc., who participate in associations to read and understand the relationship agreement and Youth Sports Core Values and Community Strategy. The Relationship Document and Core Values and Community Strategy Document must be provided to all new parents as part of their registration materials. GRIEVANCE PROCESS The City of Edina demands that each youth athletic association must have in place a well-documented and publicized grievance process by which residents are assured of an appropriate venue and process to hear their grievances in a manner that is open, fair, and just. If the youth athletic association board grievance process does not resolve the issue, then the matter will be referred to Park and Recreation Department staff. If staff is unable to resolve the issue, the matter should then be referred to the Ad- Hoc Grievance Committee. The Ad-Hoc Grievance Committee will be made up of three association presidents who are not president of the association in question, plus two Park Board members. Those five individuals will hear the complaint and make recommendations to solve the grievance matter. If the Ad-Hoc Grievance Committee’s recommendations do not satisfy the parties involved then the grievance will be referred to the Park Board for a final decision. The Ad-Hoc Grievance Committee will be formed only on an as needed basis to deal with issues on a case by case basis. The following escalation shall be followed: Step #1: Follow the written grievance procedure as established and publicized for each youth athletic association. Step #2: If, in the complainant’s view, the issue was not resolved in Step #1, then the complainant should contact Park and Recreation Department staff, who will do the following:  Evaluate the complaint.  Determine and judge whether or not the issue can or should be resolved through diplomacy. If so, staff will facilitate a problem-solving process at the staff level with the appropriate community members and volunteers involved. Page | 4 Step #3: If the issue is unresolved at the staff level, then staff will assemble the Ad-Hoc Grievance Committee to hear the complaint. With staff assistance and input from the parties involved, the Ad-Hoc Grievance Committee will hear the complaint and make recommendations. It will be the Ad-Hoc Grievance Committee’s duty to determine whether or not the association has acted in a manner that is contrary to the City’s philosophy and core values; and if so, make recommendations to correct the situation. It will not be the Ad-Hoc Grievance Committee’s duty to micro-manage program decisions of Edina’s youth athletic associations. Step #4: If the parties involved are still not satisfied with the Ad-Hoc Grievance Committee’s recommendations, the final step is to refer the matter to the Park Board for a final decision. Both parties must abide by the Park Board’s decision or they could face sanctions.