This policy outlines the rights and responsibilities for the Region, individuals, teams, and Tournament Directors involved with sanctioned tournaments when weather conditions become a concern. All of the above listed entities must realize that they bear a monetary risk of hosting and/or entering tournaments during the winter months.

Team Responsibilities/Actions:

In the event of inclement weather, each individual and team must make the decision whether or not to attend a tournament. This decision must be made regardless of whether the tournament director or Region decides to hold the tournament and whether or not other local teams decide to attend. Should inclement weather cause a team to decide not to attend a tournament, the team captain or other team representative must notify the Tournament Director and the Region Office immediately. Failure to notify may cause the team to be sanctioned in accordance with the tournament withdrawal policy. If a team has decided to attend but is concerned of the status of the tournament, a team representative should see the Region’s Tournament System page with that specific tournament’s information first, as we will always keep that up to date. If tournaments are canceled we may also update our phone answering machine so a Rep can call the Region Office after 5:00 pm for the latest information. However, generally speaking, the Region will make every effort to hold a tournament. The Region will almost NEVER cancel a tournament based on “predicted” weather. For bad weather that strikes one to two days before the tournament, the tournament WILL BE HELD unless teams are otherwise notified.  Cancelled tournament information will be on the Tournament System and possibly the answering machine [after 5 pm please] and an attempt will be made to notify all teams. Please check these sources before contacting the Region Office. If you must contact the Office, please have ONLY the club/team rep contact the office so duplicate inquiries from the same club/team can be avoided. For inclement weather the day of the tournament, it is unlikely that a tournament director could contact all teams beforehand, so the tournament will be held for all teams that are able to make it (unless severe weather conditions restrict tournament director from facilities).

Tournament Director Responsibilities/Actions:

The Tournament Director is responsible to provide a safe playing environment. If local conditions warrant canceling the tournament or changing a playing site, the Tournament Director must consult with the Region Office immediately. The Region reserves the right to cancel a tournament after consultation with the Tournament Director. The President, Board Rep of the affected division (adult or junior), or Region Staff (in that order) will be charged with deciding whether to cancel a tournament on behalf of the Region. Once a decision has been made, the Tournament Director should also call each team representative notifying of the cancellation or site change. The Tournament Director may also enlist a team representative to help call other teams from the same area.

Region Responsibilities/Refund Policy :

The Region Office will record a message on the Region answering machine (please access after 5 pm) about the tournament cancellation or site change and update the Tournament System tournament page as quickly as possible after consultation with the Tournament Director. If a team does not attend a tournament due to bad weather and notifies either the Tournament Director or Region Office beforehand, the Region Board of Directors (at their next scheduled meeting) will automatically decide if the team’s entry fee will be allocated to another tournament or if the fee will be forfeited based on each team’s unique situation. If the team does not notify the Tournament Director or Region Office of their withdrawal from the tournament, then they must submit a written petition to the Board to try to recover their entry fee. If a tournament is canceled by the Region, each team will receive a credit to use towards another tournament. Teams still must submit a tournament entry in accordance with Region tournament entry policy for the tournament they wish to use their credit. If a tournament is canceled by the Region, the Tournament Director may request reimbursement from the Region for any documented expenses not to exceed 75% of amount that would normally be received.