Tournament Host Guiding Principles for Conference Carolinas

Tournament Host Guiding Principles for Conference Carolinas
(Rationale: To standardize conference tournament expectations in order to enhance the championship experience for our student-athletes, while recognizing varying circumstances at different host institutions.)

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAMS

The following list indicates the composition of each sport’s all-tournament team. Each team’s coaching staff will choose their team representative(s).

Basketball, Tennis, Volleyball, and Women’s Lacrosse

Place
1.       MVP + 2 All-Tournament
2.      2 All Tournament
3.      1 All Tournament
4.      1 All Tournament

Baseball and Soccer
Place
1.       MVP + 4 All Tournament
2.      3 All Tournament
3.      2 All Tournament
4.      2 All Tournament

Softball and Men’s Lacrosse

Place
1.     MVP + 2 All Tournament
2.     3 All Tournament
3.     2 All Tournament
4.     2 All Tournament
5.     1 All Tournament
6.     1 All Tournament

Golf – Top 10 Finishers

AWARDS

All awards will be provided by conference office and shipped directly from the awards company to the host school the week prior to championship play. The host school should confirm the number and accuracy of the awards upon receipt.

ALL CONFERENCE

All-Conference and regular season champion awards are to be presented during the banquet. In the event there is no banquet, the conference office will attempt to provide the all-conference and regular season champion awards to the host sites so that presentations may be made at a tournament competition.

ALL TOURNAMENT

A public address announcement regarding the announcement of All-Tournament and team awards immediately following the championship game should be made during halftime and during dead ball situations in the second half of the championship game.

An awards table should be made available so that awards can be presented at the conclusion of the championship game. The host sports information director is responsible for collecting the names of the All-Tournament team awardees and providing the public address announcer with the award announcement script (APPENDIX A). The conference representative (or tournament director, if no conference representative is available) is to present the awards.

BANNERS

The Conference will provide all host institutions with appropriate signage to display during championship competition. Any other signage must be approved by the conference office.

BANQUET

A banquet or alternative event should be held prior to any championship in which four or more teams are assembled at one location for the championship. If a banquet is held, the selection and quantity of food should be appropriate for teams preparing for competition. The cost for a banquet should not exceed $15 per person, and parents should be invited to attend.

The host school should prepare a banquet tournament program (APPENDIX B) or request that the conference office prepare the program.

BUDGET

Each championship is allocated a budget by the conference. The host institution should maintain receipts for all expenses and, within two weeks of the conclusion of the tournament, submit its expense report to the conference office for reimbursement.

No entry fees should be charged for participation in league championships unless included in the conference bid form submission which has been approved by the athletic directors.

CONCESSIONS

Concessions should be available for sale at the competition site.

CREDENTIALS/PASSES/TICKETS

The host institution is responsible for providing credentials for members of each school’s official

travel party, media, officials, and other personnel (e.g., cheerleaders). In addition, complimentary credentials are to be provided for each participating school’s president, athletic director, senior woman administrator, sports information director, and faculty athletics representative.

The host institution may determine whether to charge admission to the contests. In the event admission is charged, the recommended fee is $5. Under no circumstances is the cost of admission to exceed $10.

All students from conference schools with a valid ID are to receive free admission. In addition, conference coach’s passes are to be honored for free admission.

In the event a contest appears to be a sell-out, the host institution must reserve a reasonable number of tickets for each visiting team. The host institution may consider identifying seating areas for fans of the participating schools.

FACILITY

The following equipment must be present at the game site: telephone (cellular acceptable), adequate public-address system, scoreboard displaying a game clock and score, pencils, and an American flag properly displayed. The scoreboard and public-address system must be in working order and should be tested the day before championship play starts. A back-up scoreboard system (e.g., portable scoreboard or stop watch, flip cards, and air horn) should be available.

The playing surface must meet NCAA requirements. The Tournament Committee, with input from the conference commissioner, shall determine what is considered a playable surface for each particular site.

The site of competition must have adequate bathroom facilities for teams and fans.

The facility is expected to be in compliance with all applicable city, state, or federal regulations concerning access and seating for the handicapped.

GAME OPERATIONS

The following game personnel must be provided: public address announcer, official scorekeeper, scoreboard operator, and timer. One individual may perform more than one of these functions, but adequate personnel should be provided to ensure that each function can be capably performed. All game personnel should be identified to the officials prior to each game.

The national anthem is to be played prior to the first contest of the day. The starting lineups for each game are to be introduced, except for the championship game in which case the entire teams are to be introduced. The public address announcer should play music and make announcements during appropriate times; all announcements must be approved by the conference representative. The public address announcer should read the Conference Sportsmanship Statement prior to the start of each game and at other times as needed.

A game manager must be designated. The game manager should introduce him/herself to all coaches and officials prior to start of game. The game manager is responsible for enforcing crowd control policies.

In the event that cheerleaders and/or band(s) are present, they should be provided adequate space and given instructions as to what role they can play during the contests.

Water, cups, ice, and trash must be provided at each team bench area.

Game itineraries should be developed and distributed to game staff, teams, and officials prior to each contest.

GAME TIMES

In selecting game times, consideration should be given to maximizing attendance, maximizing rest for the student-athletes, minimizing missed classes, and providing an advantage to higher seeds. Game times must be predetermined and follow the tournament bracket; the host school may not select preferred game times for its contests. Game times must be approved by the conference office.

The Tournament Committee, with input from the conference commissioner, shall determine if any change in the tournament schedule or format is necessary.

HOSPITALITY

The host school is to provide hospitality services, including complimentary drinks and snacks, for presidents, athletic directors, senior woman administrators, faculty athletic representatives, conference officials, media, and event workers. These services should be provided in a room (or tent for outdoor events) dedicated to this purpose, if available.

LOCKER ROOMS

The game manager or a designee should meet the visiting teams on arrival at the facility for practice and competition and escort them to their locker rooms. The locker rooms should have signage identifying the team(s) using that locker room.

Each participating team must be provided a locker room (and a team meeting room if the locker room is too small for that purpose). A separate locker room must be provided for the game officials. Each locker room should be clean and adequately supplied with soap, toilet paper, water, cups, ice, and a chalkboard and chalk (or a dry-erase board and markers). Game itineraries should be placed in the locker rooms. Towels are not expected to be provided.

LODGING

The host school should designate one or more hotels as championship hotels. The following factors should be considered in selecting this hotel(s):

Reasonable proximity to the site of competition (i.e., within a 30-minute drive in traffic).
Rates reasonable to the area, preferably not to exceed $75 per night. If there is more than one hotel designated as championship lodging, rates should be within $10 of each other.
Feature interior access, continental breakfast, free internet access, and meeting room.

If there is more than one championship hotel, preferred lodging should be assigned to the higher seeded teams.

MEDIA/SPORTS INFORMATION

The host school, with the assistance of the conference office, shall develop game programs which include current rosters and pertinent tournament information. Each participating team should be provided with complimentary programs for each member of the official travel party. The game programs can be distributed to fans for free or sold at a cost not to exceed $1. Advertising, as approved by the conference office, may be placed in the game programs.

The host school shall also establish a tournament website which includes tournament brackets, game results/box scores, game stories, and other tournament details (including all-tournament teams). The tournament website is to serve as the primary outlet to the media, fans, students, and administration from all participating schools. The host school is encouraged to provide periodic updates/live scoring, audio webcasts, or video webcasts. In the event that the tournament utilizes the higher seed host format, the conference office is responsible for the tournament website, with the host providing updates.

After each game, a sports information representative is to collect comments from at least the head coach from each team and to post those comments on the tournament website. If appropriate, the host school should designate a media room in which the media can conduct post-game interviews. The head coach and two student-athletes, as requested by the media, from each team are to participate in post-game interviews. The following format is to be followed for post-game interviews:

There is a 10-minute cooling-off period before the post-game interviews; the timing begins when the head coach enters the locker room immediately after the game.
At the end of the 10-minute cooling-off period, a sports information representative should escort the non-winning head coach and two student-athletes to the media room. It is very important to get the non-winning head coach and players to the media room as soon as possible after the 10-minute cooling-off period has ended to help meet media deadlines.
The non-winning head coach will make an opening statement and then questions will be taken from the media.
The winning head coach and two student-athletes should be escorted to the media room as soon as the first team is finished. It is important that the non-winning coach has left the media room before bringing in the winning coach.
Interview sessions with all teams should not exceed 10 minutes.

MEDICAL POLICY/ATHLETIC TRAINING

Each tournament competition should have:

The on-site presence of a certified athletic trainer.
The planned access to a physician (i.e., on call) for prompt medical assistance.
Planned access to a medical facility, including a plan for communication and transportation between the athletic site and the medical facility for prompt medical services when warranted. Local emergency services should be advised of the competition and possible need for prompt medical services.
Access to a working telephone or other telecommunications device, whether fixed or mobile, should be assured.
All necessary emergency equipment should be at the site or quickly accessible. Equipment should be in good operating condition, and personnel must be trained in advance to use it properly.
Emergency information about student-athletes should be available for use by medical personnel.
All parties, including the leadership of visiting teams, should have a thorough understanding of the personnel and procedures associated with the medical plan.
The athletic training room should be opened at least two hours prior to the first competition and remain open at least 30 minutes after last competition.

OFFICIALS

The conference supervisor of officials, when applicable, will assign officials for tournament play. Where there is no conference supervisor, the host institution will be responsible for securing officials, subject to approval by the conference office.

The following sport-specific requirements are to be followed, for at least the championship game:

*soccer – fourth official, situated at press box

*volleyball – professional line judges

*golf – minimum of three certified officials

*tennis – minimum of one certified official per team match

*baseball – three umpires

*softball – three umpires

*lacrosse –

*basketball – alternate official, situated at scorer’s table

*cross country – starter/head official

* track and field – starter, clerk

The host school may elect to provide refreshments for the officials in the officials locker room. The host school is responsible for paying the officials.

PARTICIPANT MOMENTOS

All tournament participants advancing to the championship site - whether it be all teams at one site or only two teams advancing to the finals at a host site - should receive a momento. When a pre-determined site is utilized, the host school is responsible for providing the momento. For sports in which the higher seed hosts, the conference office is responsible for providing the momento, the cost of which will be deducted from any stipend provided to the host.

PRACTICE

The host institution should establish tournament practice schedules and distribute them in the tournament guide; monitor team practice times to make sure the schedule is met; provide locker room, water, and cups; open the athletic training room and provide services on site; and provide balls/or recommend bringing own balls (depending on sport).

If participating teams choose to travel to the tournament site the day before championship play starts, the host institution must assist those teams in finding a practice site. Teams should be allowed to practice on the game site or a comparable practice site. The practice schedule may be based on team seeding or travel distances.

PRE-TOURNAMENT MEETING

The host school is to hold a pre-tournament meeting the night or morning before competition starts. All head coaches are required to attend. The pre-tournament meeting is solely to review tournament details (APPENDIX C). Key cell phone numbers should be exchanged between tournament administrators, coaches, etc. in case of delayed start time, or adjustments that need to be communicated.

SCORER’S TABLE

Seating at the scorer’s table should be provided for the following individuals (one individual may perform more than one of these functions, but adequate personnel should be provided to ensure that each function can be capably performed):

a. Official scorer;

b. Scoreboard clock operator;

c. Public address announcer;

d. Home team scorer;

e. Visiting team scorer;

f. Game/tournament manager; and

g. Standby official.

Any exceptions may be approved by the conference representative at the site.

If space permits, the stats crew can also be seated at the scorer’s table.

All scorer’s table personnel must refrain from cheering for either team; they are considered "neutral" and must behave in such a manner. All personnel should report to the table no later than 20 minutes prior to game time.

SECURITY

The head of campus security at each site should be invited to the pre-tournament meeting to address security issues as necessary. All host sites are required to have at least one uniformed officer present at the championship. The officer’s emphasis should be placed on providing security for the game officials and bench areas. Security should be especially sensitive toward fan interaction with student-athletes.

The game manager should have immediate telephone access to campus security and the local police in case of emergency.

If at all possible, team benches shall be opposite from the spectators; however, if a facility cannot accommodate this, space for the visiting spectators shall be reserved behind the visiting bench.

TOURNAMENT COMMITTEE

Each championship is to have a tournament committee. The tournament committee will be made up of the host athletic director, game manager, conference representative, and the supervisor of officials (if applicable). The committee will consult with the conference commissioner in consideration of any issues that may occur during the conference tournament.

TOURNAMENT MANUAL

The host school of a championship being held at a pre-determined site is to prepare an information packet for all participating teams. The packet should be distributed to the athletic directors, head coaches, sports information directors, and athletic trainers of each school The packet should include the following information:

Key contacts [names and telephone numbers of the host's key personnel (athletic director, senior woman administrator, tournament director, sports information director, and athletic trainer)]
Directions and travel information
Schedule of events
Lodging
Banquet
Food/restaurants/places of worship
Ticket information
Practice times and location
Uniform color and bench assignments
Game times
Parking
Locker room arrangements
Sports information needs
Officials
Videotaping
Player introductions and timing sequence
Athletic training services

UNIFORMS

The higher seeded team will be considered the home team. The home team will wear white or light colored uniforms. The visiting team must wear a uniform of contrasting color.

All teams should bring both white and dark colored uniforms.

VIDEOTAPE

The host school may videotape games for each school (in which case, each school may be asked to provide blank tapes for this purpose). If the host school elects not to provide videotaping service, it is to arrange for an area (preferably elevated) from which each team may videotape its own games. Each participating team is automatically authorized to videotape its own games, but non-participating teams may not videotape other contests.

APPENDICIES

APPENDIX A:

20?? CVAC All-Tournament Team Announcement Script (EXAMPLE):

Soccer Example:

Category Name School

Semifinal Losing Team 1: __________________ ______________________

Semifinal Losing Team 2: __________________ ______________________

Finals Champion1: __________________ _______________________

Finals Runner-Up1: __________________ _______________________

Finals Champion2: __________________ _______________________

Finals Runner-Up2: __________________ _______________________

Finals Champion3: __________________ _______________________

Finals Runner-Up3: __________________ _______________________

Finals Champion4: __________________ _______________________

Finals Champion MVP: __________________ _______________________

Team Runner-Up: __________________ _______________________

Team Champion: __________________ _______________________

Note: Announce during pre-game, halftime, and 2^nd half dead-ball situations, that All-Tournament teams and championship trophies will be presented immediately following the game’s conclusion. Have representatives collect all-tourney names from winning and losing coaches following the game(s). Remind coaches prior to the final game that awards will be immediately after the contest and a representative will be collecting names. Have public address announcer use script above to announce winners (note: announced in staggered in winner/loser format). Have tournament official present awards and shake hands.