2011 Club Championship Series Guidelines
Registration Guidelines
General Team Info
Club Series Dates
Team Registration Deadline
Finalized Roster Deadline
Registration clarification and exceptions
Geographic Guidelines
Official Team Count
Contact Info
Masters Team Info
General Player Info
Minor (Under 18) Player Info
Masters Player Info
Important Documents
Violations and Sanctions
Competition Guidelines
Spirit of the Game
Sectionals
Regionals
USA Ultimate Club Nationals
Mixed/Open/Women’s Wildcards
Strength Wildcards
Size Wildcards
Growth Wildcards
Masters Anti-Wildcards
Name/Logo/Uniform Guidelines
Uniform Requirements
Formats
Seedings
Forfeit Rule
Player Minimums
Rules
Observers
Mixed Division Gender Ratio
Registration Guidelines
Team Info
All teams must enter their roster through the online rostering system by the deadlines outlined below. USA Ultimate membership dues and individual waivers must be submitted prior to participation in Sectionals.
1) Club Series Dates: Sectional events will be held on September 10th-11th, 17th-18th or 24th-25th. Contact your sectional coordinator for tournament details. Regional events will be held on October 1st-2nd or 8th-9th. Review the Calendar or contact your regional coordinator for tournament details. The USA Ultimate Club Championships will be held in Sarasota, FL on October 27th-30th.
2) Team Registration Deadline: Friday, August 26th, 2011 (by 5pm Mountain/7pm Eastern);
a. Open, Mixed, and Women’s teams must register a valid roster (10 players minimum, unless granted a school based extension) via the online rostering system by August 26, 2011 (by 5pm Mountain/7pm Eastern). This date is the same for all teams, regardless of when their sectional tournament is held. Teams may add up to 7 more players by the Finalized Roster Deadline (see below).
b. Masters teams competing in Masters Regionals must meet rostering requirements by Friday, September 16, 2011 (by 5pm Mountain/7pm Eastern).
c. Due to processing time and to ensure time to correct errors, it is advisable to submit membership dues and waivers prior to the August 26th Team Registration Deadline to ensure that players listed as paid and waivered in time for Sectionals.
d. All teams registering for the 2011 USA Ultimate Club Series must use the online rostering system. (Please see the Rostering 101 guide for detailed online rostering instructions)
3) Finalized Roster Deadline: Tuesday before Sectionals (by 5pm Mountain/7pm Eastern):
a. Rosters must be finalized, via the online rostering system, by the Tuesday prior to that team’s sectional tournament. (For example, if a team’s sectional tournament is September 10-11 rosters must be completed by Tuesday, September 6 (by 5pm Mountain/7pm Eastern).
b. A maximum of 7 players may be added to the roster in between the August 26th team Registration Deadline and the Finalized Roster Deadline (see Roster changes below).
c. Sectional coordinators may set an earlier deadline for the Finalized Roster Deadline in accordance with guidelines laid out in Sectionals Part 3. If an earlier deadline is set, it will be noted on the event’s Score Reporter page.
4) Registration clarifications and exceptions:
a. Roster Changes
i. After the August 26th Team Registration Deadline, up to 7 additions to the roster may be made, regardless of how many names are dropped.
ii. All roster changes must be entered into the online registration system prior to the Finalized Roster Deadline (by 5pm Mountain/7pm Eastern).
b. Player minimums
i. In order for a roster to be considered valid it must include at least 10 players. For Mixed teams, in addition to having a minimum of 10 players, the roster must include at least 4 women and 4 men.
c. Player Maximums
i. There will be a roster limit of 27 players for the Mixed, Open, and Women’s divisions and 29 for the Masters division.
d. School based deadline extension
i. School based teams who start their fall academic term on August 15th or later are eligible for a roster deadline extension.
ii. By August 26th the team must use the online rostering system to submit a partial roster to USA Ultimate HQ. A partial roster can include as few as one name, team manager. AND
iii. By August 26th the team must notify HQ indicating the official start of the academic term and indicating that they qualify for the roster deadline extension. AND
iv. By the Finalized Roster Deadline, the full team must be entered into the online rostering system. The school based extension teams are exempt from the 7 player roster change maximum. If a team (see Player minimums, above) is not registered and valid by that deadline, the team will be dropped from the Series.
e. Masters-eligible players
i. Players of any age may play on an Open, Mixed or Women’s sectional (OXW) team.
ii. OXW team managers are responsible for making sure none of their players intend to play Masters Regionals, if the OXW team expects to play at OXW Regionals.
iii. Masters-aged players will not be permitted to play in Masters Regionals if their OXW Sectionals team qualifies (see iv below) and does not relinquish its OXW Regionals bid.
iv. "Qualifying" is defined as OXW teams becoming eligible for a bid to Regionals, either directly through competition process or indirectly via declined bids after the completion of Sectionals. OXW teams should therefore give careful consideration to whether it has players who plan to participate in the Masters Division after the completion of OXW Sectionals. Such players will not be eligible to participate in the Masters Division if their own OXW team qualifies for and accepts a bid to Regionals. If an OXW team qualifies indirectly for Regionals, but has a player who has already participated in Masters Regionals, then the OXW team will not be eligible to accept the bid.
5) Geographic Guidelines
i. At least 50% of the players on a team’s roster must reside in the section in which that team will compete.
b. At least 75% of the players on a team’s roster must reside in the region in which that team will compete.
c. No more than 5 players may reside outside the region in which the team will be competing.
d. "Residence" is defined as meeting both of the below criteria:
i. Location where the person is living for the majority of September and October, AND
ii. Location where the person is living for the majority of either the 3 months prior to September 1st or immediately following October 31st.
e. If the above definition means that a player does not have a region as their "residence", then the player is considered to be an out –of-region player and counts towards a team’s out-of-region limits (maximum of 5 out-of-region players and no more than 25% of the roster).
f. Sectional and Regional boundaries are available on the USA Ultimate website.
6) Official Team Count
a. Only teams whose completed roster has been submitted via the online rostering system by the August 26th Team Registration Deadline (by 5pm Mountain/7pm Eastern) and who participate in the Series will be included in that section’s "official team count".
b. The "official team count" from each section will be used to determine the number of teams that will count toward each section’s bids to Regionals and the number of teams that will count towards regional size wildcards to the USA Ultimate Club Championships.
i. A team must start its first game in the Series with seven players and play each point with at least five players to be included in the official team count for that event.
7) Rosters are closed once the Finalized Roster Deadline has passed, and no players can be added to a roster for the remainder of the Series.
8) Failure to abide by any of the above rules may result in ramifications outlined in the "Violations and Sanctions" section of these guidelines.
9) Teams should make a copy of their roster for their records. We recommend that you bring a copy of your roster to Sectionals in case it needs to be referenced.
10) All teams should contact their sectional coordinator at least two weeks prior to the tournament to let the coordinator know they intend to participate. Note: Due to field reservations and other costs, your Sectional Coordinator may set deadlines earlier for confirmation of attendance or payment. Please contact your Sectional Coordinator as early as possible so that you are aware of all the deadlines. (See Sectionals (Section 3) and Regionals (Section 7).) Coordinator contact info may be found on the USA Ultimate website.
11) Please see Rostering 101 guide for detailed instructions on how to get your roster done right and for links to important information and forms.
12) Mail Dues/Waivers/Chaperone Forms to:
Club Series
(Your Division/Section/Name of Team)
USA Ultimate
4730 Table Mesa Drive, Suite I-200C
Boulder, CO 80305
303-447-3472
Masters Team Info
1) All guidelines from Team Info section above apply to Masters teams, except where differences are noted in this section.
2) A Masters-eligible team may play in Open/Mixed/Women’s (OXW) Sectionals as an OXW team, provided its roster meets the eligibility requirements of that division.
3) If a Masters-eligible team qualifies for OXW Regionals, the captain must immediately inform both the OXW and Masters RC their choice to either play in OXW Regionals or to decline that bid and participate at Masters Regionals by Tuesday following the end of the Sectional tournament. Players may not play in multiple divisions of Regionals or be on two active rosters at the Regional level of any division.
4) If a Masters-eligible team plays in OXW Sectionals, it must turn in an OXW roster by the OXW roster deadline, regardless of its intent to play Masters later.
5) Please see the Forfeit Rule which may impact Masters-eligible teams participating in OXW Sectionals.
6) Masters Team Registration Deadline: Friday, September 16th (by 5pm Mountain/7pm Eastern)
a. All Masters teams must register a Masters roster for Masters Regionals, regardless of whether they played in OXW Sectionals.
b. Valid rosters (10 players minimum) must be submitted via the online rostering system by Friday, September 16th (5pm Mountain/7pm Eastern). This date is the same for all Masters teams, regardless of when their regional tournament is held. Teams may add up to 7 more players by the Finalized Roster Deadline (see below).
c. Only valid rosters that were entered in the online rostering system by the Friday, September 16th, 2011 Team Registration Deadline (by 5pm Mountain/7pm Eastern) and who participate in Masters Regionals will be included in the Masters anti-wildcard system.
7) Master Finalized Roster Deadline: Tuesday before Regionals (by 5pm Mountain/7pm Eastern):
a. After the September 16th Masters Team Registration Deadline, up to 7 additions to the roster may be made, regardless of how many names are dropped from the roster.
b. Finalized rosters for Masters team must be completed, via the online rostering system, by the Tuesday prior to a team’s regional tournament. (For example, if a team’s regional tournament is October 1-2, rosters must be completed by Tuesday, September 27th (5pm Mountain/7pm Eastern).).
c. Regional coordinators may set an earlier deadline for the Finalized Roster Deadline in accordance with guidelines laid out in Sectionals Part 3. If an earlier deadline is set, it will be noted on the event’s Score Reporter page.
8) If a Masters-eligible team plays in an OXW Sectionals, does not qualify for OXW Regionals or relinquishes its bid, and subsequently registers for Masters Regionals, the two rosters are not required to match.
9) Masters-eligible players on OXW rosters for Sectionals:
a. Masters team captains are responsible for making sure none of their players are on an OXW team that has qualified for, and intends to play at, Regionals.
b. Masters-eligible players will not be permitted to play in Masters Regionals if their OXW Sectionals team qualifies for and does not relinquish its OXW Regionals spot.
c. If a Masters team plays with such a player, it may face ramifications outlined in the "Violations and Sanctions" section of these guidelines.
10) Roster limits will be in place for teams wishing to participate in the Club Championship Series. Rosters will be limited to 29 for the Masters Division.
General Player Info
1) All players participating on a team for any and all Series events must be listed on the team roster. The ramifications for having a player not on a team’s roster participate in the Series with that team are outlined in the "Violations and Sanctions" section of these guidelines.
2) All players listed on the roster must be current USAU members in good standing. Players who are not current members must sign up for membership on the team roster, sign and return the individual waiver form, and submit the appropriate dues prior to Sectionals. Non-members who do not register by Sectionals will be crossed off the roster and will be ineligible to play in the remainder of the Series until they submit the appropriate forms and fees. The ramifications for having a non-member participate in the Series with a team are outlined in the, "Violations and Sanctions" section of these guidelines.
3) Players may appear on only one roster for the Club Series and after the start of Sectionals may not switch teams for any portion of the Series.
a. No player may participate in more than one division of the Club Series.
i. There is a limited exception to this rule for Masters-eligible players participating in Mixed, Open, or Women’s Sectionals (see Masters Team Info and Masters Player Info).
b. The ramifications for having a player participate in more than one division, or be on more than one roster are outlined in the, "Violations and Sanctions" section of these guidelines.
4) Each player must fill out (completely and correctly) the appropriate USAU waiver form for the year in which they will be competing. This form is good for the entire calendar year of USAU membership. Waivers must be submitted to USAU Headquarters or the sectional coordinator prior to participation in the Series
5) Failure to abide by any of the above rules may result in ramifications outlined in the "Violations and Sanctions" section of these guidelines.
Minor (Under 18) Player Info
Minors participating in the Series must have the appropriate forms completed prior to participation (waiver, medical release, chaperone waiver). A copy of the chaperone form should be mail to HQ and a copy kept on hand at the event. The medical release form is the responsibility of the chaperone; it must be brought to each Series event and kept on hand by the chaperone. This form will allow medical personnel to treat an injured minor without a parent/guardian having to be present. (Without this form a doctor might not treat an injured minor.)
Masters Player Info
1) The minimum age for the 2011 USAU Masters Open Division is 33 for men and 30 for women (age as of 12/31/11).
2) Players who meet the age requirement (see above) are eligible to play in the Masters Division of the Club Series if and only if one of the following applies:
a. The player is not on any Sectional roster; or
b. The player’s OXW team does not qualify for OXW Regionals; or
c. The player’s entire qualifying OXW team relinquishes its bid to OXW Regionals.
3) Failure to abide by any of the above rules may result in ramifications outlined in the "Violations and Sanctions" section of these guidelines.
Important Documents
The following documents can be found on the USAU website:
Waiver
Medical Release (for minors <18 only)
Chaperone Waiver (for minors <18 only)
The Club Series Roster is automatically generated through the online rostering system. Please refer to Rostering 101 for more detailed instructions on online rostering.
Violations and Sanctions
Failure to abide by any of the Series Guidelines may result in sanctions through the USA Ultimate conduct process. Such sanctions may be imposed on a team or individuals associated with a team deemed to be in violation of the guidelines, and may include, but are not limited to, suspension or disqualification from USA Ultimate Series competition.
In order to help teams follow Series Guidelines and avoid violations, the USA Ultimate will continue to work to improve registration procedures and communication of information pertaining to the USA Ultimate Series. As these improvements are made by the organization, teams will be held more fully responsible for following Series procedures and understanding Series information. Because consistency in holding all participants to the same administrative and competitive standards is vital to the integrity of the Series, because many violations lead to unfair advantages in competition, and because it is often difficult to determine intent, guideline violations will result in serious repercussions. Such repercussions will provide an incentive for players and teams to understand the guidelines fully, follow the guidelines carefully, and avoid intended or unintended violations in the future.
Teams or players that violate facility rules that have been specified by the local organizers are subject to sanctions through the USA Ultimate conduct policy.
Competition Guidelines
Spirit of the Game
Ultimate has traditionally relied upon a spirit of sportsmanship which places the responsibility for fair play on the player.. Highly competitive play is encouraged, but never at the expense of the bond of mutual respect between players, adherence to the agreed-upon rules of the game, or the basic joy of play. Protection of these vital elements serves to eliminate adverse conduct from the Ultimate field. Such actions as taunting of opposing players, dangerous aggression, intentional fouling, or other 'win at all costs' behavior are contrary to the Spirit of the Game and must be avoided by all players.
Spirit of the Game sets Ultimate apart from other competitive team sports. For over 40 years, Ultimate has flourished, reaching a highly competitive level, without the use of referees. In Ultimate, the honor system works. Sure, human nature rears its ugly head from time to time - just as in any sport, just as in life. Yet, one of the many beauties of Ultimate is how, even amid the most difficult of situations, utmost graciousness is allowed to meet that challenge head on. Through this balance, Ultimate players are free to demonstrate the most honorable and the most joyous sides of human nature in sport.
Most Ultimate players care deeply about Spirit of the Game. The organizational challenge for the USAU is to foster an environment where the challenge does not become, "to see what I can get away with." Rather than dictate what Spirit of the Game is or should be, it is up to each player to do so for him or herself within the context of the teams he or she plays with and against.
Sectionals
1) Any team may participate in Sectionals provided they have met the team and player requirements for participation. There is no additional qualifying process for the first level of the USA Ultimate Club Series (Sectionals)
a. If, prior to the event a team will be knowingly unable to complete the event, it is up to the discretion of the Sectional Coordinator, with approval of the National Division Director, to decide whether the team should be allowed to participate. This decision will be based on the potential impact to the tournament (e.g. format, quality of the event).
2) Division II sectionals may be offered at the discretion of the sectional coordinator.
a. Participation in Division II sectionals is optional and is entirely contingent upon the team’s desire and consent to play in Division II.
b. Teams that participate in Division II sectionals are not eligible to advance to Division I regionals or advance to the USA Ultimate Club Championships. Division II teams may advance to Division II regionals if offered. This is not required of regional coordinators.
c. Teams that participate in Division II sectionals are subject to the same series guidelines as Division I teams and will count towards a section’s "official team count".
3) For the purposes of tournament logistics, USA Ultimate Coordinators and/or Tournament Directors may impose a deadline by which teams must decide whether they will attend the tournament. This deadline may be associated with submission of a tournament entry fee, as determined by the coordinator. Tournament Directors may keep entry fees from teams that pull out of the tournament beyond a certain date, provided that date (it cannot be before the Team Registration Deadline, for instance) and the fee are reasonable, were approved by the event's USA Ultimate coordinator, and were communicated by the TD or coordinator to the teams ahead of time (coordinators are to put the approved deadline on the event’s Score Reporting Tool page). Any deadline imposed by a coordinator or tournament director that would restrict access to the tournament for teams that would otherwise be considered eligible must be announced well in advance and must be approved by the National Division Director.
Regionals
1) Regionals bids will be allocated to sections based on the number of teams in each section that meet the Team Registration Deadline and participate at the Sectional event. This is each section’s "official team count".
2) Bids to Regionals will be based on the following formula:
N=total number of teams in the region that meet the team registration deadline and participate at sectionals.
R=total number of spots in Regionals (R=16)
a=number of teams that meet the team registration deadline and participate at Sectionals for Section A
b=number of teams that meet the team registration deadline and participate at Sectionals for Section B (and so on)
a+b….=N
Section A gets (a/N) x R bids to Regionals
3) Each section (unless there is a team migration) must receive at least one bid.
a. If application of the formula results in a section being allocated zero bids to Regionals, and there are unallocated bids, one unallocated bid will be awarded to each section with zero bids.
b. If application of the formula results in a section being allocated zero bids to Regionals and all bids have been allocated, then one bid will be taken from the section with the most bids and awarded to the section with no bid.
4) Partial (fractional) bids will only be awarded if fewer than 16 total bids have been allocated. There will be a maximum of 16 bids to Regionals.
5) If each section has at least one bid, and fewer than 16 bids have been allocated, the decimal remainder from the formula results for each section will be compared. The remaining bids will be awarded to sections (one each), in order from highest to lowest remainder. (For example: a section with a decimal remainder of .82 will be awarded a bid before a section with a remainder of .67).
a. If there is a tie for the final bid to regionals, the number of players on the tied sections’ August 26th Team Registration Deadline rosters will be used to determine the final bid.
b. If there is still a tie, a disc will be flipped.
6) If, after Sectionals is completed, a section’s "official team count" does not change and another section’s count drops, the unchanged section may not have its bids to Regionals reduced, even if the formula would allocate the bids otherwise.
7) If, prior to the event, a team will knowingly be unable to complete the event, they cannot accept the bid. Teams that do not finish the Regional format may be subject to ramifications as outlined in the "Violations and Sanctions" section below.
8) Unaccepted bids
a. If a team forfeits its bid to Regionals, the bid will be offered to the next highest finishing (eligible) team from the forfeiting team’s section. This procedure will be followed until the bid is awarded.
b. If no teams in that section accept the bid, this process will be repeated starting with the section next in line to receive a bid according to the allocation formula.
c. If a team drops out less than one week prior to the tournament, the Regional Coordinator may accelerate the above process by shortening response times and immediately contacting all potential replacement teams.
d. If a spot has not been filled 3 days prior to the tournament, the RC may award the bid as his/her discretion with the approval of the National Division Director.
9) For the purposes of tournament logistics, Regional Coordinators and Tournament Directors may impose a deadline by which teams must decide whether they will attend the tournament. This deadline may be associated with submission of a tournament entry fee, as determined by the coordinator. Tournament Directors may keep entry fees from teams that pull out of the tournament beyond a certain date, provided that date (it cannot be before the Team Registration Deadline) and the fee are reasonable, were approved by the event's USA Ultimate coordinator, and were communicated by the TD or coordinator to the teams ahead of time (coordinators are to put the approved deadline on the event’s Score Reporting Tool page). Any deadline imposed by a coordinator or tournament director that would restrict access to the tournament for teams that would otherwise be considered eligible must be announced well in advance and must be approved by the National Division Director.
10) Masters Division II regionals may be offered at the discretion of the Masters Regionals Coordinator
a. Participation in Division II Masters regionals is optional and is entirely contingent upon the team’s desire and consent to play in Division II.
b. Teams that participate in Division II Masters regionals are not eligible to advance to the USA Ultimate Club Championships.
c. Teams that participate in Division II Masters regionals are subject to the same series guidelines as Division I teams and will be included in the Masters anti-wildcard count.
USA Ultimate Club Championships
The Club Open, Mixed, and Women’s divisions will each qualify 16 teams for the USA Ultimate Club Championships. The top 2 teams from each region will automatically qualify. The remaining 4 bids will be allocated to regions through wildcards as described below. The Masters Division will qualify 12 teams for the USA Ultimate Club Championships as described below.
1) Wildcards for Open, Mixed, and Women’s divisions
a. General guidelines
i. 2 strength wildcards
ii. 1 size wildcard
iii. 1 growth wildcard
iv. Maximum of 2 wildcards per region per division
v. A region may not get both size and growth wildcard
vi. Order of wildcard allocation: Strength, Size, Growth
b. Strength wildcards
i. Using the previous year’s Club Championships, final placements of the worst finishing teams from each region are compared. Additionally if a Region had 4 teams in attendance, then the 3rd-finishing team from that Region also participates in the comparison. This group of teams is called the "Wildcard Comparison".
ii. The first strength wildcard is awarded to the region with the highest finishing team in the Wildcard Comparison.
iii. If a team which earned the first strength wildcard is the 3rd-finishing team from a region with exactly three teams and the next highest finishing team in the Final Placement (all teams) is not another region’s 3rd-finishing team, then the team that earned the first wildcard also earns the second strength wildcard.
iv. If not already awarded, the second strength wildcard is awarded to the region with the 2nd-highest finishing team in the Wildcard Comparison, provided at least one of the following conditions is met:
1. they are the 3rd or 4th-finishing team from their region, OR
2. they are more than one place ahead in the Final Placement (all teams) of all other teams in the Wildcard Comparisons, OR
3. they are the 2nd-finishing team from their region and the team directly below them in the Final Placement (all teams) is not a 3rd or 4th-finishing teams from another region.
v. If not already awarded, the second strength wildcard is awarded to the region with the 3rd-highest finishing team in the Wildcard Comparison.
vi. For the 2011 Club Championships, the prior Strength Wildcard formula was applied. This resulted in wildcards being awarded to the following regions for 2011.
1. Open: Mid-Atlantic – 2
2. Mixed: Central 1, Northwest -1
3. Women’s: Northwest – 2
*For the 2012 Club Championships the Strength Wildcard Formula may be modified or changed with regards to ongoing Club Restructuring.
c. Size Wildcards
i. One size wildcard will awarded in each division on the basis of the number of teams in each region. The region that has the most teams who meet the Team Registration Deadline, and participate at Sectionals will receive the size wildcard
ii. If there is a tie, the size wildcard will go to the region with the most players on teams included in the "official team count".
iii. If there is still a tie a disc will be flipped.
d. Growth Wildcards
i. One growth wildcard in each division will awarded to the region with the highest "percentage growth" of USA Ultimate members in the current year.
Percentage Growth in Year N=(Total USAU members in region in year N)/(Total USAU members in region in year N-1)
ii. In the Open Division, male USA Ultimate members will be counted. In the Women’s Division, female members will be counted. In the Mixed Division, the total number of USA Ultimate members (male and female) will count towards the growth wildcard.
iii. The total member count for the current year (year N) will include only members who are current by their appropriate sectional roster deadline.
iv. The total member count for the previous year (year N-1) will include all members who are current at the end of that year (N-1).
v. Members will count for the region in which they have their mailing address on file in the USA Ultimate database during the appropriate year.
vi. The formula takes into account both new and returning USA Ultimate members, which captures both recruitment and retention of members. The wildcard is awarded based on members, rather than teams, to minimize potential competition between divisions within a region for players. It is assumed that increased membership growth will indirectly lead to increased formation of teams and participation in the Series.
2) Masters Anti-Wildcards
a. If a Region has at least 7 Masters teams who meet the Team Registration Deadline for Masters Regionals and attend Masters Regionals, it will get two bids to the USAU Club Championships.
b. If a region has fewer than 7 teams who meet the Team Registration Deadline for Masters Regionals and attend Masters Regionals, it will receive only one bid to the USAU Club Championships.
c. A region may be granted an allowance towards their team count if they host a Masters Division tournament that meets the following criteria:
i. The event must be sanctioned by USA Ultimate and held during the calendar year 2011 before Monday, August 22nd and within the Club Regional boundaries as defined on the USA Ultimate website.
ii. The tournament can be a stand-alone Masters tournament or can be a Masters Division (as defined by Masters Division age requirements in Master Player Info)
iii. There must be a minimum of 4 Masters teams participating, at least 3 of which must be from the hosting Region.
iv. Each participating Masters team must play at least 3 games.
v. An event that meets the above criteria will earn the hosting Region an allowance of 1 team toward the Anti-Wildcard number for 2011.
vi. A region may earn no more than 1 team allowance in 2011.
vii. Neither the USA Ultimate Grand Masters/Masters Women’s Championships nor any events organized by WFDF will be eligible to qualify for this allowance.
d. Any lost bid(s) will be awarded to alternately based on regional strength and size comparisons.
i. No region may receive more than 3 bids to the USA Ultimate Club Championships
ii. Strength Wildcards (awarded if first bids are available)
1. If a region is in the running for a 2nd bid, that region’s 2nd finishing team at the previous year’s nationals is used in the strength comparison (or 1st finishing team if only one team was in attendance).
2. If a region is in the running for a 3rd bid, that region’s 3rd finishing team at the previous nationals is used in the strength comparison(or 2nd finishing team if only 2 teams were in attendance, PROVIDED that team has not already been used to earn a strength wildcard*)
3. *Once a team’s finish is used to earn a strength wildcard, it may not be used in any other strength wildcard comparisons.
iii. Size Wildcards (to be awarded second if bids are available)
1. The region with the most teams meeting the Team Registration Deadline for Masters Regionals and competing at Masters Regionals (no allowance teams will count toward a Size Wildcard) will receive that size bid.
2. Tiebreakers: If there is a tie, the bid will go to the region with the most players on rosters at the time of the Team Registration Deadline whose teams go on to compete at Masters Regionals. If there is still a tie for the extra bid, then a disc will be flipped.
Name/Logo/Uniform Guidelines
USA Ultimate reserves the right to alter, or require a team to alter, a team name, player nickname, team logo, jersey graphic, or uniform and/or suggest alternatives at or in conjunction with a USA Ultimate program or event should USA Ultimate personnel determine that the existing name, logo, graphic, or uniform might hinder the mission of the organization or the goals of a specific USA Ultimate program or event. Alterations must meet with the approval of USA Ultimate personnel.
Frequently Asked Questions on Name/Logo/Uniform Guidelines
Uniform Requirements
1) All players participating in the USA Ultimate Club Championship tournament for a given team must wear jerseys of identical color and design.
2) Teams must have two jerseys of distinctly different color.
3) Jerseys must have numbers on the back. The numbers must be at least 6 inches high and be one or two digit Arabic numerals. The color of the numbers must contrast sufficiently with the color of the jersey such that they can be distinguished by event staff and media. No two players on a given team may use the same number or numbers with the same value (e.g. 00 and 0, 01 and 1).
4) Uniform bottoms (shorts, pants, skirts) worn by players on the field must be of identical color and design.
5) Teams must have numbers on either the front of their jerseys or the front left or right leg of their uniform bottoms (shorts, pants, skirts), although teams may opt to do both. The placement(s) must be the same for the whole team. The numbers must be at least 2 inches high and match the number on the back of their jersey. The color of the numbers must contrast sufficiently with the color of the jersey such they can be distinguished by event staff and media.
6) Names, logos, and graphics on jerseys must comply with the Name/Logo/Uniform Guidelines above.
7) It is recommended that uniform accessories including tights, undershirts, hats, and socks be of identical and/or coordinated style and color.
8) USA Ultimate reserves the right to fine and/or disqualify players who fail to meet the uniform requirements.
9) These requirements do not apply to Sectionals or Regionals although it is highly encouraged.
10) Frequently Asked Questions
Coach Uniform Requirements
All coaches particpating in the USA Ultimate Club Championship Series must wear either a uniform of identical color and desing as the team, or professional coaching attire as defined below:
1. Professional coaching attire is defined as any of the combination of the following:
a. The team jersey, or sleeved shirt/polo matching the team uniform colors.
b. Team shorts/skirt hemmed slacks/shorts/skirt of an appropiate solid color
c. Business casual attire
d. Closed toe shoe shoes such as cleats, flats, or athletic shoes. Flip-flops, open toed sandals, and bare feet are not considered professional coaching attire.
2. Coach jeresys and shorts are not subject to the number requirements for players.
3. Names, logos, and graphics on jerseys must comply with the Name/Logo/Uniform Guidelines above.
4. it is recommened that uniform accesories including weather related gear, tights, undershirts, hats, and socks be of identical or coordinated style and color.
5. USA Ultimate reserves the right to remove from the sideline/field and/or fine coachs who fail to meet the uniform requirements.
6. These requirements do not apply to Sectionals or Regionals.
Formats
Sectional and Regional tournament formats will be determined by coordinators using USA Ultimate guidelines in the USA Ultimate Formats Manual for the Championship Series. Contact your Sectional or Regional Coordinator for information.
Seeding
1) Seeding for Sectionals, Regionals, and the USAU Championships will be done by the coordinator using the following information: input solicited from all the captains of participating teams, results prior to the Series (e.g. head to head, common opponents, tournament finish), results of last year’s Series, and other applicable information (e.g. team composition, conditions). The coordinator has the authority to adjust rankings according to the best information available,
2) Seeding for Regionals will additionally be held to the following guideline: No team that finishes ahead of another team at Sectionals may be seeded behind that team at Regionals.
3) Seeding for the USA Ultimate Club Championships will additionally be held to the following guideline: No team that finishes ahead of another team at Regionals may be seeded behind that team at the USA Ultimate Championships.
4) Seeding for Sectionals must be pre-approved by the appropriate Regional Coordinator. (If the Sectional and Regional coordinators are affiliated (player, coach, alum, etc.) with the same team, seedings must be approved by the National Division Director)
5) Seeding for Regionals must be pre-approved by the National Division Director. (If the Regional Coordinator and the National Division Director are affiliated (player, coach, alum, etc.) with the same team, seedings must be approved by the Championship Manager)
6) Seeding for the USA Ultimate Club Championships must be pre-approved by the Championship Director. (If the National Division Director and the Championship Director are affiliated (player, coach, alum, etc.) with the same team, seedings must be approved by the USA Ultimate Competition Committee)
Forfeit Rule
1) A team must play all its games at a "qualifying" tournament in order to qualify for the next tournament in the Series.
a. A team that forfeits a Series game, and every player on that team’s roster, is disqualified for the remainder of the current Series, in every Division.
b.Any team that declines to finish a scheduled game or games or attempts to decide a match by any manner other than playing ultimate on the field will forfeit those games. Should both teams in a match choose not to play, then it will be considered a double forfeit.
c. At the discretion of the events USAU coordinator, consideration may be given to situations that might warrant and exception being mase, provided it does not affect the fairness or integrity of the competition.
d. Consideration should be given if a team misses the first game of the first day because of travel problems.
2) If one team is not ready to play at game time, points may be assessed, in accordance with the 11th Edition Rules of Ultimate (Section VIII.A.4). Under these conditions, if the score of the game reaches 8-0, the team that has failed to signal readiness will technically forfeit the game.
3) A team will be considered to have forfeited any game where the number of players that can safely participate falls below the minimum requirement set by the Event organzizer for that specific event.
Player Minimums
1) The USA Ultimate Club Championship Series sets specific player minimum requirements for both registration and competition.
2) Registration Minimums: Set to determine whether a team can officially register for an event
a. For the Club Championship Series: 10 players minimum. Additionally for mixed teams: 4 players per gender.
b. School based teams are exempt from the 10 player minimum if they have applied and been approved for a deadline extension.
3) Competition Minimums: Set to determine whether a team can continue to compete safely at an event.
a. For the Club Championship Series: 7 players to start, 5 to continue playing. Fewer than 5 is a forfeit. For mixed: 4 players per gender to start. 5 to continue playing.
4) Contact the event organizer or USA Ultimate headquarters to determine any requirements beyond these minimums
Rules
The USA Ultimate Club Championship Series will be played using the current edition of the USA Ultimate Official Rules of Ultimate. Any changes to these rules must be pre-approved by the National Division Director.
Teams participating at the Club Series Championships will be required to have a represenative from their team take and sucessfully complete a rules test. The test will cover basic rules questions, cap rules, observer applications, etc. Completion of th quiz is mandatory for all teams attending the 2011 Club Championships
Observers
If officials are used during the USA Ultimate Club Championship Series, their duties must be in line with those described in the USA Ultimate Observer Manual. Any changes to these duties must be pre-approved by the National Division Director.
Only USA Ultimate Certified Observers are permitted to officiate at USA Ultimate Championship or Championship Series Events.
Gender Ratio for Mixed Division
1) The gender ration for the Mixed Division of the USA Ultimate Championship Series (Sectionals, Regionals, and the USA Ultimate Championships) will be 4/3 (4 men and 3 women or 4 women and 3 men).
2) The receiving team will determine if the current point will be played with 4 men and 3 women or 4 women and 3 men. The pulling team must match the gender ratio of the receiving team.
3) If the pulling team cannot match the gender of all 7 players, then it must play with fewer than 7 players, matching the gender of as many players as possible.
4) Injury timeouts
a. In the event of an injury timeout where a player leaves the field, the replacing player must be the same gender as the injured player.
b. If a team replaces players, the opposing team has the option of substituting a like number of, or fewer players.
i. The replacing player(s) must be the same gender as the player(s) they replace.
ii. If a team calls an injury timeout but does not have a replacement player of the same gender as the injured player, it may not replace that player and must play fewer than 7 players.