GMDA Policies


USE OF CALLAHAN PARK


i. Purpose

The main purpose of Callahan Park is open community pickup. Therefore, a minimum of one field will always be allocated to pickup. However, in order to enhance the opportunities and events available to all members, support local organizers and make full use of the space, the second field – when there is one - can also be used for other Ultimate-related activities such as team tryouts, practices and clinics.



ii. Participation Eligibility

All GMDA members and visitors are welcome to join the pickup games as well as any other activity taking place at Callahan Park regardless of age, gender, physical shape, experience or skill level. There is no need to request the permission of the GMDA Board before showing up, and participation is free. Please consult the calendar and the pickup page for dates and times, and sign up to the Yahoo! Group to receive all the notifications.



iii. Reservations

Local organizers wishing to use the second field to run Ultimate-related activities other than pickup must contact the GMDA Board for pre-approval no later than 1 week prior to the upcoming requested date. Only activities that are open to all without exceptions will be considered. The GMDA Board reserves the right to decline reservation requests based on a number of factors such as availability, demand, field conditions, respect of city code, as well as to ensure that the best interests of the community are met. If pre-approved, the activity will be added to the calendar, an announcement will be sent out to the Yahoo! Group, and the second field will be set aside for that activity regardless of pickup turnout. This benefit is offered at no cost to the organizers or the participants. Requests can be placed for as many dates as needed in advance, however the GMDA Board will process one date at a time.



LIABILITY INSURANCE

The GMDA extends the benefit of liability insurance coverage to any event (e.g. tournaments, leagues, team practices, clinics, pickup games) that any member of the local Ultimate community plans on organizing.


For example, if you’re a local club team captain wishing to lease fieldspace X to run your practices, and fieldspace X requires proof that you’re insured, there is no need for you to go shopping for a policy on your own. Instead, you can ask the Board to add fieldspace X to the GMDA umbrella policy, as long as you run your activity under the name GMDA.


Things local organizers need to know about the GMDA liability insurance policy:

  • It’s a $1,000,000 policy.
  • It covers bodily injury and property damage caused to others (e.g. the owner of the fields, the spectators), but as long as we don’t make unwise decisions such as letting people play on a soaking wet field. In other words, it does not cover us for claims related to damage which was expected or intended.
  • It does NOT cover bodily injury to the participants.
  • It does NOT include liquor liability.
  • If the leaser requires “proof of insurance” or a “certificate of insurance”, it is free of charge to you. However, if the leaser requires to be named on the GMDA policy as an “additional insured” (i.e. split the $1,000,000 policy 50-50 with the GMDA), it can be done, but for an extra 200-some dollars which is your responsibility to pay.


To be eligible, the local organizers MUST:

  • Have all participants sign a GMDA waiver prior to the start of the first activity.
  • Contact the GMDA Board with the names of the fields you intend on leasing, their locations and purposes AT THE LATEST BY MAY 1ST, 2010. Note: It’s okay to have us include a field in the policy even if you’re not yet totally certain that you’ll end up using it.



OUTDOOR GAMES WEATHER FIELDS & CONDITIONS POLICY


Alert System Prior to Game Time

The GMDA Board does not have a last-minute alert system that can reach everyone reliably in time. Weather and field conditions are impossible to predict with certainty in advance, and the GMDA Board does not want to risk canceling games needlessly. Therefore, the decisions to delay the start of games or to cancel them altogether will be made by the GMDA representatives on site at the scheduled start time, and will be based on the existence of one or more Unsafe or Damaging Conditions.


Alert System During Game Time
The decisions to interrupt, resume, and call off games will also be made by the GMDA representatives on site based on the existence of one or more of the Unsafe or Damaging Conditions. One long blow of the horn will signify an interruption due to lightning or lightning risk. Upon hearing it, all participants and spectators shall quickly follow these Field Evacuation Directives. Game interruptions due to lightning or risk of lightning will last no less than thirty (30) minutes after last hearing thunder or seeing lightning. If it is determined safe to return to the fields, the horn will be blown several short times. If the games must be stopped for good (i.e. called off), it will be communicated with another long blow of the horn. Games will not be called off until at least thirty minutes of interruption nor as long as there remains any chance to resume play. Word-of-mouth will be used to communicate game interruptions, resumptions, and call-offs due to any conditions other than lightning or risk of lightning.


Unsafe or Damaging Conditions

If any one (1) of the following conditions exists, games shall be delayed, cancelled, interrupted, or called off by the GMDA representatives on site:

  • The leaser of the fields (e.g. Park & Rec. Dept., School Board) has made the decision to close the fields
  • There is inclement weather that brings about unsafe or damaging conditions, including but not limited to lightning or risk of lightning.
  • The fields are hazardous and could result in player injury
  • The fields are severely damaged or could get severely damaged as a result of playing on them.


Field Evacuation Directives

Upon hearing a first long blow of the horn, all participants and spectators shall immediately evacuate the fields and proceed quickly to a safe structure or location such as dry areas inside large permanent buildings (i.e. fully enclosed buildings with roofs, walls, floors, plumbing and/or electrical wiring) OR any vehicle with a hard metal roof and with windows rolled up. A safe structure or location does NOT include:

  • Small covered shelters (e.g. dugouts, pavilions, sheds)
  • Under trees
  • Under tents
  • In playgrounds
  • Near electrical conductors, electrical equipment, and metal objects
  • Near water
  • Near plumbing (e.g. showers, sinks)
  • Any location that makes a person the highest point in the area
  • Out on an open field
Cones should be left where they are. There will be time to pick them up after the danger has passed.


Non-Compliance

Assessing whether or not games can take place without risking the well-being of players or the integrity of the fields is not easy. The GMDA representatives shall err on the side of caution, and whether in agreement or not, all players shall abide by the decisions made by the GMDA representatives and the prescribed courses of action (e.g. staying off the fields, evacuating to a safe place.) Failure to cooperate may result in the GMDA Board imposing individual player or team sanctions.


Rescheduling Games

In the event that games can not be completed or even started, the GMDA Board will attempt to schedule make-up games at a later date/time, at the same or a different location. If this is not possible, then the format will be revised. Make-up games are to played from the point at which they were called off.


Determination of Lightning Risk

Any one of the following conditions constitute a risk and shall result in games getting delayed, cancelled, interrupted or called off:

  • First sight of lightning or first sound of thunder (the “Flash to Boom” method used to calculate distance from lightning is not reliable. By the time thunder is heard, lightning strike may well be within reach. As such, this method will not be used to determine the risk of lightning)
  • National Weather Service’s issuance of a severe weather warning for the area where the fields are located
  • Sighting of a thunderhead