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Updated: 01/09/08
USA Field Hockey Futures Program Policies 2008
Information on Attendance & Selection to National Futures Championship
1. Futures Attendance Policy
Athletes are required to attend Futures sessions at the site which is assigned to them in their Confirmation Letter. Attendance at all sessions is expected. In order to be considered for selection to the National Futures Championship, an athlete MUST attend 80% of a region’s sessions. Athletes attending 50% or less of the ten Futures sessions will not receive an invitation for the following year. Athletes attending 60% or less of the scheduled Futures sessions at their assigned site will not receive Player Evaluations at the conclusion of the Futures Program.
Emergencies and extenuating circumstances will be dealt with on an individual basis. Inquiries should be addressed to the Regional Administrative Director and the Regional Coaching Director who, in turn, will consult with the Director of Olympic Development.
The Futures Development Program is designed to be covered in ten sessions. Due to the uniqueness of regions, and sites within each region, the site may cover two sessions in one day or the site may have one session a day but meet twice a month.
Athletes can have a maximum of two make up sessions. An athlete may attend a session(s) at another site if available. Distance and/or number of participants at the other site may prohibit this option so consult with your Regional Coaching Director.
USA Field Hockey’s Indoor National Tournament or Disney Showcase is an excused absence. Athletes may also attend one qualifier as an excused absence. The date of Indoor and the date of the qualifier are excused absences only if the date conflicts with your Futures session. These events cannot be used as a makeup session. Excused absences can be made up but are not necessary to show for the 80% required attendance. Attendance forms must be signed by the Tournament Director and returned to your assigned Site Director.
2. Withdrawal and Refund Policy
If a player withdraws from the 2008 Futures Program before January 4th (postmarked or emailed) 2008 all but $75.00 will be refunded. A player withdrawing from the program on or after January 4, 2008 will be refunded $50 per full day (6 hour session) and $25 per half day (3 hour session)of unattended sessions until April 25, 2008. No refund requests will be accepted after this date. Refunds will only be made for valid complete withdrawal from the program and are at the discretion of USA Field Hockey. No refunds will be made for missed sessions including date and location changes.
NOTE: No refund requests will be considered if post marked after April 25, 2008. All refund requests must be in writing and emailed to USA Field Hockey, Futures Program, 1 Olympic Plaza, Colorado Springs, CO 80909
3. Medical Release Policy
If an athlete is injured and unable to participate in Futures, the athlete may withdrawal per the withdrawal policy. If an athlete stops participating due to the injury, does not officially withdrawal, and attendance falls below the required 50% to be invited the following year, the athlete must provide USA Field Hockey written notification (email or letter) of the injury prior to the end of the Futures year the injury occurred. All medical excuses must be received the Futures year the injury occurred. Medical excuses received during the following year registration period will not be accepted.
Athletes withdrawing due to injury and who provide signed medical documentation by the residing medical group caring for the injured athlete are eligible to enter the Futures Program the following year. Those withdrawing without medical documentation, or for a reason other than injury, will not receive an automatic invitation back into the program. The athletes must go through the trial procedures to re-enter the program the following year.
Selection Policy for the National Futures Championships (NFC)
Attendance at all Futures sessions is expected. To be considered for the NFC selection process, an athlete MUST attend 80% of the region’s sessions to be eligible for a regional team.
All Futures athletes MUST attend the Regional Futures Tournament in order to be selected to a regional team for the National Futures Championship.
On occasion there may be extenuating circumstances which prevent an athlete from attending their Regional Tournament. Each situation is reviewed and dealt with on an individual basis by the Regional Coaching Director and the Director of Olympic Development. Each region has both geographical and in-region situations where the RCD may determine are extenuating circumstances. The following procedures for accommodating these situation are:
· It is highly advisable for the athlete to attend a portion of the in-region tournament if possible. This should always be the first option! If the athlete attends the tournament for a limited time, make sure the Regional Coaching Director is advised of the athlete’s attendance hours
· If the athlete cannot attend their regional tournament, they may attend a regional tournament in another region if the athlete is identified as a Level One Athlete or is within the top 10% ranked athletes from a Level Two site (athletes are ranked within each site). The athlete must communicate with their Regional Coaching Director as soon as the conflict arises. The RCD from the athlete’s region must arrange for the athlete to attend another region’s tournament. If the athlete is selected in the alternate region, they will be placed on the regional team from their ‘home’ region.
· The athlete MUST attend the alternate regional tournament PRIOR to their home region’s regional tournament. If this is not possible, the Regional Coaching Director will coordinate with the Regional Coaching Director in another region to work through the conflict.
4. To maintain consistency throughout the High Performance and Olympic Development programs athletes who have been previously talent identified into a High Performance program will return back to program one below the highest level program the athlete has been selected. Athletes selected to the Olympic Development Select or are currently on the National Team will return to the National Futures Championship. No athletes will be placed on a NFC Team unless they are registered in Futures, met the attendance policy, and participated in the Regional Futures Tournament*. The following selection level and participation requirements must be met before the previously talent identified athlete is placed on a regional team.
The talent identified athletes must meet the…..
● 80% attendance requirement in the Futures Program, and
● Must attend the Futures Regional Tournament.
Talent identified athletes are athletes who are
● A member of a USA National Team, or are
● Identified as part of the Olympic Development Select group
*All athletes talent identified must be approved by the Director of Olympic Development before being placed on a regional team.
Following is the selection program path for an athlete who has been previously talent identified. The path begins at the highest level the athlete was selected.
High Performance Jr. National Camp and not selected to a National Team are automatically
· Sent back to Futures Elite
· Placed on a NFC Team
Olympic Development Select Athletes
· Sent back to Futures Elite
· Placed on the appropriate age group NFC Team
U21 National Team player is automatically
· Placed on the U19 NFC Team
· Placed back into Futures Elite
Regional athletes selected to the NFC
The number of athletes selected from each region to attend the NFC is based on the following criteria. Approximately 10% of the Futures athletes are selected to the NFC.
Each region is given a percentage of spots based on number of athletes in their region as compared to the other regions. The percentages are re-figured each year to assure fairness.
Based on the percentages, regions may split a team with another region.
4. Recruiting Policy
The Futures Program attempts to work closely with the State Athletic Associations and the NCAA. However, it is the responsibility of the individual coach and athlete to check with their State Association and the NCAA regarding rules of eligibility, recruiting guidelines, etc.
If suspected violations are reported, they will be investigated. If the investigation indicates there has been a violation, USA Field Hockey will notify the appropriate persons and organizations.
5. Sponsorship Policy
Individuals seeking financial support for the Futures Program MAY NOT use USA Field Hockey as a selling factor in the attainment of this backing. They may, however, seek financial assistance individually (separating the connection to USA Field Hockey) to attend sessions. This is to avoid potential sponsorship conflict with what the National Office is pursuing.
6. Apparel and Equipment Policy
If USA Field Hockey has a signed shirt sponsor for the event, the T-shirt donated will be the tournament shirt.
If USA Field Hockey does not have a T-shirt sponsor, the USA Field Hockey licensee will have the first right of refusal for sponsorship and production of this shirt.
At no time are regions allowed to seek sponsorship for apparel on behalf of USA Field Hockey and the National Futures Program. This will cause great confusion and disrupt the goals and mission of the sponsorship program of USA Field Hockey.
7. Tuition Policy for National Team Players
Futures identified athletes, making the USA National and U21 Field Hockey Team and currently of age to participate in the Futures Program, may participate in the Futures Program tuition free (auditing). Any qualifying athlete choosing to participate as an auditing participant will not qualify for selection to the National Futures Championship.
8. Tuition discount for Futures Staff (Regional Directors, Head Coaches, Assistant Coaches, and Site Directors) with sons or daughters participating in the program may receive a 50% tuition discount for their children. Futures staff must have completed one year of USA Field Hockey work to qualify for the 50% discount for any child (son or daughter) of theirs in the program.
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