January 17, 2018 Kevin Black (Photo credit to M. Lorusso)
CONNECTICUT'S GOLD STANDARD - THE CLUBHOUSE
CLUBHOUSE COLLEGE COMMITMENTS
All athletes undergo an evaluation to sort them into the most fitting team. Find out more about our teams, policies, tournaments and more by reading the following pages:
THE FOLLOWING SECTION EXPLAINS THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES REGARDING ROSTER SPOTS FOR ALL CLUBHOUSE TEAMS. THE ACCEPTANCE OF A ROSTER SPOT IS A SERIOUS COMMITMENT.
PLEASE READ AND UNDERSTAND.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT US.
THE CLUBHOUSE MAJOR LEAGUE AND PROFESSIONAL STAFF IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OFFERING ROSTER SPOTS ON CLUBHOUSE TEAMS. A ROSTER SPOT IS A LIMITED OPPORTUNITY TO TRAIN AND DEVELOP YOUR SKILLS WITH OUR STAFF, AS WELL AS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY ON A CLUBHOUSE TEAM. A LARGE AMOUNT OF ADMINISTRATIVE WORK AND EXPENSES ARE INVOLVED BEFORE THE FIRST GAME IS EVEN PLAYED. FOR THESE REASONS AN INITIAL NON-REFUNDABLE SECURITY DEPOSIT WILL BE REQUIRED TO SECURE A ROSTER SPOT AND THE COMMITMENT IS FOR THE ENTIRE SEASON. YOUR VERBAL APPROVAL, WRITTEN APPROVAL OR YOUR PAYMENT IS YOUR IMPLIED INTENT AND FULL ACCEPTANCE OF THESE TERMS. ANY AND ALL FUNDS IN YOUR CLUBHOUSE ACCOUNT OR PAYMENTS THEREAFTER WILL BE APPLIED TO ALL TOTAL OUTSTANDING BALANCES WHICH MUST BE PAID IN FULL BY THE ASSIGNED DEADLINES PRIOR TO THE START OF THE SEASON AND UPON FULL PAYMENT THE ROSTER SPOT IS FULLY SECURED AND THERE ARE “NO REFUNDS”.
Our goal is to exceed your expectations and that is why it is important for you to understand how we form our teams and the policies we employ. These policies are in no way limited to this website page. Everyone wants to play as much as possible; we try to form teams with just the right amount of players. If we roster too many players, people complain that there are too many players and they are not getting enough playing time. If we roster too few players, we are always at the risk of playing in a tournament and running out of pitching or catching. What happens if a player or two are injured, or if they have to attend their sister’s wedding or a family function? Team formation and roster assignment is a daunting task and The Clubhouse has no control over the events that occur in each of our player’s or families’ lives. The Clubhouse is a business and we must factor in all of our costs and overhead to assure that our expenses are covered and that our professional coaching staff is paid. When you accept an offer to play for a Clubhouse team you are accepting a “roster spot”. A roster spot is a limited opportunity for a season. If you cannot attend any of The Clubhouse events, for any reason, you sacrifice that opportunity and it is not refundable. The administrative responsibilities required to run each team starts many months prior to each season. The limited number of roster spots are determined ahead of time to guarantee that we can meet our obligations. The acceptance of the roster spot is with your understanding that you are agreeing to these terms. Replacing players who cannot participate is extremely difficult, especially when it has to be done in a limited amount of time. In most cases The Clubhouse cannot recover the extra expense and time lost to a player’s inability to participate. We understand that injuries can and do happen and players are sometimes sidelined, however participation in sports comes with no guarantees and that is why every player and parent must sign a liability waiver. Injuries sometimes occur in the heat of competition. Injuries might occur while playing for school teams. They might occur outside of athletic activities. The bottom line is that a roster spot is a reserved opportunity for each player and whether you use it or not, all expenses for that spot are non-refundable.
Good sportsmanship is the hallmark of The Clubhouse. We expect all players and parents to have respect for the game and respect for each other. Our organization is invited to participate in exclusive events year after year because we have an excellent reputation for respecting the game and the teams we play regardless of some of the actions by others. Over the years we have heard thousands of complaints from players and parents regarding some of the bad behavior they have experienced in their local recreational leagues and it will not be tolerated here. This is an environment where players come to learn from their failures in order to be the best they can be. Bad behavior is simply the result of poor coaching. That coaching applies to players and parents. The price you pay to participate in this unique program affords you the opportunity to participate and take advantage of all the resources we provide. “Every player is expected to be on time and do the right thing.” Parents are expected to be 100% supportive of “all” players regardless of wins or losses. At no time is it permissible for a parent to criticize any of the players on the team. Our staff will handle any problems on their own terms and at the appropriate time. If we receive any complaints regarding any player or parent who cannot control his comments or behavior we have the express authority to terminate that player from the program.
If a tournament is rained out or cancelled, for any reason, The Clubhouse will make an effort to try to reschedule additional events, however it is very difficult to find last minute opportunities as most events fill months in advance and players and parents usually make other plans on open dates. That alone might prevent any alternate options.