As North Country Region planned for the 2019 club season, we became very aware of the precarious position that you as a tournament director could be placed and us as an organization could be placed  if neither of us had controls in verifying participants at tournaments.  USA Volleyball insurance guidelines require

• All participants are current USAV members
• Adults working with juniors have met minimum training and certifications

Due to the changes in federal legislation governing all youth - serving organizations we simply had to make a change so that you are in a safer position, juniors are in a safer environment, and North Country Region is in a safer position.  It requires a coordinated effort and commitment by NCR staff, club directors, tournament directors, and individual members.  

After some quick research and phone calls to other Regions, it became clear that North Country Region needed to be inline on best practices concerning tournaments and verifying the participants at each tournament. Fortunately or unfortunately, roster verification is a very necessary part of today’s junior athletic environment. North Country Region wants your tournament to be known as a fun, safe tournament because you do verify the participants at your events. From our end,  we have set the parameters on who can be added to a Webpoint roster.  Club directors can only add adults to a team roster when that adult has met the following criteria

• has a current membership
• taken IMPACT training
• cleared the SSCI background screen
• completed SafeSport Certification

We also have established the policy that for a roster to be valid it requires a minimum of six junior players and a minimum of one head coach. 

I understand this is new and different but it is absolutely the right thing to do for ALL  of us.  If we cheat this system, then we put all players, coaches, teams and clubs in jeopardy and none  of us want that.  One of the best parts about being a member of USA Volleyball and sanctioning a tournament through North Country Region  is that every USAV member  has an individual record that houses all of their current certifications and trainings as well as the history of their membership.  NO ONE ELSE PROVIDES THIS LEVEL OF THOROUGHNESS!

Moving onto 2020 tournaments we have some big plans that include: Tournament Director Handbook, free use of AES for tournament registration, rosters easily verified on AES and more.  I have appreciated the feedback from our tournament directors as we work together to do what is right.

MN North 18-1 won the North Country Region Boys Winter Tournament Club Division, was a Semi-Finalist in the Open Division of North Country Region SmackFest, and has claimed another Gold Medal in the Club Division of the North Country Region Boys Smack Showcase Regionals.  MN North 18-1 defeated Ohana 18U in the Championship Match.

Named to the 2019 North Country Region Boys Smack Showcase Regionals Club Division All-Tournament Team were:

• Nick Oltmanns, Cade Slattengren, and Luke Johnson from MN North 18-1
• Joseph Correa, Crayton Mitchell, and Austin Ledesma from Ohana 18U
• Bradyn Zula from Johnston 18U Regional
• Aaron Winkle from Komet 18U