How to start a new Club?

First, go to imvolleyball.org and download the region handbook from the Forms Page for assistance and more specific detail on all policies and procedures related to participation by a club in the Intermountain Volleyball Association.

Complete the IVA club application. Before selecting a entity/club name, contact the IVA program director for approval of entity/club name. Submit this application and a check for $100 to the IVA.

This page will go through a few basic things you will need to know or do in order to start a new club.  A club can consist of 1 team or 50 teams.

1. Become a member of the Intermountain/USAV Association

      2. Create the entity (Club):

                      1. Starting a brand new entity.

                            – In Utah: secure.utah.gov/osbr-user/user/welcome.html

                            - In Idaho:

       3. Reporting an existing entity:

Submit a copy of your annual business renewal certificate.

• There is a section titled Forms on the IVA website.  Under that site are all the forms you will need.  Here is a list of all forms to download.  A star next to the name of the document denotes that you will want to review the document prior to starting your club.

• 1. ***IVA Handbook
  2. ***IVA Annual Club Application
  3. Membership Form
  4. Participation Agreement
  5. Coaches Code of Conduct
  6. Background Waiver and Release Form
  7. Fair Credit Reporting Rights Form
  8. Tryout Sanction Form
  9. Age Definitions for current season
  10. Fee Schedule

• Complete Club Application: Download and complete the Annual Club Application.  Within that application is listed all things that are required to accompany the application.  If all items are not complete, the application will be denied.  The fee for the Club Application can be found in the fee schedule under the documents and forms section of the webpage.
• Budget: You will want to do a budget in order to know what to charge your customers.  The fee schedule for all IVA related costs can be found in the fee schedule in the documents and forms section of the webpage.  Your budget should include these fees in addition to anything your club will be incurring costs on.  Here are a few things that most clubs typically budget for:

• 1. IVA Costs (membership fees, tournament fees, coaching clinics, etc..)
  2. Court rental for practice
  3. Payment of coaches
  4. Uniforms and Equipment

• • • All uniforms and equipment can be purchased through the IVA for low cost.  Contact IVA office for more information.

• 1. Travel costs (hotel, car rental, etc…)
  2. Administrative costs

• Fees:  You can find a list of all IVA fees on the fee schedule document under the forms section of the website.  imvolleyball.org
• Forms to have within your club internally for your customers:

• 1. Financial Contract and Parents Code of Conduct

• • • An example of this can be found on the IVA website

• 1. Grievance and Due Process Procedure

• • • This is the process for which parents and/or players file complaints and the procedure in which they are dealt with.  You can find an example of this in the IVA handbook under the due process procedures.

• 1. Club Handbook

• • • This is a document that outlines how the club is structured and how it is run with any and all club expectations, philosophies and so forth.
• Board of Directors:  Appoint a Board of Directors to handle due process procedures and to make policies and procedures in regards to the operation of the club.
• Tryouts:  Some clubs have tryouts, some do not.  If you are having a tryout, you will need to fill out and submit a tryout sanction form a minimum of 4 weeks prior to your tryout.  All adults who will be working the tryouts are required to be registered and to have completed and passed their background check prior to the tryout.  You want to allow a minimum of 10 business days for this process to complete.
• Training Facilities:  Once you secure a training facility, you will need to submit the information of that facility to the IVA in order to ensure that we get a certificate of insurance for that venue.  There is no cost to this, but we do need to obtain that certificate.  In order to get it, IVA needs the facility name, address, phone number, email and contact person.
• IMPACT:  All coaches must be IMPACT certified.  This is a course taught through the IVA in accordance with USA Volleyball regulations.  The course lasts approximately 4 hours and certification is good for 3 years.
• Scorekeeping and Referee Training:  All clubs are required to teach all players within their club how to score keep and how to be a down official.
• Advertising and Recruiting for your club:  We ask that you be very professional and ethical in the manner in which you recruit and advertise for your club.  We ask that you do NOT approach athletes, but rather approach their high school coach or their parents.  Advertise through fliers, radio, television, etc..
• Medical Forms:  All players will need to fill out a medical release form.  Do NOT send these to the IVA but rather make a couple of copies.  One for the club director, one for the coach of that team and one for the chaperone of the team.  If a player gets injured during a club/team activity or traveling to or from an club/team activity, an incident report must be filled out immediately and submitted to the IVA no more than 48 hours after the injury.  Keep a copy of the report for your records.
• Membership Season:  The membership season runs from November 1 through October 31.  Once a player registers with a club, no other club may contact that player.  Players are HIGHLY discouraged from transferring clubs midseason.  If they do transfer mid season, there is a $200 fee for doing so and until the release is granted from the IVA, no club may have communication with that athlete.  This rule does not apply to coaches.
• Deadlines:  You must have your membership paperwork in a minimum of 4 weeks prior to the first tournament you play in.  Tournament deadlines are posted on the tournament schedule on the IVA website.
• Online Registration:  All registration is done online.  We are in the process of switching registration companies.  That information on how to register there will be available soon.  All hard copies of membership forms for adults and juniors will still be required to be sent to the IVA office.