Volunteer Policy

Policy approved Jan 19th, 2011. Updated Jan 17th 2017, May 11th 2022.

1. Pinelanders is a large organization, requiring a significant amount of work in management, coaching, grounds-keeping, administration and day-to-day operation. Pinelanders is a club, not a service, and its successful operation depends on the willingness of its members to perform those tasks.
2. It is a condition of membership that, in addition to paying dues, families help with the operation of the Club by completing at least one volunteer activity each season.
3. In situations where a child is associated with more than one family, each having separate participation with the Club, the household in which the child lives is obligated to complete a volunteer activity independently of the other household.
4. Each family’s volunteer status will be tracked for each season in which they have players registered, beginning with Spring 2007. A family’s status may be: red (not yet signed up for an activity); yellow (signed up but not yet completed); blue (signed up but activity was canceled); or green (at least one activity has been completed). Every family is expected to exit each season of membership with a green status.
5. A family is considered to be active from the time of registration to the end of the season, unless they provide formal notification of withdrawal of all players to the Registrar by the end of the fifth playing week.  If the family withdraws by that date its volunteer obligation for the season will be voided if not already fulfilled; otherwise its status for the season will remain red.  It is the responsibility of the family (not the coach) to notify the Registrar of withdrawal.
6. The Board will appoint a Volunteer Coordinator who will publish and manage scheduled volunteer activities, provide sign-in sheets, and update volunteer status.
7. Volunteer activities may include, but are not limited to, active membership of the Board of Directors or any committee; coaching; serving in the snack bar; performing administrative tasks; helping with grounds preparation or cleanup; assistance with Trophy Day and other events; and flyer distribution.
   • Individual ad hoc contributions are encouraged, and will be recognized.
   • Activities that can be completed away from the fields and/or at other times of the week will be made available whenever possible.
8. The Club will publish a list of volunteer opportunities through its web site, and provide a way for families to sign up.  Members who do not have Internet access should contact the Volunteer Coordinator for details of available activities.
9. A sign-in sheet will be provided for scheduled activities.  Volunteers must sign in to enable their status to be updated.
10. Once signed up for an activity, a volunteer is obligated to complete it or to notify the Volunteer Coordinator or the activity’s leader with reasonable notice if he/she becomes unavailable.  If a volunteer does not show up for an activity as scheduled, his/her family’s volunteer status is returned to red.
11. Members are asked to support the Club’s operation by volunteering as early in the season as possible. Lack of opportunities late in the season will not be accepted as a reason for a waiver.
12. If a scheduled activity is canceled for reasons beyond the club’s control (e.g. a rainout), the activity’s status is changed to “blue” (canceled).  Volunteers are expected to sign up for another activity.
    • If the cancelation occurs in the last week of the season and there are few opportunities for a makeup activity, or if a volunteer is unable to sign up for any of the remaining activities, the Volunteer Coordinator may grant a waiver by changing the activity status to green.
    • If an activity is canceled for reasons within the Club’s control without reasonable notice the Volunteer Coordinator should grant a waiver by changing the activity status to green.
13. Each season is considered to be separate for volunteer purposes: there is no concept of “credit” or carrying over an activity from one season to another.  This means, for example, that:
    • If a family completes more than one activity in a season, they are still required to complete an activity in the following season.
    • If a family completes a pre-season volunteer activity and then withdraws from the Club without their child having played in a game, they are still required to complete an activity in the following season.
    • Despite these provisions the Board may occasionally approve a single-season exemption from volunteering for families that have made an exceptional voluntary contribution to the club.
      • Exemption requests must be made to the Board, either directly by the member family or on their behalf by a Board member.
      • If approved by a majority vote the exemption may be applied to one season only.
      • Examples of exceptional contributions might include organization of a significant event or an extraordinary contribution of time and skill, but exclude financial or in-kind material donations and activities that are part of the routine duty of a coach, Board member or other official.
14. Each activity is associated with a season. Once completed the Volunteer Coordinator may backdate an activity to a prior season in order to clear a family’s prior non-green status.
15. The Club recognizes that serious illness or other situations may prevent some members from participating in a volunteer activity either temporarily or permanently. Any family in such a situation should contact the Volunteer Coordinator. The Volunteer Coordinator may suggest an appropriate activity for the family or, if circumstances so warrant, grant a season waiver.
    • Any such request must be made during the season. The Volunteer Coordinator will not grant a waiver retroactively, or automatically continue a waiver from one season to the next.
16. The on-line registration system will automatically block registration of any family that has a non-green status for any prior season.  If the family signs up for and completes a “makeup” activity the Volunteer Coordinator will backdate the activity to the missed season, which will automatically unblock registration. The family is then obligated to complete another activity for the current season.
17. If a family repeatedly fails to meet its volunteer commitments, either by repeatedly exiting the season with a red status or by repeatedly failing to show up for scheduled activities, the Volunteer Coordinator may recommend to the Board that the family’s registration privileges be suspended for one year.  Upon reinstatement the family must complete sufficient “makeup” activities to clear all prior-season obligations before being permitted to register.
18. Any family believing that it has incurred a penalty unjustly may request a Board review by submitting a written complaint to the Volunteer Coordinator or the President.  The decision of the Board is final.
19. The current provisions of this policy will be applied to address prior violations regardless of the policy that was current at the time of the violation.