Check-In Proceduers for Qualifying Tournaments and Approved Tournaments
For Event Organizers:
- Check-in times. As an event orgnizer, you should communicate to teams (in advance of the tournament) a proper time to check-in prior to the tournament. Ideal times for check-in are the night before the event, or early in the morning before the tournament begins. If not, or if there is no standard meeting before the event, it is common to require that teams check-in no later than 60 minutes prior to the kickoff of their first match. Check-in typically takes ~15 minutes per team, so teams without a check-in time should request one absolutely no later than 75 minutes before their first match.
- Receipt of roster and waivers. When teams first arrive to check-in, you should receive a roster of players and any standard forms not specifically related to individuals (e.g. you may receive a media release agreement with multiple players’ signatures, but not individual waivers of participation). Players should line up in the order that their forms are submitted (ideally alphabetically), and be listed in the same order on all forms.
- Roster scanning. Before teams line up scroll through their roster and see if there are any obvious issues, or if there are any notations from the competition organizer who may have previously checked their paperwork. Be sure to address these issues before you have individual players check in.
- Individual check-in. When players arrive for check-in, they should present proof of identification (government-issued ID) and proof of citizenship. Additionally, they should turn in their individual participation waiver (properly signed or initialed in all appropriate places) and point out their place on any other required forms (e.g. point to their signature on a media release agreement, if being used). At the end of the event, you will return all unneeded paperwork to participating teams, and scan and send the rosters to a shared drive (Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.) with permission to USA Rugby. You may also zip all rosters into a single file and email to egeib@usarugby.org. If a team advances beyond the event you’re working, you may ask the series organizer to mail their paperwork to the next event organizer.
- Identification. Players must present government-issued IDs to verify their identity at the time of check-in. If you do not believe the ID presented meets that standard, you have the authority as event organizer to deny or approve acceptance of the player’s(/s’) identity. Players should have their ID returned after you’ve reviewed it. If a player does not have a government-issued photo ID, they should not participate.
- Proof of Citizenship. Club rugby matches under the authority of USA Rugby have specific regulations regarding the citizenship/residency of participants. No club may field more than three non-citizens on its tournament roster. USA Rugby no longer considers residency/non-residency for 7s. All but 3 players participating per team must be U.S. citizens. Green Card holders count as non-citizens. U.S. citizens may verify their citizenship by producing a birth certificate, a passport, or enhanced drivers license (EDL). EDLs are available in Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, and Washington (state), and function as an alternative to a passport for international travel in states that commonly see residents travel to Canada.
Photo copies of birth certificates or U.S. passports are acceptable, but not of green cards or foreign passports. All non-citizens must have their foreign passport available for inspection, and must have been in the United States on or prior to July 1, 2019.
A common misconception is that a military ID or Social Security card is proof of citizenship. Notably, you do not have to be a citizen of the United States to be a member of the U.S. military or possess a Social Security card.
If a player does not have proof of residency/citizenship, only the 7s series organizer or assigned Match Commissioner may decide their eligibility to compete as anything other than a non-resident. Typically, Match Commissioners will rule that players without citizenship evidence count towards a team’s 3-player non-citizen limit. However, some Match Commissioners have elected to use other tactics to determine a player’s citizenship/residency if they believe it necessary in situations without evidence. This is typically not recommended and only applied in extraordinary circumstances. Players must, at a minimum, have proof of identification so that you may determine the proper player participated and determine protest-eligibility at a later date.
If a player is a non-citizen, the player must have been registered and residing in the United States no later than 11:59 pm Mountain Time on the required registration deadline (July 1). It is not unreasonable to go through a non-resident’s passport and verify entry into the United States in accordance to this timeline.
- Identification. Players must present government-issued IDs to verify their identity at the time of check-in. If you do not believe the ID presented meets that standard, you have the authority as event organizer to deny or approve acceptance of the player’s(/s’) identity. Players should have their ID returned after you’ve reviewed it. If a player does not have a government-issued photo ID, they should not participate.
- Coaches and Captains Meeting. If your event has a coaches and captains meeting, it is critical that you touch base with the series organizer and the venue to be prepared for any/all information that will be covered. Notably, you should introduce yourself to the teams and review your role and responsibilities for the weekend, as well as verify that teams know the role(s) and responsibilities of others. Generally, it is recommended you assign a Match Commissioner to handle all competition matters. Match Commissioners should typically not involve themselves in duties related to operation of the event, participation in the event, or officiating at the event. If no coaches and captains meeting is held, it’s important that you check that all teams have received proper communication of information, policies, and procedures.
If granted the opportunity to communicate in advance of matchday, it is wise to inform teams where you’ll be located throughout the weekend and what you’ll be wearing. Many event organizers do not like to be confined to one area throughout the weekend, so they typically state where they’ll be at certain times, e.g. in the administrative tent for 15 minutes every hour on the hour, etc.
