Sports Activities Policies & Procedures | BYU-Idaho

# Sports Activities Policies and Procedures

Learn about policies and procedures for participation in sports activities.

The Sports Department of Campus Recreation at BYU-Idaho provides the campus community with the opportunity to become actively involved in an organized Intramural sports and recreation program.

BYU-Idaho Sports are offered as Competitive leagues, Recreational (RecSports) Leagues, Events, and Sports Groups. These activities are designed to encourage participation in a wide variety of sports and are generally played on campus or at nearby facilities. Sports are structured for all different skill levels and availability/commitment levels and are conducted in a safe environment. Participants do not need to be an experienced athlete to participate!

Intramural sports are a fun way to play, meet friends, learn new sports, test one's physical ability, and relieve the stress of daily routines.

Competitive Leagues require participants to attend tryouts and be available for team practices, meetings, and games.

Rec Sports, Events/Tournaments, and Sports Groups let participants select the days they play and the people on their team.

These policies and procedures establish a framework for reasonable decision-making regarding the program's administration. The Sports staff recommends that all participants read this handbook and agree to be governed by its rules and regulations. The mission of Campus Recreation is to provide a wide variety of wholesome recreational opportunities that engage students, promote lifelong wellness, and enhance student persistence, retention, and success that support the BYU-Idaho experience. The structure and scope of activities are designed to bring together the diverse university community in a spirit of fair play and sportsmanship. Our service pledge is to value all individuals and treat them with integrity, dignity, and worth.

## Eligibility

Some eligibility restrictions are necessary to provide fair opportunities for participation. These restrictions have been developed by students and employees to reflect the philosophy of the Sports Program and Campus Administration at BYU-Idaho. Call the Campus Recreation office at (208) 496-7400 for more information. Eligibility is different for each program.

- Competitive Leagues are only open to matriculating students and their spouses.
- Rec Leagues, Events, and Sports Groups are open to all matriculating students, student spouses, faculty, and staff.

## Accommodation

BYU-Idaho makes reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities. Every reasonable effort will be made to find ways to assist with any special needs confidentially. To ensure the accessibility of programs and services, we encourage anyone needing information, assistance, and/or accommodation of any kind to contact the Campus Recreation Office at (208) 496-7400.

## Identification Policy

To participate in any Sports league, game, event, or group activity all participants must check in before they participate. Checking in for RecSports or Events always requires a participant to show their BYU-Idaho I-Card, electronically through the BYU-Idaho Student Directory photo ID issued by the school, or other government-issued photo identification card. Misuse of an identification card (borrowing, lending, counterfeiting, altering, etc.) is a violation of the BYU Idaho Honor Code.

Competitive Sport and Group participants may also be required to show identification, especially during tryouts or their first classes to verify registration and other requirements are met.

## Illegal Participation

Teams/individuals found to have participants not following the eligibility policies or are participating without checking in with the sports staff before entering the game will be sanctioned. Sanctions may include forfeiting contest(s) in which the ineligible person participated, being removed from the league/event, or referral to Dean of Students.

The participant, captain, and team may be required to attend a misconduct meeting to resolve the issue. The Campus Recreation Sports staff reserves the right to investigate any participant's eligibility at any time.

## Participation Fees

Participation fees/charges vary within the Campus Recreation Sports programs.

Participants are expected to provide payment when they create or join a team.

- Rec League and Event fees will be $10/Person. 
 - Membership packages are available for $20/semester which will allow the individual to participate in all Rec Leagues and Events for this price.
- Competitive Sport fees are individual fees and vary by sport.
- See the registration page for more details.

Captains/individuals who forfeit a game/event may be subject to a $30 forfeit fee

## Refunds

****RecSports Leagues:**** Only teams that paid the registration fee but were never placed in the official league are eligible for refunds. Refunds will be issued as credit on IM Leagues. Teams/Players who made it into the official league will not receive a refund. If a team is scheduled games but can't participate the captain should contact the Campus Recreation office as early as possible to avoid being assessed any additional forfeit fees.

****Competitive sports:**** There will be no refunds. It is free to try out. If a player gets 2/10 Updated July 2025drafted to a team, completes the registration process, and pays the fee they will not be eligible for a refund. When players are selected for competitive sports teams, they are filling one of the limited available positions in the league and therefore should not commit to playing unless they are certain they can fulfill the commitment the league requires.

## Team Captains

The captain is responsible for informing their team of the rules governing the specific activities and the time and place they will play their games. Captains will be held responsible for the behavior of teammates and spectators.

Before game time, the captain is responsible for ensuring that all players have checked in with the Sports staff (all players should check in 15 minutes before their scheduled game time). Following the game, captains are encouraged to check that the game score is recorded correctly with the Sports staff.

Captains should also explain the schedule to their teammates. Since schedules will vary during the season. It is up to the captain to ensure the team members know when and where the games are held. Team captains are a vital link in the communication process between the Sports Office and the individual participants. Captains should check their BYU-Idaho email regularly, so they don't miss information sent from the sports staff.

Team captains are responsible for obtaining and understanding all intramural information, passing it on to team members, and regularly checking for changes in schedules and information.

Before the specified registration deadlines, the team captain should:

- Select a team name, division/day the team would like to play.
- Pass the captain's quiz and any associated quizzes for each sport. Failure to pass the captain's quiz is not grounds for refunds.
- Read and comprehend the Sports policies and procedures as well as the specific sports rules and regulations and ensure that all team members understand and abide by them.
- Ensure the minimum number of required team members have registered before the registration deadline.
- Inform team members of league and playoff game schedules to ensure enough team members are present at each game to avoid a forfeit.
- Remind team members to bring the required ID to each game.
- Check their email for communication from the Campus Recreation office for information about weather cancellations, and rescheduled events.
- Control team and spectator behavior and accept the responsibility for the conduct of all team members and spectators. 
 - Only registered players/participants are allowed in the team/bench area during games. Everyone else must be in the spectator spaces during the game.
- Maintain a cooperative attitude with all sports staff.
- Serve as an example of good sportsmanship for others to follow.
- Be familiar with the rules of all sports entered.
- Accommodate players without teams by inviting "Free Agents" to play on your team.

## Registration Regulations

Each team must have the minimum number of players on their roster before the registration deadline. The minimum number of players varies depending on the sport.

Once a team has the minimum number of members on their roster and has paid the registration fee, they will be eligible to be scheduled for the regular season. Any team that fails to meet this requirement will be moved to the waiting list. Waitlisted teams will be added to the schedule based on a first-come, first-served basis.

## Roster Additions

Additions to team rosters for RecSports may be made only during the regular season. No additions will be accepted during the playoffs unless petitioned and approved at least 48 hours before the scheduled game. Each petition will review situations on a case-by-case basis.

A player may only be dropped from a roster during the regular season so long as they have not checked in for a game with the team from which they are looking to be dropped. 
The player who wishes to be dropped from a team must schedule a time to meet with a member of the sports staff or an advisor. Once a player has followed the proper drop procedures, they can join one other team for the rest of the activity. Players who have not played on any Intramural Sports team in a league, who are also eligible to play in that league, may be added to a team roster at any time before the end of the regular season and must check into at least one regular season game to be eligible to participate in the playoffs. To be added to a roster, participants must accept the captain's invitation to the team's roster complete any quizzes, and ensure all required waivers are completed.

Additionally, new participants must bring their ID to the game site and check in with the sports staff who will ensure they have joined the team. Those participants choosing to join a team at the game site for the first time must complete the waiver before participation. A player may be removed from a roster if they are injured and cannot participate for the remainder of the season. To be removed from the roster, the player must email the campus recreation office and inform them of their inability to participate for the rest of the semester. This cannot be done at the game site.

The injured player will not be allowed to participate in ANY Sports offering until the following season of play. Once a player follows the proper injury drop procedure, they may be replaced on the team's roster with an eligible player who has not played on any team. Only registered players/participants are allowed in the team/bench area during games. 
Everyone else must be in the spectator area during the game.

## Roster Limits

| Sport | Offerint Type | Fee | Roster Min | Max |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Basketball | Comp | $40/Individual | 10 | 15 |
| Basketball | Rec Event | $10/Individual | 3 | 12 |
| Basketball | Rec League | $10/Individual | 5 | 12 |
| Battleship | Rec Event | $10/Individual | 4 | 4 |
| Bowling | Rec Event | $10/Individual | 2 | 2 |
| Cornhole | Rec Event | $10/Individual | 2 | 2 |
| Cross Country | Comp | $35/Individual | 10 | 50 |
| Disc Golf | Rec Event | $10/Individual | 1 | 1 |
| Dodgeball | Rec Event | $10/Individual | 5 | 10 |
| Flag Football | Rec League | $10/Individual | 7 | 15 |
| Floor Hockey | Rec League | $10/Individual | 6 | 12 |
| Football | Comp | $60/Individual | 20 | 30 |
| Futsal | Rec League | $10/Individual | 5 | 11 |
| Golf - Individual | Rec Event | $10/Individual | 1 | 1 |
| Golf - Scramble | Rec Event | $10/Individual | 4 | 4 |
| Golf - Glow in the Dark | Rec Event | $10/Individual | 4 | 4 |
| Grass VB | Rec League | $10/Individual | 4 | 7 |
| Innertube Water Polo | Rec Event | $10/Individual | 6 | 14 |
| Inversion Ball | Rec Event | $10/Individual | 6 | 12 |
| Kan Jam | Rec Event | $10/Individual | 2 | 2 |
| Kickball | Rec Event | $10/Individual | 9 | 14 |
| Matball | Rec Event | $10/Individual | 6 | 12 |
| Mud Volleyball | Rec Event | $10/Individual | 4 | 8 |
| Mushball | Rec Event | $10/Individual | 10 | 16 |
| Pickleball | Rec League | $10/Individual | 2 | 2 |
| Pickleball | Rec Event | $10/Individual | 2 | 2 |
| Quidditch | Rec Event | $10/Individual | 6 | 10 |
| Racquetball | Rec Event | $10/Individual | 2 | 2 |
| Rugby | Comp | $35/Individual | 15 | 20 |
| Soccer | Comp | $35/Individual | 18 | 22 |
| Soccer | Rec League | $10/Individual | 11 | 18 |
| Softball | Rec League | $10/Individual | 10 | 16 |
| Spikeball | Rec Event | $10/Individual | 2 | 2 |
| Swimming | Comp | $30/Individual | 10 | 40 |
| Swimming | Rec Event | $10/Individual | 1 | 1 |
| Temple Run | Rec Event | $10/Individual | 1 | 6 |
| Ultimate Frisbee | Rec League | $10/Individual | 7 | 15 |
| Volleyball | Comp | $40/Individual | 9 | 15 |
| Volleyball | Rec League | $10/Individual | 6 | 11 |
| Wallyball | Rec Event | $10/Individual | 4 | 8 |
| Water Polo | Comp | $35/Individual | 10 | 17 |
| Wrestling | Rec Event | $10/Individual | 1 | 1 |

## Default

Any team knowing in advance that they will be unable to play a regularly scheduled contest is provided with the opportunity to default the contest. This will result in the team receiving a loss and no sportsmanship rating for that contest.

To default, the captain must use the online default button for their game by **4:00 PM the day before** the contest. The opposing team should be notified automatically through the registration system.

A team is allowed two defaults per sport per season. Any request after the second default will be counted as a forfeit.

## Forfeit

A forfeited game will be marked as a forfeit in the team standings, the team/captain will be charged $30, and the team will receive a "0" sportsmanship rating for the contest. Three situations will result in a forfeit:

- Not Enough Players - The team does not have the minimum number of players to participate at the scheduled game time.
- Eligibility - One or more of the players participating is ineligible. Ineligibility may be due to the player's eligibility status changing, or due to sportsmanship-related issues, etc.
- Sportsmanship - The game is ended by staff for sportsmanship-related issues.

## League Structure

Leagues are generally composed of different divisions that play a regular season on a specific day and a playoff tournament that could be scheduled on any day of the week. Teams are only guaranteed the regular season games. Teams are invited to be in the playoff Tournaments based on league size, team record, and sportsmanship rating. Teams must be available to play any time and day the tournament is scheduled. Playoffs are generally a single-elimination format.

## Special Events

Special events are usually one-day competitions that may include pool play and/or elimination bracket play.

## Game Time

Participants are expected to go to and check in with the Sports staff and be ready to play before their scheduled game time. The game/clock/time will be started once the sports staff has completed the opening circle. The game will be officially played as long as teams have the minimum number of players available/checked in for each team. Teams that are competing against a team that doesn't have a full team do not have to play down to match the other team. If both teams fail to appear/have the playing minimum checked in, a double forfeit will be declared; each sport requires a specific number of participants to begin a game. It is the captain's/team's responsibility to have the minimum number of players required to play on site and checked in and ready to play by the scheduled game time.

## Playing Rules/Mercy Rules

The rules in all sports are based on national association rules with modifications, when appropriate, to make the activity safe and enjoyable for the players while attempting to maintain the identity of the game.

Campus Recreation reserves the right to modify playing rules at any time to meet the best interests of the league. The rules of each sport are available on the BYU-Idaho Sports website.

Sports Staff have the authority to rule on items not specifically covered in the rules if it is deemed necessary.

The Sports staff may also assess conduct penalties that the game officials do not call to ensure proper safety and sportsmanship and may default, forfeit, or end games at any point if deemed necessary.

A game becomes official after half of its normal length has been completed. The mercy rules for each sport can be found in the rules online.

## Awards

Championship Shirts and/or special prizes will be presented to all winners upon the conclusion of each championship game or as instructed by the sports staff. Participants must be present at the championship game or come to the Campus Recreation office by the appointed deadline to receive their award. All intramural awards not claimed by participants by specified deadlines shall be forfeited.

## Illegal Equipment

Jewelry (rings, watches, necklaces, ankle bracelets, earrings, rubber bands, etc.) and 'casts' are prohibited. Placing tape or band-aids over jewelry will not be allowed. Participants will be required to remove any bandages, tape, or head/sweat bands which, in the opinion of the Sports staff, may be covering a piece of jewelry. Medical alert bracelets or necklaces must be taped to the body/wrist securely with proper information visible. Proper shoes are required in all sports except sand/grass volleyball. Combat boots, five-fingered shoes (Vibrams), and metal cleats of any kind are strictly prohibited. Knee braces are permitted with approved protective covers (neoprene protective covers).

## Protests

Only protests based on questions of player eligibility and rule interpretation, when the misinterpretation affects the outcome of the game, will be accepted. Protests that challenge the accuracy of a judgment call made by the officials or Sports staff will not be accepted. The team captain must make any protest involving rule interpretation to the Sports advisor within 24 hours of the time the incident in question occurs. Once the 24 hours have passed, it is no longer subject to change or protest. Any team protesting eligibility must provide the player(s) in question's full name and I-number. During the regular season, any team found to be using an ineligible player will default all games in which that individual played and be subject to removal from the league. All regular season protests must be filed before the tournament deadline, which is 10:00 a.m. on the Friday following the end of the regular season. In the playoffs, if an eligibility protest is found valid, the protesting team may advance, but the previous rounds remain the same. During the playoffs, any team protesting the eligibility of a player must do so by 10:00 am the next business day to allow the Sports Staff adequate time to determine the validity of the protest. If their next playoff game is that same day, the protest must be turned in to a sports staff lead immediately following the protested game. Teams may be randomly screened for ineligible players by the Sports staff without a protest being filed. In cases where a team chooses to protest eligibility at any point after a championship contest has begun, and the protest is upheld, the specific league will not declare a champion, no championship game will be rescheduled and no t-shirts will be awarded.

## Safety

There are inherent risks associated with participating in sports. All participants are expected to be insured by their medical insurance before participation in Campus Recreation programming.

It is the responsibility of each person participating in sports to ascertain whether they have any health conditions that make it inadvisable to participate in that sport. The University and sports program do not assume that responsibility. If participants are uncertain they should consult their physician.

The Sports staff should be notified of all injuries sustained during play. If needed, the participant will be given first aid, referred to a physician, and/or the Student Health Center or an ambulance may be called to respond to an injury.

An accident/injury report will be completed for all reported injuries. Participants are to follow return-to-play protocols specified by their healthcare provider. Additional clearance may be required for some injuries by the Campus Recreation ATC Jodi Howard.

If no return-to-play protocol is specified by their healthcare provider, participants are to use their judgment to determine when they can/should return to participation. All participants play at their own risk and are responsible for their injuries.

A concussion is a type of brain injury that involves a temporary loss of brain function resulting from a blow to the head. A person with a concussion may not always lose consciousness. The effects of a concussion can appear immediately or very soon after the blow to the head and include sleep, mood and cognitive disturbances, and sensitivity to light and noise. However, some effects do not appear for hours or even days and may last for several days or even longer. All participants participating in any sporting event should report to a sports staff member any signs or symptoms of a concussion observed in themselves or others. Any participant who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or a traumatic head injury shall be immediately removed from participating in any sporting event. After being suspected of sustaining a concussion or a traumatic head injury, a participant may not return to any sporting event until the participant is evaluated by a qualified healthcare provider and provides the university with a written statement from the qualified healthcare provider.

## Inclement Weather

Campus Recreation Sports games/events are subject to cancelation due to inclement weather and/or poor field conditions. We will notify captains and participants via email and website of individual sport or program-wide cancelations no later than 4:00 pm the day of the game/event when possible. Games in progress or those about to start may also be canceled or postponed.

The National Weather Service recommended that thirty minutes should pass after the last sound of thunder is heard and/or signs of lightning are seen before resuming play. This is sufficient time to allow the storm to pass and move out of lightning strike range.

## Dress & Grooming

Participants are required to follow BYU-Idaho dress and grooming standards to participate in Campus Recreation Activities. Sport-specific adaptations may also be required. See the individual sport's rules for specifics.

Additionally, Indoor programming requires participants to adhere to the Recreational Services approved clothing policies.

Competitive Sports participants are required to wear the issued/approved uniform for their games.

Rec Sports and Events participants may provide their own uniform/jersey unless the campus recreation staff says the uniform is not approved. These uniforms/jerseys may be worn indoors or outdoors provided all team members wear the uniform. Call the Campus Recreation Office at(208) 496-7400 or the specific sports advisor for questions about uniforms.

## Divisions of Play

Leagues can be offered in the following different categories.

- Competitive Leagues:\ 
 - Men's
 - Women's
- RecSports Leagues and Events: 
 - CoRec: As close as possible to even numbers of each gender on the playing surface at a time. 
 - Example: Basketball, a 3-2 gender ratio; Flag Football, a 4 to 4 gender ratio.
 - Mixed: At least one or more of each gender to play, depending on the sport. 
 - Example; Outdoor Soccer, minimum 3 of each gender with a maximum of 8 for one gender.
 - Open: Any combination of male and female up to the roster maximum.
 - Men's/Women's: All of the same gender.

## Compliance

All participants of Campus Recreation Sports are expected to comply with all policies, procedures, rules, and regulations of the sports program. Good behavior is expected from each participant. Swearing, fighting, over aggressive/dangerous play, disrespectfully addressing opponents and/or sports staff, and other unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated.

A misconduct will be given to individuals/teams for behavior deemed inappropriate by the sports staff. If a participant receives a misconduct or other sanction they will be suspended, this may require the individual/team to leave the facility promptly. The Campus Recreation office will reach out via email to set up a time to meet with the compliance council to discuss the process of participating in further Activities and Sports.

Outcomes of the council's decisions vary and may include reinstatement or further sanctions. Each participant will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

## Officials Feedback

Sports officials are monitored and evaluated by Sports staff. These evaluations are used as a basis for improving job performance. Participants wishing to provide feedback about the official's performance should contact the Campus Recreation office by e-mail. These comments should be with the intent to help improve the quality of the officiating in our program and in no way affect the official's employment status or future regular season assignments. If the sports staff deems comments to be complaining/derogatory/blaming officials for the results of a game they reserve the right to adjust the team's sportsmanship rating accordingly.

## Sportsmanship

Good sportsmanship is essential in sports. Personal Honor is what drives good sportsmanship. Good sportsmanship includes respect for others; including teammates, opponents, and sports staff; self-control, and humility in victory; and calmness and composure in defeat.

Manipulation and intentional disregard of the rules are a gross offense against the spirit of competition. Abusive language and/or "trash talking" toward opponents, teammates, or sports staff are not part of the game. Participants and/or teams may not be allowed to continue participating in Sports programming if these actions are observed.

Each team will receive a sportsmanship rating for each game they/play. This will be determined by the sports staff at the end of each game. Each team must maintain a sportsmanship rating of 3 to be eligible for and to continue post-season play.

If you have a question regarding your sportsmanship from a game you have 48 hours to schedule an appointment with the sport's advisor. After the 48 hours, you are free to come in and discuss your sportsmanship but no changes will be made to the rating.

| Sportsmanship Rating System | |
| --- | --- |
| 5 = A | Excellent: Consistently exceeds expectations. |
| 4 = B | Good: Generally, meets expectations. |
| 3 = C | OK: Primarily good with only a few incidents of poor sportsmanship. |
| 2 = D | Poor: Team had multiple minor incidents or one player difficult to work with. |
| 1 = F | Awful: Consistent disregard for sportsmanship or multiple misconducts |

| Sportsmanship Rating System Application | |
| --- | --- |
| Defaults | Both teams will receive no sportsmanship rating. |
| Forfeit | Forfeiting team will receive a 0 for a sportsmanship rating and the receiving team will receive a 3.5 for a sportsmanship rating. |

## Sports Advisors

The Sports advisors are available by appointment. To set up an appointment you can email, call, or talk to the Campus Recreation staff or email the specific advisor.

- Campus Recreation Office (MC 129) 
 - sports@byui.edu
 - 208-496-7450
- Phillip Crane - cranep@byui.edu 
 - Competitive Soccer
 - Competitive Water Polo
 - Officials
- Ryan Hansen - hansenrf@byui.edu 
 - Competitive Football
 - Competitive Rugby
- Kevin Redd - reddk@byui.edu 
 - Competitive Swim
 - Competitive Volleyball
 - RecSports Leagues
 - Events
- Trent Shippen - shippent@byui.edu 
 - Competitive Basketball
 - Competitive Cross Country
 - Competitive Football
 - Sport Groups