1. Purpose and Mission Alignment

Minnesota Dodgeball is committed to building a sustainable athlete development pathway from youth participation to adult competition. The Rise Up Program supports this mission by creating a structured and supervised opportunity for qualified youth athletes to participate in designated adult programming.

This policy establishes the eligibility standards, approval process, supervision requirements, safety protocols, and operational guidelines necessary to implement that pathway responsibly.

Youth sports participation in the United States continues to decline as athletes age into adolescence and face barriers to continued competition. Minnesota Dodgeball believes that a thoughtful, structured integration model can directly address this attrition by providing a “next step” that feels earned, exciting, and achievable.

By playing alongside adult athletes, young players gain exposure to higher-level tactics, stronger competition, and the social community that makes adult recreational sports so rewarding. This exposure builds confidence, competitive drive, and a long-term connection to the sport and the organization.

Minnesota Dodgeball’s existing youth programming has demonstrated that youth and adult athletes can share a space effectively when clear expectations, proper supervision, and open communication are in place. This policy formalizes and extends that success.

2. Scope and Applicability

This policy applies exclusively to adult open gym sessions formally designated as “integration-eligible” by Minnesota Dodgeball leadership.

This policy does not automatically extend to:

Adult leagues
Tournaments
Travel events
Private rentals

Separate approval is required for those environments.

3. Eligibility

Participation is not automatic and requires organization approval.

3.1 General Age-Based Eligibility

Youth athletes aged 14 and older may be considered for participation in designated adult open gym sessions upon completion of required documentation and assessment. Youth younger than 10 will be unable to participate.

3.2 Youth Program Exception (10+)

Athletes over age 10 who have graduated from Minnesota Dodgeball youth programming may be considered if:

They have completed at least one full programming session of Minnesota Dodgeball youth programming
A parent or legal guardian provides written consent
Minnesota Dodgeball determines that the athlete demonstrates sufficient physical, behavioral, and social readiness

3.3 Disqualifying Conditions

Participation may be denied or revoked for:

Prior conduct violations
Incomplete documentation
Insufficient maturity or readiness
Active injury or medical risk
Behavior that compromises safety or environment integrity

Minnesota Dodgeball reserves final authority over participation decisions.

4. Assessment & Approval Process

All youth participants must complete an informal readiness evaluation prior to first participation. Assessment factors include:

4.1 Player Maturity

Minnesota Dodgeball will evaluate the athlete’s behavioral maturity, ability to follow instructions, awareness of personal physical limits, and general social readiness. This is not a formal test but an observation-based assessment informed by prior interactions with the athlete and feedback from youth coaches where applicable.

4.2 Parental Consent and Liability Acceptance

A parent or legal guardian must complete a Minnesota Dodgeball Youth Integration Consent Form prior to the athlete’s first adult open gym participation. The form includes an acknowledgment of inherent risks, a liability waiver, emergency contact information, and medical disclosures. Consent must be renewed annually or whenever there is a material change in the athlete’s health status.

4.3 Ball Type Considerations

Not all open gym sessions use the same equipment. Sessions using foam present lower injury risk and are more suitable for younger or less experienced players. Sessions using rubber or cloth balls require greater physical readiness and are subject to stricter age and maturity requirements. Youth athletes will only be cleared for sessions whose equipment is appropriate to their assessed readiness level. Session ball types are posted in advance and communicated to registered participants.

5. Session Classification & Equipment Standards

Youth eligibility may vary by session type.

5.1 Foam Sessions

Lower injury risk
Generally suitable for younger or less experienced participants

5.2 Cloth & Rubber Sessions

Higher velocity and impact
Requires stronger physical readiness
May involve stricter approval standards

Youth participants will only be cleared for session types appropriate to their readiness level.

6. Safety & Incident Response Protocols

6.1 Minnesota Dodgeball Team Supervision

All integration-eligible sessions must have a minimum of one designated Minnesota Dodgeball Team Member on duty at all times. This team member is responsible for monitoring integrated youth athletes, intervening in unsafe situations, and serving as the point of contact for parents or guardians.

6.2 Incident Response

In the event of an injury or behavioral incident involving a youth participant:

Play is stopped immediately and the area is secured.
Minnesota Dodgeball Team Member assesses the situation and contacts parents or guardians.
Emergency services are called if there is any doubt about the severity of an injury.
An incident report is filed within 24 hours and retained in the organization’s records.

6.3 Right to Remove

Minnesota Dodgeball reserves the right to remove any youth athlete from an adult session at any time, for any reason, if it is determined to be in the best interest of that athlete’s safety or wellbeing, or in the interest of maintaining a positive environment for all participants. Removal does not necessarily constitute a ban; the team will communicate the reasons to the parent or guardian and discuss next steps.

7. Roles and Responsibilities

7.1 Minnesota Dodgeball Team

Conduct player assessments and make participation decisions.
Maintain consent and waiver documentation on file.
Supervise all integrated sessions and enforce conduct standards.
Communicate session ball types and integration eligibility in advance.

7.2 Parents and Legal Guardians

Written consent and waiver execution are required prior to participation.
A parent or guardian must remain reachable by phone during sessions.
Minnesota Dodgeball highly encourages parents to remain onsite

Consent must be renewed annually or upon material medical change.

7.3 Youth Participants

Follow all standard Minnesota Dodgeball rules and conduct expectations.
Communicate any discomfort or safety concerns to Minnesota Dodgeball team members immediately.
Respect all adult and youth participants and Minnesota Dodgeball team members.

7.4 Adult Participant Conduct

Adult participants in integrated sessions are expected to be aware that youth athletes may be present and to conduct themselves accordingly. Specifically:

No aggressive targeting of visibly younger or smaller players.
No verbal abuse, taunting, or demeaning language directed at any player.
Adults who repeatedly fail to observe these standards may be removed from integrated sessions at Minnesota Dodgeball team discretion.

8. Documentation Requirements

Prior to participation:

Youth Integration Consent Form
Liability waiver
Emergency contact form
Medical disclosure

Documentation will be stored securely and retained for a minimum of 2 years in accordance with insurance requirements.

9. Insurance & Liability

All youth integration participation is subject to Minnesota Dodgeball’s insurance policies and waiver requirements. In the event of conflict, insurance policy terms govern.

10. Policy Review and Amendments

This policy will be reviewed annually by Minnesota Dodgeball leadership and updated as needed to reflect operational experience, participant feedback, and any changes in applicable law or insurance requirements. Material amendments will be communicated to all registered participants and posted on the organization’s website.