PARTICIPANT CONDUCT & REFUNDS POLICY

Effective Date: October 2, 2023

This Participant Conduct & Refunds Policy (the “Policy”), dated as of the Effective Date provided above, constitutes a legally binding agreement made between Seattle Pride Hockey Association, Inc. (“SPHA”) and you (the “Participant”) upon completion of registration and applies to all programs and tournaments (herein after referred to as “Program(s)”, “Tournament(s)”) offered and produced by SPHA, and/or the purchase of apparel and/or merchandise sold by SPHA and/or its vendors (herein after referred to as “Products”). By registering for any Program(s) and/or Tournament(s) through SPHA, including Tournament(s) produced and hosted by other organizations (unless Participant(s) registers directly for other Tournament(s), at which point Participant is bound by that organizations separate Policy), and/or purchasing Product(s), Participant hereby agrees to be bound by this Policy.

LESSONS, PRIDE SKATES, TRAINING SERIES, WATCH PARTIES (“PROGRAMS”)

Pride Skates, Group Lessons, Learn to Play, Learn to Skate, Training Series, Pride Current Watch Parties

  • Payment for a Program is due at time of registration. Currently, payment plan (credit) options are not available.
  • SPHA does not offer makeups, credits, refunds, carryovers, etc., for no-shows, cancellations and/or missed Program dates (i.e., Participant misses two (2) dates out of eight (8)).
  • If a Program is cancelled by a host facility or SPHA, Participant will be offered a pro-rated refund or mySPHA account credit based on the number of remaining Program dates, as determined by SPHA in its sole discretion.
  • Participant may cancel or withdraw their registration for a Program, as follows:
    • Cancellation Schedule: Cancellations or withdrawals by the Participant prior to the Program beginning are 100% refundable up to 30-days in advance of the first date of the applicable Program, and 50% refundable up to 14-days in advance of the first date of the applicable Program. However, if there is a Replacement Participant (as defined below) available to assume Participant’s spot in the Program up to 14-days before the first date of a Program, Participant will be entitled to receive a refund of the remaining 50% of the payment tendered for the Program upon SPHA’s receipt of full payment for the Program from the Replacement Participant.
    • For purposes of the Policy, “Replacement Participant” shall mean (i) an individual that, on the cancellation date, is on a waitlist maintained by SPHA for the Program or (ii) an individual identified by Participant that is available to assume Participant’s spot in the Program. An individual’s status as a Replacement Participant is subject to SHPA’s approval, in its sole and absolute discretion.
  • Once within a 14-day window of Program start, refunds and/or mySPHA account credits are no longer available, even if a Replacement Participant is available.
  • To request a cancellation, contact us at [email protected].

SEATTLE PRIDE CLASSIC TOURNAMENTS & TRAVELING TEAMS ("TOURNAMENTS")

Seattle Pride Classic and traveling team participation in other tournaments

  • Participant is required to pay for the full cost of the Tournament at time of registration. Currently, payment plan (credit) options are not available.
  • For traveling team Tournaments (SPHA collects registrations and places a team in a tournament that is produced and hosted by a separate organization), payment for Tournament participation is fully non-refundable. If a Replacement Participant (as defined below) is available and assumes Participant’s role on the team, a credit to Participant’s mySPHA account will be issued for future use.
  • For Seattle Pride Classic and/or other Tournament(s) produced and hosted by SPHA, except as set forth below, payment for Tournament participation is fully non-refundable, regardless of reason(s). If at the time Participant cancels or withdraws their registration from the Tournament, and there is a Replacement Participant (as defined below) available to assume Participant’s spot in the Tournament, then Participant will be entitled to receive a refund or credit to Participant’s mySPHA account, as follows:
    • On or more than sixty (60) calendar days before the start of the applicable Tournament, 100% refund in the form of the original payment (or, at the election of Participant, a credit of such amount to Participant’s mySPHA account).
    • Less than sixty (60) calendar days before the start of the applicable Tournament, a credit for 50% of the payment amount to Participant’s mySPHA account. SPHA will retain the other 50% as a cancellation fee.
    • For purposes of the Policy, “Replacement Participant” shall mean (i) an individual that, on the cancellation date, is on a waitlist maintained by SPHA for the Tournament or (ii) an individual identified by Participant that is available to assume Participant’s spot in the Tournament. An individual’s status as a Replacement Participant is subject to SHPA’s final approval, in its sole and absolute discretion.
  • If a Tournament is cancelled by a host organization, facility or SPHA, Participant will be offered a pro-rated refund or mySPHA account credit for the remaining dates in the Tournament, as applicable.
  • To request a cancellation, contact us at [email protected].

APPAREL & MERCHANDISE (“PRODUCTS”)

Apparel, merchandise, jerseys, and all related apparel and products

  • ALL SALES ARE FINAL.
  • Participant understands and agrees that any and all Product(s) purchased from SPHA and/or its vendors, whether online or in-person, are not eligible for returns, exchanges and/or refunds unless there is a manufacturing defect or error.
  • SPHA vendors may offer an alternative refund/return policy and Participant should refer to that vendors’ policy when making purchases.

MYSPHA ACCOUNT CREDITS

If you receive a credit/refund to your mySPHA account

If Participant receives a mySPHA account credit because of cancellation and/or withdrawal from a Program(s) and/or Tournament(s), the mySPHA account credit will be available for use for a maximum of 540 calendar days from the date in which it is issued (approximately one year and six months), after which point in time it will be void and no longer available for use. SPHA is not obligated to provide electronic or written notifications of upcoming expiration dates, except as applicable by local law.

PARTICIPANT CONDUCT

How to conduct oneself at SPHA Programs and Tournaments

Fair play and respect are the backbone of any successful recreational sports program. In order for a positive environment to be created, it is imperative that all Participants have respect for all participants/players, coaches, officials, administrators, spectators and the sport of hockey. Hockey is a game demanding high levels of concentration and skill. Participants must recognize the importance of following all staff and/or coach instructions and agree to follow such instructions.

SPHA reserves the right to refuse admission to, or eject, any Participant whose conduct is deemed by SPHA to be disorderly, who uses vulgar and/or abusive/offensive language, and/or who fails to comply with any rules, terms, and conditions applicable to any Program, Tournament and/or any facility’s rules in which SPHA operates out of. Any dues/fees paid in advance of a Participant’s removal from the Program, Tournament and/or facility, are and will remain fully non-refundable

Types of misconduct that may result in suspension, ejection or other appropriate disciplinary action include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • SEXUAL HARASSMENT: Sexual harassment constitutes discrimination and is illegal under federal, state, and local laws. For the purposes of this policy, “sexual harassment” is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal, physical, and/or visual conduct of a sexual nature when, for example: (a) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s playing status, (b) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for player decisions affecting such individual(s), or (c) such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive playing environment. Sexual harassment takes many forms but the most common forms include unwanted sexual advances or requests for sexual favors; sexual jokes and innuendo; verbal abuse of a sexual nature; commentary about an individual’s body, sexual prowess, or sexual deficiencies; stalking, leering, whistling or touching; insulting or obscene comments or gestures; display of sexually suggestive objects or pictures; and other physical, verbal or visual conduct of a sexual nature.

  • HARASSMENT: Harassment based on any other protected characteristic is also strictly prohibited. Under this policy, harassment is verbal, written, physical, or visual conduct that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual because of his or her race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, parental status, citizenship, political activity or affiliation, genetic information, physical or mental or sensory disability, medical condition, or any other characteristic protected by law and that: (a) creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment, (b) unreasonably interferes with an individual’s performance, or (c) otherwise adversely affects an individual’s playing opportunities. Harassing conduct includes, but is not limited to, epithets, slurs or negative stereotyping; threatening, intimidating or hostile acts; stalking (whether or not sexual in nature), denigrating jokes; and written or graphic material that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual or group that is placed on walls or elsewhere on Kraken Hockey League premises or circulated using email, phone (including voice messages), text messages, social networking sites or other means. In addition, taunting or unsportsmanlike conduct directed at opponents or officials will not be tolerated. SPHA does not tolerate any abusive behavior, including racial, sexual, and other derogatory slurs directed at players, coaches or officials. All Participants are reminded that any language that is hateful or discriminatory in nature will be penalized with automatic ejection from the Program and/or Tournament.

  • PHYSICAL ABUSE: Physical abuse means physical contact with a participant that intentionally causes or has the potential to cause the participant to sustain bodily harm or personal injury. Physical abuse also includes physical contact with a participant that intentionally creates a threat of immediate bodily harm or personal injury. Physical abuse also includes the providing of alcohol to a participant under the age of consent and the providing of illegal drugs or non- prescribed medications to any participant. Physical abuse does not include physical contact that is reasonably designed to coach, teach, or demonstrate a hockey skill. Permitted physical conduct may include, but is not necessarily limited to, shooting pucks at a goaltender, demonstrating checking and other hockey skills, and communicating with or directing participants, during the course of a game or practice, by touching them in a non-threatening, non-sexual manner. Any SPHA participant who engages in any act of physical abuse is subject to appropriate disciplinary action including but not limited to suspension, permanent suspension, and/or referral to law enforcement authorities.

  • EMOTIONAL ABUSE: Emotional Abuse involves a pattern of deliberate, non-contact behavior that has the potential to cause emotional or psychological harm to an individual. These behaviors may include, but are not limited to, verbal acts, physical acts or acts that deny attention or support. Examples of emotional abuse prohibited by this policy include, without limitation: (a) verbal behaviors that involve (i) personal attacks on a participant (e.g., calling a participant worthless, fat, or disgusting); or (ii) recurrent and excessive yelling at a participant or participants in a manner that serves no productive motivational purpose; or (b) physically aggressive behaviors, such as (i) throwing sport equipment, water bottles, or chairs at or near participants; or (ii) punching walls, windows, or other objects.
    • Emotional abuse does not include generally accepted and age-appropriate coaching methods of skills enhancement, physical conditioning, motivation, team building, appropriate discipline, or improving athletic performance.

  • BULLYING: Bullying is the use of coercion to obtain control over another person or to be habitually cruel to another person. Bullying involves an intentional, persistent, or repeated pattern of committing or willfully tolerating physical and non-physical behaviors that are intended to cause fear, humiliation, or physical harm in an attempt to socially exclude, diminish, or isolate another person. Bullying can occur through written, verbal or electronically transmitted expression or by means of a physical act or gesture. Bullying behavior is prohibited in any manner in connection with any Program(s) and/or Tournament(s). Examples of prohibited bullying behavior include, without limitation physical behaviors, including punching, kicking, or choking an athlete; and verbal and emotional behaviors, including, the use of electronic communications (i.e., “cyber bullying”) to harass, frighten, intimidate, or humiliate. While other team members are often the perpetrators of bullying, it is a violation of this policy if a coach or other responsible adult knows or should know of the bullying behavior but takes no action to intervene on behalf of the participant(s) targeted. Any Participant who engages in any act of bullying is subject to appropriate disciplinary action including but not limited to suspension, expulsion and/or referral to law enforcement authorities. The severity and pattern, if any, of the bullying behavior shall be taken into consideration when disciplinary decisions are made.

 

It is recommended that each Participants review and familiarize themselves with any applicable Program and/or Tournament rules and/or policies that may be issued for a Program and/or Tournament, as such rules and/or policies may have specific guidelines contained within.

All Participants taking part in any and all activities, including those on the ice, are required to sign a waiver through mySPHA.  

QUESTIONS?

We’re here to help.

If you have any questions or need help interpreting the above Policy, please write us at [email protected].

MANAGE ALL YOUR HOCKEY IN ONE PLACE

Go directly to mySPHA: my.seattlepridehockey.org