The Badger Region has sent all club directors a document with some new rule changes that were voted on and approved by the existing Board of Directors at the Badger Region. This was not something that was voted on by all members of the region, rather just the current Board Members of the Badger Region. These changes will be in effect for the upcoming 2019/2020 club season.
 
We, at Epic, want to make you aware of one of these rules called the “Retention Period." We would like to explain this rule to you directly and give you our thoughts on it. Here is the official release from the Badger Region:

”The Badger Region will allow an optional “Retention Period” of Aug. 1-Aug. 10 for clubs to be able to offer a spot in their club for the previous season’s players for the coming season. After 7 p.m. CT on Aug. 10, this window closes until the applicable tryout period.”

 According to the region, the main reason for this change is to allow clubs the opportunity to offer spots early to help with player retention, budgeting and other logistics. Clubs will be given the flexibility to offer positions in any manner they see fit. There are essentially no “rules” about this process, just the option to do it if we choose to. This means that clubs have the right to offer a player a position on a specific team, a position in a specific age group or even just a position in the club and not necessarily in any specific age group or team. The definition of “the offer” will be left up to the individual clubs’ discretion. However, please know that If a player accepts any offer given within the retention period (Aug 1st-Aug 10th), this offer will be binding for the 2019/2020 club season.

Epic Volleyball Club’s stance on this new rule:
Two of the core values of our club are Integrity and Competitive Fairness. We feel to have a club with Integrity, we need to offer Fair and Equal competition for our potential athletes each season. It is our belief that to offer positions on teams for the next season to only players that have played for us the year before, eliminates a Fair and Equal process to both our returning players and to any other players that would wish to play for us.

Therefore, Epic Volleyball Club will NOT be offering positions to our returners during this early retention period.

Please know that we love all our Epic players and we want them all to return. We do, however, also believe in the integrity of the tryout process. We invite our returning players, as well as any new potential players, to join us during our club tryouts.  We want to make a fair decision about each athlete and place each player on a team for the season through a competitive process that will evaluate their athletic potential,  work ethic, and overall teammate skills against ALLPotential players. In doing so, when a player makes a decision, they will know the cost of the season, the schedule for the season, who their coaches are and who their potential teammates will be. This will benefit each player and their families so they are able to make the most informed decision possible. 

Keep in mind, that if you played for another club last year and want an opportunity to tryout and be offered a position onto one of our teams, do NOT accept an early retention period offer from your current club, as you will essentially be forfeiting the right to tryout anywhere else. We would love to see you in our tryout gym this fall. 

Sincerely,

Epic Volleyball Club