Weather & Condition Policy

1. In the case of weather, decisions to cancel are not made prior to 5pm.
2. We ask that members do not contact CitySide Sports to find out if games are cancelled and any emails or phone call messages will not be returned on the matter.
3. CitySide Sports may decide to cancel a whole night, or specific timeslots.
4. Our venues are different. Some are indoor, some outdoors. Some have better air conditioning or shade than others. CitySide Sports may decide to cancel one venue, but not others.
5. CitySide Sports will endeavour to cancel games as early as they can as to try not to inconvenience players, however no guarantee can be given particularly with wet weather for our outdoor venues - we live in Melbourne and anything can happen at any given time!
6. When a decision is made to cancel games:
   1. Captains will be sent an SMS, asking them to reply to confirm the message.
   2. If we do not hear back from one of the team captains, we will call to ensure the team has the message.
   3. We will update our Facebook status if we cancel the entire night of any venue.
   4. Captains are responsible for notifying their players that games have been cancelled.

1. Netball is traditionally an outdoor sport that has been played on outdoor surfaces for many decades, with the surface used improving significantly over the years.
2. While games will not be called off solely because it is raining, player/umpire safety is paramount and if the courts at an outdoor venue is deemed to be unsafe, matches will be cancelled.
3. During wet weather, matches will only be cancelled for the safety of players and match officials. Match cancellations will not be based on player/umpire/spectator comfort.
4. Correct footwear should be worn to cope with wet weather conditions.
5. Umpires have been trained to umpire accordingly in wet weather conditions to slow the game down but still within the rules and spirit of the game. Players are expected to adjust accordingly.
6. The consideration of safety will take into account many factors, including:
   1. amount and intensity of rain, sleet, hail;
   2. visibility;
   3. thunderstorm activity with lightning;
   4. water volume on the courts;
   5. lack of grip on the court
7. Player safety is always our primary concern and CitySide Sports the Venue Manager and Umpire Supervisors will ensure court wipers are available to be used by staff and volunteers to allow courts to be dried off prior and during games.
8. Games may be shortened to allow for court drying equipment to be used prior to games and during game breaks.
9. Supervisors may choose to temporarily pause a game, holding time, and recommence when deemed safe to do so.

1. CitySide Sports generally follows the recommendations set out by Sports Medicine Australia, however there is not a set temperature at which any heat policy will be put in place. Things that are factored in are:
   1. temperature;
   2. wet bulb globe temperature;
   3. humidity;
   4. cloud cover;
   5. venue (outdoor or indoor, air conditioning)
2. CitySide Sports has three Heat Policies that can be put in place. These are:
1. Games that start before 7pm shall be played with shortened quarters and sets for netball and beach volleyball respectively, and shortened sets (21 pts) for Volleyball, allowing for longer breaks/time-outs for players to rehydrate. For games starting after 7pm, match officials shall be lenient in allowing players time to rehydrate between quarters/sets that do not have official breaks. Under these conditions, management may decide that games after 7pm will be played under shortened quarters/sets condition on a timeslot by timeslot basis for the safety of players and umpires.
2. Games that start before 7pm shall be cancelled and all games that start after 7pm to be played with shortened quarters/sets by at least one minute, allowing for longer breaks for players to rehydrate. Under these conditions, management will cancel games that start after 7pm on a timeslot by timeslot basis if the need is required for the safety of players and umpires.
3. Conditions at the venue are deemed unsafe due to the extreme heat and all games are cancelled.

Why 7pm?: Temperatures can sit close to the cancellation level based on the guidelines from Sports Medicine Australia and we may find that games will get through based on what is deemed safe. However, we are also mindful for games starting before 7pm that players are travelling by car, bike, public transport or walking in the heat, generally rushing from work. So we will tend to side with caution to call off the earlier time slots allowing the sun to start to set and then make a more informed decision.

1. As per the Terms & Guidelines set out by CitySide Sports and signed upon digitally by the Captain at the start of the season in the Captain's Waiver, if CitySide Sports Management deem that the conditions are safe teams must attend to play their game.
2. Teams who refuse to play will be required to pay the full forfeit fee (game fee plus late fee) and risk being removed from the competition.
3. Teams and their opponents CANNOT make deals to pay their game fee each and to not play. If both teams refuse to play then both teams will have deemed to have forfeited. This is to stop one team trying to place any pressure on their opponents to agree to a cancellation.

If a game is cancelled for any reason (excluding one team forfeiting), scores and fees shall be applied as follows:

• Netball
• Hardcourt Volleyball
• Rebound Beach Volleyball