APPENDIX A How to Obtain Airline Reservations for Team Travel

APPENDIX A
How to Obtain Airline Reservations for Team Travel
** U11 Discussion
1. Investigate airline prices as soon as you know your team will be
traveling to an out of state tournament. Discuss with your coach when
he/she wants to arrive at your intended destination. Most coaches
require the team to arrive at least one day prior to competition so that
players can get acclimated and rested before tournament play. Always
plan on being in the championship game and arrange the return flight
well after the end of that game. Sometimes this may mean returning
the day after the end of the tournament.
**If this is a U11 team traveling with families who will be making their
own arrangements, the coach should give the parents the same
parameters regarding when they need to arrive at the team hotel and
what time the earliest flight home time should be.
2. To determine the number of seats needed for the trip, the assumption
is that every player will travel with the team, as well as the necessary
number of chaperones and the coach, and that you will not be booking
for the parents. You can round your number up a few seats, initially in
case the coach decides to bring guest players, etc., as long as you are
well aware of the cancellation dates so that no deposits are lost.
3. Many airlines are no longer doing group rates, so the first step is to
determine which are and contact them first to obtain quotes. If you
decide against a group airline, contact several carriers to find out what
their policies are regarding multiple bookings. Always make sure you
are comparing “apples to apples” by comparing flight times and dates.
4. NOTE: baggage fees are a definite consideration when obtaining
airfare so be sure to clarify each airline’s policy and take into
consideration when comparing costs.
5. Make sure to clarify with each airline additional policies regarding the
following:
a. deposits: date due and date deposit is forfeited if not used,
b. final payment,
c. form of accepted payment (cash, check, individual credit cards),
d. deadlines to finalize number of tickets,
e. deadline to finalize ticket names,
f. name changes,
g. individual changes, and
h. any penalties associated with changes.
6. Once you have agreed upon your flight arrangements, be sure to
obtain written confirmation (contract) from the airlines confirming the
terms of your negotiated agreement.
7. Contact families regarding itinerary, cost, payment deadlines,
cancellation policies and penalties. Each family is responsible to pay
their own child’s airfare including deposit. All players, including guests,
traveling with the team are responsible to share the cost of the coach’s
airfare, as well as up to 2 chaperone airfare if the team is U15 or older.
8. The team’s Treasurer and the Travel Coordinator should collect
payment information (checks or credit card information) and submit
payment to the airlines in one bulk payment depending on the airline
policy. If families choose to pay by check, have them make checks
payable to the team account and pay that portion of the group contract
using one team check. Generally, you will make two separate
payments – payment of a deposit soon after signing the travel contract
and full payment prior to travel, depending on each airlines’
requirements.
9. If extra seats are booked for unknown guest players, etc., the team will
need to cover the deposits for those seats until the decision is made to
take guest players or not. If guest players do go, then it is their
responsibility to reimburse the team for the deposit, as well as pay for
the balance of the ticket they will be using.
10. The coach needs to be totally clear on the date which deposits become
forfeited if he/she is considering guest players.
11. If players have received permission to travel separately from the team,
be sure to collect their itinerary for the coach so that all travel info is
easily accessible for the coach and the chaperones prior to departure
for the tournament.
12. Those players are still responsible to pay their equal share of coach
and chaperone airfare/travel expenses.
13. It seems that most tickets are e-tickets these days, so no paper tickets
will be given to the team. The team should meet at the appropriate
time prior to departure (probably 1-2 hrs. in advance) at the GROUP
Desk for the appropriate airline or at the ticket counter if not using
group travel. The team will go through check-in or security as a group.
For older teams, all players should have their driver’s license for
appropriate ID in case they are asked. Younger teams generally do not
need ID’s, however player passes are available, if necessary.
14. For younger teams, one chaperone should hold all boarding passes
until time to board the plane. Older teams can hold onto their boarding
passes, as appropriate.
APPENDIX B
How to Secure Hotel Reservations for Team Travel
1. Factors involved in Securing Hotel Accommodations
A. More often than not, tournaments will provide a list of “approved” or
“required” hotels and accommodations or the tournament will require that
all hotel reservations be made through one specific company. Be sure to
check the tournament’s website for this information.
B. Accessing the tournament website and reviewing results and maps from
the previous year may give you an idea where certain age groups or
brackets might be assigned for the current year, which could help in
determining what hotel you select.
2. Once you determine which hotel(s) are good options, you will need to follow
the direction of the tournament regarding reservations. Sometimes there is a
central booking agent who will take your requests and assign you a hotel or
sometimes you will need to contact the hotels directly. Again, the tournament
website should make it clear what you should do.
3. To determine the number of rooms you will need, discuss with the coach how
many players he/she will be bringing and depending on the age of your team,
the coach will need to decide how the players will be accommodated in their
rooms, i.e., are they staying 3 players/1 chaperone, 4 players per room with
separate chaperone rooms, are the rooms suites which will sleep more than
4, etc. The coach will generally not share a room with anyone.
4. You should not make reservations for the team parents.
5. Once you know your number and how to make your reservations, you should
make the appropriate hotel contact and reserve your rooms.
6. Hotels require a credit card to hold your block but the credit cards but
generally don’t charge until check-in so that card can be changed at check-in,
as needed.
7. In some instances, hotels may require a first night’s deposit at the time of
contract signing. If so, you must be sure you have collected that amount
before the signing. You must also be certain of the date to get any refund, if
rooms are dropped.
8. If however, you reserve more rooms than you actually need and do not cancel
them by the appropriate cancellation date, the card holding the rooms will be
charged so be sure to stay on top of how many rooms you are holding and
cancel any you don’t need appropriately.
9. The hotel will give you a date by which your rooming list of who will be staying
in each room is due. This is not permanent information and can be changed
upon check-in since the coach probably won’t make the rooming assignments
for the players until right before the trip. The hotel wants this info in advance
to plan for the number of guests for breakfast purposes, staffing needs, etc.
10. Once the reservations are secured and you have determined all key dates,
etc., you need to figure out what the total hotel expense will be for the team.
Please remember that all chaperone and coach lodging costs will be paid by
the traveling players. Once you have this figure, the treasurer or travel
coordinator needs to determine the per player cost and collect it in advance of
the tournament.
11. Always research whether GL Scrips might be used for tournament travel
since often major hotel chains such as Marriott, Best Western and Hilton do
offer their gift cards at a significant discount through the program. If you are
able to use them (you must call the hotel to ask if you can use them, don’t
assume you can!), be sure to collect the appropriate amount from the families
(total estimated bill rounded to the lower nearest denomination of gift cards
available LESS the discount) and order them the month prior to your travel.
This may cause you to collect money sooner than usual from the team,
however, the savings to the team is well worth it.
12. When checking in to the hotel, the hotel will require a credit card to cover
incidental charges. It is advisable to turn off the telephone for outside calls,
room service and the pay per view movies in the player rooms so that no
extra charges are attached to the hotel bill. If the team has a debit card and
all the hotel expenses have been collected in advance, that debit card may be
used at check-in. Otherwise, it should be determined in advance how this will
be handled with the chaperones and coach. If you are using GL Scrips to
settle the final bill, then there should be no charges to any credit or debit card.
13. If you are using GL Scrips, you should tell the staff when you are checking the
team in and give them the gift cards at that time so there is no confusion that
you will be using them to settle your bill.
14. Be sure that the hotel bill is reviewed carefully at check-out as it is much
easier to remedy errors while still there than it is after the fact.
APPENDIX C
How to Secure Rental Vehicles for Team Travel
1. Determine the type and number of vehicles that the team will be using
while at the tournament. While making your flight arrangements, also
contact several rental car agencies and arrange for the necessary number
of vans and other vehicles allowing for the total number of passengers and
luggage.
2. Real Colorado has a guaranteed contract price with Enterprise Car
Rentals in specific states where our teams travel. Our corporate no. is
12GGL41, for your use when researching Enterprise. Other car rental
agencies may be used if you find better prices.
3. Per Real Colorado, each passenger must be individually seat-belted at all
times. Because of this policy, most teams choose to rent mini-vans
(generally having 7 seat belts) or Suburbans (generally having 8 seat
belts). If your team travels with a full roster of 18, you may find it
necessary to rent an additional smaller vehicle in order to ensure the
proper number of seat belts.
4. Obviously, whatever number of vehicles is needed, the team will require
that many drivers. It is the norm that chaperones will drive the rental
vehicles, however, sometimes more drivers are needed than chaperones.
These decisions are handled on a team by team basis. If assistance is
needed, the RCTD or competitive staff can offer suggestions.
5. There are times when the coach may need a separate vehicle from those
transporting the team to allow the coach to scout teams or assist other
Real coaches that might be at the same tournament, etc. Each coach will
make this decision, recognizing that this is an added expense for the team
so will only do so when necessary and in the team’s interest.
6. Do not make rental car arrangements for anyone other than the players,
coach, and chaperones.
7. The maximum amount of insurance provided by the rental car
company must be purchased on each vehicle. No exceptions! When
making your rental car arrangements, be sure to obtain the total price for
the insurance. Insurance may not be made through anyone’s outside
business.
8. Determine the total cost of the rental vehicles including insurance, taxes,
fees, tolls, and estimated gas. Remember that rental agencies will charge
additional hours above 24-hour increments. Calculate that cost into your
expense estimate if you will be returning the vehicles after the expiration
of the last 24-hour period. The total cost of the rental vehicles is to be
equally divided among the total number of players traveling to the
tournament (including guest players).
9. Generally, all tournaments will have maps and directions on their websites
or you can get directions to and from the airport/hotel from your hotel.
10. At the end of the trip, each driver will probably put the gasoline to fill their
vehicle on their own individual credit cards. Those receipts should be
turned in with all tournament receipts so that reimbursement may be made
quickly.
11. When returning rental vehicles to the airport, be sure to plan accordingly
for getting the players to the group check-in desk with appropriate
supervision while the rental cars are returned.
12. Regarding players riding in rental vehicles, often the coach will assign
players to specific cars or the players may make their own choices. Once
the players are in a specific car, they will ride in that car throughout
the tournament so as to eliminate the risk of any players being left
anywhere.
APPENDIX D
How to Plan Meals and Food During Team Travel
Please note that the following guidelines are presented by Real
Colorado in an effort to call attention to the necessity of proper eating
and nutrition for athletes during tournaments. These suggestions are
made to bring awareness to the athletes that team travel is multi-faceted
to include good decision making regarding nutrition, just as every other
guideline is geared toward a positive soccer experience.
General Comments:
A. Breakfast should consist of foods such as fruits and bagels, consumed at
least 2 hours before game time.
B. Dinners should consist of a rotation of pasta and meats. This will help to
keep the protein and carbohydrate levels high throughout the tournament.
Chicken with rice or beans or red meats are acceptable.
C. Avoid milk products, carbonated beverages and acidic fruits such as
oranges and grapefruits.
D. KEEP THE PLAYERS HYDRATED WITH WATER.
E. Also, strictly limit the amount of candy and soda that is consumed
throughout the tournament.
Meal Planning: (Essential!)
1. Most airlines do not provide free meals on flights anymore and travel
time always runs into a meal time. Each player should bring a heavy
snack or lunch to eat on the plane as there may not be time to pick
something up at the airport prior to departure.
2. Having players bring one healthy snack to share with their roommates
once they check in to the hotel is a good idea.
3. It is strongly recommended by Real Colorado that either the
Tournament Coordinator or another team parent “scout” out eating
options prior to arriving at tournament cities. This may be
accomplished by calling the hotel to inquire about restaurants (and
other entertainment) in their vicinity, via the internet or talking with
other team managers who have been to the same tournament
previously. Whenever possible, reservations for dinners in advance of
actually arriving in a city are advisable. Plans can always change of
course, and reservations cancelled, but having a plan is very helpful in
making sure the players are properly fed at the right times.
4. The team tournament game schedule will dictate most of the meal
planning, and of course, there are always surprises along the way, so
flexibility is key but being as prepared as possible will make the trip go
as smoothly as possible and will mean success on and off the field.
5. Many hotels include some type of breakfast in their room rate, or they
offer discounted coupons for breakfasts. Be sure to know this in
advance of the trip since breakfast is crucial to good play and time is
almost always limited.
6. If no breakfast is provided, then plan on either going out to breakfast if
time allows or if there is no time, bring nutrition bars, bagels, peanut
butter, fruit, juice, etc. into the hotel so the players will have something
to eat prior to their first game and then be able to go out for a meal
following that game. A chaperone can go out to buy these types of
supplies with the grocery expense being reimbursed by the team.
7. For lunch, places like Souper Salad or Sweet Tomatoes work great.
Most Subways allow you to call in orders ahead of time. Sometimes a
chaperone can go pick up the sandwiches and meet the team back at
the hotel to eat. It is also easy to scout the locations of these places in
relation to the fields and hotel.
8. It may be advantageous to stick to national chains for any meals so as
not to introduce new foods to the players.
9. Regarding dinner, reservations are great since seating 20+ tired and
hungry people at one time can be taxing. Many restaurants may not
take reservations, but will accept call-ahead seating. Plan out meal
times and make note of restaurant phone numbers so that you take
advantage of the call-ahead option. You may also want to consider
sending one of the chaperones ahead to the restaurant to secure
seating.
10. VERY OFTEN, the players may be too tired to go out to restaurants for
dinner. It is very common for many hotels to allow the team to use a
meeting room or the breakfast area to bring in lunch or dinner. If you
promise to clean up, many hotels are quite open to the idea. While the
players are showering and relaxing, a couple of chaperones can order
“family size” trays of food from places like Olive Garden or order off
Chili’s menu. The players can come down in sweats and relax. It can
really beat getting reorganized and going out again after a long day on
the fields, especially if there are early or multiple games the next day.
11. Payment for meals is covered in the overall Travel Guidelines but will
be reiterated here:
a. Regarding food expenses, determine a rough estimate of what all
meals will cost and charge each player prior to the tournament so
that money is in the team account in advance of the expenditure.
b. Regarding payment for team meals, it works well to use the team
debit card or one credit card to pay for the whole check. If an
individual’s credit card is used, then reimbursement by team check
must occur immediately upon return from the trip.
c. Regarding player costs for meals, when teams are younger, it
works well to split the total amount by the number of diners, and
charge each player’s travel account, accordingly.
d. When teams are older, other methods for dividing the total bill may
be used to ensure more equitable payment for those players who
eat more or less.
e. The coach should use the per diem provided by the team to pay for
his/her food. If he/she participates in the team meal, his/her portion
should be collected at the time of the meal or at the end of the
tournament.
f. As travel increases for U15 and older teams, the team is required to
cover the chaperones for all team meals. If the chaperones decide
to dine separately from the team, they are responsible for their own
dining expenses.
g. A team may vote to cover chaperone meals, when younger than
U15. This is on a team-by-team basis, but is often done as
chaperoning is a demanding job and this is seen as a positive for
chaperones.
APPENDIX E
Real Colorado Chaperone Guidelines
Real Colorado competitive teams utilize parent chaperones when traveling to
tournaments that require an overnight stay. The role of the chaperone is to
provide for the safety and well being of all players, provide direct supervision to
the players, support and follow the directives of the team coach, and transport
players via designated vehicles when required. The support of each chaperone is
crucial to a successful traveling experience. Each chaperone shall use
reasonable care in performing these duties and overseeing all players for the
duration of the tournament.
All Real CO chaperones and drivers (anyone who will be entrusted with players
in their care) must complete the CYS Volunteer Disclosure at this link
http://www.realcolorado.net/Recreational/VolunteerDisclosure/tabid/7454/Default.
aspx The cost is $8 and must be paid by the individual.
The team coach is ultimately responsible for all team and player actions
and decisions. Chaperones may not independently make decisions if the coach
is present, without first checking with the coach. This includes meal venues, meal
content, setting of curfews and down time activities.
The team coach has sole discretion in naming chaperones for travel
tournaments.
Chaperone duties begin at the onset of the trip whether flying or driving, continue
for the duration of the tournament and trip home.
No smoking will be permitted in any rooms by a chaperone. The consumption of
alcohol by a chaperone in a player room is strictly prohibited. Chaperones may
not consume any alcohol or controlled substances while providing direct
supervision to players or prior to driving any team vehicles.
Chaperones should report any physical or emotional concerns regarding a player
they are supervising to the team coach. The chaperone should report to the
coach any player behavior which they feel breaches Real Colorado Player
Conduct.
Additional duties of the chaperones may include identifying places for the team to
eat, purchasing food and setting up meals in the hotel, doing team laundry, and
anything not listed here that may come up during any trip, which is approved or
requested by the team coach. All duties requiring payment will be covered by the
team, either at the time performed or through reimbursement by the team.
The chaperones’ lodging will be paid in full by the team. Beginning at U15, the
team will also pay for the chaperones’ meals at team meals and will also pay for
the airfare for two chaperones (said amount may be split to benefit the total
number of chaperones traveling with the team, if the coach approves). Teams
may vote to provide these benefits to chaperones at an earlier age, if desired.
APPENDIX F
Paperwork for Traveling Teams
15. Tournament Request Form – Real CO website
16. Request to Travel Out of State – CYS website
THIS IS ONLY FOR TOURNAMENTS OUTSIDE OF REGION IV
REGION IV states are: AK, AZ, CA-North, CA-South, CO, HI, ID, NV,
NM, OR, WA, WY so if you are going to any of these states you do not
need travel papers.
a. If you need travel papers, here is the procedure:
Out of State Travel Documents
1. 30 days in advance of travel, the team manager should
complete the Application to Travel form required by
Colorado Youth Soccer to be found at
www.coyouthsoccer.org, Forms,Travel Application.
2. Submit the completed Application to Travel form, along
with a copy of your roster, the tournament’s Application to
Host a Tournament or Games -- generally found at the
tournament’s website – to CYS via fax, email, us mail or
drop off.
3. Specify how you would like it returned to you.
4. They will process your request on the spot and give you
your permission to travel.
5. There is no fee to process or late fee.
6. Be sure to provide the RCTD a copy of your travel
papers.
7. Some Tournaments require a Tournament Roster
separate from or in addition to one or more copies of your
laminated and stamped CO YOUTH SOCCER roster. Be
sure to check the tournament’s website for required
documentation.
8. If you have any guest players, make sure to comply with
the tournament’s requirements and documentation for
guest players. Such information should be available on
the tournament’s website.
9. If you are traveling out of state and have guest players,
you will also have to complete a Member Status Form,
Player Loan Section, and submit it to the CYS with your
travel application. The form can be found at the CO
YOUTH SOCCER website. Any guest player (out of club
or Real Colorado player) traveling out of state must have
a member status formed signed by both the releasing
and receiving coach
17. All Tournament-Required Paperwork – Tournament website
a. Check the tournament communication to your team and their
website very carefully regarding their specific requirements,
however, following is a list of items that are normally required:
1. Player and Coaches passes/cards, including guest
players
2. CO YOUTH SOCCER laminated roster, along with the
number of copies required by the tournament
3. Any special roster required by the tournament
4. Guest player roster, usually provided by tournament
5. If outside of Region IV, CO YOUTH SOCCER Member
Status/Loan Papers form for guest players traveling out
of state only(discussed above)
6. If outside of Region IV, Application to Travel from CO
YOUTH SOCCER. (for out of Region IV tournaments
only – discussed above)
7. Medical Release forms for each player – check
tournament website for specifics as the USYS form may
be sufficient OR they may have their own form OR they
may required a notarized form
8. YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO PROVIDE BIRTH
CERTIFICATES TO ANY TOURNAMENT per USYS
rules.
18. All Real Colorado Required Paperwork – Real CO website
a. Signed Player Code of Conduct every player – available at
www.realcolorado.net, Competitive Forms, a copy of which must be
filed at the Real Colorado office 2 weeks prior to travel. This
completed form is good for 1 year (fall/spring) with 1 team. The
team holds the originals.
19. Request to Postpone League Game, if necessary. – CYS website