Letter of Commitment (LOC)

The CEVA LOC is a document that clubs are required to use that solidifies a player’s commitment to play for a club during the season.  If there is ever a dispute about a player’s status with a club, CEVA may request a copy of the LOC at any time from either the club or family.  The document protects the clubs while also outlining how a player may leave the club within our policies.  You may view the CEVA LOC at this link.  Read the full LOC before you sign it!

The LOC does not specify which team a player is assigned to, nor does it specify the financial commitments of a family to a club.  Those items are likely to be part of a club/family contract, which is a separate document from the LOC.  Most clubs will require a family to sign their own contract.  Contracts between clubs and families are not CEVA business and CEVA does not intervene in cases of a dispute pertaining to these agreements.  Families are encouraged to read contracts fully prior to signing.  In the eyes of the region, the LOC is what matters and what tells us where a player is playing. 

Transferring to another club

If a player wants to quit their club, they may do so.  However, quitting a club does not necessarily nullify their obligations under their contract with the club.  Additionally, a club is not obligated to release the player from their LOC.  Please reference Section 2.5 and 2.6 of the CEVA Junior Girls’ Handbook for more information on the ramifications of a club not releasing a player.

Are clubs required to hold tryouts?

No.  Clubs are not required to hold tryouts if they choose not to.  Clubs are also not required to hold "open" tryouts - they have the option of running tryouts by invitation only.  

Are clubs required to hold tryouts on the first day they're open?

No.  The tryout dates posted by the region are when tryouts may legally begin.  Clubs are not required to hold tryouts on these dates.  Contact clubs in advance to ask what their plans are for tryouts.  

Why does CEVA not make it so clubs hold tryouts at different times so athletes can attend multiple tryouts on the same day?

CEVA does not enforce a required start time for tryouts for multiple reasons.  We do not have a fair way of choosing which clubs can start their tryouts at specific times.  We do not have a way of reliably enforcing such a requirement, unless our staff was at each tryout (we have four employees).  We would also have to determine the appropriate length of time for a tryout so athletes could reasonably expect to be at a certain club's tryout for a specific window of time then travel to the next one.  

Questions to Ask @ Tryouts

Prior to tryouts, players and families need to do their homework on clubs and work to find the best fit.  Many clubs hold tryouts at the same time on the same day.

Specifically pertaining to the LOC and contracts, here are a couple questions families should ask clubs before they try out:

1 – Are players required to sign a LOC at tryouts (e.g., before leaving), or will they have time to consider the offer prior to signing?

2 – Can players attend multiple tryouts in the same day?  If a player attends a tryout and receives an offer from that club, can they still attend another tryout? 

3 – What are the financial commitments for a player if they accept a club’s offer?  Do they have to pay a deposit at tryouts?  How much?  Does the club offer a payment plan?

4 – If the player is applying for a CEVA Scholarship, and funds aren’t dispersed until mid-December, will the club accommodate a modified payment plan?

How come there's no "waiting period" for athletes to consider offers from clubs before they have to sign an LOC?

The main reason the region does not enforce a "waiting period" for signing the Letter of Commitment is because there's not a reliable way to enforce it.  This does not mean a club can't give the player time to consider their offers.  This also does not mean an athlete cannot ask the club for a period of time to consider their offers. 

The region has over 6,000 players and tracking each club's offer to each player is not possible.  Additionally, in the past (when CEVA did enforce a waiting period), what many clubs did was offer too many players for a specific team and offered spots to the athletes who committed first.  This ended up hurting those athletes who were truly taking their time to consider their options.  If we enforced a waiting period, we would also have to enforce some sort of limit on how many offers a club makes per team.  

What's an age waiver?

The CEVA Region can grant age waivers for players who need to play in a younger age group due to their skill or development level, or due to having limited opportunities in their geographic area.

Age waivers are only valid within the Columbia Empire Region, at CEVA-sanctioned events. Teams with an age-waivered player who travel outside the region must notify the tournament director and seek approval for the player to participate. Age waivered players may not participate in the CEVA Bid Tournament, National Qualifiers (unless granted specific approval by the tournament), or National Championships. Younger players who participate in an older age division do not need an age waiver.

If a club is telling a player/family that an age waiver is a “promise” or is “guaranteed,” they’re giving bad advice.  Clubs should never promise a waiver to a player or family.  Waivers are subject to approval of the region and are not guaranteed.  CEVA does not grant, guarantee, or promise waivers to anybody without an application submitted first. 

CEVA Memberships

You need a CEVA membership to participate in tryouts.  You can purchase one on our website.  We encourage all players to buy a $15 tryout membership, and then upgrade that membership to a full-season membership when they commit to a team.  The full season membership costs $65 for girls ($35 for boys), but the $15 you paid for tryouts will go toward that cost.  Membership costs are non-refundable, including in instances where a player doesn’t make a team at tryouts. 

What does CEVA Control?

Learn about what CEVA controls, and what CEVA doesn’t (or can’t) control on this page.  This is an important educational piece that may answer some commonly asked questions by families.