Inclement Weather Policy:

Coaches and Managers:

            The FIELD only closes if staff are not present at the FIELD when the Tompkins County Sheriff CLOSES the roads in a Declared State of Emergency.  If the Tompkins County Sheriff declares an Emergency and closes the roads the scheduled games are just dropped.  Otherwise, scheduled games are in effect no matter how inclement the weather may be.

            If the Tompkins County roads are open and if the weather conditions are poor and you decide to not travel to the FIELD to play your scheduled game, you are CHOOSING to not travel.  You are probably making this choice in consideration of the safety of your team, and that is a noble decision.  However, you still have responsibilities regarding the scheduled game.  You should contact the opposing coach or manager and let him/her know that your team will not make it.  You should also try to reach Bill Campbell – the ref assignor – to let him know.  If you and the opposing coach mutually agree to not play then you are both still responsible for paying the assigned referee.  If both teams wish to try and play a makeup game and if there is a time slot available in the schedule, you will still have to pay the referees at the rescheduled game as well.  In the event you can’t reach the opposing coach or the opposing coach does not agree to a make-up game, your team is solely responsible for the entire referee fee.  If you both agree to not play the scheduled game and a makeup game is not possible then the game is recorded as a tie.  If the coaches of the two teams cannot reach an agreement on the scheduled game, the team canceling is charged with a forfeit.  If your team is not from Tompkins County and the Sheriff in your county declares an emergency and closes the roads then it is no longer your choice, you can’t legally travel and the referee fee is no longer your responsibility.

            Keep in mind that a declared state of emergency and subsequent road closing removes CHOICE from the equation.  A Travel Advisory or a Travel Warning, even issued by the local Sheriff, is not the same as a Declared State of Emergency, and Choice is still in the equation.