Tenets

Last updated: August 1, 2023

Participants in NIRSA Championship Series events have “appropriate/proper” behavior, on and off the field of play.
- NIRSA Championship Series requires that every student athlete, coach, student officials and staff sign the Code of Conduct.
- NIRSA sport events requires that the Sportsmanship Statement be read before every championship finals match.
NIRSA programs utilize research methods to evaluate successful practices, learning development, and goal achievement.
Events open to 2-year and 4-year colleges and university students only.
- NIRSA verified student athlete status through college and university registrars.
- NIRSA requires verification of student IDs before teams take to the court.
- NIRSA instituted Eligibility Standards developed and endorsed by NIRSA Members.
NIRSA requires qualified/experienced staff at director level positions at National tournaments.
- An application process with letters of recommendation for tournament directors.
NIRSA has in place an independent and judicious appeals process.
Risk management and safety are a primary focus of NIRSA event planning. Several significant safeguards are required to protect participants, tournament staff, host institutions, and NIRSA.
- Each team must have written approval of the campus Director of Recreational Sports to participate in the tournament.
- Incident reports of student conduct infractions are documented and reported to school officials after the event.
- Insurance is required for all participants.

NIRSA offers student athletes exam testing and proctoring at all NIRSA National events.
NIRSA looks for opportunities to enhance the overall student athlete experience; providing educational workshops, player socials and fun filled off court/field activities.
NIRSA’s tournament volunteer experience is grounded in learning outcomes and professional development goals consistent with NIRSA’s Mission and NIRSA Championship Series Guiding Principles.

NIRSA encourages civic duty respect for the rules, and respect for community
Whenever public service can be integrated into the experience it should be.
Captains and participants should be reminded of the impact they will have on the host community and encouraged to ensure that their impact is as positive experience.

NIRSA pursues corporate sponsorship to enhance the experience of student participants.
Sponsorships attained by tournament hosts should be used to enrich the experience for students and/or offset costs incurred by volunteers and participants.

No explicit or indirect references to alcohol use and/or alcohol abuse
No sexually explicit comments or gestures
No lewd and/or indecent language or behavior
No derogatory and/or insensitive behavior or statements about gender, racial or ethnic background, religion, and/or sexual preference
No inappropriate individual or group (team) behavior or statements, whether intentional or inadvertent, that admits to illegal or improper behavior that will clearly embarrass the individual, group, or affiliated school if it was made public (e.g., driving the team van for 18 straight hours with no rest or sleep to get to the Championships; texting while driving)
No criticism about host University, its facilities, administrators, and/or staff
No criticism about any college or university facilities, administrators, and/or staff
No criticism of any tournament official or referee
No criticism of volunteers, staff, or members of NIRSA and/or the NIRSA Services Corporation and/or the NIRSA Championship Series

Questions about the NIRSA Championship Series can be directed to the NIRSA Director of National Sport Programs, Nicole Jackson.