ICRA Club Sport Organization
Intramurals, Club and Recreational Athletics (ICRA) is committed to improving cadet quality of life. However, it must accomplish this goal safely while keeping the college’s educational mission at the forefront and within the limits of available resources. ICRA does not sponsor:
- Sports for which The Citadel has a varsity program. Please see Citadel Athletics for a list of these sports.
- Hunting or fishing clubs. Speak with Cadet Activities for information on these clubs.
- Motorsports.
- Additional marksmanship sports. See Citadel Athletics for Rifle or ICRA Club Sport for Pistol.
- Sports in which a goal is to strike an opponent’s head.
- Sports in which a goal is to cause injury to an opponent. Speak with ROTC departments and affiliated clubs for combative instruction and training information.
- Extreme sports without a college-wide review of risks.
ICRA Club Sports comply with “Chapter 4, Cadet Support Services” of The White Book. Team leadership and the ICRA staff work together to create and execute a plan for a successful club sports season. In addition, it is helpful to identify areas of responsibility.
Team Captains will
- Schedule a meeting with the Director of Club Sports before 15 September to work together to craft the new year’s charter.
- Recruit a primary advisor or coach (i.e., head coach) who will faithfully update the Coaching Packet at the start of each academic year and ensure that all secondary coaches, advisors, and volunteers do the same.
- Establish team goals.
- Direct all players to complete a Player Packet at the start of each academic year.
- Determine membership numbers and the process for selection.
- Determine criteria for earning a block C letter for the cadet field jacket.
- Present a schedule of team activities to the Director of Club Sports before 1 October for the fall semester and before 1 February for the spring semester.
- Create and maintain an appropriate digital presence via a team website or social media. Keep information up-to-date, and include a schedule of team activities and contact information.
- Present a list of planned expenditures and expected income for the year to the Director of Club Sports before 1 October.
- Ensure that the team has sufficient funds before requesting purchases for equipment and team activities.
- Become familiar with the Procurement Department’s Policies and Regulations governing purchases, and assume the right to ask questions if you do not understand.
- Request Special Orders for team activities no later than five (5) days before the activity start date.
- Act as a travel agent for team activities for which players or boosters will pay out-of-pocket.
- Prepare facility and equipment for competitions and other special events. Leave The Citadel facilities in a better condition when you leave than when you arrived.
- Delegate team responsibilities effectively.
Club Sports will
- Evaluate requests for club sports status.
- Assist team captains in preparing and submitting a Request for Charter packet.
- Act as liaison among team leadership, national or regional conference, and the college (e.g., Office of Registrar) to help the team maintain good standing (e.g., player eligibility).
- Help advisors, coaches, instructors, and other volunteers navigate requirements to serve in their chosen roles.
- Receive Coaching and Player Packets, and create rosters indicating standing. Provide team leadership with regular updates.
- Provide a block C letter to designated players.
- Maintain a Club Sports page under the Citadel website.
- Establish an agency index (i.e., account) for deposit of player dues and disbursement for approved expenses.
- Collect, deposit, and receipt player dues, and provide team leadership with regular updates.
- Work with the Citadel Foundation to establish a team-dedicated fund for receipt of charitable donations. Provide team leadership with regular updates.
- Serve as a processing agent for approved expenditures.
- Process approved requests for special orders.
- Act as a travel agent for approved team activities and for which Citadel-held funds will be used.
- Act as liaison between team leadership and other college departments to reserve space for approved activities.
- Act as liaison between team leadership and Cadet Activities.
- Act as liaison between team leadership and the Office of the Commandant.
- Encourage, support, and serve Team Captains as they make decisions and coordinate team activities.
All ICRA Club Sports assume the responsibilities noted above. However, teams are classified based on similar minimum standards to foster and manage the program effectively. As a team expands its goals or complexity, its responsibilities increase.
For purposes of consistency and clarity, all groups (e.g., clubs) will be called “teams”; all student leaders (e.g., officers) will be called “team captains,” and all individual members will be called “players.” Most importantly, “team leadership” refers to team captains but also may include the faculty or staff advisor and head coach. “Team Activities” reference all get-togethers of the team, for example, practices, scrimmages, competitions, meetings, and fundraisers.
“Funds raised” include donations via The Citadel Foundation, membership dues collected and deposited in an approved Citadel agency index (i.e., team account), and monies from other cadet fundraising activities authorized through Cadet Activities and deposited into the team’s Citadel account.
Brigade
Description: Team sports that compete at the highest collegiate club level.
PRE-REQUISITES & EXPECTATIONS
Affiliation: A team is a member in good standing with a regional or national athletic conference or association.
Team Activities: The team competes in at least eight (8) competitions per academic year.
Coaches, Instructors & Volunteers: Two (2) or more coaches, instructors, or volunteers participate in addition to the faculty or staff advisor.
Funding: Planned expenditures for the academic year are at least $20,000. Team leadership may request up to $5,000 from the Office of Club Sports; no amount is guaranteed. The team raises at least 300% of its Office of Club Sports allocation funds.
Facilities: A practice site is currently available and approved for use. A competition site is currently available and approved for use.
Equipment and Supplies: Equipment for practice and competition is currently available. The purchase of required equipment or supplies is part of the team’s planned expenditures. Storage solutions are currently available.
Supervision: An approved advisor, coach, or volunteer is present at all competitions and is available to travel with the team.
Travel: Travel requests are reviewed by the Office of Club Sports and submitted to the Office of Academic Affairs, where they are reviewed, approved, and forwarded to the Office of the Commandant for final review and approval.
Guidance and Review: A team captain meets once a week with the Director of Club Sports.
Patrol
Description: Team or individual sports.
PRE-REQUISITES & EXPECTATIONS
Affiliation: A regional or national athletic conference or association is available. Membership is not required.
Team Activities: The team competes in at least four (4) competitions per academic year.
Coaches, Instructors & Volunteers: It is recommended that one (1) or more coaches, instructors, or volunteers participate in addition to the faculty or staff advisor.
Funding: Planned expenditures for the academic year are at least $7,500. Team leadership may request up to $2,500 from the Office of Club Sports; no amount is guaranteed. The team raises at least 200% of its Office of Club Sports allocation funds.
Facilities: Within the Charleston community, a practice site is currently available and approved for use. A competition site is currently available and approved for use within the Charleston community.
Equipment and Supplies: Equipment for practice and competition is currently available. The purchase of required equipment or supplies is part of the team’s planned expenditures. Storage solutions are currently available.
Supervision: An approved advisor, coach, or volunteer is required at all competitions and must be available to travel with the team.
Travel: Travel requests will be reviewed by the Office of Club Sports and submitted to the Office of Academic Affairs, where they are reviewed, approved, and forwarded to the Office of the Commandant for final review and approval.
Guidance and Review: A team captain will meet once a week with the Director of Club Sports.
Vanguard
Description: All new teams and teams returning from an expulsion that intend to seek future funding from the Office of Club Sports.
PRE-REQUISITES & EXPECTATIONS
Affiliation: A regional or national athletic conference or association is available.
Team Activities: There is no minimum requirement for the size and scope of planned team activity.
Coaches, Instructors & Volunteers: Additional coaches, instructors, or volunteers are not required. However, team captains are encouraged to evaluate this need.
Funding: There is no allocation from the Office of Club Sports. Club leadership must demonstrate financial responsibility. The team must acquire funds through membership dues and fundraising to cover expenses for at least the first year. Teams are encouraged to establish a Citadel agency index (team account).
Facilities: Within the Charleston community, practice and competition sites are currently available and approved for use.
Equipment and Supplies: The purchase of team equipment and supplies is part of the team’s planned expenditures. Team captains should not assume that storage solutions are available. This may be an additional cost.
Supervision: An approved advisor, coach, or volunteer must be available to travel with the team and may be required to be present at local team activities.
Travel: Travel requests will be reviewed by the Office of Club Sports and submitted to the Office of Academic Affairs, where they are reviewed, approved, and forwarded to the Office of the Commandant for final review and approval. Travel expenses are the responsibility of players.
Guidance and Review: The Director of Club Sports will be available to meet with team captains as needed.
Garrison
Description: The purpose of the team is primarily recreational or instructional.
PRE-REQUISITES & EXPECTATIONS
Affiliation: There is no requirement for affiliation with a regional or national athletic conference or association.
Coaches, Instructors & Volunteers: Additional coaches, instructors, or volunteers are not required.
Funding: There is no allocation from the Office of Club Sports. Teams may establish a Citadel agency index (team account).
Facilities: There is potential in the Charleston community for practice and competition sites.
Equipment and Supplies: The purchase of team equipment and supplies is part of the team’s planned expenditures. Team captains should not assume that storage solutions are available. This may be an additional cost.
Supervision: An approved advisor, coach, or volunteer may be required to be present at team activities.
Travel: Team captains may request Special Orders to leave campus. However, orders will not be approved for overnight travel.
Guidance and Review: A team captain will meet at least once each semester with the Director of Club Sports.