These constitute the First Responder Committee Organizational Rules and Procedures.

First Responders Cup Tournament

Organizational Principles and Procedures

Article I.           Mission

The mission of the First Responders Cup Tournament is to provide for the celebration of the response of our First Responders to the horrific events of September 11, 2001 through the conduct of youth (girls) fastpitch softball tournament once a year on the anniversary of the event.

The tournament, The First Responders Cup, will seek to invite the very best competitive girls’ fastpitch softball teams to play.

All net proceeds raised from the tournament will be donated to First Responders Charities.

 (Net proceeds is defined as those revenue remaining after deduction of the necessary expenses to operate the tournament to include at a minimum, softballs, umpire fees, field maintenance costs, signage, communications, trophies and commemorative items purchased for resale or offered for donation generation purposes, as well as to provide for the necessary funds for the preparation of the following year’s tournament.)

Article II.        Organizational Structure

The management of the First Responders Cup is achieved through the First Responders Tournament Committee. The Committee is a non-compensated, volunteer organization.

Section 2.01 Responsibilities of Tournament Committee

The Committee is responsible for the planning, communication, invitation of teams, formation and execution of the tournament, collection of fees, payment of expenses and the distribution of the net revenue as donations to the designated First Responders Charities.

Section 2.02 Committee Membership

There are two levels of Committee Membership, Executive and General.

Section 2.03 Executive Committee Membership

The Executive Committee Membership will consist of not less than three (3) or more than five (5) members. All voting rights for the transaction of business vest only with the Executive Committee. A majority of the Executive Committee members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The act of a majority of Executive Committee members present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee is responsible for the planning, budgeting, organization, management of the tournament. The Executive Committee has sole discretion as to the donation of proceeds raised from the Tournament.

Section 2.04 General Committee Membership

General Committee Membership is open to any individual who wishes to volunteer. Individuals interested in serving on the General Committee should express their interest through electronic mail to [email protected] or through communication with a current tournament Executive Committee member. After consideration a decision by a majority of the Executive Committee will determine admission as a General Member. The duties of the General Committee are to assist as necessary in the preparation, conduct and conclusion of the annual First Responders Cup Tournament to include but not limited to, recruitment of teams, planning, acquisition of equipment, acquiring commemorative goods for sale or donation, field and game monitoring, coordination of the opening ceremonies, field preparation and maintenance, and general support for planned team activities during the tournament.

Section 2.05 Membership Terms of Service

There is no term of service as either a General or Executive member of the Committee. Members who decide to leave the Committee may do so through written or oral communication with the Executive Committee.

Any Member may be removed from the Committee at a meeting called expressly for that purpose by the majority vote of the Executive Committee, provided there is a quorum of not less than a majority of the entire Executive Committee members present. Any vacancy occurring in the Executive Committee may be filled by the affirmative vote of the majority of the remaining Executive Committee members (though such number may be less than a quorum).

Meetings of the Executive Committee and General members shall be held as required.

Section 2.06 Compensation

Executive or General members shall serve without compensation. No Executive or General member or any person connected with the Committee, or any other private individual shall receive any of the net proceeds from the operations of the First Responders Cup Tournament unless as reimbursement for expenses incurred in the facilitation of the tournament. 

Article III.    First Responder Cup Tournament

Section 3.01 Primary Function

The primary and only function supported by the First Responders Cup Tournament Committee is a youth (girls) fastpitch softball tournament. The Tournament, called the First Responders Cup, takes place in Arlington, Virginia on a weekend before or after September 11th each year.

Section 3.02 Type of Tournament

The tournament is an invitational tournament. The Committee creates the competitive divisions of play based on the teams that applied to participate and the availability of field space to accommodate the tournament.

Section 3.03 Fees

A Fee is charged to play in the Tournament. The Fee is determined by the First Responders Cup Tournament Committee.

Section 3.04 Team Selection Process

Any youth (girls) fastpitch softball team that is interested in participating may apply for consideration by filling out an application on the Tournament web site, www.FirstRespondersCup.Org . 

Teams are invited to participate by the Tournament Committee once they have completed their application, presented proof of team insurance, certified player age eligibility for the division of play they are applying to play and have submitted their application fee in full amount. The Tournament Committee reserves the right to limit participation based on the absence of either field playing space or teams available to play in a particular age division.

Section 3.05 Tournament Format

The format of the tournament is to host an opening ceremony where time is set aside to remember the events of September 11th, 2001 and to honor the response of the County’s First Responders on that day. 

Upon completion of the ceremonies, the tournament consists of pool play to determine the seeding for the championship round. The number of games played in the pool play is determined by the number of teams playing and the field availability. The championship play is based on seeding from the pool play and is a single elimination round of games. The First Responders Tournament Committee determines the pool play match ups and the seeding for the Championship round of games.

Awards and trophies are presented to best players from each games, team sportsmanship awards (the Frank Bradley Award), Team and Individual awards for Champion and Runner up in each Division of play. 

The names of each Championship Team are recorded on the First Responders Cup.

Section 3.06 Tournament Cancellation or Postponement Guidelines

In the event of ‘acts of god’ such as weather related events such as hurricanes, tornadoes, thunderstorms and earthquakes or some man made event that places the teams and players at safety and security risks, which results in the shortening or cancellation of the tournament, the following refund process will be followed.

                No Games Played – Refund of fees less the administrative costs to host the tournament and provide for a donation for the First Responder Tournament Charities. Refund should be a minimum of 60 per cent of the registration fee paid by the team.

            One Game Played – Refund of fees less the administrative costs to host the tournament and provide for a donation for the First Responder Tournament Charities. Amount of refund will be determined by the Executive Committee based on costs incurred to prepare the fields and play the games.

            Two Games Played – No Refund.

Article IV.     First Responder Cup Donations

Section 4.01 Application Process

There is no formal process for application to receive donations from the First Responders Cup Tournament. Any non-profit, non-denominational organization that is based in the United States and provides for First Responder Charities ( Fire, Police, Sheriff or Military) is encouraged to apply for donations.

The Tournament Committee will not consider donations to individuals nor to religious, for profit or foreign organizations.

Section 4.02 Financial Accounting Procedure

Once all expenses and receipts have been accounted for by the Tournament Committee member assigned the Treasurer’s duties, a report is issued to the members of the First Responders Cup Tournament Committee within three months of the completion of the tournament event. The report details expenses for the past year’s tournament, expected, costs for the next year’s tournament and the amount of ‘net’ proceeds available for donation. 

Section 4.03 Donation Consideration Schedule and Announcement

The First Responders Cup Tournament Executive Committee considers any application received for support. The goal of the Committee is to donate as much as it can without endangering the continued operation of the Tournament. The Executive Committee has sole responsibility for the designation of recipient organizations and the amount each organization is to receive.

 The Executive Committee will announce its donations as to the organizations and the amounts donated on its web site by no later than April of the year following the tournament. The donations and the organizations receiving the donations will be published as soon as finalized on the web site, www.FirstRespondersCup.Org .

Article V.         Liability

Section 5.01 Team and Player Insurance

Each team and player participating in the First Responders Cup Tournament bears the responsibility for acquiring the necessary insurance to play in the tournament. Any team not demonstrating that it possesses up to date team insurance for its players will be disallowed from participating in the tournament. The First Responders Cup Tournament Committee does not bear responsibility for team negligence in acquiring such insurance.

Section 5.02 Player Age Eligibility

Each Team’s Coach bears the responsibility that each player on their roster is age eligible for the division for which they are playing. The age eligible date is the player’s age as of January 1st of the year of the First Responders Cup date of participation.

Section 5.03 Field Safety Determination

The First Responders Tournament Committee in conjunction with the Arlington County Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources (PRCR), and the Umpires Association, charged with officiating the games of the First Responders Cup reserves the right to cancel, delay or postpone play should it be deemed that fields present a safety risk to the participants.

Section 5.04 Liability of Volunteers

The liability of Committee Members and other volunteers shall be limited to the fullest extent authorized under Virginia Code § 8.01-220.1:1 and under the Volunteer Protection Act of 1997, Public Law 105-19, 42 U.S.C. §14501.

Article VI.     Terms of Dissolution

In the event it should be determined that it is no longer practical, efficient, economical or otherwise worthwhile to continue the mission and purpose of the First Responders Cup Tournament, the members of the First Responders Cup Executive Tournament Committee will administer the dispersal of all existing financial balances to First Responder Cup Charities in accordance with the procedures followed previously by the Committee. The artifact, known as the First Responders Cup, should be presented at no cost to the Arlington County Fire Chief and Police Chief for inclusion in the Arlington County 9-11 Memorial. 

Said organization is organized exclusively for charitable, religious, educational, and scientific purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code.

Upon dissolution of the organization, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501©(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, of corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose. Any such assets not disposed of shall be disposed of by a Court of Competent Jurisdiction of the county in the which the principal office of the organization or organizations, as said Court determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.

Article VII. Other

Notwithstanding any other provisions of these articles, the Committee shall not conduct or carry on any activities not permitted to be conducted or carried on by an organization exempt from taxation under Section 501 c (3) of the Internal Revenue Code and its Regulations as they now exist or as they may hereafter be amended, or by any organization, contributions to which are deductible under Section 170 c (2) of the Internal Revenue Code and Regulations as they now exist or as they may hereafter be amended.