Season Ender Tournaments FAQ's
November 3, 2016 - 8 years ago
What is a Season Ender Tournament?
Once every season, Urban Rec host’s Tournaments for you and your team mates. It’s like a finals night, or a presentation night, but more fun! Each team is entered into a mini style Tournament, where we play variations of the regular rules, and have a bit of fun. At the end, the Tournament winner is crowned, and also the Prize Winners from throughout the season claim their spoils in the Presentation Ceremony.
I want to play in another leagues season ender, so I can try it out, is that possible?
You sure can. Just get in touch with us, and let us know which league and location you are thinking about joining. We will let you know the date and then add you to the schedule for you to try it out, for free!
Do we need to register?
No, you don’t need to register. If your league is hosting a Tournament, your team will be automatically added to the Tournament schedule. Your schedule will be available online in the same place you see your regular games. If you don’t want to come to the Tournament, make sure you let one of our staff know.
What are the prizes?
If you played in the league, you could be getting your share of The Champions T-shirts, The ‘Chump’ions Prize, and Fun Points voucher. We will also be giving out prizes for the Tournament winners.
What do I need to bring/wear?
Just bring what you would normally wear on a league night, and your usual team colour. Come ready for fun and socialising, so bring a few drinks as well for the spectating moments.
Can I bring a friend to watch or play?
Yes, specatators are more than welcome, bring them along. If they want to play, they will need to create an account, and become an Urban Rec member for free before they play! This is a great time to bring any friends or work mates who need some convincing before they sign up next season.
Why is there no Tournament for my sport?
Not every league will have a Tournament, so if you don’t see one for your league, make sure you register for another location or sport.
How will we get our normal season prizes if we don’t come to a Tournament?
If you don’t come, you will need to get your Captain or a nominated person to stop by our office in Marrickville to collect the prizes for the team.
Only half my team can make the Tournament, but I really want to join in, can I register as an individual?
You can reach out to another team and see if they need some extra players for the night, because it’s a friendly night, you can play with any team you like, BUT... Best option is to get your team to register. You can use subs!
Me and my team are planning to register and play in the upcoming season, can we join the tournament?
Yep, all Urban Rec members are welcome to join. All you need is your ‘fun-first’ attitude.
What if it rains on Tournament Day?
Certain fields and courts can be affected by rain. If we can, we will reschedule for a week later – if not, we might need to cancel, due to the projected start dates of the next season.
Learn More
New Location for Flag Gridiron, Dropkick Touch Footy & Soccer
September 19, 2016 - 8 years ago
For those teams, and individuals who don’t already know, we have decided to (last minute) relocate our upcoming Inner West Spring leagues to the state of the art astro pitch in Fraser Park, Marrickville. This means, games will no longer be held at Camperdown Oval.
Why did we do this?
- Fraser Park is brand new astro-turf pitch which means drainage, and no rain-outs! (Remember winter.. yeh?)
- During the summer months the pitch will be lucious, green, and in tact, yes you can wear regular footy boots.
- The fields are accesible via Sydenham station which has tons of transport from the city. The fields about a 2 min walk from the station.
- There is ample, free parking onsite.
Leagues kicking off next week
- Flag Gridiron – still spaces for individuals (Thursday nights)
- Dropkick Touch Footy – still spaces for individuals (Thursday nights)
- Yes – if your team wants a double header you can play in both leagues!
NEW Outdoor Soccer League
For the first time ever, we will be able to accept additional Thu night teams. Our Thursday night Caged Soccer comp sells out super quick, so now we have an outdoor comp for some of the teams who didn’t get into the Caged Soccer comp. Woohoo. You can register for outdoor Soccer, (not caged)… here. Starts Oct 13.
If you have any questions about this comp.. . get in contact ASAP, as we are starting next week, and we’re pretty close to sold out.
Go you good things.
P.s. Federal Park Wed night Glebe league will remain the same.
Learn More
Flag Gridiron Tourney - August 23rd
August 8, 2016 - 8 years ago
To end the Winter Season, and also announce two new locations for the Spring, we have decided to host a Flag Tournament to celebrate.
Happening on Tuesday night at ES Marks Field, this is a great chance to play in a state of the art stadium against new teams, and old teams across Sydney.
We have space for 8 teams, with half already sold out. Make sure you grab your mates, and register for this FREE event for all Urban Rec members.
- Where: ES Marks Field, Kensington
- When: Tuesday 23 Aug, 2016
- Who: All Urban Rec Members
Here is the link to register your team
Learn More
Social Events & Ramblings
June 7, 2016 - 8 years ago
I continue to be endeared, and horrified by Sydney. I have lived here practically my whole life, but as a small country town gal, and a traveller… I seem to always have a bone to pick with Sydney.
We are utterly SPOILED for choice. It’s a well known fact that Sydney has event fatigue. This is probably the best and worst thing about living here. There is so much to do. But in a city full of strangers, there is often no one to do it with.
I started Urban Rec because I wanted to bring that Canadian charm down under. I wanted to see Sydney get really good at making friends. I am deeply passionate about this. Everytime I see a facebook photo with Urban Rec members hanging out, a proud tear falls down my cheek. “it’s working”.
This is not to say I am Sydney’s socialite. I’m the opposite. I often overshare info in the first 5 seconds of meeting people, and I’m a moody bi*ch. But I found playing social sports was my golden ticket. I got 10 whole weeks for people to grow to love me.
This year marks the 5th year of Urban Rec running in Sydney. I have done alot on that time, and she’s a happy beast that purrs along, gives me plenty of joy, and hopefully you all feel that too. Do you feel the joy of the purring beast?! But as things are going well, I have decided to refocus on why I started this thing. Why I even bothered in the first place.
I am going to be rolling out a few social events. Not too many, I know you all have even fatigue. None of them will be to make money or grow the business. They are just because I want to make sure Urban Rec is still doing what it promised. Getting you all together, putting you out of your comfort zone, and talking to your new best friends that you haven’t met yet.
I created a Facebook Group because I don’t want to spam your asses. But come on over and join in. The plan is that you can all create your own event’s too. We once had a team down at Touch Footy put on a full BBQ for all the teams. I dig that shit.
So even though you are SPOILED for choice. Come hang out with us, lets make this fun. Let’s meet a stranger, and make their night. Let’s be Sydney-siders who bother to look up from their phones and across the table.
...and please, if you are having fun with your newly found friends. SHOW ME PHOTOS. tag #urbanrecaus it will make me the happiest fun facilitator in the entire world.
Mads x
Learn More
Season Ender Tournaments
March 15, 2016 - 8 years ago
This season we are excited to be offering a change to how we host our Season Enders. To give everyone the opportunity to play other Urban Rec teams, and sports, we are offering three Tournaments, for all Urban Rec members to play in for FREE!
Tournament Dates & Locations
- Dodgeball Marrickville 13 April
- Touch Glebe 20 April
- Caged Soccer Marrickville 24 April
FAQ’s
Our team are playing Dodgeball, can we register to play Soccer too? You sure can. Any team can play in any league, so long as they register.
Why do we need to register, can’t we just turn up? No, you need to register, and make sure at least the minimum amount of players can make it to the Tournament. We want to make sure the experience is good for eeveryone, so that means commiting to come! Team’s won’t be added to the schedule, unless they register.
What are the prizes? We will be handing out some vouchers for food, and drink, trophies, as well as some Urban Rec merch. It’s not about the prizes (well, thats not the reason) it’s about meeting some new teams, testing your skills, havig a good time, ya know!
Why is there no Tournament for Flag/Multisport/Netball? This season we chose our most popular sports to host Tournaments for. We will definitley be holding Tournaments for other sports soon!
How will we get our normal season prizes if we don’t come to a Tournament? Prizes will be handed out on the last night of competition at each league. They will also be handed out at the season Ender Party.
Only half my team can make the Tournament, but I really want to join in, can I register as an individual? Yes, like any normal league, we will be offering individual registration. But if we don’t get enough people in the team, youwon’t be able to play. Best option is to get your team to register. You can use subs!
Me and my team are planning to register and play in the upcoming season, can we join the tournament? Yep, all Urbaan Rec members are welcome to join. All you need is your ‘fun-first’ attitude.
What if only 2 or 3 teams register? We need a minimum of 4 teams to make a fun Tournament. If we don’t get enough players, we will need to cancel :(
What if it rains on Tournament Day? If the fields can be eeffected by rain, we will likely cancel, and reschedule for the net week. We will be in contact to make sure all teams can play that following week.
Why Urban Rec Staff Are The Best
March 1, 2016 - 8 years ago
You have signed up to play a social sport. You think. Did that... work? Wait. How do I pay? You need to fill out tons of forms, and transfer the money by 3 weeks prior, and then you have no idea what time your game is, and you have no idea where to go.
You get there, and no one is there to greet you, Are you in the right place? Who is in charge here?
Finally you are in the swing of things, but you rock up on week 3, and no one is there but you and your team. What happened? You registered for a badly organised league. Shame on you.
At Urban Rec, we do things differently.
You pay your rego fee's, and we do the rest. Part of what makes that easy for us, is the staff we have dedicated to you, your team, and the league.
In every league you get one league manager, and one event host. You will know them by name, or you will see their faces on our website here, and here. So, what do they do?
League Managers
REGISTRATION: They help you throughout the registration process, ensure you have all the things you need to start in the league, and all your team mates have done their paperwork, you don't have to do the chasing, we will!
THERE TO HELP YOU SETTLE IN: They are always there for Season Opener night to help you settle in, especially if you are meeting your team for the first time!
RAIN OUT'S OR SCHEDULE CHANGES: They ensure you are aware of any game changes or rain out's as early as possible by calling each Captain, and sending out texts to the entire league, so you don't waste your time getting to the venue for a cancelled game.
GAME CHANGES: They cater to any game change requests. We hate forfeits, and people missing out, so we make every effort we can to facilitate a game change, so you can play, and your opposition can too.
DISCOUNTS ON FOOD & DRINK: They organise specials for you at our Clubhouses for post-game hangs. We negotiate deals on food & drink, and organise fun events for the league to get involved in.
MAINTAIN A STANDINGS TABLE: They update your standings table, and results weekly, so you always know where your position is on the ladder.
MAINTAIN EQUIPMENT: They ensure all of your equipment is up to date, in good working order… say no to saggy balls, and sad bibs.
Event Hosts
KNOWLEGE OF RULES: They ensure all teams know the rules well, they also teach the rules to all players on the season opener night
SET UP EQUIPMENT: They set up, and pack up the equipment for you each night. Feel free to help, but generally… we got this.
STAY ON TIME: They keep games on time! (crazy right!)
KEEP AN EYE ON THE GAME: They keep score (in most leagues), and offer calls where possible when teams cannot make their own calls during the game
COACHING: They coach any teams or individuals who would like some extra tips or hints!
MUSIC: They are in charge of the playlist! (yes you can make requests)
SEASON ENDER PARTIES: They organise and host the season ender parties and Tournaments. The last week is always the most fun!
SOCIALISING: They quite often would love to join you for a beverage post game, so invite them along, and make them feel like part of your team.
Learn MoreWhy Urban Rec Doesn't Offer Insurance
March 1, 2016 - 8 years ago
Urban Rec doesn’t provide any personal injury, or personal accident insurance, and we want to make sure you understand the reasons why, and also how you can get yourself covered.
Australia has one of the best public health systems in the world. As an Australian resident through Medicare we are entitled to free medical treatment. If you do have an accident, generally the cost is covered. You can read more about this here.
Most Australian residents now have private health cover. The government has made it beneficial from a tax perspective for most of us to take out a policy. If you do have private health, look into your policy, and see if they cover for ambulance, and rehabilitation services like physio. They are the things you will most likely need if you are playing sport. You can find out more here.
Blanket insurance policies don’t provide the kind of cover worth claiming for. Some local clubs, or organisations offer a blanket insurance policy for all their players. In our opinion, we don’t think this kind of cover is worth the paper it’s written on. Often after lots of paperwork through associations, and months of proving your injury, filling out forms etc, you can claim a measly $20-30 off your next physio appointment. We don’t think it’s worth it.
Everyone’s circumstances are different. Some people have dependants, mortgages or jobs that can be affected by injury, and therefore premiums are vastly different. If we were to secure cover that was really worth it, we would need to access intimate details about your personal situation.
Insurance can add a lot of cost to your registration fee. If we were to take out an insurance policy for you as an individual, we would need you to pay at least 12 months of cover, even if you are only playing sport with us for 11 weeks of the year. It would bump up your rego fee’s another $100-$200 per person, per season. We don’t think this is affordable for social sports.
What can you do? If you don’t have a Medicare card or private health insurance, we suggest you take out a personal accident/injury policy such as this. If you have a previous injury, or you are worried in particular about your income being affected by an injury, we strongly suggest you look into getting yourself covered with a personal insurance policy of some kind. Here are some example of insurance providers. (AAMI, GIO, Suncorp).
If you’re visiting Australia from certain countries, you may be entitled to some subsidised health services under our Reciprocal Health Care Agreements. You can learn more about that here.
At the end of the day, Urban Rec works very hard to make sure you are safe, and free from any hazards when you play with us. But, accidents do happen. So make sure you know what you are covered for, and stay informed.
Learn MoreDudes Talking About Netball
February 17, 2016 - 8 years ago
Basically, Netball is a girls sport. Or so they say. We have plenty of dudes that play in our Fast5 league that simply, cannot get enough. They love it. But don't take our word for it, we think it's better if you hear it from the horses mouth... so alas…
We got chattin to Ashley...
Why do you like playing Fast5 Netball?
Fast5 Netball is very fast yet easy to pick up and adaptable to all skill levels, with dropping the wings all players are able to move freely around the court and become involved in setting up the game play, or locking down their opponent on defense.
Have you played regular 7 aside, and how do you prefer Fast 5 Netball?
I played 7 a side netball a lot when I was younger in the and even represented the Navy against the combined services a few times, I started playing as I thought it would be a great way to meet women....hahaha! I prefer 5 a side though because of the games speed and the ability to get involved, its generally a lot more fun and not as serious as 7 a side.
Is there a stigma about men playing Netball, what do you think of that?
There is a stigma about men playing netball and my general response to men that knock it is to ask them if they've ever played? Generally the answer is no.
I've played AFL, Rugby and Basketball all at representative levels and Netball is equally as challenging as they all are and if you're willing to try Fast5 Netty then you're able to apply the skills that have been learnt from other sports into the game and make it you're own.
Then we spent a few minutes picking Rob's brain...
Why do you like playing Fast5 Netball?
I like playing Fast5 because of the pace, its not like Touch football or soccer, with short bursts of activity, Fast5 is all action right from the moment the whistle is blown.
Have you played regular 7 aside, and how do you prefer Fast 5 Netball?
Before playing Fast5 with UR I had only played Netball in high school, and considered it a sport for girls.
Is there a stigma about men playing Netball, what do you think of that?
There's a huge stigma attached to Netball and male participation, many people, both male and female scoff/laugh when I tell them I play. Until 18 months ago I thought the same, It wasn't until I started playing that I realised the importance of strategy and personal fitness.
If you think this sounds like a bit of you. Then join us for the upcoming season of Fast5 Netball. We are taking teams, as well as individuals. You don't need to know the rules, just come along, and our staff can teach you everything you need to know. Find out more, and how to register online here.
Learn More
Dear Captain,
January 1, 2016 - 8 years ago
Congrats in the title, and all the bossing around, and glory that comes with the job. By now all your team should have received your UR Member cards, if you need extra, ask the staff at your games.
There are a few other points we will be counting on you to manage.
Player attendance: You are responsible for having your minimum players turn up every week on time. If you have 3 or less players turn up for any game, you will be forced to forfeit, and play a friendly. If your team rocks up late, we will eat into your game time, and that may risk you getting low rec points. You cannot borrow players from other teams in your league, but you can bring in subs as needed or use our SUB ME IN Facebook page to recruit other Urban Rec Members from different sports or locations.
Forfiets Policy: If you forfeit more than once in a season, you will be forced to pay $60 fine to your opposition. This will not happen if you give fair notice (24 hours), or if a friendly game can be arranged, or if your team are not regular offenders!
Game Cancellations: Please keep an eye on our twitter and Facebook. If the game in cancelled for any reason, due to weather or other circumstances, we will let you know on social media, and we will also text and email you (generally not the entire team, just you).
Memberships and Waivers: You need to make sure all team players, have signed a membership form at the courts, or become a member online. Even if they are playing for one game, as a sub. All players need to acknowledge the waiver, and code of conduct before they play with us. We rely on you to make sure the team is maintaining their memberships. NB: Urban Rec is for 18+ players only. As such, we do not allow any under 18 year olds to play on your team, or sub in.
Insurance: Urban Rec does not cover for personal injury insurance. It makes our fees higher, and your registration, complicated, here are a few more reasons why. You play sports, at your own risk. If you, or anyone on your team does not have private health insurance, we suggest you take out an insurance policy similar to this.
Uniforms: Your team may choose to pick team colours, if you do this, make sure you confirm with your League Manager your chosen colour, it's first in best dressed. If you don’t want to pick a colour, just bring a black, AND a white t-shirt each week.
If your team has already chosen a colour for the season, make sure everyone definitely comes along in that colour each week. It’s essential to make the job easy for our event host, and also the game better for both sides. If you do recruit any subs, make sure they come in the same colour too.
Click here to go to Urban Rec’s Uniform Shop
Equipment for Netball players: On the first night you will be given a set of bibs, which are yours to keep for the season, take turns in washing them, and bringing them each week, at the end of the season you will need to return them.
Equipment for Softball players: On the first night you will be given 3-4 balls for you and your team to keep for the season. You will also get a team clipboard for scoring. These will need to be returned at the end of the season.
Rec Points: At the end of each game, your team awards the opposition with rec points, based on their sportsmanship, and how fun they were to play. Please make sure your team submit that score to the staff every week at the end of your game. (You can view the Rec Points summary online here)
Sportsmanship: The Urban Rec Event Host, is there to keep an eye on the game, and make sure you are playing by the rules. If you don't think your opposition are playing with good sportsmanship, make sure you use the Rec Points as your voice. The staff are not responsible for disciplining players for not being honest, or playing fair - that's on the players themselves
Disputes: If there is an altercation or a dispute that cannot be resolved on the night, an Urban Rec staff member will call you to discuss the incident in detail. You will also receive all call if a rec point of 2 or below is recorded by you, or against you, to understand why the low point was scored.
Captain of Fun! You are the head honcho for all things FUN. Your team, and others have signed up to Urban Rec to have an recreational sports season, and part of that means you should keep an eye on aggressive, or mean, or overly competitive behaviour. Help our staff by encouraging your team to be Urban Rec legends, and take out the rec champion title! We will be handing out beer jugs to the funnest and best sports, team for the week, so be a contender for that.
Lastly, we encourage our teams to get together and socialise after the games, at the pub. It's an excellent way to wind down and catch up with new and old friends. Make sure you organise a few get togethers over the season, (if not every week) meet other Urban Rec peeps, eat some great food, have a laugh, and celebrate the awesome season.
We always post awesome photos up on Facebook and Instagram. So make sure you follow us so you can see your team shots!
If you have any questions, please talk to our staff or drop us a line to [email protected]