Guardian Participation Consent
This page explains guardian-managed use of The Gaffer and provides reusable wording for a separate soccer participation consent. It does not itself authorize a named child to participate. An organizer must identify the child, activities and signing guardian and obtain that specific consent. Accepting an account agreement does not complete it.
1. The software and the activity organizer
The Gaffer LLC operates team management software in British Columbia. Listing a match, training session or other event does not make us the activity organizer, supervisor, insurer or medical provider. The relevant team, club or other organizer remains responsible for its participation requirements, safety arrangements and lawful duties.
A club or league identity in the app does not establish its authority to act for your child. Ask the actual organizer about eligibility, supervision, insurance, facilities and emergency arrangements before agreeing to participation. This information page is separate from the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
3. Understanding soccer risks
Soccer matches, training and warm-ups carry injury risks even when people use reasonable care, protective equipment and rules. Possible consequences include pain, concussion, lasting disability and death. The guardian and organizer should discuss the actual activity and any needs relevant to safe participation.
- Contact with players, balls, goals or equipment; tackles, falls and accidental collisions.
- Sprains, fractures, head injuries, fatigue, dehydration or aggravation of an existing condition.
- Uneven or slippery surfaces, unsuitable equipment, weather, heat or cold.
- Other participants' actions and delays in recognizing injury or obtaining emergency care.
4. Reusable guardian participation wording
The following wording applies only when incorporated into a separate completed record that identifies the organizer, child, activity or season, dates and signing guardian. Reading this page or acknowledging it during account setup does not create that record.
“I am a parent or legal guardian authorized to make this participation decision for the child named in this completed record. I have reviewed the identified activities and their risks, had an opportunity to ask questions, and discussed safety with the child in an age-appropriate way. I authorize the child to participate in those activities subject to the organizer's stated safety and supervision arrangements.”
“I will provide a current emergency contact, communicate information reasonably needed for safe participation through an appropriate private channel, and notify the organizer if my authority or the child's relevant needs change.”
5. The child’s legal rights remain
Guardian permission and informed acknowledgement of risks do not remove the child's legal claims, limit another person's lawful duty of care or excuse misconduct. This document does not require a guardian to compensate anyone because the child brings a claim.
Mandatory rights under the law applicable to the child and activity continue to apply, including British Columbia protections and Quebec protections where applicable. The organizer should obtain advice appropriate to its activity and province when adapting a participation consent.
6. Fitness, safety and injury reporting
Seek appropriate medical advice where there is uncertainty about the child's fitness for the activity. This page is not medical advice or confirmation of fitness. Ask the organizer how to communicate relevant needs privately rather than publishing unnecessary health details in a shared roster or AI prompt.
Participants should follow reasonable safety and facility instructions, use suitable equipment, report hazards and stop if injured or unwell. Suspected concussion requires appropriate assessment and the applicable return-to-play process. Consent does not replace the organizer's safeguarding, supervision or safety responsibilities.
7. Emergency care is a separate arrangement
Ask the organizer about its emergency plan, contacts and responsibility for supervision. If emergency authorization is needed, it should identify the child and explain the assistance being authorized. Participation permission alone does not authorize unlimited medical treatment or transfer decision-making powers beyond applicable law.
Health professionals determine necessary care under the consent and emergency rules applicable to them. Confirm any insurance or cost arrangements with the organizer. App messages and notifications are not an emergency channel; contact emergency services directly when needed.
8. Privacy, media and travel choices
An organizer should explain information needed for participation and its recipients. Photographs, promotional use, transport and travel may need separate permissions. Optional permissions should clearly identify the use, audience and withdrawal limits instead of being bundled into compulsory participation consent.
In The Gaffer, all currently linked eligible guardians share a child contact's correspondence and private conversation history, including earlier messages. Actual adult authors and readers are identified. Consider the audience before sharing sensitive information. The Privacy Policy describes our software handling; it does not establish every consent an organizer needs.
9. Electronic signature and records
For The Gaffer account agreements, when you intentionally type your name and select the acceptance control, you agree to use those actions as your electronic signature for the Terms of Service, Privacy Policy acknowledgement and this electronic-record consent, to the extent applicable law permits. You agree to receive those account agreements and related notices electronically. This action does not grant participation permission for an unnamed child or activity.
Review the linked documents before signing. You can print or save the pages using your browser, and request a copy or an accessible alternative from [email protected]. Keep your contact information current. Ask support about an alternative before signing if you cannot use electronic records; legal rights to an alternative are preserved.
Account acceptance records include the signed-in adult, document identifier/version, acceptance time, typed name and available request metadata. They are account agreement evidence, not proof of a completed child participation consent. An organizer collecting separate consent must identify its own parties, activity scope and guardian capacity and keep the completed text and reliable acceptance evidence for a justified period.
10. Questions and changes
Direct participation, supervision, insurance and safeguarding questions to the actual activity organizer. Tell it promptly if guardian authority changes or consent for future participation is withdrawn; the consequences depend on the activity, applicable law and completed consent. A past record should not be silently rewritten by changing a web page.
For software or electronic-record questions, contact The Gaffer LLC at [email protected] or 3875 Brocktron Place, North Vancouver, BC V7G 2E7, Canada. This page's effective date identifies the information and electronic-record wording; it does not certify organizer acceptance or a child's enrollment.