RRCA highly recommends using an online system, such as RunSignUp.com, or other membership management platform for managing members. Your preferred platform should allow your organization to collect waivers for members, any guests, and event participants. If going old-school, be sure to include a waiver on paper forms. Don’t use a font that is so small it is impossible to read or easily ignored, use the same size font as other text.
All RRCA Member clubs are required to obtain waivers of liability from their members and participants during the join/renew process. This is a requireent for utilizing the RRCA Insurance Program.
All guests to club training runs or programs MUST sign a waiver, as well. See our Safe Group Run Guidelines or complete the RunLead Badge for recommendations on easily collecting waivers from guests.
Waivers must be signed by all participants running in a club-owned race or event. See Manage an Event for waiver samples.
Organizers should edit “stock waivers” provided by online registration companies to ensure the waiver is specific to your club and its activities. The more detail you can provide in the waiver about the dangers associated with participating in club activities, the more useful the waiver will be in the event an incident results in a legal action.
Do not include information in your waiver that is unrelated to liability. If your club has a cancellation or no-refund policy, it should be stated separately, with its own agreement question requiring participants to acknowledge and accept that policy. It should not be part of your waiver of liability agreement.
Likewise, your club’s code of conduct should be addressed in a separate agreement question confirming that participants agree to follow the code of conduct. It should not be included in the waiver of liability agreement.
Keep a file of waivers based on your state’s statue of limitationfor a civil lawsuit. These can be maintained as either a digital file or hard copies. Work with your online membership management system to ensure you can access waivers going back at least 2-3 years or more.
Ensure you have a verifiable process for collecting waivers for your organization. You may not get 100% compliance but having written policies and procedures in place is an important part of managing this requirement for RRCA members.
Club Member Waiver of Liability Template
I agree that I, ___________________ [NAME OF MEMBER] am a member of _______________________ [NAME OF CLUB], (hereinafter “the club”), and I know that running in and volunteering for organized group runs, social events, and races associate with the club are potentially hazardous activities, which could cause injury or death. I will not participate in any club organized events, group training runs or social events, unless I am medically able and properly trained, and by my signature, I certify that I am medically able to perform all activities associated with the club and am in good health, and I am properly trained. I consent to and agree to abide by all rules established by the club , including the right of any official to deny or suspend my participation for any reason whatsoever. I attest that I have read the rules of the club and agree to abide by them. I consent to and assume all risks associated with being a member of the club and participating in all club activities, which may include but no limited to: falls, physical contact with other participants/members, volunteers, race personnel, contract service providers, employees, and spectators including the potential the contraction of a communicable disease resulting from contact with other participants/members, volunteers, race personnel, contract service providers, employees, and spectators. I assume all risks including: the effects of the weather; high heat and/or humidity; freezing cold temperatures; traffic and the conditions of the road including surrounding terrain. [INSERT OTHER SPECIFIC THREATS ASSOCIATED WITH YOUR CLUB OPERATIONS HERE: e.g. “the alligators who bask in the sun at the corner of 4th and Sunset St.”]. I further agree to abide by the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) recommendations for the prevention of the spread of all communicable diseases. I consent to and assume all such risks being known, appreciated, and accepted by me.
I understand that bicycles, skateboards, baby joggers/strollers, roller skates or inline skates, animals, and personal music players are not allowed in club organized runs or events, and I will abide by all rules of the club. Having read this waiver and knowing these facts and inconsideration of your accepting my membership, I, for myself and anyone entitled to act on my behalf, waive and release the __________________ [NAME OF CLUB] and the Road Runners Club of America, all club sponsors, their representatives and successors from all claims or liabilities of any kind arising out of my participation in the club activities, even though that liability may arise out of negligence or carelessness on the part of the persons or organizations named in this waiver. In addition, I acknowledge the contagious nature of communicable diseases and voluntarily assume the risk that I may be exposed to or infected by COVID-19 and/or other communicable diseases by participating in any activities associate with the club. I acknowledge that such exposure or infection may result in personal injury, illness, permanent disability, and/or death. I understand that the risk of becoming exposed to or infected by COVID-19 in connection with my participation in any club activities, and personally assume this risk.
I grant permission to all of the foregoing to use my photographs, motion pictures, recordings or any other record of the club for any legitimate purposes. I understand that the club does not provide for refunds in the event of cancellations of services, and by signing this waiver, I consent that I am not entitled to a refund if the any club activities including events are cancelled.
Signature:
Date:
Parent’s Signature if under 18 years:
Date: