IQA

IQA Update

Membership

New Season and Membership Program Kick Off

by Katie Stack | August 24, 2013

IQA Membership Director Katie Stack explains what's in store this season for membership.

I am so excited for this new season to get underway!

We’re calling it the “membership program” this year because, indeed, it is. It is a viable program for the long-term development and sustainability of our league; it is not simply a new “plan.” My department has worked hard over the past year to research, question, observe, and document the membership programs and league structures of many other athletic governing bodies. With this new season, the IQA program is up there with the best of them -- and this program is here to stay.

From individual members with league identification cards, to insurance coverage that protects not only our business but our players and volunteers, to league-sanctioned events and separate national leagues, the coming year holds only exciting things. With more and better events, higher levels of competition, and a community that is ready to photograph, analyze, and discuss our sport through all forms of media, we have a lot to look forward to.

We have revamped our popular penpal program for the season based on feedback from last year’s participants, and we have also restructured our mentor program to make it more accessible to our teams. This year, we even finally have grant opportunities available for first-year teams!

For those of you unfamiliar with the new program, here’s a quick rundown:

  • Individuals may sign up for IQA membership in order to receive a number of benefits all their own! (These benefits include accident insurance coverage, a league ID card, discounted entry to IQA tournaments, and merchandise discounts, to name a few.)
  • Teams may register on one of two levels: tournament or basic.
  • Each team must have a designated individual member as a “coach.” This individual will have the website permissions to create events and edit rosters, and will be the team’s liaison with the IQA.
  • A tournament-level team must consist of at least seven individual members.
  • Tournament teams will receive free entry to the relevant regional championship, where they will attempt to qualify for the World Cup. Basic-level teams will not be able to qualify for the World Cup.

Many of you may have lingering questions, so hopefully you can find the answers on either our membership page or our membership FAQ page.

If you would like to apply for a grant, you can get further information here. 

If you would like to learn more about the penpal program, you may do so here.

If you would like to learn more about the mentor program, you may do so here.

If you would like to learn more about the IQA’s accident insurance policy, you can read more here.

If your questions are really tough and the answers are nowhere to be found, please email me, Katie, at .