Privacy Policy
Who We Are
NFMSS is an independent national nonprofit organization headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, dedicated to advancing education-based middle school athletics across the United States. Our website at nfmss.org serves schools, athletic directors, coaches, game officials, parents, and student-athletes in grades 6–8.
This Privacy Policy applies to all personal information collected through our website, registration forms, team roster submissions, event sign-ups, and any other digital interactions with NFMSS.
By using our website or submitting information through our forms, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.
Information We Collect
We collect information in two primary ways: information you voluntarily provide to us and information collected automatically when you visit our site.
Information You Provide
| Category | Examples | Collected From |
|---|---|---|
| School Registration | School name, address, state/region, grade levels | Athletic Directors / Administrators |
| Contact Information | Name, email address, phone number, mailing address | ADs, Coaches, Officials, Parents |
| Coaching Registration | Name, contact info, school affiliation, coaching credentials | Coaches |
| Officials Registration | Name, contact info, sport assignments, certification details | Game Officials |
| Team Rosters | Student-athlete names, grade, sport, school | Coaches / ADs on behalf of schools |
| Appeal Submissions | Name, school, nature of appeal, supporting details | Schools / Parents |
| Sponsorship Inquiries | Name, organization, contact details | Prospective Sponsors |
| General Contact | Name, email, message content | Any Site Visitor |
Information Collected Automatically
When you visit nfmss.org, we may automatically collect certain technical information, including:
- IP address and approximate geographic location
- Browser type, version, and operating system
- Pages viewed, links clicked, and time spent on pages
- Referring website or search engine
- Date and time of visit
This information is collected using cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Section 6 for more detail).
How We Use Your Information
NFMSS uses the information we collect for the following purposes:
- School and Member Management: Processing school registrations, managing membership records, and providing access to NFMSS programs, championships, and regional competitions.
- Program Administration: Organizing and managing regular season games, regional events, state championships, and national championship opportunities.
- Team Roster Processing: Verifying student-athlete eligibility in accordance with NFMSS eligibility policies.
- Coach and Officials Development: Administering coaching and officials registration, certifications, and assignments.
- Communications: Sending important updates, event announcements, deadline reminders, safety information, and organizational news to registered members and contacts.
- Safety and Compliance: Supporting health and safety programs including concussion protocols, heat safety, and sudden cardiac arrest awareness.
- Rankings and Recognition: Publishing team standings, rankings, and recognition for member schools and student-athletes.
- Website Improvement: Analyzing site usage to improve navigation, content, and user experience.
- Legal Compliance: Meeting our obligations under applicable federal and state laws.
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information for commercial or marketing purposes.
Children’s Privacy & COPPA Compliance
Because NFMSS serves middle school student-athletes — many of whom are under the age of 13 — this section is critically important. We take the privacy and safety of minors extremely seriously.
Collection of Student-Athlete Information
NFMSS operates in compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and other applicable laws protecting the privacy of minors. We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under the age of 13 through our website.
Student-athlete roster information (such as name, grade, sport, and school) is submitted to NFMSS by authorized school administrators, athletic directors, and coaches acting on behalf of their schools — not directly by students or their parents through the website.
School-Submitted Student Data
When schools submit team rosters or student-athlete information, they represent and warrant that:
- They have the legal authority to submit such information on behalf of the school and student-athletes.
- Appropriate consents, disclosures, or authorizations required by federal or state law (including FERPA and COPPA) have been obtained.
- The submission complies with all applicable school district policies.
Parental Rights
Parents or legal guardians who believe that NFMSS has received personal information about their child under the age of 13 without proper authorization may contact us at info@nfmss.org to request review, correction, or deletion of that information.
NFMSS does not operate social media features, user accounts for minors, or any platform that allows children under 13 to independently submit personal information directly through our website. If you have concerns about your child’s information, please contact us immediately.
Student-Athlete Recognition
NFMSS may publish general athletic recognition information such as school names, team rankings, and championship results. We take care to limit identifying information about individual student-athletes in any public-facing publications.
Data Security
NFMSS implements reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect the personal information we collect from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These include:
- Secure (HTTPS/SSL) transmission of data on our website
- Access controls limiting who within NFMSS can view personal information
- Regular review of our data collection and storage practices
No method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information using industry-standard practices, we cannot guarantee absolute security. If you have reason to believe your information has been compromised, please contact us immediately at info@nfmss.org.
Data Retention
We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy, comply with legal obligations, and resolve disputes. School registration and member records are generally retained for the duration of the membership and for a reasonable period thereafter for record-keeping purposes. Team roster data is retained for the applicable athletic season and archived for organizational records.
Your Rights & Choices
Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information:
Access and Correction
You may request access to the personal information we hold about you and ask us to correct any inaccuracies. Contact us at info@nfmss.org with your request.
Deletion
You may request that we delete your personal information. Note that we may need to retain certain information for legal, operational, or historical record-keeping purposes.
Opting Out of Communications
If you receive email communications from NFMSS and no longer wish to receive them, you may unsubscribe by clicking the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of any email or by contacting us directly. Please note that certain administrative communications related to active memberships or registrations may not be optional.
California Residents
If you are a California resident, you may have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), including the right to know what personal information is collected, the right to deletion, and the right to opt out of any sale of your data. NFMSS does not sell personal information. To exercise your rights, contact us at info@nfmss.org.
Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to third-party websites, partner organizations, or social media platforms. NFMSS is not responsible for the privacy practices of those external sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.
Updates to This Policy
NFMSS may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or organizational structure. When we make material changes, we will post the updated policy on this page with a revised “Last Updated” date. We encourage you to review this page periodically.
Your continued use of our website following any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.
Contact Us
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the handling of your personal information, please reach out to us:
National Federation of Middle School Sports (NFMSS)
info@nfmss.org
(404) 477-8781
PO Box 724494
Atlanta, GA 31139
nfmss.org
We aim to respond to all inquiries within 5–7 business days.