So you want to join Invirtus as a member?
Excellent choice! We will be happy to have you!
Before you can join however, we need some information from you, and you probably need to visit a doctor.
If you train with us in Hasselt under Studentensport Limburg (SSL), some special rules apply. Skip to the SSL-specific section first before continuing!
All the information you give us is governed by our privacy policy, and will be treated with respect and not be shared with third parties unless absolutely necessary (for example for legal reasons).
Finally, note that you have to be 16 years or older to be able to join! If you are between 16 and 18 (underage), you will also need approval from a legal guardian.
Step 1: register to become a member
You first need to provide us with your basic personal/emergency contact information via this google form.
By filling out this form, you explicitly agree to adhere to our official non-profit statutes. We currently don't have official house rules yet, but once we do, you will also need to adhere to these to remain a member of the club.
Step 2: visit a doctor to be declared medically fit
We then require you to visit a doctor and get our Medical fitness certificate (medisch geschikheidsattest) filled out.
You then need to provide us with either a physical or digital/scanned signed version of the certificate to be allowed to engage in sparring with steel weapons. You can still participate in trainings while you wait to obtain your certificate; you just can't spar.
You can give a physical copy of the certificate to one of the trainers, or you can send a digital version to [email protected]. We will notify you via email (provided in step 1) when you're approved to participate in sparring.
This approach prevents us from having to store (and safeguard) potentially sensitive medical personal information. It also ensures you get the necessary medical information up-front, especially with regards to the highly recommended tetanus vaccination (which should be refreshed every 10 years).
You will only be asked to provide this certificate once. After this, it is your own responsibility to ensure you're medically fit to participate in our acitivities and that you have the necessary vaccinations. At no point can Invirtus be held accountable in cases where members did not do their own due diligence in these matters.
Step 3: pay your membership fee
Finally, you need to pay your membership fee via bank transfer to BE02 0688 9676 6340.
We have several membership options available, depending on how long you want to commit to the club for. More information on the pricing can be found on our club page.
Choose the option that works best for you and transfer the money explicitly mentioning "membership FIRSTNAME LASTNAME" before starting your next training with us. Note that everyone receives 3 free "tryout" training sessions, so you only have to pay before your 4th training.
Step 4: ... ?
Here we'll review your membership registration form and send you a confirmation email when that's done.
If you've provided us with a google-capable email address in step 1, we will also add you to our shared Google Drive.
If you've provided us with a cellphone number, we will also add you to our Invirtus Whatsapp community.
For more details on these, see below.
Step 5: Profit!
Congratulations! You are now an official Invirtus member! Welcome to the club!
You can now join our training sessions in any of our locations (as long as you keep paying your membership fees, of course ;)).
Keep in mind that you do need to wait for your medical certificate to be approved before you can participate in sparring!
Practical information once you're a member
Invirtus Google Drive
Once we've added you to our system and if you've shared a Google-capable email address, you will see a new "Shared Drive" in your Google Drive options named "Invirtus Members Public".
As the name implies, this is a public folder where the club both shares information with members, and members can share information (usually photos/videos/class notes) with the other members.
Most folders are read-only, but 2 are intended to be open for uploads: "Uploads - Media" (for sharing photos/videos of events, which are then copied to the read-only "Media" folder by an administrator for long-term keeping), and "Uploads - easy sharing" (for everything else).
Invirtus WhatsApp community
Once we've added you to our system and if you've shared a cellphone number, we will add you to our Invirtus WhatsApp community.
This community is the main way we communicate with our members. Important information is shared via the "Announcements" channel, while practical information on trainings is shared in 3 separate groups, 1 per training location.
This community is also an important social aspect of the club, as many members join in friendly conversation in the WhatsApp channels.
Is this the End?
There may come a time where you want to leave the club as a member, and we will be very sad to see you go!
In this case, please send us an email at [email protected] stating you want to quit as a member.
In general, we do NOT offer refunds for membership fees when a member leaves. There can of course be exceptions (say you have to quit due to an injury a month after paying your fees for an entire year). If you feel you are entitled to a (partial) refund, please mention this explicitly in your email.
In very rare cases, the club's administration board might decide to forcibly exclude you as a member of the club (for example after repeated gross misconduct). In this case, you will also NOT be entitled to a refund of your membership fees. More information on this rare process can be found in our non-profit statutes.
Studentensport Limburg (SSL) in Hasselt
Specifically for our training location in Hasselt, students from the local colleges/universities can join our trainings via the Studentensport Limburg (SSL) platform.
In this case, they do not pay the normal Invirtus membership fee, but rather the SSL fee. As per our agreement with SSL, these students can join our trainings and we will often also add them to our WhatsApp community/Google Drive to make communication easier, but they are not "official members" of the Invirtus club. This also means they are insured against damages/accidents by SSL, not by our club.
This distinction does not matter (much) for just attending our trainings in Hasselt, but it does impact other aspects. For example, if you only pay the SSL fee but are not an official member, you cannot:
- Attend our trainings in Aarschot or Leuven
- Participate in a tournament as an "Invirtus member"
- Participate in other Invirtus events (whether we organize them ourselves or attend) as an "Invirtus member"
- Make claims on our club insurance (e.g., when participating in tournaments or in clandestine sparring with other club members outside of training)
- Loan club gear outside of Hasselt trainings
For SSL students who do want to have access to the above options (and more) the solution is simple: become a full member by paying the Invirtus membership fee (see above).