Frequently Asked Questions 

New Website

What’s new about the site?

• A database-driven dynamic website.

• Custom user accounts and login for a more personalized experience – ability to see past, current and future activities.

• Additional captain functionality such as ability to add players to new team from previous rosters, automatic waiver reminders for teammates and roster, team name and charity management (find out more below).

• New integrated registration and payment process.

• Loads of backend functionality that will really help us to reduce the manual labor involved with running our leagues including: registration and waitlist management, member administration area, team builder to create individual teams and a searchable mailing tool. 
  

I am the captain of my team.  How does the new site make my thankless job easier?

We compare the thankless job of captaining to herding cats.  Captains we feel your pain and you are in luck!  You can now:

• Upload rosters from previous seasons when registering your team – You no longer need to scramble to find the email of your friend’s cousin’s girlfriend who played on your team last season.  We will remember it for you.

• You can edit your own roster – Not sure of your roster when you register?  Your pal move to another city?  You will be able to edit your roster through “My Activities”.

• Change team name/charity – If inspiration for the Best Team Name strikes in the middle of the night you can change it through “My Activities” before you forget it.  Taken up a new cause?  You can change your charity too.

• See who has signed waivers and send out waiver reminder emails – If you have ever felt like your pleas to visit our website to fill out a waiver are ignored by your team, you will now be able to see who has and has not listened.  You can also send out a friendly reminder to those who haven’t, directly from the site.

How can I get my awesome ZogSportsNJ picture on the new site?

We are always looking for good pictures of Zoggers in their ZogNJ shirts playing ZogSportsNJ or at a ZogNJ-sponsored happy hour bar.  Send your best to info@zogsportsnj.org. 

It would have been great if you added personalized schedules, photo albums etc.  Why didn’t you?

While our site looks and feels a lot more user friendly than our old one, most of the really cool stuff in this phase of the site involves backend administrative tools.  The league administration and database management software we have created will help ZogSportsNJ headquarters run the leagues more efficiently.  This will allow our full-time staff to spend less time on Excel and Access and more time running our leagues and planning events.

Account Info

I currently receive emails from ZogSportsNJ, what do I do next?

Since we already have your email in our system from a previous activity or free membership, all you need to do is select the Sign Up link in the upper left-hand corner of any page.  Create an account using the email address to which you already receive updates from ZogSportsNJ and follow the registration instructions.  All of your previous activities tied to that email address will appear in your “My Activities” section.  You’ll be able to see previous rosters and have a more personalized experience on our website.

Do I have to create an account?  What happens when I create one?

Creating an account with ZogSportsNJ will allow you to sign-in to our website to keep tabs on the activities you participate in and will help captains manage their rosters.  You will need to create an account before registering for any league, trip, event or signing a waiver.  This will make registering in the future a cinch since we will know who you are.

ZogSportsNJ has taken information from the last three years and uploaded it to our new site.  So if you have participated before we most likely already have you in our member database.  Create an account and you will be able to view your previous activities and rosters.

How do I update my information?

If you select “My Account” you can edit your information including email, address, name, phone number, etc.  This page will also give you the opportunity to add your school affiliation or add a second email address.

What if I need/want to change my email address that ZogSportsNJ is sending information to?

See above on how to edit account information.  After you sign-in and change your primary email, it will become the new email user name you use to sign-in to your ZogSportsNJ account.  Your password will stay the same (unless you change that too).

ZogSportsNJ currently sends information to two or more of my email addresses.  How can I merge my accounts?

At some point in the past you or one of your captains entered more than one email address for you.  If you would like us to merge the information we have associated to your multiple email accounts, please send an email with the subject line “Merge Multiple Email Addresses” to info@zogsportsnj.org and include each email address.  We will then merge the account for you as soon as possible and confirm via email.

My Activities

What will appear in “My Activities”?

The “My Activities” section of the website is designed to personalize your user experience and help you manage your recreational sports life in past, present and future.  There are six possible categories your activities could fall into.

• Shopping Cart – You completed the registration, but did not select any form of payment to submit.  We saved your registration for you so you can come back later to finish what you started.

• Activities Pending Payment – You completed your registration but said that you wanted to pay by check.  No problem.  As soon as we receive your check, we will enter it into the system and you will receive a confirmation email.  The activity will then be accessible within “My Activities” under “Current and Upcoming Activities”. 
  

• Unfinished Registrations – Clicked off the website so the boss didn’t bust you for worrying more about your upcoming season than the TPS reports?  Don’t worry you can finish up that registration through “My Activities” the next time you sign in to your account.

• Current and Upcoming Activities – You can see the leagues, trips and events you are currently participating in or signed up for.  You can also view your team’s roster and sign your waiver.  If you click on the name of the activity, you will immediately be able to view more details such as schedules, standings, etc.

• Waitlist – Missed out on registration?  Don’t fret - we often pull people off our waitlist.  Here you can see the leagues you are on the waitlist for.  If we are able to get you into the league, trip or event we’ll send you an email and you will be able to complete registration from the waitlist.

• Past Activities – You guessed it: this is where you can reminisce about your ZogSportsNJ history.  You can also view past rosters.

Why are some of my previous activities/teams missing? / Why is the roster from a previous/current season missing people?

ZogSportsNJ uploaded our roster files from the past three years, including Summer 2009, to the new database.  While we have great records for some people, there are three reasons why some user info may be missing:

• During your ZogSportsNJ career you have used multiple email addresses. You can see if this is the case by creating accounts for other email addresses you might have used in past seasons and viewing “My Activities”.  If you would like us to merge the information we have associated with your multiple email accounts please send an email with the subject line “Merge Multiple Email Addresses” to info@zogsportsnj.org.

• Your captain never provided us with a roster for a particular season (this won’t occur on the new site moving forward) or provided us with only a first and last name (no email address).  This is the case for anyone missing from your roster for Winter 2008.

• There was a typo in your past information and the hi-tech upload script did not recognize your email address.

Since most of this is in the past don’t worry about missing information.  If information is missing for the Winter 2008 season, please have your team captain add you to the team roster with the correct email address.  Going forward all of your info will be there.

Individual Registration

How do I register?

Create an account by selecting Sign Up or sign in to your existing account.  Choose the league, trip or event you want to participate in and then click on the “Individuals” link.  Complete the registration steps that follow.

Can I register if I don’t have a team?

YES!  We want everyone to be able to play.  You can register for all our leagues as an individual (on your own or with friends – see below) and we will place you on a team with other individuals and small groups.  This is a great way to meet new people, and many of the teams we put together come back as full teams the next season.

What if I can’t make every game?  Can I still play?

ZogSportsNJ doesn’t have an attendance policy, but we do encourage you to make as many games as you can.  We generally tell people not to sign-up if they know that they will miss ½ or more of the games.  If you anticipate less, you should be OK.  We create rosters large enough so that if a few people miss each game, the team should still have enough players to play comfortably.

Do I have to pay when I register?

Your registration is not complete until we receive payment.  We fill our leagues, trips and events on a first-paid basis so we recommend paying when you register so you don’t lose your spot.  If you are absolutely unable to pay during registration, your activity will be in “My Activities” in the “Unfinished Registrations” section and you can complete it the next time you sign in.

I’d still like to pay by check, if that’s OK?

No problem.  We’re happy to take checks as well.  Please make the checks payable to ZogSportsNJ and send to: ZogSportsNJ, 57 W. 38th Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10018.  Please note that we cannot hold your roster spot until we receive your check.  If you indicate you are paying by check and later decide to pay by credit card, you may do so by finding the activity in the “Activities Pending Payment” section of “My Activities”.

What if I am just short of a full team?

If you are one or two people short of a full squad you can sign up and pay for a full team and ZogSportsNJ will be happy to complete your roster by adding players who signed up as individuals.  Please email us if this is the case.  However, please keep in mind that the individual fees cannot be transferred over to your team fee.  Your other option is to all register and pay as individuals.

Will I be able to play on a team with my friends?

Absolutely!  If you and your friends register as individuals and request to be together we will place you on the same team.  Tell each member of your group to complete the “Individual Registration” process for your chosen sport.  Add some or all of your friends in the “Individuals You’d Like to Be Grouped With” section of the registration from.  (You can pay for friends there as well if applicable).  This will ensure that you are all placed on the same team.  After submitting your order, each person can pay the individual league fee by credit card via our secure server. 

Another way to ensure you are playing with a chosen group (i.e., alumni club, company, organization, etc.) is to make sure everyone signing up puts down the same name in their “comments” section.  For example, type “SEC Alumni” or “Merrill Lynch” or “Jane Doe” (if you know the name of just one person in your group).

I have registered and paid.  Now what?

The dates of the first scrimmage / game are available on the “Sports Leagues” page of our website.  You can expect to receive more information via email 2-3 weeks before your team’s scrimmage.

I signed up as an individual.  How do I know who is on my team?

We wait until we sell out all our individual slots before we create individual team rosters.  This enables us to work our magic and try and create teams using our secret formula.  You will receive an email with your roster and teammates’ contact info a couple of weeks prior to the start of the season.

How do you form the Individual Teams?

OK, it’s not so secret.  First we group all the people who requested to play together (i.e., you and your friends or fellow alums).  Next we try to place individuals who requested the same skill level (Players, Sorta Players, Casual and Extremely Casual) together and then group them by age range to get an appropriate mix for each team.  Finally, we work our ZogSportsNJ magic, which has resulted in multiple engagements, to make it all happen.  While we try to accommodate all individual player requests for skill level, we can’t guarantee all requests.  We will not place an individual more than one division above or below their original request. 

The league I want to play in is sold out.  Is there a waitlist?

Yes, there are always people who for one reason or another are unable to start or finish the season, and waitlist registrations are pulled to fill their spots.  To be placed on the waitlist, complete the registration process online.  The system will allow you to add yourself/team to the waitlist on the “Confirm Order” page of the registration process.  We will contact you if/when a spot opens up.

What is your refund policy?

Our official refund policy is that ZogSportsNJ will provide a full refund (less applicable credit card processing expenses) any time up to two weeks prior to the commencement of any event or league.  Any time from two weeks prior until commencement of the event/league, ZogSportsNJ will only offer a refund if we are able to fill the slots with other teams/members.  After the start of a league, we will not be able to offer any refunds.

Team Registration

Can I register my team if we do not have a complete roster?

Yes.  Complete the registration and payment process to assure that your team will have a spot in our league.  Captains will have the opportunity to make changes to their roster through the second week of the season.  Roster changes can be made by selecting the team name within the “My Activities” section and then selecting “Edit Team”.  Working emails are required for everyone you include on your roster.

Does the team captain have to pay the full league fee?

Your team registration is not complete until we receive payment of the league fee.  While the team captain does not have to be the person to pay in order to receive the team discount, we must receive payment from one source.  We fill our leagues on a first-paid basis so we recommend paying during initial registration to reserve your spot.

What skill level should we play in?

While we ask you to do your best to assess the skill level and level of competitiveness of your team before you register, we have scrimmages in most sports at the beginning of the season to help determine where you’ll have the most fun.  While we try to accommodate all team requests for skill level, we cannot guarantee them all.  We do promise not to place your team more than one division (above or below) your original request.  

How do I make changes / additions to my team roster?

After registration is complete, captains will have the opportunity to make changes to their roster.  Simply sign-in to your account and select “My Activities.”  At that point you can click on your team name and select “Edit Roster”.  There you can make the necessary changes/additions by adding your teammates’ names and emails.  All players must have an email address to be included. 

Can I request specific times, days or locations?

Field and gym space is tough to get anywhere around New York City.  While we would love to have all the best fields at the best times, we can’t.  In the spirit of being fair we try to divvy up all game times and locations equally amongst teams.  If your team has an extreme situation, please let us know before the start of the season and we will see what we can do.

Leagues, Rules and Logistics

How competitive are the leagues?  What if I have never played before?

Sign up!  ZogSportsNJ accommodates all skill levels with our different divisions.  The Players Division is for people who think they’re jocks.  It is competitive, but still fun.  The Sorta Players Division is for pretty good athletes who may have played together before, but will still be social.  The Casual Division is the happy middle ground and the Extremely Casual Division is if you're looking more for the social than the competition or consider yourself a beginner at the sport.  Since ZogSportsNJ is more than just sports (with our social and charity focus) you don’t need to be “Joe or Jane Pro” to participate.

What are the Rules?

The ZogSportsNJ rules for all our sports can be found on our website.  Select the activity from the Sports Leagues dropdown menu in the left-hand toolbar to learn more about the league’s rules. 

What is the format?

Almost all your questions about the format of our leagues are answered on our website.  Select the activity from the Sports Leagues dropdown menu in the left-hand toolbar to learn more about the league’s format.

When are the games?

Almost all your questions about when the games are played can be answered on our website.  Select the activity from the Sports Leaguesdropdown menu in the left-hand toolbar to learn more about when each specific activity is played.  Team schedules are created with a variety of the days of the week and start times detailed on the specific sports league page.

Where are the games?

Almost all your questions about where the games are played can be answered on our website.  Select the activity from the Sports Leagues dropdown menu in the left-hand toolbar to learn more about where each specific activity is played.  Due to field/gym space availability, team schedules are created with games evenly played at the various locations for the specific league.

How do I get to the field/gym?

A link to directions for all the Field & Gym Info can be found on the top toolbar of the website and on each specific sports league page.

What type of footwear should I wear on Astroturf?  Field Turf?

ZogSportsNJ strongly recommends flat-bottom sneakers (e.g., indoor soccer shoes, tennis or basketball sneakers) for play on all of our Astroturf fields.  Cleats are not permitted on Astroturf and we do not recommend running shoes or cross trainers because the knobs on the sole catch on the turf and the shoes do not provide any lateral support.  This increases the chances of injury. 

Non-metal cleats are permitted on fields with field-turf.

What should I wear for a team uniform?

For scrimmages, check the top of the scrimmage schedule to find out what color shirt to wear to your game.  Following scrimmages, team captains will receive an email about when to pick-up team ZogSportsNJ t-shirts.

What happens in the case of inclement weather?

For football and soccer, we will play in almost any weather except a hurricane or lightning.  In the event of dangerous conditions, cancellations will be posted on our weather alert page on our website, found on the left side of the home page.  Also the ZogSportsNJ Weather Alert Hotline can provide you with an up to the minute rainout status at 201-604-6457.

About ZogSportsNJ and Play For Your Cause

What Is ZogSportsNJ?

ZogSportsNJ is a co-ed social sports league that promotes charity and social action amongst young professionals in New Jersey.  We organize sports leagues (Touch Football, Outdoor and Indoor Soccer, Volleyball, Kickball, Softball, Dodgeball and Basketball), trips, social events and volunteer opportunities for people in their 20’s and 30’s.  A major part of our mission is to help members give something back to their community, and as such, ZogSportsNJ donates a portion of all proceeds to charity and helps participants Play For Your Cause by making charitable donations to winning teams’ charities of choice.  Since its inception seven years ago, ZogSports has over 75,000 people participating in our activities and has donated over $625,000 to charity.  

Robert Herzog conceived ZogSports after his close call on 9/11.  He decided to build on the tremendous human charity he witnessed post 9/11 and foster community in New York and New Jersey.  Through ZogSports’ athletic, social and social action opportunities, we encourage Young Professionals to maintain perspective and a more balanced lifestyle by having fun while also giving something back to the community.

How does ZogSportsNJ give to charity and what is Play For Your Cause?

Every ZogSportsNJ team selects a charity to play for at the beginning of the season.  The top two teams in each division receive a charitable donation made to their selected charity, as do teams that win other awards such at Best Team Name, Team Spirit, Sportsmanship and Best Drinking Team.  ZogSportsNJ donates a percentage of our profits and 100% of the sponsorship donations from our happy hour bars to winning teams’ charities of choice.

How can I get more information about upcoming leagues and events?

The only way to receive our email updates at this time is to create an account.  Click Sign Up in the sign in box (top left) and follow the registration instructions to complete your free account.  Once you create an account, you will automatically receive our email updates.  If you already have an account with ZogSportsNJ, then you’re automatically signed up to receive updates.

Happy Hours and Other Info

Do we have to go to the bar after games?

ZogSportsNJ cannot force you to drink, but we strongly encourage you to attend the organized happy hours that follow games.  C’mon isn’t this one of the reasons you joined our leagues anyway?

Why should we go to the Official ZogSportsNJ Happy Hour bar after our games?

ZogSportsNJ has negotiated deals with the designated happy hour bars.  The more you drink and eat at that bar, the more we receive for charity.  If you go to another bar and drink/eat, ZogSportsNJ does not receive any money for charity.  Plus you won’t get the chance to meet other ZogSportsNJ teams or hang with your own!