AVA Master Program

Application Form

Minor Waiver and Release of Liability 

The AVA Master Program is a special program of the AVA for "teams" of at least one adult and one youth under 18, who can do Volkssport events under their own power.  It is a good way to introduce young people to our sport and get them involved in our IVV Awards Program.  No previous experience is needed.  It is ideal for families, for grandparents and grandchildren, for youth groups such as Girl Scout and Boy Scout Troops, and for youth mentoring organizations such as Big Brothers, Big Sisters or Boys and Girls Clubs.

Teams must participate together and for IVV credit in at least 12 sanctioned Volkssporting events in a 12 month period. The award for team adults is a gold toned medal on a blue ribbon.  For young people it is a silver toned medal on a green ribbon. A person can participate more than once and receive a star to attach to their medal denoting the number of years of participation.  All team participants receive a certificate, including team members who can not do the event on their own.

For registered Girl Scouts - girl or adult - a special Girl Scout master Program patch can be substituted for or received in addition to the medal see the award. The Master Program is listed on the Girl Scouts of the USA website as one of the Health and Wellness program activities.  

How the AVA Master Program works:

• An adult on the team acts as the team contact and registers all team members for the program using the AVA Master Program Registration form.  The team contact sends the completed form, money for the awards and parent-signed Youth Waiver forms to the American Volkssport Association office.

• The team contact receives a single logbook to record the AVA sanction stamps for each event the team does and returns the logbook to the AVA when the 12 events are completed. The previously-purchased awards are then sent to the team contact.  

• No refunds. Substitute team members may replace those who have left the team. Inform the AVA when the logbook is sent back so certificates will have the correct name(s).

• Team members must participate in 12 sanctioned Volkssport events together during a 12 month period. Year round, seasonal or regular events count as do the sanctioned Volkssport events of other countries. Because this program is considered a "distance" program, year round and seasonal events can be done as many times as you want during the year on different days. The same event could be used for all 12 events.

• Team members register together and pay the credit fee at each event they participate in. The team logbook is stamped when the team completes their event.

• The team need only complete the distance they can all do together and record that distance in their logbook. Check with the AVA Club sponsoring the event to see how the event can be shortened if needed.  

• Teams may count IVV events they participated in prior to receiving their Master Program logbook by attaching copies of Insert Cards or IVV Record books to the team logbook.

• In a group it is inevitable that some team members won't be able to participate in all events together. If you wish, you can use make-up events and place their stamps anywhere space is available in the logbook.

For more information on the AVA Master Program and Awards, contact the AVA National Youth Coordinator via email at avayouth@ava.org or call the AVA at 210-659-2112.

Page last updated 4/07/2008

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