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Website Policies, Membership Terms & Privacy Notice

Last Updated: 12/31/2025

This page outlines the general policies, expectations, and privacy practices of Black Flag Jiu-Jitsu, located in Rockford, Illinois (“Black Flag,” “we,” “our,” or “us”). These policies apply to visitors, members, and prospective members who interact with our website, facilities, programs, and communications.

Formal membership terms are governed by signed agreements completed in person or digitally at enrollment. Nothing on this page replaces those agreements.

Membership Overview and General Expectations

Black Flag Jiu-Jitsu offers multiple training programs including Adult Jiu-Jitsu, Kids Jiu-Jitsu, Wrestling, Foundations, and Competition Team training.

All memberships are subject to eligibility requirements, program-specific expectations, and gym policies. Participation in any program is a privilege, not a right, and continued access is contingent upon remaining in good standing.

We reserve the right to deny, suspend, or terminate participation in any program at our discretion, consistent with Illinois law.

Training Commitments and Participation Standards

Certain programs, including our Competition Team and Foundations program, carry additional expectations such as:

  • Minimum training frequency

  • Minimum experience requirements

  • Behavioral and conduct standards

  • Participation in competitions or structured training blocks

Failure to meet program standards may result in probation, suspension, or removal from the program without refund.

Competition Team Participation

Competition Team membership is a discounted, performance-based program offered to qualifying members. Participation requires additional commitments including, but not limited to:

  • Regular training attendance

  • Competition participation

  • Assigned gym duties

  • Mentorship of newer members

  • Adherence to conduct, branding, and professionalism standards

Competition Team status may be suspended or revoked at any time if expectations are not met. Removal from the Competition Team does not cancel an underlying membership.

Injury Pauses, Holds, and Account Status

Members may request temporary pauses due to injury, subject to program-specific limits. Extended inactivity beyond allowed pause periods may result in account suspension rather than cancellation.

A “Hold My Spot” option may be available for members who need time away but wish to preserve their standing and avoid re-enrollment requirements.

All requests must be submitted in writing.

Payments, Autopay, and Account Standing

Most memberships are billed via automatic recurring payments.

Late payments may result in administrative fees and suspension of gym access until balances are paid in full. Repeated non-payment or extended delinquency may result in termination of services.

Conduct, Safety, and Community Standards

All members and visitors are expected to maintain respectful, safe, and professional conduct while representing Black Flag Jiu-Jitsu both in person and online.

Harassment, unsafe training behavior, discrimination, or actions that damage the gym’s culture or reputation may result in immediate disciplinary action.

Approved Gear and Branding (Competition Programs)

Competition Team athletes are expected to wear gym-approved gear at competitions whenever possible. At minimum, competition apparel must include Black Flag Jiu-Jitsu branding unless prior written approval is granted.

Communication Consent and Contact

By submitting forms on our website, enrolling in programs, or otherwise providing contact information, you consent to receive communication from Black Flag Jiu-Jitsu, including:

  • Scheduling updates

  • Membership notices

  • Program announcements

  • Promotional or informational messages

By submitting you also consent to be reached by call, text, or email as well.

SMS Opt-In

By providing your phone number, you consent to receive SMS messages. Standard messaging rates may apply. You may opt out at any time by replying STOP or contacting us directly.

Privacy Policy

We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information.

Information We Collect

We may collect personal information including name, email address, phone number, IP address, and browser details when you:

  • Submit forms

  • Register for accounts

  • Leave comments

  • Communicate with us

Comments

When visitors leave comments, we collect the data shown in the comments form, as well as IP address and browser user agent string to help with spam detection.

An anonymized hash of your email address may be shared with Gravatar to display profile images. Gravatar’s privacy policy is available at https://automattic.com/privacy/.

Media Uploads

If you upload images to our website, avoid including embedded location data (EXIF GPS). Visitors may be able to extract location data from uploaded images.

Cookies

We use cookies to:

  • Remember login sessions

  • Save user preferences

  • Improve site functionality

Cookies may be set when you leave comments, log in, or interact with the site. You can disable cookies through your browser settings, though site functionality may be affected.

Embedded Content

Articles or pages may include embedded content (videos, images, posts). Embedded content behaves as if you visited the external site directly and may collect data or track interactions according to that site’s policies.

Data Sharing

We do not sell your personal information. Data may be shared only when necessary for:

  • Site functionality

  • Security

  • Spam detection

  • Password resets

If you request a password reset, your IP address may be included in the reset email.

Data Retention

Comments and related metadata may be retained indefinitely for moderation and administrative purposes.

Registered users may view, edit, or delete their personal information at any time, except usernames. Administrators may also access this data for operational purposes.

Your Data Rights

You may request:

  • An export of your personal data

  • Deletion of personal data, subject to legal, administrative, or security obligations

Requests can be submitted in writing.

Where Your Data Is Sent

Visitor comments may be checked through automated spam detection services.

Policy Updates

We reserve the right to update these policies at any time. Continued use of our website or services constitutes acceptance of any changes.

Contact Information

For questions regarding memberships, policies, or privacy, please contact us directly through the contact information listed on our website.