HeyRookie | Accessibility Statement

Accessibility Statement

Last Updated: June 15, 2025

Our Commitment to Accessibility

HeyRookie is committed to ensuring our sports blog is accessible to all visitors, including people with disabilities. We believe everyone should have equal access to our content and that accessible design benefits all users. We are continually working to improve the user experience for everyone and to apply relevant accessibility standards in our site development. Accessibility is viewed as an ongoing journey for us – while we’ve made progress, we acknowledge there is always more to do, and we strive to be transparent and inclusive in our efforts.

Standards and Compliance Goals

We aim to meet or exceed the requirements of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at the AA level. These guidelines are an internationally recognized standard for web accessibility, and adhering to them helps make web content usable for everyone. At present, HeyRookie is partially conformant with WCAG 2.1 Level AA. Partially conformant means that some parts of our content do not fully meet the accessibility standards yet. Our goal is full WCAG 2.1 AA compliance over time, and we are dedicated to working towards that goal through ongoing improvements and regular reviews of the site.

We are also mindful of the diverse legal requirements and expectations of our audience. In the United States, we recognize the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and related guidelines, and in Canada, we consider relevant accessibility laws and principles of inclusive design. By following WCAG 2.1 AA standards, we intend to fulfill these obligations and provide an accessible experience that aligns with both U.S. and Canadian expectations. While not all content may currently be fully compliant, we are making good-faith efforts to bridge any gaps in accessibility.

Accessibility Features Implemented

To support our accessibility goals, HeyRookie incorporates a number of features and best practices designed to improve usability for all visitors. Notable measures we have implemented include:

Alternative Text for Images: All informative images on our site are accompanied by descriptive alt text so that users with visual impairments or those using screen readers can understand their content. We write alt text to be concise yet meaningful, conveying the purpose of each image.
Sufficient Colour Contrast: We have chosen colour combinations for text, backgrounds, and interface elements that meet the recommended contrast ratios under WCAG guidelines. This helps ensure that text is readable for people with low vision or colour blindness. We avoid colour pairings that could make distinguishing text or important graphics difficult.
Readable Fonts and Structure: Our site uses clear, legible fonts and a consistent layout to enhance readability. We use proper HTML heading structures and logical page ordering so that content is presented in a well-organized manner for all users, including those using assistive technologies. The primary language of our site is defined in the code to aid screen reader accuracy, and we structure content in a sequential, meaningful order.
Keyboard Navigation: We have designed our website to be navigable via keyboard alone, for visitors who cannot use a mouse. Interactive elements (such as menus and links) can be accessed and operated through keyboard controls. This practice follows inclusive design principles to support users of switch devices or screen readers. We regularly test key user paths (like reading blog posts, using the menu, and submitting forms) to confirm they are usable with keyboard navigation.
Assistive Technology Compatibility: We are committed to making our site usable with assistive technologies such as screen readers, voice recognition tools, and keyboard-only navigation. While we have not yet conducted formal testing, we are building the site on the Wix platform using accessible features. Our goal is to ensure that interactive elements like menus and links can be understood and used by all visitors, and we plan to conduct accessibility testing as the site grows. We aim to improve compatibility by avoiding overly complex design elements and following modern web standards whenever possible.
Use of Wix Accessibility Tools: HeyRookie is built on the Wix platform, and we have utilized Wix’s built-in accessibility features. For example, we ran the Wix Accessibility Wizard to identify and fix potential issues and have made all recommended adjustments. This includes setting the site’s language, organizing content in a logical reading order, and reducing any unnecessary motion or animations. We chose templates and plugins with accessibility in mind, and we continue to monitor Wix updates for new accessibility features.

Ongoing Efforts and Improvements

We understand that web accessibility is an ongoing process. Accessibility is a journey, not a one-time project, and we continuously work to improve our site’s accessibility. Our team (a small, solo operation) stays informed about best practices and periodically reviews the website for potential issues. We plan to conduct regular audits of new content and use available tools to test for accessibility compliance. When we publish new blog posts or add features, we do so with accessibility in mind — for instance, by writing descriptive link text, using headings in order, and testing form elements.

Despite our best efforts, we recognize that not all content may yet fully meet WCAG 2.1 AA criteria. There may be areas of the site or older posts that need adjustments to reach full compliance. We are actively identifying and addressing such areas. For example, if we discover an image lacking alt text or a piece of media without captions, we prioritize fixing it as soon as possible. We also strive to exceed the minimum requirements where we can; as an example, we attempt to implement some AAA-level guidelines when feasible to further enhance accessibility (such as avoiding the use of images of text, whenever practical).

Our commitment is to continual improvement. We will update this accessibility statement at least annually, or more frequently as we make significant improvements. We value learning and growing in our accessibility knowledge, and we may seek feedback from users or experts to guide our enhancements. By making incremental changes over time, we aim to achieve full compliance and provide a truly inclusive experience for all our readers.

Third-Party Content and Limitations

While we strive to make the entire HeyRookie website accessible, some limitations may be beyond our control. Our site occasionally includes content from or links to third-party websites and services, such as affiliate links, advertisements, or embedded media.

Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accessibility of content that is not produced or managed by us. This includes, for example, links to external sports news sites or U.S.-based sports betting partners we may affiliate with. Third-party sites are responsible for their own accessibility compliance, and their accessibility features or policies might vary.

We will provide a notice or disclaimer when linking to third-party content that might have accessibility limitations. For instance, if a blog post contains a promotional widget or video from an outside source that we suspect may not fully meet WCAG standards, we will indicate this for our users. We consider our site partially compliant in cases where a page’s content is dependent on third-party widgets or frames that we cannot alter.

Despite these limitations, we are selective about the third-party content we use and strive to partner with services that share our commitment to accessibility. If you encounter a problem with an external site we link to (such as an affiliate product page that is not accessible), please let us know. We will attempt to contact that third party or provide an accessible alternative if possible. Your feedback can help us and our partners improve.

(Note: HeyRookie does not have any physical business location open to the public. This accessibility statement is focused on our digital content. Any references to physical accommodations are not applicable at this time.)

Feedback and Contact Information

We welcome feedback on the accessibility of the HeyRookie website and are here to assist with any issues. If you experience any difficulty accessing our content, notice any accessibility problems, or have suggestions for improvement, please reach out to us. We take accessibility feedback seriously and will do our best to address your concerns and provide you with the information or accommodations you need.

The site owner monitors this email for accessibility-related queries. Please include a description of the problem you encountered and the page or feature where it occurred.

We are a small operation, but we are dedicated to responding to accessibility issues promptly. You can generally expect a response within 2 business days. Where possible, we will resolve the issue immediately. If a fix will take longer, we will let you know the expected timeline and keep you updated.

Thank you for visiting HeyRookie. We are committed to making our site welcoming and usable for everyone, and your experience matters to us. Together, we can improve the accessibility and inclusivity of our content.