BYLAWS AND RULES OF THE

 

PORT WASHINGTON SOCCER CLUB, INC.

 

(Formerly known as the Port Washington Jr. Soccer Club)

 

 

 

Revised January 2003

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

Article I                       Offices

 

Article II                      Purposes

 

Article III                     Participants

 

Article IV                     Board Members

 

Article V                      Business of the Club

 

Article VI                     Changing the Bylaws

 

Article VII                   Rules

 

Article VIII                  Changing the Rules

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Article I           OFFICES

 

 

A.               The principal office of the corporation shall be in the State of New York, County of Nassau.

 

B.        The Corporation may also have offices at such other places within or without this state as the Board may from time to time determine or the business of the corporation may require.

 

 

 

 

 

Article II                      PURPOSES

 

 

The purposes for which this corporation has been organized are as follows:

 

A.               To foster, promote and encourage sports, sportsmanship, physical contests athletic leagues and athletic institutions, particularly at the juvenile level, as a means of building character as well as physical health and well-being among the younger generation in order to fit them more adequately for their future role in society.

 

B.              To provide for the enjoyment and entertainment of its Members by encouraging and promoting the sport of soccer, and to promote friendship, sociability and physical recreation among its Members. 

 

C.              To do any other act or thing incidental to or connected with the foregoing purposes or in the advancement thereof, but not for the pecuniary profit or financial gain of its Members, directors or officers, except as permitted by law under Article 5 of the Not-For-Profit Corporation Law

 

 

 

 

 

Article III                     CLUB PARTICIPANTS

 

 

A.               PARTICIPATION

 

There will be three different classes of participation in the club.

 

 

Any child who wishes to play soccer and who is 4 or more years of age but not more than 18 years old as of August 1 of the year of participation, in conformance with the policy of LIJSL.

 

1.               Member.  Shall be Officers and Directors of the Club, commissioners, traveling team head coaches and assistant coaches.  Each officer and director is entitled to one vote at general meetings.  One commissioner for boys and one for girls per age group and one coach per travel team are also entitled to one vote at general meetings.  Where an individual holds more than one role that individual may cast only one vote but his or her assistant may cast the vote of the corresponding age group or travel team.

 

 

2.               Advisor.  Parents of players and other interested parties.  May attend general meetings, and may speak if acknowledged by the President.

 

B.              MEETINGS OF THE MEMBERSHIP

 

1.               Regular meetings of the membership will take place on the second Tuesday of every month. 

 

2.               The annual membership meeting will take place in January of each year at the regularly scheduled meeting date.  This meeting will provide for elections of Board Members, and such elections shall be the seventh order of business at that meeting and for the transaction of such other business as may come before the membership.  Nominations will be held the previous December at the regularly scheduled meeting date.

 

3.               Voting at regular meetings shall be by all Members, save that each Member shall have one vote.  Other Members not attending may not leave proxies.

 

 

C.              SPECIAL MEETINGS

 

 

1.               Special meetings may be called at any time by the President, by written request of a majority of the Board of Directors or a majority of the Head Coaches or Intramural Age Group Commissioners.  The Secretary shall notify all Members in writing at least three (3) days but not more than twenty-one (21) days before the scheduled date of such meeting.  Such notice shall state the date, time, place and purpose of the meeting and by whom called.

 

2.               No other business but that specified in the notice may be transacted at such special meeting without the unanimous consent of all present at such meeting.

 

 

D.              QUORUM PROCEDURE

 

1.               The presence at a regular or special meeting of not less than twelve (12) Members eligible to vote shall constitute a quorum and shall be necessary to conduct the business of the Corporation.  However, a lesser number may adjourn the meeting for a period of not more than 3 weeks from the date scheduled by the bylaws and the secretary shall notify all Members not present at the meeting originally called of the rescheduled date.  A quorum as hereinbefore set forth shall be required at any adjourned meeting.

 

 

 

E.               VOTING ELIGIBILITY

 

1.         The Board will fix a date for the purpose of determining voting eligibility.  The Secretary will prepare a roll of eligible Members and present it at the next regular meeting where affected individuals or groups may express consent or dissent.  This roll may be amended at any time as Members may join or leave the club, and the roll may be called at the pleasure of the presiding officer at any general meeting.                        

 

 

 

 

F.               ORDER OF BUSINESS

 

The order of business at all meetings of the general membership shall be as follows:

 

1.               Roll Call

2.               Reading of the minutes of the preceding meeting, of any intervening special meeting, and correspondence by the Secretary.

3.               Visitors’ business

4.               Treasurer’s report, written for the club records and read aloud.  The Treasurer’s report will include:

a.               balance on hand

b.               previous balance

c.                revenues

d.               expenses

5.               Reports of Officers.

6.               Reports of Committees.

7.               Nominations and/or elections as applicable.

8.               Old and unfinished business.

9.               New business.

10.            Good and Welfare.

11.           Adjournment.

 

G.              FINANCIAL SUMMARY AND BUDGET

 

1.               The fiscal year of the Corporation shall begin on July 1 and end on

June 30.

 

2.               An annual financial summary and budget must be submitted to the membership by the Board of Directors each May, and be made the seventh order of business at the regular May meeting.  The financial summary will include expenditures and income for the past year.  The budget will forecast expenditures and income for the coming year.  The Board will have responsibility and authority for establishing and implementing each budget.  It shall, however, seek recommendations from the general membership at this May meeting.

 

3.               On the basis of the financial requirements for operation of the club, the Board shall make determination on expenditures, income (including dues and fundraising) and other financial considerations according to its best judgement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Article IV.        BOARD MEMBERS

 

A.               Definition of Board Members

 

  1. The business of the club shall be conducted by a Board comprised of a President, Executive Vice President, Vice President of Intramurals, Vice President of Travel, Vice President of Competition, Secretary, Treasurer and Registrar, as officers, with the counsel and support of seven Directors.  In subsequent language, the first eight shall be referred to as Officers, and the second seven as Directors, and the fifteen shall be referred to collectively as Board Members.

 

 

 

 

2.   Each Board Member shall be at least nineteen years of age and shall have been a Member of the club for at least one year prior to his/her election to the Board.  In addition, the President shall have served a minimum of 1 year on the Board as a prerequisite to his/her election to the Presidency.

 

B.              Election and term of Board members.

 

1.         Officers and Directors shall each be elected for two-year terms. All Officers shall be elected in odd years at the annual meeting in January. Four directors shall be elected in even years, the remaining three directors shall be elected in odd years.

 

2.         If a position on the Board becomes vacant, the Board may, in its discretion, leave the position vacant until the next general elections, or conduct open nominations at a subsequent meeting, followed by a vote of the membership on the new Board Member at the meeting following.  However, no more than one (1) such vacancy shall exist at any one time.  The President may make interim appointees to any Board position at his/her discretion.

 

3.         On the resignation of the President, the Executive Vice President shall take on             all the duties and responsibilities of the President until such time as an election may be    convened.

 

 

 

C.              Attendance:

 

1.               Any Board Member who fails to attend three consecutive Board Meetings will relinquish his/her office.

 

2.         Any team who is not represented at two consecutive meetings by a Member or Advisor, will forfeit its head coach’s Supervisors Pass for one game. Lack of representation at subsequent meetings will be subject to Rule Number 2 a.

 

2a.       If  a team is not represented at three consecutive general meetings by a Member or Advisor, the head coach is suspended from coaching.

 

 

D.              Quorum of Board Members

 

1.               Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, a majority of the entire Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business or of any specified item of business.

 

E.               Action of the Board.

 

1.               Unless otherwise required by law, the vote of a majority of the Board Members present at the time of the vote, if a quorum be present at such time, shall be the act of the Board.  Each Board Member shall have one vote except that the Presiding Officer shall only vote to break a tie.

 

2.               Any action required or permitted to be taken by the Board may be taken without a meeting if all Board Members consent in writing to the adoption of a resolution adopting authorizing the action.

 

F.               Place and time of Board meeting.

 

1.               The Board shall hold monthly meetings at the office of the corporation or at such other places, either within or without the State of New York as it may from time to time determine.  The Board will prepare agendas for the next regular meeting, which will be distributed to the membership at least 24 hours prior to that meeting.

 

G.              Notice of meetings of the Board.

 

1.               Meetings of the Board shall be held upon notice to the Board Members and may be called by the President on at least 3 days notice to each Board Member, either verbally or by mail or by wire; special meetings shall be called by the President or in a like manner by the written request of two Board Members.

 

H.              Chairman.

 

1.               At all meetings of the Board, the President, or in his/her absence the Executive Vice President shall preside.  In the absence of both and the presence of a quorum, the Board shall choose a chairman pro-tempore.

 

 

 

 

Article V.         BUSINESS OF THE CLUB

 

A.               Duties of the Board shall be to conduct the business of the club.  They shall include but not be limited to the following:

 

1.               The Board shall be empowered to make commitments on behalf of the Club not in excess of $2,500 for any item(s) not in the approved budget without prior consultation with the general membership.

 

 

2.               The  Board shall be empowered to form a Grievance Committee to adjudicate complaints or discipline any player, Member or Advisor for conduct detrimental to the Club.

 

a.        The Grievance Committee shall be chaired by the Executive Vice President and two Directors and/or Members appointed by the Board for an annual term, commencing in September. If the complaint involves a Grievance Committee member, that member shall be replaced by the Vice President of Travel.

 

 

b.        Grievances may be brought to the attention of the club by any Member, Advisor or Player. The grievance shall be in written form and presented to the Executive Vice President.

 

 

 

c.         The “accused” shall be advised of the complaint in writing, given a fair opportunity to respond and provided at least one weeks notice of a hearing. A hearing shall be mandatory in the case of sanctions.

 

d.         The Board may at its discretion, suspend any player, Member, Advisor, Board Member or Executive Officer from participation on club activities. The Board may withdraw a coach or player’s pass for conduct detrimental to the Club.

 

e.        Decisions of the Grievance Committee shall be final, absent a finding of “good cause” by the President. Appeal shall be made to the Executive Committee.

 

 

3.               All L.I.J.S.L. teams will have coaches assigned to them by the Board.

 

a.               It is the intention of the club to have this coach be a volunteer, however, if a qualified coach is not available, the team may be allowed to hire a coach at its own expense, subject to the approval of the Board.

 

B.              Duties of the Board Members shall include but not be limited to the following:

 

1.               President.

 

a.               The President shall be the chief executive officer of the corporation; except as provided in Article V. Section B. 2. a.  He/She shall preside at all meetings of the membership and of the Board; he/she shall have the general management of the affairs of the corporation and shall see that all orders and resolutions of the club are carried into effect.

 

b.               The President shall appoint individuals or committees as he/she sees fit or as the membership recommends.

 

c.                The President shall co-sign all checks.

 

d.               The President shall be responsible for seeing that the club is properly represented where its best interests are concerned.

 

e.               The President shall be ex-officio a member of all committees.

 

f.                 He/She shall appoint a standing rules and bylaws committee to bring resolutions and recommendations for rules and bylaws changes and interpretations before the Board.  Requests for advice and interpretation must be submitted in writing and returned to the requesting party in writing.  Requests for rules and bylaws changes must be returned verbatim in written form to the general membership with the recommendations of the Rules Committee and/or Board appended.

 

2.               Vice Presidents

 

a.               During the absence or disability of the President, the Executive Vice President shall have all the powers and functions of the President except the powers outlined in Article V., Section B. 1. b. above.  Additional Vice Presidents shall perform such duties, as the President shall prescribe.

 

3.               Treasurer.

 

a.               The Treasurer shall have the care and custody of all the funds and securities of the corporation, and shall deposit said funds in the name of the corporation in such bank or trust company as the Board may direct; he/she shall when duly authorized by the Board, sign and execute all contracts in the name of the corporation, when countersigned by the President; he/she shall also sign all checks, drafts, notes and orders for the payment of money, which have been duly authorized by the Board and countersigned by the President; at the office of the corporation during ordinary business hours of the club he/she shall at all reasonable times exhibit his/her books and accounts to any director or Member of the corporation upon written application.

 

b.               He/She shall prepare a monthly report in writing which shall be read or distributed to the membership at the regular monthly meeting, and made a part of the clubs records detailing previous and present balances, income and expenses.

 

c.                He/She shall prepare financial summaries and government filings for the past year and budget forecasts for the subsequent year at the May meeting. 

 

4.               Assistant Treasurer.

 

a.               The President shall appoint an Assistant Treasurer from among the Directors to serve in the absence of the Treasurer.

 

 

 

5.               Secretary.

 

a.               The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the meetings of the Board and also the minutes of the meetings of the general membership.

 

b.               The Secretary shall have the custody of the seal of the corporation and shall affix and attest the same to documents when duly authorized by the Board.  He/She shall attend to the giving and serving of all notices of the corporation, and shall have charge of such books and papers as the Board shall direct; he/she shall attend to such correspondence as may be assigned to him, and perform all the duties incidental to his/her office.

 

c.                The Secretary shall keep the membership roll containing the names, alphabetically arranged, of all persons who are Members of the club, showing their places of residence and their date of admission to membership.

 

d.               At monthly general meetings, the Secretary shall indicate to the membership all relevant correspondence and read any or all correspondence on request.  The Secretary will maintain public chronological records of: 1) Minutes of general membership meetings and special membership meetings; 2) Minutes of Board meetings and special Board meetings.

 

6.               Assistant Secretary.

 

a.               The President shall appoint an Assistant Secretary from among the Directors to serve in absence of the Secretary.

 

 

 

7.               Registrar

 

a.     The Registrar shall be responsible for maintaining all player records.

 

b.     The Registrar shall determine age groups in which players shall participate.

 

c.      The Registrar shall coordinate player registration for Spring and Fall programs and deliver all registration fees to the Treasurer, appropriately marked.

 

d.     The Registrar shall inform the Treasurer of the number of players in each age group who have been authorized scholarships for registration.

 

e.     The Registrar shall ensure that all players are legal and of proper age before players or teams are allowed to participate in any league or intramural game.

 

 

8.               Multiple Offices.

 

a.               No officer may hold more than one office.

 

 

9.               Directors.

 

a.               Directors will serve on the Board and participate in the deliberations of the Board.

 

10.            Sureties and Bonds.

 

a.               In the event that the Board so requires, any officer or agent of the corporation shall execute to the corporation a bond in such sum and with such surety or sureties as the Board may direct, conditioned upon the faithful performance of his/her duties to the corporation, and including responsibility for negligence and for the accounting for all property, funds, or securities of the corporation which may come into his/her hands.

 

b.               The cost of the Bond shall be the clubs expense.

 

Article VI.        CHANGING THE BYLAWS

 

A.               The bylaws may be adopted, amended or repealed by a majority vote of the Members at the Annual General Meeting.  The proposed changes to the bylaws must be submitted in writing {to the Rules Committee per Article V, Section B, 1. F.) at least 30 days prior to the Annual General Meeting.

 

B.              Emergency changes in the bylaws may only be made by a majority vote of the Members at a special meeting called expressly for this purpose.  The procedure for calling such a meeting is detailed in Article III, Section C, 1.

 

C.              Meetings of the Membership shall be conducted under Robert’s Rules of Order except that any provisions of these bylaws shall take precedence over any provisions of Robert’s Rules.

 

Article VII.      RULES

 

A.         It is the policy of this club to provide an organized soccer program, enabling all children to have the opportunity to participate and grow, in an orderly fashion, to their ultimate individual capabilities.  The purpose of these rules is to foster that policy.

 

B.              The club will endeavor to maintain soccer training and game playing for children from ages 5 through 12.

 

 

C.              The club may form intramural teams at any age level.  Assignments will be made to intramural teams to establish equivalent competitive levels between teams.  Intramural players shall be permitted to play in intramural tournaments so long as such participation does not conflict with the intramural program.  Interested coaches and children shall inform their commissioner, who shall construct teams of equal capability from the pool of players available utilizing intact intramural teams to the extent possible.  In addition, an all-star intramural team may be entered in one spring and one winter tournament in third grade.  That team shall be constructed by the commissioner on the basis of selections made by each intramural coach in the age group.  A team participating in a tournament may have up to three extra practices as a team prior to the tournament. All costs for the tournament shall be borne by the participants in the tournament, except where approved by the Club.

 

D.              In addition, beginning in the second grade, intramural players may play in an informal league so long as such participation does not conflict with the intramural program.  The commissioner shall construct teams of equal ability from the pool of players available and shall ensure that all intramural players are made aware of the opportunity.  Beginning in the second grade, one extra practice a week may be held beyond those for which the club provides a trainer as long as such practices are open to all interested players.

 

E.               The club may form Long Island Junior Soccer League (L.I.J.S.L.), C.Y.O., or other travel teams starting at the “under 10” age group.  Assignments to any newly formed travel team shall be made on the basis of ability as determined by the judgment of the Competition Committee, which shall be formed by the Vice President of Competition. Selection of players for existing travel teams shall be made on the basis of ability as determined by the coach or coaches through tryouts as described below. 

 

 

F.               It is expected that children shall generally play in their own age group.  A child may play on a travel team in an older age group if he or she otherwise qualifies.  Before a child may play on a travel team in an older age group, the child’s parents must apply to the Board in writing and then consult with the Board or its delegate(s) concerning the advisability of “playing up.”  The final decision, however, shall be made by the parents.  A child may not play on an intramural team in an older age group without Board approval.

 

G.              The term “A” team will mean the team which, in a particular age group, has achieved the highest level of play in the L.I.J.S.L. and, if two teams compete in the same division, the team with the better won/lost record over the previous season, spring or fall.  Other teams competing in the same age group will be called the B, C, D, and E teams (and so on) according to the above criteria.

 

H.              A travel team may not include more than 18 players.  Once a team has 18 players, the coach may not review new players except at public tryouts.

 

In accordance with LIJSL policy. U-10 teams shall include no more than 14 players; U-11 teams shall include no more than 15 players.

 

I.                 Public tryouts for all travel teams will take place during the spring season, before the third week in June.  The Board of Directors shall announce the dates of public tryouts no later than the May general meeting.  Every coach and child shall be notified.  The open tryouts shall be publicized at least two weeks prior to the date, with an alternative rain date listed as well.  All players trying out shall be notified of the results by the coach as quickly as possible.  Higher level teams must hold tryouts prior to the lower division teams in their age group.  Players must be informed of their status before the lower division teams hold tryouts, so that they may tryout for the lower division teams.  Alternatively, coaches with teams in the same age group may elect to have combined tryouts, with the coaches then selecting players according to the rank order of the teams.  This method of combined tryouts is recommended for selection of travel teams in the first year (U-10).

 

J.               Late applicants shall undergo review by the coaches of the teams according to the ranking of the teams.

 

 

K.               The Board shall have full discretion in the selection of coaches for the travel and intramural teams.  The Board may replace a coach or assistant coach at any time.  Persons interested in serving as coach of a travel team shall notify the Board no later than the January meeting for teams being formed the following spring.  Travel team coaches shall have full discretion in selecting their assistants.  Incumbent travel team coaches shall remain the same unless removed by the club, or unless they step down by their own by their own desire.

 

L.               Each travel team coach shall have full discretion in the selection of players.  There shall be no appeal of selection decisions.

 

M.             For the first (U-10) year only, the teams thus chosen will remain the same for the fall and spring seasons, and in no event will a child be involuntarily deleted from a team unless the Board approves the coaches recommendation to that effect.  A child will be brought up a competitive level during the year only if the team requesting additional players cannot meet its commitments to field a team because of injuries or withdrawals.  In all cases, L.I.J.S.L. or other relevant league eligibility rules shall apply.  When a child is already playing on a travel team, a coach of another travel team may not solicit the child for a tryout without first alerting the child’s current coach.

 

N.              All travel teams must wear the club uniform and use the club warm-ups (optional purchase) and club sports bag (optional purchase).  C.Y.O. teams must wear the club shorts and socks, but in accordance with C.Y.O. rules shall wear the parish representative shirt so long as it is the same color as other travel teams.  All intramural teams must wear the club T-shirt.

 

O.              Except as required by L.I.J.S.L. or other league rules, there shall be no residency requirements for travel or intramural players.

 

P.               All travel teams must practice in Port Washington.  If a travel team desires to practice outside of Port Washington, then a written request must be submitted to the Board of Directors providing; the field location, a field permit, day(s) and time of practice.  The Board will review the request and, if approved, a valid Certificate of Insurance must be obtained with any cost borne by the team involved.

 

Q.              All head coaches in the Port Washington Soccer Club will be required to attain approved licenses from the L.I.J.S.L.  The Leagues coaching academy issues the licenses after successful completion of the respective courses.  A “C” license will be mandatory for the U-10 through U-13 age groups; a “B” license will be mandatory for the U-14 and U-15 age groups.  The club will attempt to provide course training in Port Washington, whenever possible.  There will be a one season waiver (i.e. fall or spring) for new coaches if they are unable to attend a course prior to, or during their first season.  If we cannot find enough coaches to provide such a course then an equivalent course will be taught by a non accredited instructor from within the club.  The instructor will be of professional caliber.

 

 

r.          A medical release form, which must be notarized, will be in the possession of each travel team head coach for each of his/her registered players.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Article VIII.     CHANGING THE RULES

 

A.               The rules may be adopted, amended or repealed by the membership at the Annual General Meeting.  Any proposed changes to the rules must be submitted in writing to the Rules Committee per Article V, Section B, 1.f. at the prior membership meeting or earlier.

 

B.              Emergency changes in the rules may only be made by a majority vote of the general membership at a special meeting called expressly for this purpose.  The procedure for calling such a meeting is detailed in Article III, Section C, 1.