By laws

Contents:

Article I Name & Location

Article II Objective

Article III Executive Board

Article IV Meetings

Article V Duties of Officers

Article VI Team Organization

Article VII Boys & girls Participation

Article

VIII Coaching Staff

Article IX Registration

Article X Playing Schedule & Tournaments/Play-offs

Article XI Provision for Insurance

Article XII Financial Policy

Article XIII Amending the Bylaws

Article XIV Hardship

Article XV Miscellaneous

Article XVI Complaint Procedure

Certification

By this notice, the Executive Board of the South Windsor Boy’s Lacrosse, Inc. does hereby certify the following to be a true and correct copy of the Bylaws of this organization. The Executive Board reserves the right to modify, add or delete any portion thereof, and to adjust these Bylaws to conform to the Connecticut Valley Youth Lacrosse, rules, changes or modifications.

Article I – Name and Location

The name of this organization shall be: South Windsor Boy’s Lacrosse, Inc. and shall be located in the Town of South Windsor, Connecticut. This organization shall be known in an abbreviated manner as South Windsor Boy’s Lacrosse, or SWBL.

Article II – Objective

The objective of this organization is: To instill in the youth of the Town of South Windsor the principles of good citizenship, sportsmanship, and knowledge in the competitive fundamentals of the game of lacrosse. It is the purpose of the South Windsor Boy’s Lacrosse organization to teach the participating youths, conditioning, discipline and teamwork as it pertains to lacrosse, and to develop among the participants a winning attitude, which will be carried both on and off the field of play.

Article III – Executive Board

1)     Composition of Executive Board

a)      The Executive Board is comprised of ten (10) positions which include: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, League Representative, Field/Equipment Manager, Fundraising/Apparel Coordinator, Referee Coordinator, Event Coordinator and Coaching Coordinator.

b)     Executive Board positions are for a two (2) year term; beginning August 1st and ending on July 31st. Odd years will be elections for the Secretary, League Representative, Coaching Coordinator, Referee Coordinator and Field/Equipment Manager. Even years will be President, Vice President, League Representative, Event Coordinator and Treasurer. Treasurer will close the books as of Dec 31st, and submit all financial information to the accountant by the middle of January. In even years all books, checks and balance sheets will be turned over to the newly elected treasurer before August 1st of the year following the elections. Notice shall be sent to all families involved in the program of upcoming elections requesting nominations or interested parties shall attend the next meeting to express their intention. Notice shall be sent via email and it shall be posted on the website the month preceding the upcoming election.

c)      Executive Board members absent from three (3) Executive Board meetings, including special meetings, in a given year may be removed from the Executive Board with a two -thirds vote.

d)     One (1) person can hold two (2) positions on the Executive Board but will only be permitted to cast one (1) vote. If there are not enough people to fill the ten (10) Executive Board positions in any given year, the top five (5) Executive Board positions must be filled. The top five positions are: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and League Representative. All other Executive Board positions, if they cannot be filled, will be taken care of by the top five (5) Executive Board members, but each Executive Board member will still only have one (1) vote each.

e)     Any Executive Board member can also be a coach.

f)       Any Executive Board member who is expelled from the Executive Board shall not ever be able to return as an Executive Board member.

g)      The President must have at least one (1) year of involvement with the SWBL organization;

h)     In the event a board member chooses to resign, that board member must submit resignation to the President, or in the case of the President, to the Vice President. Thirty (30) days’ notice is preferred, but not required. Notice shall be sent to all families prior to the next board meeting of the open position for nominations, and then election shall be held at next board meeting. Newly elected position shall be for remaining term, however long is remaining.

2)     Functions/Responsibilities of Executive Board

a)      Rules/Regulations of the playing program of South Windsor Boy’s Lacrosse to include:

i)       Coach’s conduct

ii)      Player eligibility

iii)    Player conduct

iv)    Grievance arbitration

v)      Uphold the rules prescribed by the league in which SWBL participates

vi)    Expenditure of funds

b)     A two-thirds majority of the Executive Board shall be required for the following:

i)       Expenditure of funds exceeding five hundred dollars ($500.00) if not already included in approved budget

ii)      Determination of registration fees

iii)    Removal of an Executive Board member or coach associated with the South Windsor Boy’s Lacrosse organization

c)      All Executive Board members will be elected at the June meeting to serve for a term of two (2) years unless appointed during off years. The newly elected Executive Board members will assume their positions as the first item of business at the August meeting.

d)     The Executive Board members shall be nominated/elected based on their character, adherence to organizational objectives, and ability to perform their required duties.

e)     Any Executive Board member demonstrating conduct deemed to be unfitting of an Executive Board member as determined by his/her fellow Executive Board members, or who causes the program to suffer in the public eye, shall be removed from office by a two-third vote of the Executive Board members and eligible association voters present at the meeting where the unbecoming behavior is presented. The removed individual shall be notified in writing.

f)       Any Executive Board member not fulfilling the duties of their position shall be notified and reminded of the expectations associated with their role. Continued failure to fulfill responsibilities, duties or expectations shall be removed from office by a two-third vote of the Executive Board members.

g)      Any Executive Board member with a position that requires a key to the SWBL PO Box or equipment shed shall receive only that key. The President shall designate an alternate who shall receive a copy of all keys necessary by the organization.

Article IV – Meetings

1)     Regular meetings shall be held on a day of the month to be agreed upon by the board on or before the August meeting. The board shall meet at least once a month in January, February, March, April, May, June, August, September, October, November and December in person, via conference call or electronically. The June meeting is designated as the “Annual Meeting.”

2)     Meetings will be presided over by the President. In his/her absence, the Vice President will assume the duties. In the event both officers are not present, the Treasurer will preside.

3)     Special meetings may be called by the President or by a two-third majority of all members of the Executive Board.

4)     In all matters not covered by the bylaws of the league, Robert’s Rule of Order shall govern.

5)     A quorum shall consist of half, plus one (i.e. 6 in a full Executive Board), of all Executive Board members, and must exist at a board meeting in order to conduct business.

6)     Voting:

a)      Voting shall be restricted to members of the Executive Board and member participants who have attended in its entirety three (3) out of the prior four (4) meetings (the “non-Executive Board Members”).

b)     Each Executive Board Member shall have one (1) vote. Each non-Executive Board Member shall have one (1) vote unless there are more than three (3) non-Executive Board Members eligible to vote on a specific matter. Under these circumstances, the maximum number of votes that the non-Executive Board Members shall have is three (3). The votes shall be made by one non-Executive Board Member and shall be cast in favor of the issue decided by a majority of the non-Executive Board Members eligible to vote. If there is a tie, then the non-Executive Board Member who has attended the most meetings in the prior twelve (12) months shall break the tie and all votes shall be voted according to said person’s vote. Examples to illustrate this Section are as follows: (i) Five (5) non-Executive Board Members are eligible to vote on a particular matter. Three (3) are in favor of the motion and two (2) are against the motion. The result is all three (3) votes that the non-Executive Board Members have are voted in favor of the motion. (ii) Six (6) non-Executive Board Members are eligible to vote on a particular matter. Three (3) are in favor of the motion and three (3) are against the motion. The non-Executive Board Member who has attended the most meetings in the prior twelve (12) months shall cast the deciding vote and all three (3) votes by the non-Executive Board Members shall be voted in accordance with the deciding vote.

c)      In the event of a tie, the President’s vote shall determine pass or fail of a motion. However, if the President is not at the meeting, then the motion will be voted on at the next meeting. If the motion can’t wait until the next meeting, the Vice President will call the President the following day for his/her vote.

Article V – Duties of Officers

1)     The President shall:

a)      Conduct the affairs of the South Windsor Boy’s Lacrosse and execute the policies established by the Board of Directors;

b)     Conduct all meetings according to the By-laws of the SWBL program;

c)      Appoint all committees;

d)     Be an ex-officio member of all committees;

e)     Communicate to the Board of Directors such matters that are appropriate and make suggestions to promote the welfare of the SWBL;

f)       Be responsible for the conduct of the SWBL and insure conformity to the policies, principles, rules and regulations of the CTVYL;

g)      Investigate complaints, irregularities and conditions detrimental to SWBL and report thereon to the Board as circumstances warrant;

h)     Approve a proposed annual budget to the Board of Directors; and

i)       Maintain business filings with the state of Connecticut.

2)     The Vice President Shall:

a)      Administrate the Executive Board in the absence of the President;

b)     Be a representative for the organization and league for committees when necessary.

c)      Be an ex-officio member of all committees; and

d)     Prepare all lacrosse paperwork and submit to the league and ensure that the head coach of each level has a file on hand at all times with copies of all registrations and rule forms with parents’ signatures. Paperwork includes

i)       Register all players and coaches for US Lacrosse

ii)      Make sure year-round policies are renewed

iii)    Issue insurance policies for individual occasions (i.e. tournaments)

iv)    Issue insurance policies for all teams

v)      Provide US Lacrosse numbers for players who require for outside play

vi)    Maintain and follow up on all occurrence paperwork for our players and opposing players injured on our fields

3)     The Secretary shall:

a)      Record and distribute minutes of the monthly meeting to all attending such meeting;

b)     Distribute minutes prior to the next monthly meeting;

c)      Make all Executive Board members aware of the monthly/special meetings prior to the meeting;

d)     Hold a file on all businesses and their phone numbers for fundraising committees as a back-up;

e)     Be custodian of South Windsor Boy’s Lacrosse official records;

f)       Be responsible for distributing the mailings and notifications of registration;

g)      Set up and monitor registration for all levels for the Spring season; and

h)     Keep all By-law changes and will report such changes to the Board.

4)     The Treasurer shall:

a)      Be responsible for the timely acquiring, depositing and distribution of all funds;

b)     Be required to make a monthly accounting to the Executive Board, (including copies of monthly bank statements);

c)      Assist in preparation of the annual budget;

d)     Maintain an up-to-date balance sheet;

e)     Coordinate with the SWBL accountant to submit all necessary documentation for annual taxes;

f)       Perform such duties as are customarily incidental to the office of treasurer or may be assigned by the Board of Directors;

g)      Hold all volunteer checks and coordinate with coaches to evaluate whether families have met the volunteer requirements;

h)     Work with the referee coordinator to identify the cost of refs for the year and distribute cash to each team to pay referees for home games; and

i)       Submit an annual statement at the January meeting.

5)     The League Representative shall:

a)      Attend all league/Conference meetings and report back information to the South Windsor Boy’s Lacrosse Executive Board;

b)     Bring to the League/Conference all correspondence, dues, payments insurance premiums, town registration forms, player restrictions, etc.

c)      Act in the capacity of spokesperson between South Windsor Boy’s Lacrosse and the league/Conference.

6)     The Field/Equipment Manager shall:

a)      Be responsible for the purchase/receipt of equipment from vendors;

b)     Be required to maintain an inventory of equipment on hand, including condition of said equipment and report on such inventory at the annual meeting in June and prior to the start of official practices, or as requested;

c)      Be responsible for coordination with the Head Coaches to ensure end of season collection of all equipment;

d)     Make sure the field(s) and related equipment are ready for the usage at the beginning of the season, equipment inventoried/put away at the end of the season and be the primary interface with appropriate town of South Windsor officials to ensure timely field readiness.

e)     Issue insurance pre-season for all fields and file appropriate paperwork with South Windsor Parks & Rec Department.

f)       Coordinate practice schedules with head coaches throughout program and create a practice schedule to provide to South Windsor Parks & Rec Department no later than March 1^st of each year.

7)     The Fundraising Coordinator shall:

a)      Be responsible for formulating a series of Board approved fundraisers to be scheduled throughout the year;

b)     Hold a file on all businesses and their phone numbers for fundraising committees;

c)      Provide the treasurer with projected fundraising amounts for the upcoming year by December 31^st;

d)     Be responsible for developing, managing and monitoring volunteer checks and hours in conjunction with the board and individual level head coaches; and

e)     Shall chair a Fundraising Committee of an adequate number of members to bring about a successful fundraising campaign.

8)     The Apparel/Social Media Coordinator shall:

a)      Be responsible for ordering all apparel at a reasonable price and maintain an accurate inventory;

b)     Keep a written record of distribution of all uniforms/equipment, signed by parent/guardian;

c)      Be responsible for an accurate record of all expenditures and income from apparel sales;

d)     Be responsible for the organizing, purchasing and selling of SWBL merchandise;

e)     Manage the website social media accounts for South Windsor Boys Lacrosse; and

f)       Be responsible for ordering concessions and organizing volunteers in the event of the board deciding to open concessions for special events

9)     Coaching Coordinator

a)      Develop structure of head coach roles as well as expectations of player development fundamentally at each level for board approval;

b)     Develop training programs designed to reinforce the goals and objectives of our program;

c)      Develop pool of candidates for head coaching positions and make recommendations for head coach at November board meeting for approval;

d)     Monitor teams during season to ensure that our objectives are being achieved at each level, if necessary intervene to ensure objectives are met;

e)     Deal with any sportsmanship related issues as first point of contact

10)  Referee Coordinator

a)      Schedule and assign officials for all home games at the Junior and Senior level

i)       Coordinate with the Bantam coach and/or team manager to create a roster of referees, ideally volunteer referees; and

b)     Deal with officiating related issues regarding scheduling.

Article VI – Team Organization

1)     The South Windsor Boy’s Lacrosse may consist of bantams, Junior A and B, and Senior A and B under the name “South Windsor Boy’s Lacrosse.”

2)     The team colors are maroon and Vegas gold.

Article VII – Boys and Girls Participation

1)     Qualifications for players will comply with the League/Conference in which the South Windsor Boy’s Lacrosse participate.

2)     Any player not complying with the qualifications, rules, or guidelines will be susceptible to removal from the South Windsor Boy’s Lacrosse organization.

Article VIII – Coaching Staff

1)     Coaches must demonstrate a positive attitude when dealing with their players. Sportsmanship must be demonstrated at all times.

2)     All coaches are expected to uphold and exhibit the values of SWBL at all times.

3)     Qualifications for coaches will comply with the League/Conference in which the South Windsor Boy’s Lacrosse program participates.

4)     Costs for clinics will be paid for by the SWBL organization, as long as said coaches are involved as a coach or an Executive Board member.

5)     If a coach’s ability or performance is deemed detrimental to SWBL, he/she may be disciplined, including removal, at any time by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Board present at the meeting when said ability or performance is brought to question.

6)     A special meeting must be held prior to the removal of a coach at which time the Executive Board and the involved coach(es) must attend. Failure by a coach to attend the special meeting will be grounds for immediate removal.

Article IX – Registration

1)     The Executive Board will determine the registration fee at the November meeting for the next season.

2)     The Executive Board sets the date of registration.

3)     All registration forms must be filled out completely and any other documents required by the league, before a child will be able to participate in any function with the SWBL, including practice, games or scrimmages.

a)      USA Lacrosse requires age verification for all players. A birth certificate or passport must be uploaded by the individual player’s family to that player’s USA Lacrosse profile.

4)     Full refunds will be given until the first day of practice. After the season begins, refunds will be issued at the discretion of the Executive Board with a majority vote

Article X – Playing Schedule and Tournaments/Play-offs

1)     League/Conference in which the SWBL participates will regulate the schedule of regular season games and post-season games.

2)     All dates not regulated by the League/Conference, such as out of conference games, are at the sole discretion of the team coach/manager.

Article XI – Provision for Insurance

South Windsor Boys Lacrosse is a certificate holder to USA Lacrosse’ insurance coverage. Certificate is obtained on an annual basis after roster upload and annual coaching certifications.

Article XII – Financial Policy

1)     The Executive Board shall be responsible for the funds of the South Windsor Boy’s Lacrosse Program.

2)     It shall be the Executive Board policy to place all funds in a checking and/or savings account for payment of debts before and after the playing season.

3)     All checks shall require the Treasurer or President’s signature.

4)     No check exceeding five hundred ($500.00) shall be made without the prior approval of the Executive Board present and voting at the meeting where the request is made unless such expenditure is included in approved budget. Emergency expenditures may be authorized by two (2) officers among the President, Vice President, and Treasurer of up to five hundred ($500.00) dollars. Emergency expenditures must subsequently be noted at the next meeting of the Executive Board.

5)     All contributions and/or solicitations shall be for the sole benefit of the South Windsor Boy’s Lacrosse organization as a whole. A committee will direct all solicitation of funds with a chairperson appointed by the President and approved by the Executive Board specifically for each drive or event. All funds are to be presented and accounted for to the Executive Board at the completion of the committee’s tenure. Failure to account for and present all funds to the Executive Board could result in criminal charges.

6)     No part of the funds or assets of the South Windsor Boy’s Lacrosse shall be distributed to its members or Executive Board except as in accordance with the Non-Profit Corporation Law of the State of Connecticut.

7)     There shall be NO fundraising for a specific purpose or event without prior approval of a majority of the Executive Board. Any unauthorized fundraising will be brought before the Executive Board and will result in immediate expulsion from the South Windsor Boy’s Lacrosse Organization.

Article XIII – Amending the By-Laws

The By-Laws may be amended at any meeting or Special Meeting. A two-thirds majority of the Executive Board will pass the amendment.

Article XIV – Hardship

Any child whose parent cannot meet part, or all, of the registration fee may be considered for a hardship case. All applicants’ names will be presented to the Executive Board for approval.

Article XV – Miscellaneous

1)     Any incentives given out to a youth for fundraising shall be given as an award or savings bond; not cash.

2)     No participant, coach, board member or parent of the South Windsor Boy’s Lacrosse will be permitted to consume alcoholic beverages, vape/smoke products and/or any illegal substances while attending practice or game. Any breach is cause for immediate dismissal. All South Windsor grounds where SWBL plays and practices are smoke, vape and alcohol free. When visiting another town’s grounds, whether for a practice, tournament or game, all location rules/regulations must be followed.

Article XVI – Complaint Procedures

The following procedure will be the complaint resolution process:

Any issue a parent/guardian has with the South Windsor Boy’s Lacrosse organization will be addressed first with the head coach of the team their son or daughter plays on. If no resolution is agreed to, then the next step will be to address the issue with the president of the SWBL. The final step will be to address the issue with the Executive Board. The Executive Board will address the issue at the next board meeting, unless the board members feel the issue needs immediate attention.

The purpose of this process is to resolve the issues as quickly as possible. Since the head coaches are available several times a week at practices, many of the issues can be resolved immediately. The Executive Board only meets once a month, which means an issue could go unresolved for up to a month. We believe the sooner a problem is addressed and resolved, the better it is for everyone involved.