Dorchester Youth Hockey, Inc.
By-Laws
Dorchester, Massachusetts
INTRODUCTION
The name of the organization shall be Dorchester Youth Hockey, Inc. The organization
shall have no capital stock and shall not be operated for profit.
The objective of Dorchester Youth Hockey is to provide youth, regardless of race, creed or
national origin, with the opportunity to practice the ideals of sportsmanship and fair play.
The program function are to familiarize youth with the fundamentals of ice skating and
hockey; to provide the opportunity to play the game of hockey in a supervised, organized and
safety-orientated manner and to keep the welfare of the participants free of any adult ambitions
and personal glory.
ARTICLE I
ORGANIZATION
Section 1
The organization shall be an affiliate member of Massachusetts Hockey, Inc., and USA
Hockey, Inc. The organization shall be responsible for teaching ice skating skills and organizing
and maintaining teams for competitive league play in the sport of ice hockey.
Section 1 (A)
Dorchester Youth Hockey shall abide by Massachusetts Hockey By-Laws, Rules,
Regulations and Policies and Procedures.
Section 2
The organization shall be divided into such playing and instructional classifications as the
Board of Directors may designate.
Section 3
The organization shall consist of Player Members and Senior Members.
Section 4
League tuition shall be evaluated at the end of every fiscal year to determine if expenses are being met.
ARTICLE II
MEMBERS
Section 1
Player Members are those children properly registered with Dorchester Youth Hockey in
the manner designated by the Board of Directors. This membership is contingent upon maintaining
a current status with respect to any fee schedule. Player members shall not have voting rights in
the affairs of the organization. The program will ensure that 20 percent of the voting members of
the governing body have children actively skating in the program.
Section 2
Senior Members are those adults, coaches or other persons who by the nature of their
efforts contribute to the welfare of the program. This membership shall be awarded by action of
the Board of Directors. One Senior Membership shall be given, upon request, to a parent or
guardian of a Player Member. Senior members shall have voting rights in the affairs of the
organization, including the process for nomination and election of Directors.
Section 3
The foregoing sections not withstanding, no more than one (1) Senior Membership shall be
awarded in any family.
Section 4
Membership for Player Members or those Senior Members who attain their status as
parents or guardians of Player Members shall continue for fiscal year in which the Player Member
is registered, unless revoked by the Board of Directors for acting in any manner contrary to the
objectives and/or functions of the organization or these By-Laws as approved by the Board of
Directors
Section 5
All tryout deposits are non-refundable.
Section 6
Player members may be suspended from play if tuition is not paid in full.
Section 7
The Booster Club shall fall under the direction of the Board for annual financial review and evaluation.
Section 8
Player Members and parents are required to sign the No Tolerance policy. The Board may review
instances that bring a negative light to Dorchester Youth Hockey.
ARTICLE III
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1
The Board of Directors shall consist of not less than four (4) or more than eleven (11)
Senior Members, including the following officers, President, Vice President, Secretary and
Treasurer. Each member will have one (1) vote in decisions pertaining to the daily operation of the
organization, excluding the President who will vote only when considering election of new board
members to fill vacancies or in the case of a tie vote on a decision being considered. The Board of
Directors shall be the final ruling body on any decisions pertaining to the organization’s operation.
Section 2
Vacancies on the Board due to resignation or any other reason may be filled subject to the
limitations of Section 1 above. Election will be by two-thirds vote of the remaining Board of
Directors at any regular or special meeting. Board members elected in this manner shall serve
only for the remainder of the fiscal year.
Section 3
Election to Board of Directors by action of the Senior Members at their annual meeting
shall be for a period of three (3) years. Any Senior Member in good standing shall be eligible to
run for election to the Board of Directors. At the end of the three (3) year term, any Director may
run for reelection.
ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS
Section 1
The officers of the organization shall consist of a President, Vice President, Secretary and
Treasurer. They shall be elected by the Senior Members at the annual meeting and shall serve for
a term of three years.
Section 2
The President shall preside at all meetings and have general charge of and control over
the affairs of the organization subject to decisions voted by the Board of Directors. The Vice
President shall assist the President in discharging his/her duties, and, in the absence of the
President, act in his/her behalf, and have such other duties as the Board of Directors may
designate.
Section 3
The Secretary shall notify the members of all regular and special meetings. The Secretary
shall receive, answer and maintain an up-to-date file of all correspondence pertaining to the
organization. A current file of all Player Members showing name, address, phone number, date of
birth and classification assigned shall also be maintained by the Secretary.
Section 4
The Treasurer shall keep account of all monies of the organization received or disbursed
and shall deposit all monies in the assigned account. The Treasurer shall present a written report
to the Board of Directors Monthly as to the status of accounts, and a written quarterly report of all
receipts and disbursements. The Treasurer will also submit a yearly report of all receipts and
disbursements. The Treasurer will also submit a yearly report of total income and disbursements
to the Board of Directors at the annual meeting of the Senior Members. Upon completion of his/her
term of office, the Treasurer will deliver to his/her successor all monies, records, forms, letter and
other organization property in his/her possession.
Section 5
The League Coordinators shall be members of the Board of Directors and will be
responsible for organizing, administrating and coordinating of their specific League Classifications
(Mite, Squirt, Pee Wee, Bantam and Midget, House League and Learn-to-Skate/Instructional).
ARTICLE V
LEAGUE PERSONNEL
Section 1 Coaches/Assistant Coaches
Coaches must submit in writing their names and qualifications to the Level Coordinator by
March 1, of prior season. The League Coordinators will submit lists of coaches for the upcoming
season to the Board of Directors for approval by March 8 of the prior season.
League Coordinators shall not be appointed as coaches or assistant coaches in the
division for which they serve as coordinator, other than in a temporary or emergency situation as
determined by the Board of Directors. Assistant Coaches may substitute for the head coach in his
absence and shall assist during practice sessions and regular season games.
Section 1(A)
Coaches must be patched according to USA Hockey standards and recommendations.
Section 1 (B)
When calling up players from a lower team, coaches will coordinate any callup with the coach of the other team.
Both coaches must agree on the being called up, unless it is an emergency.
If a child is called up a third time, then that player will become a permanent addition to the roster.
Section 2 Game Officials
The Board of Directors shall appoint all Referees and Assistant Referees, Linesmen, Goal
Judges, Penalty Timekeepers, Official Scorers and Game Timekeepers.
ARTICLE VI
MEETINGS
Section 1
The annual Meeting of the Senior Members shall be held on the third Wednesday of May
at seven o’clock in the evening (7:00 p.m.) in each year to elect members of the Board of Directors,
to hear reports of the officers and transact other business. If an appropriate setting cannot be found,
then an alternate date in May may be used.
Section 1(A)
Dorchester Youth Hockey, Inc., will hold no fewer than four (4) meetings per year open to all
members of the program. One of these meeting will be an annual meeting, at which time:
(a) A written financial report for the most recent year ending shall be presented to its
members; and
(b) The election of its Board of Directors shall be held
(c) Such meetings are conducted in accordance with generally accepted parliamentary
procedures.
Section 2
The Secretary shall cause to have published notice of the annual meeting of the Senior
Members. Such notice shall set the time, date and place of said meeting and shall constitute full
notice of such meeting. The notice shall include notification of open Board positions for election to
the Board of Directors.
Section 3
Meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held monthly at such a time and place as the
President may designate. Notice of such meeting will be given at least seven (7) days in advance
thereof.
Section 4
A quorum at the annual meeting of the Senior Members or at any meeting of the Board of
Directors or at any special meeting of the Senior Members shall be the presence of at least twothirds
of the Board of Directors.
Section 5
Any three members of the Board of Directors may call a special meeting of their body or of
the Senior Members provided that notice is given in the manner specified in Section 2 above.
Section 6
At any meeting a quorum may transact business but a lesser number may adjourn to a
future specified time. A majority of those present and voting at any meeting shall be the decision of
the meeting.
ARTICLE VII
FISCAL YEAR
The fiscal year shall be from May 1 of the calendar year to April 30 of the year next
following.
ARTICLE VIII
INDEMNIFICATION
The organization hereby consents and declares that each officer, member of the Board of
Directors, Chairman and members of committees and all elected or appointed officials in any
capacity shall be deemed to have assumed office on the express understanding, agreement and
condition that each one of them and his heirs, successors and assigns and executors and
administrators respectively shall from time to time and at all times be indemnified and saved
harmless from and against all liabilities, judgment, costs, charges and expenses whatsoever, which
such member may sustain or incur in any action, suit or proceeding brought or commenced against
him for and in respect of any act, deed, matter or thing made, done or permitted to be done by him
in the execution of the duties of his office and also from and against all other costs, charges and
expenses which he sustains or incurs in or about or in relation to the affairs thereof, except that
which is occasioned by this willful and intentional neglect or default.
ARTICLE IX
GRIEVANCES
Any member aggrieved by the actions or conduct of any officer, director, coach, fellow
member or player may request in writing a hearing before the Board of Directors, which shall take
action it deems appropriate consistent with these By-Laws and which shall report its finding and
said action to the membership.
ARTICLE X
COMPLETENESS
These By-Laws, adopted by vote of the Board of Directors, on the date written below is the
sole document governing the operation and management of the organization and any and all
earlier documents, policies, etc., are hereby superseded with the adoption of these By-Laws.
ARTICLE XI
AMENDMENTS
These By-Laws may be amended by two-thirds majority vote of the Board of Directors at
any time upon submission of the proposed amendment in writing to the full Board of Directors at
any regularly scheduled or specially called meeting thereof, with the vote to adopt or refuse such
amendment being taken at the next subsequent scheduled meeting of the Board of Directors.
ADOPTED AS THE BY-LAWS OF DORCHESTER YOUTH HOCKEY, INC., THIS 11th DAY OF
April, 2010.
CERTIFIED TO BE A TRUE, ATTESTED COPY OF THE BY-LAWS OF DORCHESTER YOUTH
HOCKEY, INC.
By:
Chris Burke
Secretary