Newburyport Youth Soccer Association

CHARTER, BY-LAWS
and PROCEDURES

CHARTER

We acknowledge our responsibility to provide the children of our community the opportunity to play and enjoy the game of soccer. Our priorities in meeting this objective will be to ensure that they be allowed to:

HAVE FUN

• by meeting new friends who enjoy similar interests
• by enjoying a release from the pressures of school and homework

LEARN

• by developing their skills and understanding of the game
• by developing the means of relating to others

COMPETE

• by exhibiting good sportsmanship, win or lose
• by learning to be a dependable member of a team

If players have FUN, they will return.

If players return, they will LEARN
If they LEARN, they will have the skills to COMPETE

If they COMPETE to the best of their abilities, they will have FUN
It begins and ends with FUN

ARTICLE I -- GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section I: The name of the corporation shall be the NEWBURYPORT YOUTH SOCCER ASSOCIATION, INC.

Section 2: The principal office of the corporation shall be located at a place set forth by the Executive Board. Section 3: The fiscal year of the corporation shall end on the last day of the calendar year.

ARTICLE 2 -- MEMBERSHIP

Section I: The Newburyport Youth Soccer Association, hereinafter called NYSA, will consist of two types of members. The first type will be voting members who will be referred to as the Council. The second type will be non-voting members who will be referred to as General Members.

Section 2: The Council will consist of the Executive Board, Administrative Members, Head Coaches, Assistant Coaches and Committee Chairpersons

Section 3: General members will consist of all currently registered players, their parents or guardians and committee members.

ARTICLE 3 -- GOVERNMENT

Section 1: The governing body of NYSA will be known as the Executive Board and will consist of the following positions: President, Board of Directors, Director of U12-U14 Teams, Directors of Tots-U10 Teams, Director of Fields, Director of Registration, Treasurer, Director of Education, Director of Equipment and the Director of Marketing. Positions can be “shared” by up to three individuals; however a lead must be established at time of electionand each Executive Board position can cast only 1 vote (that of the lead).

Section 2:The members of the Executive Board, except for the Board of Directors, shall be elected in a manner prescribed by the By-laws and shall hold office for a period as prescribed by the By-laws, or until their successors are duly elected and charged.

Section 3:The government of NYSA shall be vested in the Executive Board which shall be subject to the will of the Council.

Section 4:The Executive Board shall have control and management of the property and management of the organization, subject to the will of the Council. Funds of the organization shall be withdrawn from the bank with which they are on deposit by signature of either the President, the Treasurer, the Tots-U10 Directors, or the U12-U14 Director. Withdrawal of funds will only be made when supported by a letter of authorization from a member of the Executive Board, or the In-Town Referee Coordinator. The Treasurer will retain all such letters of authorization. Withdrawals of up to $250 can be approved by any member of the Executive Board. Withdrawals in the amounts of $250 through $999 must be approved by both the President and the Treasurer. Withdrawals of $1,000 or more must be approved by the Executive Board in writing. Exceptions to this are payments to register players and/or coaches, when payment is being made to MYSA, ECYSA, or an indoor soccer facility.

Section 5:In the event of a premature vacancy of any position on the Executive Board, the Executive Board shall appoint a successor to the vacant post, as soon as possible, to complete the remaining term for that position.

Section 6:The Executive Board shall interpret all matters pertaining to these by-laws and will determine the duties and responsibilities of all Council members, as stated in these by-laws or in separate ‘Duties and Responsibilities’-documents, produced by the Executive Board.

Section 7:The following Administrative Members will be appointed by the Executive Board at the Annual General Meeting of the organization: , U6 Boys/Girls Coordinators, U8Boys/Girls Coordinators, U10 Boys/Girls Coordinators, Boys U12-U14 Team Coordinator, Girls U12-U14 Team Coordinator, In-town Referee Coordinator, and Technology Coordinator. Each appointment must be approved by a majority of the Executive Board members.

Section 8:There shall be a Board of Directors consisting of the immediate past president and three other members. ‘The President shall appoint initially three members of the Board of Directors, one of whom shall serve for one years, one for two years, and one for three years. Beginning next year, the President shall appoint annually one member to the Board of Directors to replace the member whose term is expiring. Each member appointed thereby shall serve for a term of three years.

ARTICLE 4 -- ELECTIONS

Section 1:A nominating committee, comprised of three General Members, will be appointed by the President three months prior to the Annual General Meeting, hereinafter referred to as the AGM. The committee will identify its nominees and the President will email the notification to all members of the Council no less than three weeks prior to the AGM. Additional nominations will be accepted from the floor of the AGM.

Section 2:No member of the nomination committee shall be eligible for any office through action of the nomination committee.

Section 3:No member shall serve on the Executive Board for more than four consecutive years nor hold the same office more than 3consecutive years.

Section 4:At the AGM there shall be elected a President, Director of U12-U14 Teams, Directors of Tots-U10 Teams, Director ofEducation, Director of Equipment, Director of Marketing, Director of Education, Director of Fields, Director of Registrationand Treasurer.

Section 5:Each Council member who is present will have one vote. There will be no absentee voting accepted.

Section 6:Elected officials shall take office on the first of July, or at a time deemed by the Executive Board to provide the smoothest transition of personnel for that position.

ARTICLE 5 -- MEETINGS

Section 1:The Annual General meeting (AGM) shall be held on the second Wednesday in May of each year, at a time and place determined by the Executive Board. Notice of such meeting shall be emailed by the President to each member of the current Council and to each Council nominee at least ten days prior to the AGM.

Section 2:At the AGM, a quorum shall consist of a majority of the Council currently in office. For all purposes, except as stated otherwise in these By-laws, only a simple majority of the Council present is required to conduct business and pass motions.

Section 3:Meetings of the Executive Board shall be held on the third Tuesday of January, March, May, July, September, and November, the time and location to be determined by the President.

Section 4:A special meeting of the Executive Board may be called by the President orby at least two Executive Board members. Notification of all special meetings shall be provided to other Executive Board members by one of the officers calling the meeting. Such notification must be given to each Executive Board member at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the time of the meeting.

Section 5:The standing committees (see Article 8), shall meet on an ‘as needed basis’ but at a minimum of once a month.

ARTICLE 6 -- DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS

Section 1:The duties and responsibilities of the members of the Executive Board shall be as described in these By-laws.

Section 2:Each Executive Board members will maintain an up-to-date procedures manual for the position he or she currently holds. The manual will he passed on to the person who has been elected to that position at the most recent elections.

Section 3:The Executive Board shall maintain a yearly calendar of NYSA-related activities which will be disseminated to all members at the AGM. The content will be added by each director, and colated by the president.

Section 4:The President of NYSA shall officially preside at all NYSA meetings, be chairperson of the Council, be the official representative of NYSA, oversee the maintenance and publication of a yearly calendar of events that relate to NYSA, and resolve controversies not resolved by the Director of In-Town Teams and the Director of U12-U14 Teams. The President shall organize and establish the agenda for the executive board and the annual general meetings. The president is responsible for managing the U12-U14 Director.

Section 5:The Director of U12-U14 (Travel Teams) shall establish the number of travel teams and their competitive levels, supervise the Boys and Girls Travel Team Coordinators, oversee U12-U14 player assignments, overee tryouts/evaluations, oversee the selection of U12-U14 coaches, establish guidelines for and oversee the evaluation of current U12-U14 players, monitor the conduct of all current U12-U14 players and coaches, resolve controversies, represent NYSA at meetings of the Essex County Youth Soccer Association.

Section 6:The Directors of Tots-U10 (In-town): There will be 3 directors. One to oversee Tots+U6; one for U8 and one for U10.Each directorshall establish the number of in-town teams; supervise the Tots, U6, U8, and MVP U10 Coordinators; oversee in-town player assignments and the selection of in-town coaches; practice schedules; ensure the parity of all in-town teams; establish guidelines for and oversee theevaluation of current in-town players; monitor the conduct of all current in-town players and coaches; resolve controversies.This includes the following tasks:

  • Recruit Coordinators for each age group (Tots, U6, U8, U10)
  • Handle Tots-U10 game schedules for fall and spring
  • Handle Tots-U10 practice schedules for fall and spring
  • Manage and publish practice schedules
  • Plan and staff the Spring Jamboree
  • Call Tots, U6 and U8 in terms of inclement weather and update the website accordingly
  • Work on NYSA-wide initiatives in concert with the :
  • Field Director
  • Education Director
  • PR Director
  • President, Treasurer
  • Post all schedules and roster information to the kiosks at Cherry Hill and Cashman
  • Coordinate with marketing director to publicize in-town registration: newspaper, email, tent signs, school email, etc.

Section 7:The NYSA Field Director works with the Tots-U10 Director on supplying adequate field space for both practices and games for both Tots-U10 and U12-U14. Specific responsibilities include:

  • Working with the Parks Commission and Open Space Committee on field acquisition plans
  • Work with the Tots-U10 and U12-U14 directors on field space configurations for games and practices
  • Manage the field lining process for all NYSA games, hiring vendors as needed to line the field.Authorize payment to the assisting vendor, where necessary and appropriate, in exchange for their assistance.
  • Make certain that field lining equipment is both functional and located in the proper place
  • File appropriate paperwork with the Parks Commission for all NYSA field needs
  • Act as an interface to Athletic Director concerning the use of school fields

Section 8:The Education Director shall develop, arrange and promote coach training programs; create a budget and oversee expenditures for this purpose; maintain a record of the training completed by individual coaches; and coordinate and promote unified coaching methods. The Education Director should work with the Tots-U10 Director on developing the following:

  • Curriculum development – NYSA must have a basic list of skills that each age group should know upon moving on to the next level
  • Liaison to Aztec (NESS) and SUSC and other such organizations – work with their program directors on scheduling training and clinics for NYSA
  • Schedule clinics for Coaches
  • Schedule clinics for children
  • Schedule clinics for referees
  • Engage Mass Youth Soccer’s education director for updates and curriculum suggestions
  • Engage US Youth Soccer’s education director for updates and curriculum suggestions

Section 9:The Director of Registration shall oversee the registration of all players; arrange for the processing of player ID Cards; communicate and maintain the registration guidelines set forth by the Massachusetts Youth Soccer Association, Essex County Youth Soccer Association,; manage the database of current and former players and coaches; verify that new registration forms have been entered into the NYSA database; inform the appropriate directors of any players who are currently on a wait list for the upcoming season,.

  • Working in conjunction with Tots-U10 and U12-U14 Director(s) to establish registration dates/deadlines each season
  • Managing the creation of the online registration forms for both players and volunteers
  • Eemailing the parents with regard to the registration process each season and fielding registration/payment questions
  • Maintaining the registration data (e.g., eliminating duplicate records from the database)
  • Managing the waitlist kids in conjunction with the Tots-U10 Directors – releasing them, emailing parents for payment, receiving payment receipt and notifying Tots-U10 Directors that they can be placed
  • Working in conjunction with the Tots-U10 and U12-U14 Directors to ensure that birth dates indicated in the system match the certificate we are supposed to get with every new player to the league
  • Submitting registration for insurance to a carrier
  • CORI check coaches and volunteers
  • Working with the Tots-U10 and U12-U14 Directors to make sure all coaches/referees are CORI checked

Section 10:The Treasurer shall secure the finances of NYSA, manage the financial accounts in the most advantageous manner, file any necessary tax forms, file an annual report to the Secretary of State’s office by November 1st of each year, file and report on the condition of the finances of NYSA at all Council meetings and at the AGM; and record income and expenses by program (i.e. U6, U8, U10, U12, U14, Ul6, U17, U19) with separate records for each season (i.e. Spring, Summer. Fall, and Winter/Indoor), and for any special programs (ex. Summer Camp, Coaching Clinics).The treasurer should work with both the Tots-U10 and U12-U14 divisions to balance the books and determine rates, fees and the overall budget for both income and expenses. Specific assignments include:

  • Managing the NYSA on line payment account and all aspects of these transactions
  • Managing the NYSA bank account
  • Generate the NYSA Annual Report
  • Work with the In-town and U12-U14 Director on determining the overall funding needs for the league
  • Work with the In-town, U12-U14 and Marketing Director on fundraising initiatives and sponsorship opportunities

Section 11:The Equipment Directorshall order all NYSA equipment, coordinate the distribution and collection of equipment to coaches, maintain an up-to-date inventory, and provide an inventory report to the Executive Board at the end of each outdoor season.This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Balls
  • Goals
  • Nets
  • Equipment bags
  • Pinnies
  • Field lining equipment (work with the Field Director)
  • First Aid kits
  • Storage spaces (Cherry Hill, Cashman, Woodman)

There should be a seasonal inventory taken of all NYSA assets. The Equipment Director should work with the CFO on budgeting and ordering new equipment as needed. The Equipment director should also make suggestions as to additional equipment needsand make arrangements for collection and storage of equipment in the off-season.

Section 12:The MarketingDirector shall oversee all external communication for NYSA, and work on potential fundraising initiatives with the greater NBPT community. Specific tasks include:Publicizing registration and event information in the local newspapers; Placing the registration tent boards in high visibility spots 4 weeks prior to the deadline; work with the technology coordinator on NYSA site design; handle all creative aspects of NYSA: copy, logos advertising; design and manage all sponsorship initiatives with local and national sponsors; direct all initiatives for parent contact for registration.

ARTICLE 7 -- ADMINISTRATIVE MEMBER DUTIES

Section 1:All age group and gender coordinators shall perform their duties as issued by their respective directors.

Section 2:The U-10 Referee Coordinator will submit a list of recommended in-town referees to the Executive Board for their approval at least one (I) month prior to the start of the outdoor season, work with the In-town Director to develop game schedules and referee assignments, provide a copy of the game schedule and referee assignments to the Director of In-Town teams, recommend payment structure to the Executive Board, and authorize payments to the referees.

Section 3:The Technology Coordinator shall provide guidance and assistance to the executive board and NYSA members on the use of the website.

ARTICLE 8 -- STANDING COMMITFEES

Section 1:A Fields Committee consisting of members selected by the Field Directorwill be formed to assist the Field Directorwith his or her duties. This committee will be chaired by the Fields Director.