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Pine Richland Boys Youth Lacrosse Association By-Laws
Article I – Organization
Section I The name of the organization shall be the Pine-Richland Boys
Youth Lacrosse Association (PRBYL).
Section II This Association is organized exclusively for educational purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or the corresponding section of any future United States Internal Revenue law.
No part of the net earnings of the Association shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to, any of its members, trustees, officers or other private persons, except that the Association shall be authorized to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the exempt purposes.
No substantial part of the activities of the Association shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the Association shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office.
Notwithstanding any other provision of these By-Laws, the Association shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by a corporation exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or (b) by a corporation, contributions to which are deductible under section 170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Article II- Purpose of the Association
Section I The Association was established to: Provide the youth of the Pine and Richland Townships with a means to participate in the game of lacrosse. The association may seek guidance from the rules and regulations of the Western Pennsylvania Youth Lacrosse Association (WPYLA) and The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).
Section II Assist the players to develop character, skill, sportsmanship and physical fitnessss.
Section III Work with the school district to promote academics and promote recognition of the lacrosse players as athletes commensurate with school-sponsored athletics.
Section IV Provide a means of financial support through fundraising activities to help reduce the cost to players.
Article III- Fiscal Year
The fiscal year shall be from August 1 through July 31.
Article IV- Members
Section I The Members shall be the parents/guardians of boys eligible to play lacrosse in grades K through 8 during the current fiscal year. Depending upon the grade and/or team he participates on, a boy may need to meet the eligibility criterion of the Pine-Richland School District (PRSD) and/or the Western Pennsylvania Youth Lacrosse Association. Exceptions may be granted by the Board of Directors. Membership shall be limited to only those residents of Pine and Richland Township without exception. Special memberships will be granted to outside coaches.
Section II Members shall have the right to bring forth any issue, recommendation or by-law amendment (see Article XI) for discussion and consideration at general meetings. Only Members in good standing (e.g. dues current and paid per current payment schedule and required insurance and permission/waiver forms duly signed) are entitled to participate in the general meetings.
Section III Only the children of Members who are in good standing will be allowed to participate with the team. The President and Treasurer may grant exceptions. The Association President will notify the coaches of any cases.
Section VI Each player and parent must read and sign the Code of Conduct.
Section VII Each Player is required to be an active member of US Lacrosse.
Article V- Board of Directors, Officers, Committees and Grade Representatives
Section I The goal of this Board of Directors is to carry out the purposes of the Association, to have loyalty to the entire organization, to promote a positive attitude for the group and to conduct itself in the spirit of good sportsmanship. The Board of Directors shall have the power to conduct all financial business of the Association, be responsible for all policies of the Association, direct and make appointments for referees and coaches and oversee duties of the Officers. The Officers shall report to and be subject to all decisions by the Board of Directors. Any Board member may be removed from office by a 3/4 majority vote of all Board members.
Section II The Board of Directors shall consist of:
President (Voting): Coordinates and leads all meetings of the Board of Directors and Members. The President is to be an ex-officio member of all committees and oversees the work of all Board members to ensure that they are properly fulfilling their responsibilities; presides over all meetings of the general membership and the meetings of the Board of Directors. Appoint Board members to Standing Committees. Act as the official spokesperson for the Association. Appoint Pine-Richland representative to the WPYLA Board.
*Past President (Non-voting): Assists the current President in transitioning the board for the term of one year.
Vice President Boys & Girls (Voting): Presides in the absence of the President at all meetings of the Board of Directors or Members. In the event that the office of the President becomes vacant during the elected term, the Vice President shall succeed to the office of President for the remainder of the term. The Vice President serves as an aide to the President and oversees the Coaching Committee. The Vice President sets up coaching clinics and oversees the recruitment and recommendation of coaches for the Board to hire, including recruiting, hiring coaches and managing certifications, clearances, etc. under the direction of the President.
Operations Director (Voting): Organization point of contact for interfacing with Pine and Richland Townships as well as Pine-Richland School District Athletics office to schedule gyms/fields for each season; act as the point of contact for establishing all indoor facilities for each season. Schedule EMS or certified athletic trainer for all games.
Communications Director (Voting): Maintains the organization’s website; advertises pertinent Association issues. Send out all league communications. Help with advertising for all league activities including clinics, registration and fundraising. Promote PRBYL for players in all public, private, and parochial schools that serve the Pine-Richland communities.
Fundraising and Apparel Director (Voting): Coordinates all fundraising activities of the organization to ensure proper organizational funding. Coordinate online store and all apparel sales at games and clinics.
Registration Director (Voting): Coordinates all registration materials as well as schedules registration of players. Compiles grade and team rosters. Communicates with players to update their US Lacrosse membership and ensures that players complete all physical papers required by the school district. Ensures the organization has all risk management issues covered; and including insurance. Act as a custodian of all registration materials for each season.
Secretary (Voting): Takes an accurate written attendance of all individuals present at all Board and Member Meetings. Records and distributes minutes from Board meetings. Works with the President to schedule Board meetings and set the agenda. Communicate meeting dates and information to the Board of Directors. Collect and disseminate all documents on the agenda to the Board 7 days before meeting date. Maintain custody of all PRBYL by-laws and all other records of the association. Handle all official correspondence. Present the minutes from previous Board or Member meetings.
Treasurer Boys (Voting) & Girls (Voting): Keeps a complete record of the Association’s income and expenditures; receives and accounts for all monies in the Association; pays all bills incurred; prepares and presents a financial report at all monthly meetings; prepares and presents annual financial reports and proposed budget at July meeting of the Board of Directors for their review and approval; prepares a final report at the end of the fiscal year for IRS related documents. Works with Team Manager Liaison to pay referees and EMS at home games.
Team Manager Liaison (Voting): Recruit, train and coordinate Team Managers for all teams in the program. Establish procedures and forms that are consistent for all teams help setup the volunteer policy for the organization. In charge of ordering and disbursal of uniforms.
Scheduler Boys & Girls (Non-voting): Schedules all games and practices pertaining to the organization.
Coaching Liaison Boys & Girls (Non-voting): Responsible for all coaching matters for specific teams boys (U8, U10, U12, U14) and girls (U8, U10, U12,) and communication back to Vice President.
Concessions Coordinator and Assistant Concessions Coordinator (Non-voting): Manage all concession needs including volunteers and food donations.
Field Equipment Manager Boys & Girls (Non-voting): In charge of procurement of equipment, handling and maintaining equipment, assigning equipment to coaches and painting of fields.
Tournament Coordinator Boys & Girls (Non-voting): In charge of coordinating team participation in tournaments. Will collect all necessary documents for participation.
Section III Applicants for the Board of Directors will present their qualifications and resumes to the secretary in May of each year. The applicants shall also be communicated to the Membership for a popular vote, if needed. The Members of the entire Association elect all Board members with each family having one vote per family. Board members shall be elected by a simple majority of the votes that are cast. All Board positions shall be elected to a one-year term, serving from August 1 to July 31 each year. The election of the Board of Directors shall take place no later than June 30 each year. Members may choose to hold the election vote via absentee ballot. Any open or vacant positions will be filled by the Board. In the event a Board member is unable to complete a full term, the Board may fill the vacancy. A person who is an active member in good standing will fill the vacant office. If a family is represented on the board, only (1) vote per board family will be allotted.
Section IV No Voting Board member may vote upon a matter in which he or she has a direct financial interest or conflict of interest. No Board member may vote upon a matter in which he or she has a business or family relationship not common to all members. Immediately upon becoming aware that such a conflict exists, a Board member must disclose such, withdraw from further deliberation, and refrain from voting on the matter.
Article VI –Team Manager Liaisons and Standing Committees
Section I Each team will have a Team Manager to be chosen after teams are formed. The Team Manager will work with Team Manager Liaison, the head coach to communicate information to his/her team. The Team Manager will not be a voting member of the Board.
Section II The Board of Directors may establish the following Standing Committees: Registration Committee, Coaching Committee, and Disciplinary Committee. Other Committees may be established as required. Each Committee shall be chaired by the Officer responsible for the subject matter of each Committee. The President shall appoint Board members to the aforementioned Committees.
Article VII- Meetings of the Board of Directors and Members
Section I The Board of Directors shall meet at least one time per month from August through July. Board meetings will be held at a time and place convenient to the Board. Members are welcome to attend any and all scheduled board meetings. The Board of Directors are the only individuals permitted to vote on issues at Board meetings. The Board of Directors reserves the right to hold a closed meeting at their discretion.
Section II An annual meeting of the Members shall be held on or before July 31 of each year. Special meetings of the Members may be called by the President or by a majority vote of the Board. All annual meetings will entail, at a minimum, a review of the current financial state of the Association and a review of current activities of the Association. On any issue presented to the general membership for voting, a simple majority of all Members will be needed to pass the issue.
Section III All Board of Directors and Member meetings (with itemized agenda, if applicable) should be advertised on the web site at least 7 days prior to the meeting date. Members who would like the opportunity to speak at any Board meeting must inform the President at least three days prior to the meeting. All materials on the agenda should be submitted 7 days prior to the meeting to the secretary to disseminate to the Board prior to the meeting. These Members will then be put on the agenda and be given the opportunity to briefly speak at the beginning of the meeting. Members will not have the ability to participate in or vote on any matters of formal business.
Section IV All decisions of the Board of Directors shall be made by a simple majority vote. Board meetings shall be conducted in accordance with parliamentary procedures as defined in Robert’s Rules of Order.
Article VIII- Coaching
Section I Selection and approval of the coaching staff is the responsibility of the Board. Coaches will be required to perform the job duties and requirements detailed in coach’s job description. All coaching positions are for one year. Any head coach who is also a Member of the Association may not serve on the Board, unless agreed to by the board.
Section II All decisions regarding lacrosse play, directing practices, teaching lacrosse skills, coaching games, and ensuring proper player and coaching staff conduct, are the responsibility of the head coach.
Section III Head coaches will be required to be certified in First Aid and CPR. All coaches must be a member of US Lacrosse and submit for a criminal background check which must be obtained in accordance with League and WPYLA guidelines.
Section IV The coaches have the full support of the Association to apply their knowledge of lacrosse in directing the team practice and games.
Section V The coaches have the right and responsibility to discipline the team as a whole and/or individual player in a fair and equitable manner in accordance with the Code of Conduct. The Association recognizes that discipline is a necessary component to running a team and the coaches are the best-equipped individuals to exercise it. However, any discipline requiring a suspension of one game period or more must be reviewed by the Disciplinary Committee of the Board. The Disciplinary Committee consists of all voting board members.
Section VI Head coaches may be removed by a 3/4 majority vote of all Board Members.
Section VII Players will be evaluated prior to the season starting by independent evaluations for team selections.
Section VIII No Board Member can be considered for a Head Coach Position unless agreed to by Board.
Article IX- Discipline
Appropriate sections of the Pine- Richland Student Handbook, or the Team Rules, or the rules of the WPYLA shall provide guidance for any situation requiring consideration of disciplinary action. The head coach of a team shall have the right to suspend a player up to a maximum of one game at a time for violation of the team rules. More severe suspensions, including expulsion from the team under justified circumstances, must be approved by a majority vote of the Board, upon recommendation from the Disciplinary Committee, at its sole discretion after a hearing of the case. Unruly behavior by a parent can also result in disciplinary actions and the expulsion of the Member from the Association, at the sole discretion of the Board. Grievances by members shall be directed in writing to the Board, who shall address the problem, and a written answer shall be provided to the Member.
Article X- Dues
Annual participation fee/dues shall be set as low as feasibly possible, with the difference to be funded through fundraising activities and donations. Families with two (2) or more children participating during any one (1) season shall receive a discount.
Article XI- Amendments
All proposed amendments to the By-Laws must be submitted in writing to the Board. Proposed amendments will be taken under consideration by the Board and approved by a 2/3 majority vote of the entire Board. Any such proposed amendment shall be approved using Robert’s Rules. A copy of the amendment(s) shall be available to the Members at the next annual meeting or upon request.
Article XII – Insurance
The Association shall maintain commercial general liability insurance, which provides coverage for participants for personal injury, medical expenses, property damage, and products. Minimum limits of liability shall be $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate. All players must be members of US Lacrosse, which provides individual insurance coverage.
Article XIII – Finances
Fiscal Year
The Fiscal Year shall begin on August 1st and end on the next succeeding July 31st. The current treasurer is responsible for closing the books for the current fiscal year.
Budget
The treasurer shall present a proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year at the September board of directors meeting for review and approval of the Members. Any expenditure not covered in the budget or in excess of the budget by more than $250 must be approved by the executive board.
Check Signing Procedures
Checks drawn on the PRBYL bank account shall be signed by the treasurer. Any outlay of funds by the PRBYL must be documented with receipts of appropriate documents by the purchasers. All receipts should be submitted to the treasurer within 30 days of the event. No reimbursements will be made after the end of the fiscal year without prior approval of the officers. Treasurer will provide monthly reports detailing disbursements and receipts from the checking accounts.
Fiscal Planning
A minimum of $2,000 will be set aside at the end of each fiscal year to provide start-up funds for the next year. The appropriate funds will also be set aside for budgeted or approved expenses which have not yet been invoiced or paid during the current fiscal year.
Dissolution or Disbandment
Upon the dissolution of the organization, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose. Any such assets not disposed of shall be disposed of by the Court of Common Pleas of the county in which the principal office of the organization is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.
