FORT SMITH EXPRESS SOCCER CLUB
FORT SMITH EXPRESS SOCCER CLUB BYLAWS Adopted//2015
Article I
Name
The name of this organization shall be the Fort Smith Express Soccer Club, hereinafter referred to as FSE Article II
Purpose
The purpose of FSE shall be to develop, promote, and administer youth soccer in Fort Smith and the surrounding areas of AR and OK in accordance with US Youth Soccer guidelines, regardless of race, creed, sex or national origin. Article III
Membership
A. In any one season player registration in the club automatically confers voting rights on the player’s family for that season only (there are two seasons in each calendar year – Spring and Fall). Each family will have a single vote for each registered player. B. Any interested person not a parent or guardian of a registered player, upon payment of a nominal membership fee to be determined by the FSE Board, becomes a voting member. C. Membership fee for any person registered as a coach or referee who does not have a child playing during that season shall be waived. Article IV
Election of Specific Board Members
A. Prior to the Annual Meeting of the General Membership, which occurs during the month of May, the President and Board shall present a slate of nominees for the succeeding Soccer year. Offices to be filled by elections are as follows: President Vice President Two representatives from Recreational Two representatives from Classic Two representatives from Academy Two ‘at-large’ representatives. One representative for Adult League soccer (during years when the existing board approves creation of an adult soccer league). Positions will be held for one calendar year. (June 1 – May 31) B. No less than three weeks (21 days) prior to the Annual Meeting, an email will be sent to the current membership (as defined in Article III above), asking for volunteers to serve in officer positions for the succeeding year. Members interested in serving may contact existing officers, in person or via phone, or email the club through the club’s website at [email protected]. C. No less than two weeks (14 days) prior to the Annual Meeting, an email will be sent to the current membership (as defined in Article III above), based on emails provided at time of that season’s registration, announcing the place and time of the Annual Meeting. Also within that email, a list of nominees for Board Positions will be provided. The nominees will also be provided on the FSE website, www.fssoccer.net, also no less than two weeks (14 days) prior to the Annual Meeting. D. Additional nominations can be made via email through the Contact site at www.fssoccer.net until seven (7) days prior to the Annual Meeting.
E. Unless otherwise provided through proper notification as outlined herein, the election will be held the last day of Spring Recreational/Academy soccer, with ballots available at the concession stand at the Ben Geren Soccer Fields and through an online process. A time frame with which to cast votes will also be provided. A minimum of 60 ballots must be cast by the membership in order to make the election valid. Failure to achieve the minimum of 60 ballots will maintain the previous board in office, which will then be tasked with arranging for a different time and possibly venue with which to conduct elections. F. Election to office of the Presidency shall be by the highest total vote in favor of one candidate. When more than two candidates have declared their interest in the Presidency a majority of greater than 50% of the votes cast is NOT required to win the position. In connection with the board positions for Recreational, Academy, Classic, and At-Large, the two candidates with the highest vote totals in each group will win the available positions. G. FSE Board of Directors and Officers (FSE Board): The FSE Board shall consist of the elected officers and those appointed positions identified in the Fort Smith Express Soccer Club By-Laws. H. Replacement of Board Member vacancies during term: Vacancies created by the resignation of FSE Board members are replaced for the remaining term by the following procedure. 1. The President will accept nominations for the replacement candidate(s) at a meeting of the Board. 2. The attending Board will elect/confirm the replacement member by a majority vote in favor of a candidate for each vacancy. 3. If the resigning Officer is the President, the FSE Board will elect a successor President, by majority vote of the Board present, to complete the unexpired term of the President. By determination of the board, the successor may be an existing board member or someone outside the current board. If the new
President is an existing board member, the opening board position will be filled as outlined in Article IV.F.1 and 2. I.
Removal of Board Members: Any board officer or club personnel can be removed from the Board for any unreasonable compromise in the conduction of FSE responsibilities and purposes by the following procedure: 1. Notice of such intended motions must be communicated in a notice of a Board meeting. 2. Such motion, upon receiving a seconding motion and appropriate discussion, shall require a favorable vote of a least 75% of the voting Board members to be adopted. 3. Members removed by such action shall return all materials and property of Fort Smith Express Soccer Club to a Board designated person within forty-eight (48) hours.
Article V
Elected Officer description and responsibilities
A. President: The president shall preside over all meetings of FSE and call its meeting to order. The President shall act as ex-officio member of any committee. The President shall have the power to call a meeting at any time and dispense funds in the absence of the Treasurer, with the authorization of one other board member. The President shall coordinate the activities of all FSE club positions. The President will not vote, except in case of a tie. B. Vice President: The vice president shall fulfill all duties of the president, if the president is not in attendance. C. Recreational representatives: In addition to general issues involving the overall operations and activities of FSE, these board representatives will oversee and address issues specific to the Recreational division of the club. These representatives will vote on all issues brought before the board that require a vote. D. Academy representatives:
In addition to general issues involving the overall
operations and activities of FSE, these board representatives will oversee and address
issues specific to the Academy division of the club. These representatives will vote on all issues brought before the board that require a vote. E. Classic representatives: In addition to general issues involving the overall operations and activities of FSE, these board representatives will oversee and address issues specific to the Classic division of the club. These representatives will vote on all issues brought before the board that require a vote. F. At-Large representatives: The board representatives will address general issues involving the overall operations and activities of FSE. These representatives will vote on all issues brought before the board that require a vote. G. Adult League representative: This board representative will oversee coordination of activities related to Adult league soccer. They will vote on all issues brought before the board that require a vote. Board votes will require a simple majority to pass a proposal. In the case of a tie involving the voting board members present, the President may break the tie. The President may conduct an email vote between board meetings when he believes an expedient response to an issue is necessary and the vote cannot wait until the next board meeting. Unless otherwise specified by the President in his email requesting the vote, failure of a voting board member to respond within 48 hours of the email will represent that the board member has abstained. Article VI
Fiscal Management
The FSE Board will decide all matters pertaining to FSE financial policy and affairs. Individual team expenses, except as may be outlined in the By-Laws, shall be the responsibility of the team and the coach and will not encumber the club in any way. The treasurer shall keep complete and accurate records of all financial transactions and shall submit a monthly financial statement to the Board and one at the end of each annual term. At the end of the year an income tax report will be filed. Neither FSE nor the Board shall be responsible for any accidents or losses to any individual during any activity which is included in the soccer program.
Article VII
Bylaw Amendments
Revision to the Fort Smith Express Soccer Club Bylaws: Additions and revisions shall be by the following procedure: 1. Notice of the intent and general description of the proposed change(s) shall be sent via email to the current membership (as defined in Article III above), and shall also be posted on the club’s website, www.fssoccer.net, no less than three (3) weeks prior to any vote. Within the email and posting, the time and location of the vote shall be provided. 2. The board must conduct one board meeting between the announcement of the proposed change and the vote in order to allow any and all interested members to discuss the proposed change(s). 3. If due to the discussions during the board meeting the proposed amendment is revised or cancelled, the general membership shall be notified in the manner defined in Article VII.1. herein. If the amendment has been revised, the board must repeat the process as outlined in Article VII.1 and 2 herein. 4. At least 60 members of the general membership, as defined in Article III herein, must cast a ballot during the allotted time frame for the vote to be deemed legitimate. 5. The proposed amendment shall be adopted upon a two-thirds vote in favor of the amendment by the General Membership voting. 6. The board reserves the right to convene a special meeting at a time and place designated to both discuss and vote on an issue. The general membership must be notified through email and posting, as described herein, no less than seven (7) days prior to the planned event.
FORT SMITH EXPRESS SOCCER CLUB Standing Rules Adopted//2015
Standing Rules – SECTION ONE 1. FSE SOCCER YEAR: The 12-month soccer year FSE, for terms of office, yearly plans etc. shall Begin June 1, following the annual elections, and continue to May 31 of the succeeding year. Unless specifically stated otherwise, all Standing Rules herein will apply for Recreational, Academy and Classic divisions. 2. Players must register in accordance with Club guidelines prior to each seasonal year. Unregistered players shall not be permitted to participate in any team practice or game. A registration fee shall established by the FSE board prior to the time of registration and posted on our website prior to the start of registration. 3. The registration period for FSE will cease at least 10 full days before the first game of the season. After the final day of registration, players will be assigned to teams according to a drafting procedure set by the registration committee taking into consideration age, experience and sex. Additional players may be registered past the deadline upon the approval of the FSE President or Director of Coaching.
4. A player shall register within his own age bracket, as per Club guidelines, based on the player’s age of August 1. A player may move up to a higher age group with permission and mutual consent of parent (or guardian), coaches of respective teams involved and the director of coaching.
5. Regular meetings of FSE Board: The President or other Officers shall schedule regular
Meetings of the Board, preferably on a monthly basis, and at least on six(6) occasions per FSE soccer year. A majority of the voting members of the FSE Board must be present to constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting binding resolutions on FSE interests. Meetings shall be open to all parents of registered players, coaches, and recognized guests.
6. Special meetings may be called by the President or upon request of three members of the FSE Board. The purpose of the meeting will be slated in the call or email.
7. A general meeting will be held annually in the Spring, reporting on the activities and financial conditions of the club. Fifteen (15) adults (age 18 and older) shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of a general meeting. A special meeting may also occur, for the purpose of voting on specific matters; however, a minimum of 60 ballots must be cast by the membership in order to make a general issue vote valid. A majority of the meeting votes shall govern in routine matters. A general or special meeting may be conducted as long as an email notification is provided to members (who have provided an email address during registration) and a posting of the meeting time and voting period (if a vote is requested) on the club website are provided no less than ten (10) days prior to the meeting.
8. FSE meetings shall be conducted using the Roberts Rules of Order 9. Financial Policy: Any expenditure over $1000, other than those generally accepted as required to conduct the business of the club (for example, player registration fees), must have prior approval of the Board. Additionally, all checks over $1000 will be signed by two members of the Board.
Standing Rules – SECTION TWO
Standing committees shall be formed to oversee certain aspects of FSE as deemed necessary by the FSE Board for as long as the committee is deemed necessary to exist. NON – PROFIT STATUS FSE shall be a non-profit organization, organized and operated solely for the purpose stated, with no individual or individual(s), except for the Club’s Director of Coaching (DOC) and specific positions designated herein, profiting from his or her association with the Association. If any of the above article or articles is contrary to any Federal, State, or Local Law, that article or articles will be changed by the FSE Board to conform to the law violated.
In appreciation of the tremendous time and talents contributed to the benefit of FSE by the volunteers who obtain the positions herein, compensation for the various positions, including Classic team head coaches, shall be offered as approved by board. For example, the compensation may involve free registration for one child of the volunteer. The Board may also approve a compensation plan for head coaches on the Academy and Classic levels, if funding allows. The individual volunteers can determine to what degree they wish to receive such compensation. Compensation details for a specific volunteer position are available to the general club membership upon a written request to the FSE Board. Additionally, upon request to the Board, the Club will cover the cost of a D or E license class for any club member(s) who wishes to coach a team under FSE. Any food, lodging or travel expenses incurred while attending a licensing course will be borne by the individual attending the class.
ADDITIONAL CLUB POSITIONS Secretary: The secretary will keep the minutes of the regular meeting of Fort Smith Express Soccer Club (Board and General) and any special meeting held. These minutes will be available for approval at the next meeting and will subsequently be held available for reference or viewing by the board or any member of the association. Sections of the minutes may be
excluded from the posting at the discretion of the Board if the Board deems the sensitivity of the subject matter makes that material unsuitable for mass viewing. Such topics will be designated as sensitive during the board meeting in which they are discussed. The Secretary will be selected solely by the board and is not an elected position. Additionally, it is an ongoing position and the person holding the position may continue from one annual term to a subsequent term unless the incoming President nominates a new person for the position and it is approved by the incoming board. Treasurer: The treasurer’s responsibility is to collect, account for, and dispense the funds of FSE. The treasurer will submit monthly reports to the board. The treasurer will prepare the annual budget for FSE, to be submitted at the first regular post-election board meeting for the board’s approval. Additionally, the treasurer will cause to be filled the appropriate tax documents. There will be an audit of all FSE accounts at the conclusion of a term of office that has any control of any FSE accounts. The club Treasurer will be selected solely by the board and is not an elected position. Additionally, it is an ongoing position and the person holding the position may continue from one annual term to a subsequent term unless the incoming President nominates a new person for the position and it is approved by the incoming board. Director of Coaching: The Director of Coaching (DOC) shall oversee the development of players and coaches, coordinate club tournaments, interact with the local community for the purpose of recruitment and club fund raising, and any additional responsibilities FSE deems necessary and properly communicates to the DOC. It is an ongoing position within the club. In the event the DOC leaves FSE, then due to specific requirements of the DOC, a search committee for a replacement will be formed including the Board President and up to four board members. A recommendation will be brought to the board for approval of a new DOC hire at such time as a suitable replacement is believed to have been located. If the DOC has not been filled by the expiration of one’s board term, the incoming board will obtain any information and recommendations from the outgoing board and resume the DOC search. Referee Assignor: The Referee Assignor shall act as an advisor and shall be assigner of referees for the club. This is an ongoing position (i.e., the Director may retain the position across
numerous board elections) and a personnel change within this position must be confirmed with the AR state referees association and ASSA. Manager of Classic teams: The Manger of Classic teams shall administer programs and activities of classic teams and coaches, including monitoring and collecting payment of fees and submitting tournament fees on behalf of Classic teams. Administrative Assistant: The club administrative assistant, a paid position, shall act as registrar and shall properly register all players and teams with the Club’s chosen governing soccer body. The registrar is tasked with assigning players and coaches. In addition, the club administrative assistant will handle all clerical duties for the Club. Concession Supervisor: Coordinate, control, staff, operate the food and beverage concessions for all Fort Smith Express Soccer Club leagues and special events (i.e., tournaments, summer camps, etc.). They are also responsible for the overall cleanliness of the concession stand and bathrooms. This person, voted on by the board will receive some minor compensation for the significant hours they contribute. Disciplinary Board: Consisting of three people designated by the FSE Board, they will hear and rule on any issues solely involving an incident involving FSE members and/or referees that are brought to their attention by members of the FSE club (including parents, players and coaches), FSE Board, or a referee that was assigned a FSE game. The disciplinary board convenes on an as needed basis, and their decisions will be enforced by the FSE board.
Standing Rules-- SECTION THREE AMENDMENT OF STANDING RULES Amendments to the FSE Standing Rules will be handled in the same manner as outlined in Article V of the Bylaws.
Standing Rules SECTION FOUR Standing Rules SPECIFIC TO THE RECREATIONAL AND ACADEMY SOCCER DIVISIONS CODE OF CONDUCT All parents and coaches shall sign a Code of Conduct form. Signatures will be recorded for the parents through the player registration process, either online or through the written form. Recreational coaches will have to sign their Code of Conduct form prior to receiving their team information. The Academy Directors will sign their Code of Conducts and also insure that all Academy coaches within their age group will sign theirs as well. The Academy Directors will maintain those forms throughout the season. In the event of an incident involving players, coaches, parents or refs where it is deemed by one of the participants that additional review of the incident is necessary, the participant may submit and Incident Report and ask that the FSE Disciplinary convene to review and determine if additional actions are necessary. The Disciplinary Board will convene as quickly as is convenient for all parties.
Standing Rules SECTION FIVE Standing Rules SPECIFIC TO THE CLASSIC SOCCER DIVISION 1. General Requirements The Classic Soccer Division is affiliated with the Fort Smith Express Soccer Club (hereinafter FSE). All Classic teams in the Classic Soccer Division agree to abide by the organizational rules, regulations and by-laws of FSE. Furthermore, all Classic teams agree to abide by the requirements of organization and rules of play as set forth by the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) and US Youth Soccer, unless specifically modified by FSE. Club Specific rule changes but must be implemented prior
to the beginning of a soccer season (either Fall or Spring) and club specific rules related to Classic soccer must be posted on the Club website for general reference and general viewing. 2. Player Eligibility Teams wishing to participate in the FSE Classic Soccer Division are subject to the following eligibility requirements: A. Classic Soccer teams must be U-11 and above to be eligible for acceptance. All players must meet the age requirement of U-11 of the classification in which they will compete, as set forth by the Club. B. Teams accepted into the Classic Soccer Division must register through FSE and will be required to pay fees, as established by the FSE Board, for the general use of the fields and facilities at the FSE Ben Geren Soccer Complex. Additional fees for registration, roster changes, administrative forms, etc., will be charged to each Classic team in accordance with the fees charged to FSE by the Club. Any Classic team that is in arrears for any of the above mentioned fees for a period of 30 days or more will be subject to suspension of field and facility privileges; and the FSE Classic Manager will not submit tournament fees on their behalf for any future tournaments. C. In order to ensure fair and equitable treatment to all players who wish to compete at the Classic team level, teams will make public notice of tryouts that are to be held between June 1 and July 15 of each year. This includes a posting on the FSE website. It is suggested that teams schedule tryouts on multiple dates during this time period to ensure that all potential players have the ability to try out for a team. Selection of players will remain the prerogative of each Classic team’s coaching staff. D. All coaches, parents and parents are expected to sign a Code of Conduct form at the beginning of each season (August 1). The team manager of each Classic team is responsible for maintaining these forms. Additional players and parents that may be added during the course of the Fall or Spring season will be asked to sign a Code of Conduct form as well.
3. Financial Requirements: A. All Classic Soccer teams are required to be self-supporting through fundraising, sponsorship, and/or player fees. All Classic teams are responsible for their own debts and financial obligations. B. Classic teams will be required to name a person as team manager. It is required that Classic teams require two signatures, one team manager, one club treasurer, for the disbursement of team. Fund raising by individual teams is encouraged. Fund raising activities must be submitted and approved by the FSE Board prior to the fund raising event. Raffles or any other type of gambling will involve additional levels of scrutiny due to state laws involving gambles/raffles.
4. OTHER REQUIREMENTS In order that the FSE Board and Classic Manager may be kept better advised of unusual situations and incidents that may occur at games and tournaments, a form titled “FSE Classic Team Report” has been devised. This report should be completed when there are unusual team situations that have occurred which might have or could be construed to have a negative impact on FSE Classic Soccer Division. This report will give the FSE Board and Classic Manager the information necessary to proactively resolve any potential conflicts or misunderstandings that may arise between teams, players, leagues, coaches, tournament officials, etc. This report is required for ejection of player, coach, parent and/or any person affiliated with the team. The Classic soccer coach is required to complete the classic team report and provide it to the Classic Soccer Commissioner within three (3) days of the incident.
Article I
Name
The name of this organization shall be the Fort Smith Express Soccer Club, hereinafter referred to as FSE Article II
Purpose
The purpose of FSE shall be to develop, promote, and administer youth soccer in Fort Smith and the surrounding areas of AR and OK in accordance with US Youth Soccer guidelines, regardless of race, creed, sex or national origin. Article III
Membership
A. In any one season player registration in the club automatically confers voting rights on the player’s family for that season only (there are two seasons in each calendar year – Spring and Fall). Each family will have a single vote for each registered player. B. Any interested person not a parent or guardian of a registered player, upon payment of a nominal membership fee to be determined by the FSE Board, becomes a voting member. C. Membership fee for any person registered as a coach or referee who does not have a child playing during that season shall be waived. Article IV
Election of Specific Board Members
A. Prior to the Annual Meeting of the General Membership, which occurs during the month of May, the President and Board shall present a slate of nominees for the succeeding Soccer year. Offices to be filled by elections are as follows: President Vice President Two representatives from Recreational Two representatives from Classic Two representatives from Academy Two ‘at-large’ representatives. One representative for Adult League soccer (during years when the existing board approves creation of an adult soccer league). Positions will be held for one calendar year. (June 1 – May 31) B. No less than three weeks (21 days) prior to the Annual Meeting, an email will be sent to the current membership (as defined in Article III above), asking for volunteers to serve in officer positions for the succeeding year. Members interested in serving may contact existing officers, in person or via phone, or email the club through the club’s website at [email protected]. C. No less than two weeks (14 days) prior to the Annual Meeting, an email will be sent to the current membership (as defined in Article III above), based on emails provided at time of that season’s registration, announcing the place and time of the Annual Meeting. Also within that email, a list of nominees for Board Positions will be provided. The nominees will also be provided on the FSE website, www.fssoccer.net, also no less than two weeks (14 days) prior to the Annual Meeting. D. Additional nominations can be made via email through the Contact site at www.fssoccer.net until seven (7) days prior to the Annual Meeting.
E. Unless otherwise provided through proper notification as outlined herein, the election will be held the last day of Spring Recreational/Academy soccer, with ballots available at the concession stand at the Ben Geren Soccer Fields and through an online process. A time frame with which to cast votes will also be provided. A minimum of 60 ballots must be cast by the membership in order to make the election valid. Failure to achieve the minimum of 60 ballots will maintain the previous board in office, which will then be tasked with arranging for a different time and possibly venue with which to conduct elections. F. Election to office of the Presidency shall be by the highest total vote in favor of one candidate. When more than two candidates have declared their interest in the Presidency a majority of greater than 50% of the votes cast is NOT required to win the position. In connection with the board positions for Recreational, Academy, Classic, and At-Large, the two candidates with the highest vote totals in each group will win the available positions. G. FSE Board of Directors and Officers (FSE Board): The FSE Board shall consist of the elected officers and those appointed positions identified in the Fort Smith Express Soccer Club By-Laws. H. Replacement of Board Member vacancies during term: Vacancies created by the resignation of FSE Board members are replaced for the remaining term by the following procedure. 1. The President will accept nominations for the replacement candidate(s) at a meeting of the Board. 2. The attending Board will elect/confirm the replacement member by a majority vote in favor of a candidate for each vacancy. 3. If the resigning Officer is the President, the FSE Board will elect a successor President, by majority vote of the Board present, to complete the unexpired term of the President. By determination of the board, the successor may be an existing board member or someone outside the current board. If the new
President is an existing board member, the opening board position will be filled as outlined in Article IV.F.1 and 2. I.
Removal of Board Members: Any board officer or club personnel can be removed from the Board for any unreasonable compromise in the conduction of FSE responsibilities and purposes by the following procedure: 1. Notice of such intended motions must be communicated in a notice of a Board meeting. 2. Such motion, upon receiving a seconding motion and appropriate discussion, shall require a favorable vote of a least 75% of the voting Board members to be adopted. 3. Members removed by such action shall return all materials and property of Fort Smith Express Soccer Club to a Board designated person within forty-eight (48) hours.
Article V
Elected Officer description and responsibilities
A. President: The president shall preside over all meetings of FSE and call its meeting to order. The President shall act as ex-officio member of any committee. The President shall have the power to call a meeting at any time and dispense funds in the absence of the Treasurer, with the authorization of one other board member. The President shall coordinate the activities of all FSE club positions. The President will not vote, except in case of a tie. B. Vice President: The vice president shall fulfill all duties of the president, if the president is not in attendance. C. Recreational representatives: In addition to general issues involving the overall operations and activities of FSE, these board representatives will oversee and address issues specific to the Recreational division of the club. These representatives will vote on all issues brought before the board that require a vote. D. Academy representatives:
In addition to general issues involving the overall
operations and activities of FSE, these board representatives will oversee and address
issues specific to the Academy division of the club. These representatives will vote on all issues brought before the board that require a vote. E. Classic representatives: In addition to general issues involving the overall operations and activities of FSE, these board representatives will oversee and address issues specific to the Classic division of the club. These representatives will vote on all issues brought before the board that require a vote. F. At-Large representatives: The board representatives will address general issues involving the overall operations and activities of FSE. These representatives will vote on all issues brought before the board that require a vote. G. Adult League representative: This board representative will oversee coordination of activities related to Adult league soccer. They will vote on all issues brought before the board that require a vote. Board votes will require a simple majority to pass a proposal. In the case of a tie involving the voting board members present, the President may break the tie. The President may conduct an email vote between board meetings when he believes an expedient response to an issue is necessary and the vote cannot wait until the next board meeting. Unless otherwise specified by the President in his email requesting the vote, failure of a voting board member to respond within 48 hours of the email will represent that the board member has abstained. Article VI
Fiscal Management
The FSE Board will decide all matters pertaining to FSE financial policy and affairs. Individual team expenses, except as may be outlined in the By-Laws, shall be the responsibility of the team and the coach and will not encumber the club in any way. The treasurer shall keep complete and accurate records of all financial transactions and shall submit a monthly financial statement to the Board and one at the end of each annual term. At the end of the year an income tax report will be filed. Neither FSE nor the Board shall be responsible for any accidents or losses to any individual during any activity which is included in the soccer program.
Article VII
Bylaw Amendments
Revision to the Fort Smith Express Soccer Club Bylaws: Additions and revisions shall be by the following procedure: 1. Notice of the intent and general description of the proposed change(s) shall be sent via email to the current membership (as defined in Article III above), and shall also be posted on the club’s website, www.fssoccer.net, no less than three (3) weeks prior to any vote. Within the email and posting, the time and location of the vote shall be provided. 2. The board must conduct one board meeting between the announcement of the proposed change and the vote in order to allow any and all interested members to discuss the proposed change(s). 3. If due to the discussions during the board meeting the proposed amendment is revised or cancelled, the general membership shall be notified in the manner defined in Article VII.1. herein. If the amendment has been revised, the board must repeat the process as outlined in Article VII.1 and 2 herein. 4. At least 60 members of the general membership, as defined in Article III herein, must cast a ballot during the allotted time frame for the vote to be deemed legitimate. 5. The proposed amendment shall be adopted upon a two-thirds vote in favor of the amendment by the General Membership voting. 6. The board reserves the right to convene a special meeting at a time and place designated to both discuss and vote on an issue. The general membership must be notified through email and posting, as described herein, no less than seven (7) days prior to the planned event.
FORT SMITH EXPRESS SOCCER CLUB Standing Rules Adopted//2015
Standing Rules – SECTION ONE 1. FSE SOCCER YEAR: The 12-month soccer year FSE, for terms of office, yearly plans etc. shall Begin June 1, following the annual elections, and continue to May 31 of the succeeding year. Unless specifically stated otherwise, all Standing Rules herein will apply for Recreational, Academy and Classic divisions. 2. Players must register in accordance with Club guidelines prior to each seasonal year. Unregistered players shall not be permitted to participate in any team practice or game. A registration fee shall established by the FSE board prior to the time of registration and posted on our website prior to the start of registration. 3. The registration period for FSE will cease at least 10 full days before the first game of the season. After the final day of registration, players will be assigned to teams according to a drafting procedure set by the registration committee taking into consideration age, experience and sex. Additional players may be registered past the deadline upon the approval of the FSE President or Director of Coaching.
4. A player shall register within his own age bracket, as per Club guidelines, based on the player’s age of August 1. A player may move up to a higher age group with permission and mutual consent of parent (or guardian), coaches of respective teams involved and the director of coaching.
5. Regular meetings of FSE Board: The President or other Officers shall schedule regular
Meetings of the Board, preferably on a monthly basis, and at least on six(6) occasions per FSE soccer year. A majority of the voting members of the FSE Board must be present to constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting binding resolutions on FSE interests. Meetings shall be open to all parents of registered players, coaches, and recognized guests.
6. Special meetings may be called by the President or upon request of three members of the FSE Board. The purpose of the meeting will be slated in the call or email.
7. A general meeting will be held annually in the Spring, reporting on the activities and financial conditions of the club. Fifteen (15) adults (age 18 and older) shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of a general meeting. A special meeting may also occur, for the purpose of voting on specific matters; however, a minimum of 60 ballots must be cast by the membership in order to make a general issue vote valid. A majority of the meeting votes shall govern in routine matters. A general or special meeting may be conducted as long as an email notification is provided to members (who have provided an email address during registration) and a posting of the meeting time and voting period (if a vote is requested) on the club website are provided no less than ten (10) days prior to the meeting.
8. FSE meetings shall be conducted using the Roberts Rules of Order 9. Financial Policy: Any expenditure over $1000, other than those generally accepted as required to conduct the business of the club (for example, player registration fees), must have prior approval of the Board. Additionally, all checks over $1000 will be signed by two members of the Board.
Standing Rules – SECTION TWO
Standing committees shall be formed to oversee certain aspects of FSE as deemed necessary by the FSE Board for as long as the committee is deemed necessary to exist. NON – PROFIT STATUS FSE shall be a non-profit organization, organized and operated solely for the purpose stated, with no individual or individual(s), except for the Club’s Director of Coaching (DOC) and specific positions designated herein, profiting from his or her association with the Association. If any of the above article or articles is contrary to any Federal, State, or Local Law, that article or articles will be changed by the FSE Board to conform to the law violated.
In appreciation of the tremendous time and talents contributed to the benefit of FSE by the volunteers who obtain the positions herein, compensation for the various positions, including Classic team head coaches, shall be offered as approved by board. For example, the compensation may involve free registration for one child of the volunteer. The Board may also approve a compensation plan for head coaches on the Academy and Classic levels, if funding allows. The individual volunteers can determine to what degree they wish to receive such compensation. Compensation details for a specific volunteer position are available to the general club membership upon a written request to the FSE Board. Additionally, upon request to the Board, the Club will cover the cost of a D or E license class for any club member(s) who wishes to coach a team under FSE. Any food, lodging or travel expenses incurred while attending a licensing course will be borne by the individual attending the class.
ADDITIONAL CLUB POSITIONS Secretary: The secretary will keep the minutes of the regular meeting of Fort Smith Express Soccer Club (Board and General) and any special meeting held. These minutes will be available for approval at the next meeting and will subsequently be held available for reference or viewing by the board or any member of the association. Sections of the minutes may be
excluded from the posting at the discretion of the Board if the Board deems the sensitivity of the subject matter makes that material unsuitable for mass viewing. Such topics will be designated as sensitive during the board meeting in which they are discussed. The Secretary will be selected solely by the board and is not an elected position. Additionally, it is an ongoing position and the person holding the position may continue from one annual term to a subsequent term unless the incoming President nominates a new person for the position and it is approved by the incoming board. Treasurer: The treasurer’s responsibility is to collect, account for, and dispense the funds of FSE. The treasurer will submit monthly reports to the board. The treasurer will prepare the annual budget for FSE, to be submitted at the first regular post-election board meeting for the board’s approval. Additionally, the treasurer will cause to be filled the appropriate tax documents. There will be an audit of all FSE accounts at the conclusion of a term of office that has any control of any FSE accounts. The club Treasurer will be selected solely by the board and is not an elected position. Additionally, it is an ongoing position and the person holding the position may continue from one annual term to a subsequent term unless the incoming President nominates a new person for the position and it is approved by the incoming board. Director of Coaching: The Director of Coaching (DOC) shall oversee the development of players and coaches, coordinate club tournaments, interact with the local community for the purpose of recruitment and club fund raising, and any additional responsibilities FSE deems necessary and properly communicates to the DOC. It is an ongoing position within the club. In the event the DOC leaves FSE, then due to specific requirements of the DOC, a search committee for a replacement will be formed including the Board President and up to four board members. A recommendation will be brought to the board for approval of a new DOC hire at such time as a suitable replacement is believed to have been located. If the DOC has not been filled by the expiration of one’s board term, the incoming board will obtain any information and recommendations from the outgoing board and resume the DOC search. Referee Assignor: The Referee Assignor shall act as an advisor and shall be assigner of referees for the club. This is an ongoing position (i.e., the Director may retain the position across
numerous board elections) and a personnel change within this position must be confirmed with the AR state referees association and ASSA. Manager of Classic teams: The Manger of Classic teams shall administer programs and activities of classic teams and coaches, including monitoring and collecting payment of fees and submitting tournament fees on behalf of Classic teams. Administrative Assistant: The club administrative assistant, a paid position, shall act as registrar and shall properly register all players and teams with the Club’s chosen governing soccer body. The registrar is tasked with assigning players and coaches. In addition, the club administrative assistant will handle all clerical duties for the Club. Concession Supervisor: Coordinate, control, staff, operate the food and beverage concessions for all Fort Smith Express Soccer Club leagues and special events (i.e., tournaments, summer camps, etc.). They are also responsible for the overall cleanliness of the concession stand and bathrooms. This person, voted on by the board will receive some minor compensation for the significant hours they contribute. Disciplinary Board: Consisting of three people designated by the FSE Board, they will hear and rule on any issues solely involving an incident involving FSE members and/or referees that are brought to their attention by members of the FSE club (including parents, players and coaches), FSE Board, or a referee that was assigned a FSE game. The disciplinary board convenes on an as needed basis, and their decisions will be enforced by the FSE board.
Standing Rules-- SECTION THREE AMENDMENT OF STANDING RULES Amendments to the FSE Standing Rules will be handled in the same manner as outlined in Article V of the Bylaws.
Standing Rules SECTION FOUR Standing Rules SPECIFIC TO THE RECREATIONAL AND ACADEMY SOCCER DIVISIONS CODE OF CONDUCT All parents and coaches shall sign a Code of Conduct form. Signatures will be recorded for the parents through the player registration process, either online or through the written form. Recreational coaches will have to sign their Code of Conduct form prior to receiving their team information. The Academy Directors will sign their Code of Conducts and also insure that all Academy coaches within their age group will sign theirs as well. The Academy Directors will maintain those forms throughout the season. In the event of an incident involving players, coaches, parents or refs where it is deemed by one of the participants that additional review of the incident is necessary, the participant may submit and Incident Report and ask that the FSE Disciplinary convene to review and determine if additional actions are necessary. The Disciplinary Board will convene as quickly as is convenient for all parties.
Standing Rules SECTION FIVE Standing Rules SPECIFIC TO THE CLASSIC SOCCER DIVISION 1. General Requirements The Classic Soccer Division is affiliated with the Fort Smith Express Soccer Club (hereinafter FSE). All Classic teams in the Classic Soccer Division agree to abide by the organizational rules, regulations and by-laws of FSE. Furthermore, all Classic teams agree to abide by the requirements of organization and rules of play as set forth by the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) and US Youth Soccer, unless specifically modified by FSE. Club Specific rule changes but must be implemented prior
to the beginning of a soccer season (either Fall or Spring) and club specific rules related to Classic soccer must be posted on the Club website for general reference and general viewing. 2. Player Eligibility Teams wishing to participate in the FSE Classic Soccer Division are subject to the following eligibility requirements: A. Classic Soccer teams must be U-11 and above to be eligible for acceptance. All players must meet the age requirement of U-11 of the classification in which they will compete, as set forth by the Club. B. Teams accepted into the Classic Soccer Division must register through FSE and will be required to pay fees, as established by the FSE Board, for the general use of the fields and facilities at the FSE Ben Geren Soccer Complex. Additional fees for registration, roster changes, administrative forms, etc., will be charged to each Classic team in accordance with the fees charged to FSE by the Club. Any Classic team that is in arrears for any of the above mentioned fees for a period of 30 days or more will be subject to suspension of field and facility privileges; and the FSE Classic Manager will not submit tournament fees on their behalf for any future tournaments. C. In order to ensure fair and equitable treatment to all players who wish to compete at the Classic team level, teams will make public notice of tryouts that are to be held between June 1 and July 15 of each year. This includes a posting on the FSE website. It is suggested that teams schedule tryouts on multiple dates during this time period to ensure that all potential players have the ability to try out for a team. Selection of players will remain the prerogative of each Classic team’s coaching staff. D. All coaches, parents and parents are expected to sign a Code of Conduct form at the beginning of each season (August 1). The team manager of each Classic team is responsible for maintaining these forms. Additional players and parents that may be added during the course of the Fall or Spring season will be asked to sign a Code of Conduct form as well.
3. Financial Requirements: A. All Classic Soccer teams are required to be self-supporting through fundraising, sponsorship, and/or player fees. All Classic teams are responsible for their own debts and financial obligations. B. Classic teams will be required to name a person as team manager. It is required that Classic teams require two signatures, one team manager, one club treasurer, for the disbursement of team. Fund raising by individual teams is encouraged. Fund raising activities must be submitted and approved by the FSE Board prior to the fund raising event. Raffles or any other type of gambling will involve additional levels of scrutiny due to state laws involving gambles/raffles.
4. OTHER REQUIREMENTS In order that the FSE Board and Classic Manager may be kept better advised of unusual situations and incidents that may occur at games and tournaments, a form titled “FSE Classic Team Report” has been devised. This report should be completed when there are unusual team situations that have occurred which might have or could be construed to have a negative impact on FSE Classic Soccer Division. This report will give the FSE Board and Classic Manager the information necessary to proactively resolve any potential conflicts or misunderstandings that may arise between teams, players, leagues, coaches, tournament officials, etc. This report is required for ejection of player, coach, parent and/or any person affiliated with the team. The Classic soccer coach is required to complete the classic team report and provide it to the Classic Soccer Commissioner within three (3) days of the incident.
