Lake Cities Football & Cheerleading Association

LCFCA Bi-Laws

 

B. Election

With the exception of the President and Treasurer, Board members are elected to two year terms, with the last full day of service being the Saturday preceding the second Sunday of January.   The election of new board members shall be held at the annual post-season awards ceremony and will be conducted at the direction and under the supervision of the President and Secretary.

 

Soon to be vacated positions will be posted on the official LCFCA website as soon as practicable, but no later than the 1^st of October. Nominations will be accepted for two weeks following the date vacated positions are posted.  Nominations may be submitted by any active member of the association (parent or guardian of a player or participant). All nominees will be contacted by a member of the board to ascertain their willingness to serve. Those that wish to serve will be listed on the ballot. At the Post Season Awards Ceremony, members may cast votes by written ballot. Each player/participant will have one (1) vote to be cast by his/her parent or legal guardian. Ballots will be counted by the President and Secretary independently of one another. In the event of differing numbers the votes will be counted by the Vice President under the supervision of the Board of Directors. Once the vote count is complete the results will be presented, by the President, to the Board Members for certification. In the event of a tie, the position in question will be voted on by the LCFCA board. The Board Members will certify the results. Newly elected board members will be notified by the Secretary at the earliest opportunity after the results have been certified.

 

C. Vacancies

For any vacant board position other than President, that is vacant or becomes vacant at any time during the year, the Board will determine if said position(s) should be filled before the end of the season.  If determined the position(s) should be filled, the Board will determine the replacement by majority vote of the Board members.  If the office of the President becomes vacant, the position of interim President shall be filled by the next officer in succession following the order named under Board of Directors. The interim president shall conduct the election of a new president and will serve as president until a replacement is elected.

 

D. Board Meetings

All regular board meetings are open meetings which may be attended by any member of the Association, space permitting.  A schedule of regular meetings will be published on the official LCFCA website.  However, during these meetings, only board members may vote on issues brought before the board. Each board member will have only one vote regardless of number of positions held on the board.  Board members are expected to attend all meetings for the scheduled duration of the meeting.  Attendance will be recorded in the minutes as present or absent.

 

E. Terms of Office

Board members shall serve a term of office of two years, commencing on the 2^nd Sunday of January following election and ending on the Saturday preceding the 2^nd Sunday of January of the end of the second year. Board positions may be vacated by the written resignation submitted to the president and accepted by the board at the next regular meeting.

 

F. Duties

The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Association and, with the advice and consent of the Board of Directors, shall conduct the affairs of the association.  He/She shall preside over all meetings of the Board of Directors. He/She shall be responsible for working with the designated liaison from the Corinth Parks and Recreation Department. He/She shall be responsible for providing game officials for all games. He/She shall direct the payment of all said officials. He/She shall oversee a check of all players' birth certificates prior to the first game of each season. He/She shall be responsible for and make necessary decisions on all matters relating to scheduling of games, both regular season and play-offs. He/She shall conduct periodic checks on the conduct of teams, players, and officials. He/She shall perform all such other acts as may be deemed necessary for the furtherance of the business of the Association or which the Board of Directors may direct. Once elected, the President cannot serve as a Board of Director of the LCFCA concurrently. The President shall have general charge of the business of the Association and make, execute and acknowledge for and on behalf of the Association, any and all deeds, mortgages, leases, releases of mortgages, and any and all instruments which may be necessary in the acquisition or disposition of any property or rights of the Association or in conducting the business of this Association. The President will directly oversee activities of all board members and volunteers, assist the Director of Publicity as the Association liaison to the community and mediate disputes among members and with other organizations. The President will have final say on all head coaching and assistant coaching positions. The President shall have the discretion to waive any charges or fees of the association. The President will have the tiebreaking vote on any issue.

 

The Vice President shall work with the President and shall help with the charge of the business of the Association, and perform duties as assigned by the President. The Vice President shall preside over all meetings with the President. The Vice President shall oversee the completion of background checks of all coach candidates and board members, and assist the President in representing the Association in the community.  Candidates for the Vice President position must have served on the Board in some other position for at least one term.

 

The Secretary shall maintain minutes of all board and Association meetings; issue all notices to the members; be responsible for the custody of the by-laws, conduct correspondence; be the keeper of all records and registration information and perform other duties as assigned by the President/Vice President.

 

The Treasurer shall develop and administer the financial policy of the Association and shall be responsible for the control of the funds of the Association, for their proper disbursement, and for investment of funds as directed by the President. The Treasurer shall oversee the Travis Duffy scholarship awards process for the President and administer scholarship awards based as directed by the President.  The Treasurer shall render a statement of the accounts of the LCFCA whenever required by the board and will be responsible for the filing of an annual information return to the Internal Revenue Service. The Treasurer will be responsible for submitting all information to the State of Texas to ensure the league’s active/good standing. At the end of the term of office, all books, records, funds, papers, documents and all other property of the Association having to do with the financial or other transactions of the Association which may have come into the Treasurer’s possession or may have been compiled or created during the term of office must be turned over to the successor.

 

The Director of Coaches shall oversee the coach selection process and administer the coaching “point system” in accordance with LCFCA rules. The Director of Coaches will be responsible for gathering all background check documentation for all head coaches and assistant coaches and ensuring all coaches are NYSCA certified prior to the start of the season. The Director of Coaches will be the primary point of contact for all coach communication; ensure timely responses to coach questions/concerns; ensure proper coach conduct during the course of executing their coaching responsibilities and advise the board on any incidents that occur with coaches during the season.

 

The Director of Cheerleading shall acts as liaison between parents, players, coaches and the Board.  The Director of Cheerleading shall oversee all cheerleading issues within the LCFCA.  The Director of Cheerleading will be responsible for gathering all background check documentation for all head cheer coaches and assistant cheer coaches and ensuring all coaches are NYSCA certified prior to the start of the season.  The Director of Cheerleading will report on cheerleading issues at the monthly association meetings. All cheerleading issues will be made final at association meetings. Any Cheer complaints will be heard at committee meetings & presented to the Association Board with a possible solution. The Director of Cheerleading will oversee the Cheerleading draft, following all LCFCA rules. 

 

The Director of Equipment shall develop a plan for acquisition of equipment, secure timely and appropriate maintenance of equipment and medical kits; oversee and coordinate distribution and collection of equipment; supervise storage and inventory of equipment; and coordinate activities with the Director of Coaches and Team Parent Coordinator.

 

The Director of Fields shall check and prepare fields for home games; set out field markers, cones, portable clock and arrange for the game timekeeper; schedule and supervise volunteer chain gangs for home games; and arrange for clean-up crews to stow equipment and police the field after the last home game of the day. The Equipment/Field Manager will coordinate with the Team Parent Coordinator of each home team to identify volunteers for these tasks.

 

The Director of Publicity shall assist the President with developing and maintaining the LCFCA’s image and relationships with the greater Lake Cities community, to include sponsors, schools, community government, associated leagues, volunteers and members. The Director of Publicity shall work closely with the Webmaster to execute the LCFCA’s overall web strategy and create all mass communication to LCFCA members.  The Director of Publicity position has the responsibilities of preparing, implementing and maintaining all advertising related to league registration, including but not limited to newspaper, flyers in schools and daycares, street signs and banners. 

The Fund Raising Coordinator shall be concerned with developing and implementing all programs related to building funds for the operation of the Association and support of community improvement programs involving the greater Lake Cities community. Together with the Treasurer, the Fund Raising Coordinator will submit a fund raising plan, designed to meet Association fund requirements for the coming year, to the board by May 1^st for review and approval. The Fund Raising Coordinator shall oversee all fundraising activities and be responsible for maintaining the health of the LCFCA’s relationship with its sponsors.

 

The Director of Concessions shall order and stock product and supplies; oversee the upkeep of the concession trailer; oversee the transportation of the concession trailer to/from all LCFCA events where appropriate, ensure proper licensing of the concession trailer; supervise volunteer staff for home game concession sales & gate sales, and handle all funds securely, making timely deposits to the Treasurer.

 

The Team Parent Coordinator shall secure team parents for all teams; lead the process to determine the duties of team parents; train team parents systematically; and serve as a central point of communication for team parents.

 

The Assistant Director of Cheerleading shall assist the Director of Cheerleading in the discharge of duties and perform other duties as assigned to her/him by the President or Director of Cheerleading.

 

The Assistant Director of Concessions shall assist the Director of Concessions in the discharge of duties and perform other duties as assigned to her/him by the President or Director of Concessions.

 

The Webmaster shall maintain the LCFCA web site and perform duties as assigned by the President/Vice President to update the web site including the weekly game results in a timely manner. The Webmaster position is also responsible for planning, communicating and implementing any changes (if needed) with website vendors such as the host, credit card processor, etc.  They are also the point of communication with the website hosting company and should provide/has provided online registration reports to the president and treasurer.

 

The Commissioners shall attend each game in their assigned age group.  The Commissioner is responsible for insuring the parents and coaches are acting responsibly and acts as the LCFCA representative.  The Commissioner may from time to time have to respond to disputes between parents and/or coaches during the game. 

 

G. Removal

Any member of the board may request to remove a member by taking the following steps:

 

1. The member must file a signed grievance letter, naming the officer(s) involved in the grievance and describing the reasons for removal. This letter will be submitted to the President and the person(s) subject to removal.
2. The President will call a special meeting of the Board of Directors within ten days and review the grievance. The board will vote on removal in an anonymous ballot. If a quorum is in favor of removal, then the officer(s) will be removed. The decision of the board is final.
3. There will be no double jeopardy. No member may be reviewed for removal twice for the same incident.

V. Association Meetings

A. Monthly Meeting

The Board of Directors will meet the 2^nd Sunday of each month to insure the needs of the LCFCA are met, issues are addressed, and future events are planned for the benefit of the membership.

 

All meetings will begin at 1:30pm, unless otherwise directed. Written notice of such meetings is not required, but should be published on our web site to make area residents aware of the times & locations of meetings.  The first 15 minutes of the Board meeting is for public comment time, with a private Board Meeting to follow.

 

B. Rules of Procedure

The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order Revised shall govern the Association in all cases to which they are applicable, and in which they are not inconsistent with the by-laws or other rules of the organization.

VI.  Registration

1. Cheerleading registration will be held at a minimum of two Saturdays. Football registration will be held at a minimum of two Saturdays.  Any further registrations will be accepted after the last registration date only with the approval of the Board.
2. The associations designated Board Members will be responsible for recording each child’s name, address, telephone number, and birth certificate. This information will then be maintained by the Association’s Secretary prior to the first game.
3. All football players and cheerleaders are required to submit an original birth certificate prior to acceptance. 
4. Any problem with certification of participants, i.e. adopted, orphaned, etc, will be handled by the Board of Directors with the utmost of discretion and no embarrassment brought upon the child.

VII.  Membership Fee (Players)

Each participant will pay an annual fixed registration fee, the amount to be determined by the Board prior to registration each year. The deadline for paying this fee shall be the date of the official participant certification and registration. The deadline for each association to pay for all players will be the Wednesday immediately prior to the first weigh-in or sooner. As responsible members of the Lake Cities community, the league may make available scholarship awards for players that wish to participate in the league but for reasons of financial hardship are unable to pay the registration fee. The scholarship awards may cover partial or full registration costs and will be awarded at the discretion of the board. Players requesting a full or partial scholarship award must submit proof of financial hardship to the board before the registration deadline (i.e. reduced school lunch voucher, proof of reduced utility costs, Sec 8 Housing documentation, etc...). The board will consider each request on the merits of said request with the utmost confidentiality and will notify the player(s) legal guardian of the decision within 10 business days.

 

VIII. General Objectives

It shall be the objective of the Association to provide an opportunity for all youths ages 5-12 to participate in a competitive football/cheer program. The purpose of the association shall be to provide and coordinate youth football and cheer within the greater Lake Cities community. The Association shall be and operate as a non-profit association. It shall be the philosophy of the Association to recognize and set forth to its non-voting members that the word "opportunity" does not constitute the "right" to participate. It shall be the further philosophy of the Association that because of the uniqueness, injury risk, and dedication required, the Association football program be presented as a "recreational" program, not a "competitive" program. It shall be the general objective of the Association to inspire youth to practice ideals of the health, citizenship and character as reflected in the lives of the distinguished members of the community, and to instill in its participants camaraderie through means of a common interest in sportsmanship, fair play, dedication and fellowship. Specifically, it shall be the purpose of the Association, through the policy of its coaches, to:

 

1. Acquaint participating players with the fundamentals of football rules, passing, running, kicking, blocking, and tackling.
2. Acquaint participating cheerleaders with the fundamentals of cheerleading & dance, building self-esteem, leadership, teamwork and sportsmanship.
3. Teach, through the game of football, sportsmanship, love of the game and the ability to endure and enjoy physical effort.
4. It shall be further recognized and noted that the ideals and philosophies set forth by this Association may differ from those of other organized youth sports. It shall also be stated that the LCFCA is staffed strictly by volunteers and is funded through private donations with no national organizational ties.
5. Reinforcing the primary importance of school work in children’s lives.

Finally, it shall be so stated that any participant in LCFCA shall understand and accept the philosophies of the Association and adhere to the policies of its governing board and LCFCA rules and regulations.

 

IX. Interpretation of By-Laws

All questions of interpretation of the by-laws shall be decided by the Board of Directors.

 

X. Amendments

Amendments to the by-laws of this Association may be proposed at any annual January meeting at which there is a quorum of voting members in attendance. If an amendment is approved by two-thirds of the members present at such meeting, it shall then be declared effective.

 

XI. Limitation on Liabilities and Indemnification

A. Limit on Liabilities

Nothing herein shall constitute members of the Association as partners for any purpose. No member, officer, agent, or employee of this Association shall be liable for the acts or failure to act on the part of any other member, officer, agent, or employee of the Association. Nor shall any member, officer, agent, or employee be liable for his acts or failure to act under these by-laws, excepting only acts or omissions to act arising out of his/her willful misfeasance.

 

B. Indemnification

Any officer or director of the Association or former officer or director of the Association shall be reimbursed against reasonable expenses actually and necessarily incurred by them in connection with the defense of any action, suit, or proceeding in which he/she or any of them are made parties , or a party, by reason of having been directors or a director or officer of the Association, except in relation to matters as to which such a director or officer, or former director or officer, shall be adjudged in such actions, suits, or proceeding to be liable for gross negligence or misconduct in the performance of duty and to such matters as shall be settled by agreement predicated on the existence of  such a liability.

 

C.  Insurance Coverage    

The LCFCA will maintain limited liability insurance coverage to protect the interest of the Board Members and Coaches. 

 

XII. Coaches By-Laws

The coaching staff of a team, be it a cheerleading, or a football team, is in complete charge of the team whenever it is together on the practice or playing field, whenever it is traveling as a group to and from practice sessions and games, and/or whenever it is together for any other team function, such as a banquet. The coaching staff is under the direction of the Director of Coaches, Director of Cheerleading, President and Vice-President. Other coaches are called assistant coaches. All coaches must abide strictly by the LCFCA and NYSCA coaches code of conduct. Coaches must complete a coaching application. Coaches must submit their names (and any aliases) for a police records check. A head coach must be at least twenty one years of age. Assistant coaches must be at least eighteen years of age or a high school graduate.

 

Coaches are appointed based on a “points system” as adopted by the LCFCA board. Preceding each season the board will evaluate current coaches ‘points’ and positions will be awarded upon certification by the LCFCA Board. The Board of Directors shall have the sole authority to supersede the point system for valid cause and with a majority vote can replace a coaching candidate as it deems in the best interest of the LCFCA.

 

Each team will have a Head Coach and no more than (4) Assistant Coaches.  All coaches and assistant coaches are required to file an application with LCFCA.

 

A background investigation will be conducted on each coaching applicant.

 

All Coaches will be NYSCA certified.  Proof of certification must be provided to LCFCA.  Returning Head Coaches must notify the Director of Coaches on their intent on returning as a Coach by June 1 of the next year.

 

A baseline of points for coaches will be established for the years prior to the 2008 season. After the baseline is set, additional points will be awarded for each subsequent year of coaching experience in LCFCA.   The Director of Coaches will be responsible for tracking Coaches Points. The points will be based on the following guidelines:

 

For returning coaches who were a coach in the LCFCA prior to 2008, the coaches starting points will be the greater of:  6 points if coached in a head coach position prior to the 2008 season or 4 points if coached in an assistant coach prior to the 2008 season.

 

For 2008 coaching season and after, points will be earned as follows:

 

1. 2 points for every complete year as an LCFCA Head Coach.
2. 1 point for Head Coaches that make the playoffs.
3. 2 points for Head Coaches that play in a City Championship game.
4. 4 points for a Head Coach who wins the City Championship game.
5. Assistant Coaches will accrue half (1/2) the points for the above elements.
6. 2 points for any coach that serves as an LCFCA Board Member.
7. 1 point for any coach that acquires a team sponsor.
8. 1 point for participation in each fund raising event. 

The Board of Directors reserves the right to deduct points from any individual as disciplinary action for any infraction and or misconduct.  The Board of Directors is the final authority in the selection and eligibility of any and all coaches in the LCFCA.  One (1) year as an assistant football coach is preferred prior to applying for a head coaching position.  An exception will be made for coaches in the Flag Division.

 

XIII. Coaches Evaluation

Coaches evaluations will be held each year so Coaches may observe players and cheerleaders for selection on their teams.  Coaches are working to ensure they have the right mix of players and cheerleaders with varying skills.  Coaches will use the information from the coaches evaluation in the Football and Cheerleading Draft.

 

XIV. Draft

Coaches will draft their team on a designated time and date, as established by the Board for the age group they will be coaching.  Coaches will have an option to protect a designated number of players.  The Football Draft occurs first and the Cheerleading draft follows.

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