GOLETA VALLEY GIRLS SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
ARTICLE I – Name and Purpose

(1) This organization shall be known as the Goleta Valley Girls Softball Association, herein after referred to as “The League.”

(2) The League shall, as a goal, maintain the same divisions of play as specified in the amateur softball association USA Softball rules for youth, including a T-ball division.

(3) The eligibility age for participants in the above divisions shall be as stated in the current ASA rules.

ARTICLE II – Objectives

(1) The objectives of the League shall be to provide a supervised recreational program with emphasis on maximum participations in competitive softball games for all interested young people residing within League boundaries, and to firmly implant in the youth of the community the ideals of good sportsmanship. All directors, officers,and members shall bear in mind that the attainment of exceptional skill or the winning of games is secondary, and that providing an organized program of softball for all is primary.

ARTICLE III – Membership

(1) Players. All youth with a League age of 5 through 18 years shall be eligible to participate as a player in the League regardless of race, creed, color, sex or disability, providing that the following requirements are met:

A. Their legal residence is within the League boundaries as defined by Santa Barbara Unified School District. Exceptions may be made by Central California USA Softball.

B. They are duly registered with the League coordinator;
C. They abide by the League constitution and by-laws and League rules.

(2) Non-playing members. Non-playing memberships shall consist of persons 21 years of age or older, residing with the area of the League who are either parents of players or are actively connected with the functioning of the League. These non-playing members must abide by the constitution and by-laws of the League and League rules and are the only persons who are eligible to vote in the general membership meetings and to hold office.

(3) Sustaining Members. Any person who makes a financial contribution to the League may become a sustaining member, but such person shall have no rights, duties, or obligations in the property of the League.

(4) Suspension or termination. A member can be disciplined, suspended, or terminated by action of the Board of Directors

A. The Board of Directors, by a majority vote at a duly-constituted meeting, shall have the authority to discipline, suspend, or terminate the membership of any member when the conduct of such a person is detrimental to the best interest of the League.

B. The member shall be notified of such meeting and informed of the general nature of the charges by an officer of the Board. The member will be given an opportunity to answer the charges.

C. An officer of the Board, by order of the Board of Directors, in the case of a player member, will give notice to the manager of the team of which the youth is a member. Said manager shall appear with the player and his or her parents before the Board of Directors which shall have full power to suspend or revoke such player’s rights to future participation.

ARTICLE IV – Dues & Fees

(1) Registration fees for player members may be fixed at such an amount as the Board of Directors shall determine prior to the beginning of any membership period.

(2) Sponsor’s fees shall be set by the Board of Directors each calendar year.

(3) Inability to pay full registration fees shall not prevent an otherwise qualified youth to become a player member.

ARTICLE V – General Membership Meetings

(1) Annual Meetings. The annual meeting of the members of the League will be held in September and will be for the purpose of electing officers, receiving reports, and for transactions of such other business as properly comes before the meeting. All League meetings are open to players, non-playing members and sustaining members.

(2) Special meetings. Special meetings of the members may be called by the president at the discretion of the Board of Directors. Special meetings may be closed to all members except the executive officers.

(3) Quorum. The number of non-playing members, which includes a majority of the executive officers, shall constitute a quorum.

(4) Rules of Order. Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the proceedings of the meetings, except when same conflicts with the constitution and by-laws of the League.

ARTICLE VI - Board of Directors, Officers & Duties

(1) Authority. All League authority shall be exercised by and under the board of directors. The business of the League shall be controlled by the same. The Board of Directors of this organization shall consist of the following five executive officers:President, Vice-president, Secretary, Treasurer and League Coordinator, and Chairpersons of all standing committees. All members of the Board of Directors must be 21 years of age or older. All shall have voting power. These officers shall perform the duties prescribed by these by-laws and have the parliamentary authority adopted by this organization.

(2) The primary purpose of the Board of Directors is to maintain proper communications with all managers, coaches, players and League helpers, and to benefit the girls in the program by attempting to solve all problems connected with League play.

(3) Members of the Board of Directors, except the umpire-in-chief, may manage or coach a team.

(4) Nominations and Elections:

A. At the August meeting of the Board of Directors, the Board will appoint a committee of three (3) members to serve as the nomination committee for the executive officers. At least one member and no more than two, of the three will be a Board member, one of which will serve as the chairperson of the nominating committee. It will be the duty of the nomination committee to nominate one or more candidates for the following offices: President, Vice-president, Secretary, Treasurer and League Coordinator. It shall be mandatory that the committee contact each person whom it wishes to nominate in order to obtain their acceptance of the nomination. The nominating committee must obtain their acceptance of the nomination. The nominating committee must present its slate to the Board of Directors at the September Board meeting.

B. During the month of September, the nominations will be presented at the general membership meeting. Nominations from the floor will also be accepted and votes for these candidates will be tallied. However, any candidate so elected shall be a valid candidate only if he/she agrees to serve that post when elected. Otherwise, the position shall be awarded to the next highest vote-getter who agrees to serve.

C. A majority of votes of the non-playing members present will constitute a valid election.

D. Voting shall be held by secret ballot. Absentee or proxy votes shall not be permitted. Ballots will be counted immediately following the conclusion of voting. The nominating committee shall be responsible for the tally.

DUTIES OF ELECTED OFFICERS
(5) President. The president shall preside over all meetings as chairperson of the Board of

Directors, and over all meetings held with regard to the League. He or she shall

coordinate all Board activities and shall observe all phases of the Board functions,and shall report to the Board when necessary or as requested. The president shall, with approval of the Executive Board, appoint all Board Members. He or she is an ex-officio member of all committees except the nominating committee. The president may sign checks in conjunction with the treasurer.

(6) Vice-president: The vice-president will assume all duties of the president in the event of the president’s absence, incapacitation, or unavailability. He or she will assist the president in Board activities. It is the duty of the vice-president to develop a safety program and handle all insurance needs of the League. He or she may work with all committees. The vice-president will make all contacts and be responsible for scheduling all games for the season. The vice- president will make all contacts and coordinate all activities with regard to permits and facilities for the League. The vice-president may sign checks in conjunction with the treasurer.

(7) Secretary: The secretary will keep minutes of all Board meetings. He or she will handle all correspondence with regard to the League.

(8) Treasurer. The treasurer shall maintain an accurate, permanent ledger indicating the financial assets and obligations of the League such that the disposition of the League finances shall be readily available. The treasurer will deposit all funds in the League bank accounts. He or she will give the secretary a copy of all treasurer reports for inclusion in the minutes. The treasurer shall oversee all accounting procedures connected to fundraising projects. He or she will be responsible for preparing a budget based on data supplied by the committee chair people, to be submitted to the Board of Directors for approval. He or she will furnish financial reports as directed at all Board and general meetings and will submit a complete financial report at the end of the League year. The treasurer’s books are to be offered for audit on or about October 1st.

(9) League Coordinator. The league coordinator will act as representative for both the players and managers. He or she will keep all records of information on all players and managers. He or she will keep all records available for the Board at any meeting. He or she will direct to selection of drafted teams, coordinate with division representatives on non-drafted teams, and submit team rosters to the Board. He or she will maintain a current and complete file of registration forms and supply the League secretary and managers with the current registration list. He or she will obtain managers for the League and will hold manager meetings as required to discuss and disseminate League information. It will be the duty of the league coordinator to instruct each manager with regard to the Manager’s staff, namely the manager, coach, scorekeeper, team parent and chaperone, if necessary. The league coordinator will furnish each manager with a copy of the current League rules prior to the beginning of League play. He or she will personally

present any problems from the players, players’ parents, or managers to the Board that requires Board action (e.g.player/manager problems).

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

(alphabetically)

(10) All-Star Coordinator. The all-star coordinator shall be required to form an all-star committee of three (3) members for the purpose of overseeing the all-star managers election process. The committee shall include the all-star coordinator and two (2)other board members who are not running for the position of all-star manager. If the all-star coordinator elects to run for an all-star manager position, an executive board member shall replace the all-star coordinator as the lead member of the committee. The board member will be required to organize all-star evaluations prior to the selection of all-star teams. The board member shall be the primary contact for the League's all-star tournament and shall be responsible for organizing the League's all-star tournament.

(11) Concessions. The concessions board member shall direct and manage operations for the concessions stand. They shall coordinate the purchasing of goods for sale and keep records of purchases including costs of items and quantities purchased. They shall coordinate the signup of volunteers for operation of the concessions stand. They shall oversee the system of revenue collection and coordinate with the treasurer to obtain checks for expenditures, record deposits, and maintain records of generated revenue.

(12) Division Representatives. Each age division in the League will have a division representative. A division representative shall not have a child in the division they are representing. It is the duty of the division representative to be a buffer between the managers of the division and the league coordinator. The league coordinator can call each division representative and ask that they inform their division managers of items such as uniform issues, clinic information, concession schedules, field work, etc. The division representative should first try to solve any problems with the division manager(s) before calling the league coordinator. The division representative also helps at the draft and during the player placement in the non- draft leagues.

(13) Equipment. The equipment board member will make recommendations to the board in regards to purchasing all equipment used in the League. The equipment board member is also charged with maintaining and issuing all equipment, rule books and score books, as necessary. He or she will also keep a written record of all equipment owned by the League and will submit a list to the Board at the end of the year (League and All-Stars).

(14) Events. The events board member shall be responsible for coordinating the League entry into the Santa Barbara Holiday Parade. The board member will form a committee to organize

opening day events to include any vendors, games and/or music. The board member shall organize closing ceremonies.

(15) Fall Ball Coordinator. The fall ball coordinator shall be responsible for forming a subcommittee to oversee all aspects of the fall ball program, including: player recruitment, registration, game scheduling, inter-league play, coach selection, volunteer scheduling, field maintenance, umpires, and concessions.

(16) Field Preparation. The field preparation board member will be responsible for establishing and preparing the fields for League play. He or she is responsible for continuing maintenance and marking of fields prior to all games, including tournament games and All-Star games. He or she will be responsible for supply and storage of bases, chalk and other required field preparation equipment.

(17) Media. The media board member shall coordinate any activity related to maintaining the GVGSA website. The board member shall oversee and arrange for the production of the League’s annual yearbook.

(18) Registration. The registration board member will be responsible for the registration of players in the League. The board member will publicize League sign-ups by having flyers distributed to the local public and private schools. Registration announcements will also be sent to all players from the previous year that are still eligible to play in the League. The board member can also use other means such as newspapers, radio and television public service announcements, and any other ideas to publicize the sign-ups for the League. The registration board member will keep current records of the League membership.

(19) Rules & Bylaws. The rules & bylaws board member will direct a committee consisting of the League Coordinator and the Division Representatives. The rules & by-laws board member will coordinate committee efforts in drafting and maintaining the League rules such that they represent a clear, concise guide to the operational routines of the League within the provisions of Article VII.

(20) Umpire-in-Chief. The umpire-in-chief will arrange for umpires and will hold meetings for umpires for the purpose of exchanging information on rule interpretation and umpiring skills. He or she will inspect the fields and other accommodations in the field areas. The umpire-in-chief may not manage or coach a team. The umpire-in-chief will authorize the payment of umpires.

(21) Uniforms & Trophies. The uniforms & trophies board member shall be responsible for ordering player uniforms, socks and visors. The board member is responsible for ordering trophies, shirts and/or pins to be awarded to League players at closing ceremonies. The board member shall similar tasks as they relate to League all-star teams including uniform orders, pin orders for nationals and trophies for the League hosted all-star tournament.

(22) Ways and Means. The ways and means board member will be responsible for obtaining League sponsors. The board member should start contacting and obtaining sponsors in October for the following year.

(23) Vacancies. If any vacancy occurs on the Board of Directors the vacancy may be filled by appointment and ratification by majority vote of the remaining board Members at any regular meeting or any special meeting called for that purpose.

(24) Quorum. A quorum of the Board of Directors shall be present to act on League policies. A two-thirds majority of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum. Any vote by the Board of Directors regarding League policy that results in a tie shall mandate a revote. Only executive board members will participate in a revote.

ARTICLE VII – OPERATING PROCEDURES

Section 1: League Rules. The operation of the League shall be in accordance withthe League rules. The League rules shall not circumvent the constitution and by-laws in any manner. The League rules are subject to modification with two-thirds vote of the Board of Directors at any regular or specially convened meeting of the Board. League rules shall be pertinent and brief and concepts shall be generalized wherever possible to grant flexibility in management of the League.

• ●  Manager selection

• ●  Team formation

• ●  Safety/Accidents

• ●  Adult Responsibilities

• ●  League Playing rules (Where undefined in USA Softball Rules)

  1. Season Games
  2. Playoff Games
  3. All-Star and Tournament Games
  4. All-Star selection and team formation
  5. Pickup games and travel rules
  6. Traveling team formation and management

  ARTICLE VIII – AFFILIATION & PLAYING RULES
  Section 1: Affiliation. The Goleta Valley Girls Softball Association is self-governed, self

  Section 2: Rules and Regulations. The official playing rules for the Goleta Valley Girls Softball Association shall be specified in the amateur USA Softball Rules with the exception of any addition, deletion, or changes adopted by the Board of Directors.

  Section 3: The League will also maintain membership in the amateur softball association. It will send representatives for each eligible division to the League meetings to represent the GVGSA.

sustaining organization.

ARTICLE IX – FINANCIAL & ACCOUNTING

Section 1: The Board of Directors shall decide all matters pertaining to the finances of the League and it shall place all income into a common League treasury, directing the expenditures of the same. Any team, may, however, raise funds with prior permission from the Board, for any softball-related activity.

Section 2: The Board shall not permit the solicitation of money in the name of the Goleta Valley Girls Softball Association unless all the funds raised are placed into the League treasury. All funds donated for a specific use, however, shall be utilized for that use only provided that use exists.

Section 3: The Board shall not permit the disbursement of League funds for activities other than activities for the Goleta Valley Girls Softball Association.

Section 4: No League officer, member of the Board, or non- playing member shall receive any compensation for the personal services rendered on behalf of the League unless approved by the Board.

Section 5: All moneys received shall be deposited in the Goleta Valley GirlsSoftball Association’s designated bank and all disbursements shall be made by check. All checks shall be signed by the League treasurer and/or president and/or the vice-president.

Section 6: The fiscal year of the League shall be October 1 through September 30, beginning upon completion of the annual meeting and ending upon completion of the annual meeting for the ensuing year.

Section 7: Upon dissolution of the League, and after all outstanding debts and claims have been satisfied, the members shall distribute the property of the League to such other organization(s) maintaining an objective similar to that set forth here, which may be entitled to exception under section (501)C(3) of the Internal Revenue code or any future correspondence provision.

ARTICLE X – AMENDMENTS

This constitution and by-laws may be amended, repealed, or altered in whole or in part by two- thirds vote at any duly organized meeting or the members of the Board of Director provided notice of the proposed change/changes are included in the notice of such a meeting. This constitution and by-laws has been approved and ratified by a vote of the Board of Directors meeting on _________________, 20_______ at ________________, _______________________, California.