NCYSA Board of Director’s Meeting

June 16, 2007

Meeting Minutes

 

 

Executive Board Members Present (7):

 

Bob Singer (President), Steve Halstead (Executive Vice President), Don Strein (Executive Secretary), Keith Price (Vice President Challenge), Steve Crane (Vice President Classic), June Tutterrow (Vice President Recreation), Andre’ Burger (Vice President Tournaments & Travel); 7 Present

Bill Polk (Treasurer) was present for only the Financial Agenda item.  

 

Associations Present: Direct Representation and by Approved Proxy:

 

ABYSA, CFYSA, CASL, CSC, CUFC, CSA, DSC, FVAA, GUSC, GYSA, GUS, ICRD, KSA, LRSA, MYSA, MSA, NTSC, PASA, PSA, PTFC, PGSA, PRAA, SCOW, SP/OIYS,

SSA, TFC, TUSA, TCYSA CHALLENGE, TCYSA CLASSIC, USA, WCWAA

31 ASSOCIATION’S PRESENT and 40 Votes 

 

TOTAL VOTES Present: 47 (including Executive Board Members)

 

Mr. Strein informed Mr. Singer that a quorum of the Membership was present for the meeting. 

 

\

Review and Approval of NCYSA Board Of Director’s “Special” Meeting Minutes (April 14, 2007) re: Academy Program Review  

 

Motion to Accept: Ed Eubanks, Second by Mike Baptiste;

Motion: Passed

 

 

Officer Reports: 

 

VP Recreation, June Tutterow

 

June highlighted the following items and work of the Recreation Council Committee: 

 

·           The Council has discussed the need for Recreation Registrars to receive more training. The certification process now requires registrars to sign a document stating that they’ve read the Recreation Handbook. Training classes for Recreation Registrars are scheduled for July 2007.

·           The Council added a 8v8 bracket to the Recreation State Cup for U13 and older.

 

 

 

·            The Council has held lengthy discussion concerning the current Recreation State Cup over the past 12 to 18 months. A sub-Committee of the Recreation Council was charged with debating the future of the Recreation State Cup and making a recommendation to the full Recreation Council. The Committee met fin January 2007 and discussed the pros and cons of the current Recreation Cup, as well as the pros and cons of the Festival format that is being used in District 5 (mountain area) and at the Classic level of U11s and U12s.

The Committee came to the following conclusion:

1.       Regional or District Festivals should be implemented for Recreation teams U12 and below. These festivals would be played in the Fall and/or Spring.

a.       District Festival would utilize round-robin schedules where each team is guaranteed three games. Accompanying the games would be player and coaching clinics, and other fun activities for the kids. NCYSA will facilitate the organization of the District Festivals and award gifts (i.e. medals) to all participants.

2.    Regional State Cup Qualifying Tournaments should be held for ages U13 and older with      the winners advancing to the Championship Weekend.

a.       Regional State Cup Qualifying could be played in conjunction with the District Festivals. Age group winners will advance to Championship weekend the following weekend, which still allows the possibility that teams will only have to travel one weekend.

Note: The exact format and advancement criteria needs more discussion;  More work needs to be done on the Districts first.

 

 

 VP CHALLENGE, Keith Price

 

Keith highlighted once again, the continued strong participation by Association representatives in the Challenge Council meetings. Keith updated the member Associations on the following key items from the June 9, 2007 meeting:

 

  • USYS National Coaches spoke to the Challenge Council Meeting on reasons for eliminating the offside rule for the U10 age level.

 

  • The Council passed a motion to eliminate “Offside” for U10 Challenge. Specifically, this motion eliminates offside at U10 Challenge statewide, including Challenge League and State Cup Play.

 

  • The Council passed a motion to eliminate Challenge State cup for U10, U11, and U12. Instead U10-U12 Challenge teams will play in a “State Festival” similar to the U11-U12 Classic teams.

 

Keith closed by highlighting the great success of the recent NCYSA Challenge State Cup and reflected on the number of different Associations represented in the various “Finals” match by age groups.    

 

 

 

VP Classic, Stephen Crane

 

Stephen highlighted that this was his first Board of Director’s meeting as “VP/Chair” over the NCYSA Classic Soccer program, and he stated that he looked for to serving in this capacity for the member Association’s.

Stephen indicated that the Classic Council had met the prior Saturday, June 9,2007, and the following key items were reviewed:

           

·         The Spring State Cups were a great success and winners were recognized.

·         The Council has developed a “new” Divisional structure for U-11 Boys and Girls. The goal of this proposed change is to more fairly match Team skills of “first” time Classic teams.

·         Key registration and scheduling dates for the Fall season were reviewed.

 

Note: NCYSA Office personnel highlighted the need for Association’s to ensure that their respective DOCs were performing necessary checks and balances in preparation for the upcoming Fall Scheduling meeting in July. The GOAL is to minimize the number of match’s that need to be rescheduled during the season…

 

 

VP Tournament and Travel, Andre Burger

               

Andre opened his update by stating that all State Tournament and Festival events—Challenge through the USYS State Cup, all ran very smoothly this year. Andre pointed to the fact that the issuance of “yellow and red cards” to players were down, and that the conduct of non-player’s, parent’s and friends was improved. In addition he indicated that the new State Tournament website—which allows for “real” time scoring—was well received.

 

Andre once again thanked all the Presidents and volunteers of the Clubs/Associations that stepped forward to provide hosting facilities for the various State cups and Festivals. He indicated that it was outside the capability of the state Office to man the seven specific weekends that are currently required to run our state tournaments, and therefore, as a state, NCYSA is dependent on our membership, to provide the valuable support resources and facilities that enable NCYSA to organize the needed tournaments each year.

Andre closed his update of the 2007 State Tournaments by praising and thanking the dedicated efforts of the entire State Office and Tim Nash, in making this years events such a great success!!

 

Andre closed by providing the President’s key highlights around the Region III League, and also the current work he is doing to improve the overall relationship with the Referee Community.      

 

 

VP Player and Coaching Development, Art Rex

 

Bob Singer indicated that Art had a commitment with an ODP event, and would be unable to be present at the meeting. 

 

 

Treasurer--Financial Report, Bill Polk

 

Bill first updated the Presidents on the conversion of NCYSA’s accounting and finance platform to Quick Books. He indicated that this conversion was largely completed, but full reporting was not yet available at this time.

Bill distributed and reviewed the NCYSA Balance Sheet as of May 31, 2007 and a Profit & Loss Statement for the period of July 1 through May 31, 2007. After brief highlights from Bill, no further questions were received from the floor.          

 

 

Committee Reports

 

Executive Vice President, Chair Personnel Committee, Steve Halstead

 

Steve updated the Presidents on the current status of the State Director of Coaching position. Steve and Bob highlighted that the position had not yet been posted, and that consideration was being given to separating this position into two functional jobs.

Steve indicated that he expected to post these job opening(s) for candidate consideration over the next week.        

 

Risk Management, Bob Singer 

 

Bob opened his comments on Risk Management by reviewing an article in the local Greensboro newspaper that highlighted a “sports referee”, who had been working several High School sports events over the past year, and was found to be a fugitive of the law.

Bob indicated that our NCYSA Risk Management program was an important part of our responsibility to our members (Players and Parents), and that so far the program has achieved its desired result.

Bob stated that the Program has been extended to the USSF Referees who serve our matches, and would also be extended to the NCYSA Recreation Program coaches this coming Fall season.             

 

     

            Registration, Jane Llewellyn (State Registrar)

 

            Jane opened her comments to the Presidents by indicating that as NCYSA’s State Registrar “THE BUCK STOPS HERE”….

            Jane indicated that since taking this role at the request of the State Office, she has established a “State Registrar Committee”, made up of several experienced Association  

            Registrar’s, whom have come together to enhance and shape the future of member Association Registrar’s information.

            Jane stated that this Committee has worked to put together a Registrar Handbook (Operations Manual) that will serve to support the significant volume of player “registrations” transactions that are handled on an annual basis.

 

 

 

            Jane provided a handout to the President’s in attendance highlighting critical points for each Association Registrar and key upcoming dates for the 2007-2008 Registration period.

     

            Jane took a moment to review Player transfers and highlighted the fact that there were over 650 transfers collectively last year between our Challenge and Classic programs.  Jane stated that Teams need to ensure that such transfers are in writing, and that Associations (Registrars) need to ensure these requests are signed by both the Coach and Association President.

           

            Jane closed by encouraging Associations to take time to educate Parent’s on our “Rules”…and to support their respective Registrar’s in carrying out their responsibilities.

 

 

            Academy Program, Keith Price           

 

            Keith opened this segment of the meeting by highlighting for the Presidents the history of the new Academy Program, and its approval at the Special Meeting back in April 2007. Keith indicated that shortly after being approved, a question was raised about how “Player movement” would be governed under the Academy Program. Keith outlined the options available for consideration by the President’s and then opened the floor for discussion.

            After a period of healthy discussion around the various options available, a motion was made to simply adopt the current NCYSA “Player Movement Guidelines”, as outlined in the Registrars Handbook, to govern player movement for Player’s registered under the new Academy Program.

           

Motion to adopt: Mike Bapitiste       

            Second: John Davis

            Motion: Passed (unanimous)

           

 

            New Business—Keith Price

                       

            As Chairman of the Membership Committee, Keith took a moment to remind the Presidents of the “Charter” under which this Committee operates. The Membership Committee’s has a responsibility to meet with the organizations that apply for either new membership or a change in “Level” of play, and to ensure that such organizations have   the necessary legal entity structure (including By-laws), to be a successful member of NCYSA. 

 

            Keith the highlighted the fact that the Membership Committee had conducted a review and held discussion with each of the organizations being brought before the Presidents: 

 

 

 

 

 

Davidson County United Soccer Association, Mint Hill Athletic Association, Northern Triad Soccer Club, and Port City Soccer Club—

 

 

Davidson County United Soccer Association—Request for Level 2 Membership

 

Motion to Accept- Bob Singer

Second: Jim Davis   

            Motion: Passed (unanimous)

 

Membership Committee Comments: No opposition and no issues

 

Mint Hill Athletic Association—Request for Level 1 Membership

 

Motion to Accept: Ed Eubanks

Second: Mike Baptiste

Motion: Passed (unanimous)

 

Membership Committee Comments: No opposition and minor issues corrected.  

 

Northern Triad Soccer Club—Request to add Level 3 Membership

 

Motion to Accept: Bob Singer

Second: Jim Davis

Motion: Passed (unanimous) 

 

Membership Committee Comments: No opposition and minor items corrected.  

 

 

Port City Soccer Club—Request for Level 3 Membership

 

Membership Committee Comments: One Club has filed opposition to this application—Cape Fear and the Committee has raised concern about the adequacy of the individual designated as Referee Assignor for this organization (i.e., distance from the Assignor’s location to Port City Home Fields is approximately 50 miles).

 

Bob Singer made a motion to the Presidents to place the Port City “Membership Application” before them and the motion was seconded

 

Motion: Bob Singer

Second:  Ed Eubanks

 

 

 

 

Discussion:

 

Bob opened the floor to discussion on the Port City application and provided both Port City (applicant) and Cape Fear (opposing Member Association) 10 minutes each to present their respective positions to the Presidents.

 

 

After lengthy discussion and debate concerning the pros and cons of this application, Ed Eubanks asked for a “call” or vote on the motion before the Members concerning Port City’s Level 3 application.      

 

Bob asked the Executive Secretary (Strein) to conduct a vote of each Executive Board Member and Member Association President present (including those holding approved Proxy votes) and the following result was recorded:

 

For: 22

Against: 24

Abstain: 1    

Motion Denied

 

 

Adjournment:

 

Motion to adjourn: Ed Eubanks

Second: Keith Price

 

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

Don Strein, Executive Secretary