Constitution & Bylaws
1. Organization Name
This organization shall be known as the MAF SOCCER ACADEMY, LLC hereafter referred to as MAF or the Club. The headquarters/address of the Club shall be that of the elected President.
2. Purpose of MAF
The purpose of MAF shall be to promote and offer an organized program of soccer training and competition. MAF seeks to provide an atmosphere of safety and good sportsmanship within which players and teams can compete, learn, and enjoy the game of soccer. MAF will provide training for boys and girls emphasizing individual fitness, soccer specific skill development, and team success. MAF shall be affiliated with the MAPLE League, which is the regional league of Massachusetts Youth Soccer (MYS). MAF shall actively participate in the League’s annual programs. MAF may extend its affiliation to include tournaments and other leagues.
3. Membership
Membership shall be open to individuals interested in club activities, including players, parents of players, and any other adults (whether or not they have a child player). Herein and hereafter the term “parents” includes biological parents and legal guardians. The criterion for active membership in MAF shall be registration with MAF, and by extension, MYS. Registration with MYS is effective for only one year, so registration with MAF/MYS must be renewed annually.
4. Description of Governance
The governing body of MAF shall be an Executive Board, hereafter referred to as the Board. The Board shall be responsible for executing all matters of policy (fiscal, administrative, rules). The Board shall consist of the following officers: President, Vice-President/SCSL Director, Secretary, Treasurer, Registrar, Coaching Director, Field Manager, Equipment Manager, Fundraising Manager, and Referee Assignor. All Board members shall be adults. Board members shall be elected for a one-year term and shall be eligible for re-election. All matters of policy shall be decided at MAF meetings, which shall be open to all members of the Club. Club members may actively participate in discussion regarding matters to be voted on by the Board, but only Board members shall have the power to vote. Decision shall be by simple majority of cast votes. A majority of the currently active Board members shall constitute a quorum. An annual meeting will be convened once a year. Board members shall be nominated from current coaches, referees, parents and affiliated adults. Election shall be decided by a plurality of cast votes. An office holder may cast only a single vote per person irrespective of the number of offices he/she may hold, parents shall be limited to a single vote per family, and the one-vote-per-family restriction shall apply to all families including those where one of the parents holds an MAF office. For the election of new Board members, at least 15 currently active adult members shall constitute a quorum. In case of vacancy on the Board due to the departure of a member prior to the end of his/her term, the Board shall fill the position by simple majority vote.
5. Duties of the Board
The Board shall be responsible for executing all policy decisions adopted at Club meetings. In emergencies or whenever immediate action is required, the Board shall have the power to set policy without calling for a Club meeting. However, such actions shall be placed on the agenda for the subsequent Club meeting for review and reconsideration. The Board shall approve all team coaches, assistant coaches, and managers on a seasonal basis. When choosing coaches things taken into consideration may include license level, experience coaching at the level requested, and years coaching the current team. For U10 teams and up, coaches should not coach the same group more than two years, unless another qualified coach is not available. The Board shall have the authority to suspend any member of the MAF whose conduct is considered detrimental to the organization. The duties and responsibilities of Board officers shall be as follows:
President – The President shall schedule, set the agenda for, and preside over, all Club meetings; shall be chairman of the Board; shall be the official representative of MAF; and shall be authorized to sign checks.
Vice-President/SCSL Director – The Vice-President shall assume the office and powers of the President in the President’s absence; and shall be responsible for the duties of the SCSL Director. The SCSL Director shall be the primary Club liaison with SCSL; shall be responsible for scheduling all competition; and shall be responsible (with the President) for determining field condition on match days.
Secretary – The Secretary shall be in charge of all correspondence involving MAF; shall keep detailed minutes of all meetings; shall keep Club records; and shall correspond on behalf of MAF with the knowledge and permission of the President.
Treasurer – The Treasurer shall be in charge of Club finances; shall report on the Club’s financial status at all Club Meetings; shall submit and distribute a full written report of the financial transactions and the status of finances at the end of each fiscal year; shall be responsible for any tax reporting requirements; and shall be authorized to sign checks.
Registrar – The Registrar shall be in charge of registering players for all soccer programs provided by the MAF; shall be responsible for communicating appropriate registration information to SCSL and MYS; and shall ensure all players and coaches have appropriate registration documentation prior to competition.
Coaching Director – The Coaching Director shall be responsible for the recruiting, training and development of coaches; shall manage Board approved coaching and player training programs; oversee all coaching and player clinics and training programs; and monitor the activities of all coaches for all MAF teams.
Field Manager – The Field Manager shall be responsible for preparing fields for practices and games; shall schedule practice times and locations equitably among MAF teams for both indoor and outdoor practice.
Equipment Manager – The Equipment Manager shall be responsible for uniform and equipment purchases and shall be the liaison between MAF and the uniform and equipment provider.
Referee Assignor – The Referee Assignor shall be responsible for assigning appropriate referees for all Club home matches, and shall oversee referee training and development.
6. Fiscal Policy
The fiscal year shall be from September 1 until August 31 of the following year. All monies paid to the Club shall be promptly deposited in an account in the name of MAF. All bills shall be paid when due. All funds shall be spent only in the interest of the MAF. With approval from the Board, a team may raise funds to spend at its discretion. This authority, however, does not apply to purchasing alternate team uniforms, since players must wear the Club uniform approved by the Board. Extraordinary/hardship refund requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and any refund decisions require discussion by the Board. The Club fee refund policy for the spring season is as follows: Before Dec 31 - 100% fee refund; Jan 1 - Feb 28 - Fee refund, minus $25 to cover MAF expenses; After Feb 28 - No refund.
7. Guidelines for Fielding Teams
Teams shall be fielded as players, coaches, available fields, and equipment allow. Players in MAF shall play in their appropriate age group as defined by MYS, or by grade they attend in school. The board may grant exceptions if it is determined to be in the best interest of the player and teams involved. The Board shall approve all teams. Teams will play together for 1 full year, July –June. U8 and U9 teams will have a sign-up without tryouts. U10 through U14 teams shall be formed following a formal try-out procedure, held each year following the spring season. At tryouts MAF will distribute information detailing the tryout procedure, and any other relevant information. Age divisions shall be in accordance with League and MYS guidelines. Teams shall abide by the rules and regulations of the League and MYS.
8. Deportment Requirements
MAF shall strive to provide an atmosphere of good sportsmanship within which players and teams can learn, enjoy, and compete in the game of soccer. In this spirit, all members of the MAF (coaches, managers, players, and parents) shall conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner. All members shall cooperate fully with the letter and spirit of the rules of the game, the published Code of Conduct, as well as all bylaws, coaches’ manual, and guidelines of MAF. Any inappropriate behavior by a member shall be referred to the Board for review and action.
9. Other Matters
The Board shall have the power to deal with matters not explicitly covered by the Constitution and Bylaws.
10. Amendments
The bylaws may be amended by a simple majority vote of the Board. Bylaw changes must be completed prior to the Annual Meeting in order to be in effect for the following season.