Constitution
The name of this Association shall be the Broome County Soccer Association, hereinafter referred to as "BCSA" or the "Association".
ARTICLE II - Structure
Part 1. Mission - It is the mission of BCSA to foster the growth of youth, through the sport of soccer for individuals under the age of nineteen. BCSA shall be responsible for the administration and management of mission related activities within its designated geographic area.
Part 2. Established - BCSA shall be established as a non-profit organization.
Part 3. Headquarters - The headquarters/office of BCSA shall be located in Binghamton, New York.
Part 4. Affiliation - BCSA will be affiliated with a New York State Youth Soccer Association, The United Youth Soccer Association and the United States Soccer Federation.
Part 5. Duration - The duration of BCSA shall be perpetual.
Part 6. Dissolution - In the event that BCSA dissolves, any funds remaining in its treasury, after the payment of all of its obligations, will be transferred to another organization duly qualified under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
ARTICLE III - Association Membership
Clubs in good standing with a State Association of the United States Soccer Federation and located in the BCSA New York Region shall be eligible for membership. The BCSA New York Region shall include, but not necessarily be limited to the following counties: Broome, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Otsego, Tioga, and Tompkins.
ARTICLE IV - Association Management
Part 1. Board of Directors - The business of BCSA shall be administered by the Board of Directors. All Clubs that are members of BCSA in good standing shall have one representative on the Board of Directors. Directors shall be at least twenty-one years of age. All Directors shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting held the first Thursday of October.
Part 2. Officers of the Association - The Board of Directors shall elect at the Annual General Meeting the following officers: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Registrar, Spring League Coordinator, and Spring League Scheduler. These officers shall serve a term of one year.
Part 3. Fiscal Year - the fiscal year of BCSA shall be from September 1st to August 31st.
Part 4. Records of the Association - BCSA shall maintain all records of activities and functions within the possession of the officers of BCSA.
ARTICLE V - Meetings
Part 1. Board of Directors Meetings - BCSA business shall be transacted at the Board of Directorsmeeting which shall be held at least three times per year. Eachmember of the Board of Directors in good standing shall have onevote. Only the members of the Board of Directors shall cast a voteat the Board of Directors Meeting. Special meetings shall be calledas required by the President or by a majority vote of the Directors.Notice of all regular and special meetings shall be given in writingat least ten days prior to the date of the meeting. All meetings shallbe open to the public.
Part 2. Annual General Meeting - There shall be an Annual General Meeting once a year, held the first Thursday of October. Notice shall be sent to member clubs at least ten days before this date.
Part 3. Quorum - A quorum shall exist when one-half plus one of the members of the Board of Directors are present at a duly constituted meeting of the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE VI - Amendments
Part 1. Amendments to the Constitution - The Constitution may be amended at the Annual General Meeting, by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast, a quorum being present, provided notice was given to each member of the Board of Directors of the proposed amendment at least thirty days prior to the Meeting.
By-Laws
ARTICLE I - Membership
Part 1. New Membership - Any Club seeking to become a member of BCSA must petition the Board of Directors in writing. The request for membership must be received at least thirty days prior to the meeting of the Board of Directors. New membership will be decided upon by the Board of Directors with a two-thirds vote, a quorum being present, required for approval. The Board of Directors may set criteria for the Club to meet before granting membership in BCSA.
Part 2. Renewal of Club’s Annual Membership - Each member Club shall renew its membership annually at the Annual General Meeting. Should a member Club not renew and then at a later date reapply for membership it must do so under the requirements for New Membership.
Part 3. Suspension of Members - The Board of Directors may at a duly called meeting, a quorum being present, suspend from membership, or expel, any individual, team or Club that:
Willfully refuses or neglects to fulfill any of its obligations as a member and violates any of the provisions of the Constitution, By-Laws, or Rules and Regulations, Guidelines, Regulations and Procedures of the Association.
Commits any act which is inconsistent with the principles and standards of sportsmanship.
A vote to suspend shall require a two-thirds vote of the Board of Directors. A member shall have the opportunity to show cause why such action should not be taken. A suspended member may reapply for membership in BCSA based upon the criteria established by the Board of Directors.
Part 4. Equal Opportunity - The membership of the BCSA shall be open to any soccer players, coaches, trainers, managers, administrators, and officials not subject to suspension under Section 4 of Bylaw241 of the USSF Bylaws.
ARTICLE II - Meetings
The dates, times, and locations of all meetings will be determined by the Board of Directors except for the Annual General Meeting which shall be held the first Thursday of October. The Board of Directors shall meet a minimum of three times per year. Notice for all meetings shall be in writing at least ten days prior to the meeting date.
Article III- General Responsibilities
The USSF articles of incorporation, bylaws, policies, and requirements take precedence over and supersede the governing documents and decisions of the BCSA to the extent applicable under state law, and the BCSA will abide by those articles, bylaws, policies, and requirements.
The BCSA will abide by the USSF articles, bylaws, policies,and requirements on interplay.
The BCSA will provide equitable and prompt hearing and appeal procedures to guarantee the rights of individuals to participate and compete. These procedures shall include that all grievances involving the right to participate and compete in activities sponsored by the USSF, USYSA, NYSWYSA and BCSA may be appealed to the USSF’s Appeals Committee in accordance with NYSWYSA bylaws and policies. The USSF’s Appeals Committee shall have jurisdiction to approve, modify or reverse a decision. A decision rendered by the BCSA or the NYSWYSA from which an appeal is taken is not suspended pending the final decision of the USSF’s Appeals Committee unless the committee otherwise orders. The decision made by the BCSA or the NYSWYSA may be upheld, revised or reversed and remanded.
ARTICLE IV - Officers
Part 1. Term of Office - Members of the Board of Directors and Officers shall serve for a term of one year, and may succeed themselves.
Part 2. Duties of Officers - The President shall be the executive officer of BCSA and shall act as Chairperson of all meeting of the Board of Directors. The President may, with the approval of the Board, establish committees and appoint members to committees. The President shall serve as the official representative of BCSA in all its matters.
The Vice President shall succeed to the office of the President in the event the office becomes vacant. In the absence or disability of the President the Vice President shall perform the duties of the President.
The Secretary will be the official custodian of all the correspondence and documents of the Association.
The Treasurer shall be the officer responsible for Association finances and report at each Board of Directors meeting the finances of BCSA..
The Registrar shall be responsible for the registration and certification of individual players and their passes, and team rosters.
The Spring League Coordinator shall be responsible for recruiting and directing Age Group Coordinators and for the operation of the Association?s Spring Schedule.
The Spring League Scheduler shall be responsible for working with the Spring League Coordinator and the Age Group Coordinators in developing BCSA's Spring Schedule.
Part 3. Duties of the Board of Directors - The Board of Directors shall be responsible for the business affairs of BCSA, including but not limited to the enforcing of the Constitution, By-Laws, or Rules and Regulations, Guidelines, Regulations and Procedures of the Association. A member of the Board of Directors may be granted permission by the President to be absent from a scheduled meeting.
Part 4. Removal from Office - A Director may be removed for due cause by a two-thirds vote, quorum being present, by the Board of Directors.
Part 5. Resignation of a Director - Should a Director resign, the Board of Directors shall declare a vacancy and elect a successor in accordance with the By-Laws at the next scheduled meeting of the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE V - Committees
Each committee will establish guidelines that will describe the organization and procedures of that committee. The Board of Directors will assign the charge to the committee.
Part 1. Standing Committees
Appeals Committee - Shall be responsible for hearing appeals of decisions made by other Standing or Ad Hoc Committees.
Arbitration Committee - Shall review all controversies brought to it by members of BCSA that may arise from Association sponsored activities.
Past President Committee - All past Presidents of the Board of Directors shall be eligible to serve in an ex-officio, non-voting capacity as advisors to the Executive Officers and members of the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE VI - Amendments
The By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds majority vote at any meeting of the Board of Directors, a quorum being present, so long as written notice of the proposed amendment was received by member of the Board of Directors at least thirty days prior to the meeting of the Board of Directors.
Article VII- Appeals
Part 1. Decisions or actions that may be appealed
a) There shall be two general types of decisions or actions that may be appealed-Association decisions and League decisions.
b) An Association decision would be any decision rendered by the Board of Directors as a whole. These would include but not be limited to placing a member club in bad standing with the league, expulsion of a member club or a decision to revoke a member club’s bond. An appeal of an Association decision must be filed in accordance with the procedure outlined in Article VII, Part 3 below within sixty (60) days of the decision or action being appealed.
c) A League decision would be any action to enforce league policies or procedures taken by an age group coordinator, officer, or any group of officers of the league in relation to a league or match incident. These would include but not necessarily be limited to a forfeit; a team, player, coach or spectator fine; a send-off penalty greater than the USSF mandated minimum of one game or a decision rendered by a protest committee. An appeal of a League decision must be filed in accordance with the procedure outlined in Article VII, Part 3 below within seven (7) days of the decision or action being appealed.
Part 2. Appeals Committee
a) The BCSA President shall appoint an Appeal Committee to hear each appeal. The Appeals Committee shall consist of at least three (3) individuals plus a Chairperson. The Appeals Committee shall be responsible for investigating and hearing any accepted appeal of actions taken by the BCSA league or its officers.
b) No member of the Appeals Committee may have a conflict of interest with any party of the appeal.
c) The Appeals Committee Chairperson may only vote on an appeal in order to break a tie.
Part 3. Appeals Filing Procedure
a) The appeal must be in writing and describe in detail the grounds for the appeal.
b) The written appeal and appeal fee must be sent certified mail to the BCSA President so that it is received within the time frame specified in Article VII, Part 1 above.
c) The appeal fee, payable to BCSA, in the form of money order, cashier's check or certified check shall accompany the appeal. The appeal fee is refundable if the appeal is upheld, or at the discretion of the Appeals Committee. The appeal fee is $50.00 US Funds. (NO CASH)
d) The Appeals Committee shall have the right to decline a hearing if the information necessary to make a fair and just decision on the appeal has not been furnished, or the proper procedures have not been followed in filing the appeal.
Part 4. Hearing of Appeals
a) The BCSA President shall set a date for the hearing within two (2) days from the receipt of the appeal. The date of the hearing shall be within ten (10) days from the receipt of the appeal.
b) The Chairperson has the right to limit the speaking time or number of witnesses to be heard from each party to the appeal at the hearing.
c) The Chairperson shall submit the decision of the Appeals Committee to the appealing party and the BCSA President in writing within 48 hours of the hearing.
d) Appealing parties have the right to appeal the decision of any BCSA Appeals Committee to New York State West Youth Soccer Association.