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St. Stephen Martyr Athletic Association
By-Laws
MISSION
The mission of the St. Stephen Martyr Athletic Association (SSMA) is to provide the opportunity for every child who attends the school or belongs to the parish community to participate in team sports.
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the St. Stephen Martyr Athletic Association are as follows:
· To promote self-esteem and respect for others in a Christian manner with emphasis on good sportsmanship.
· To develop athletic skills and knowledge of sports in each participant of our program.
· To promote a positive self-image within each participant of our program.
· To develop a true understanding of team work within each participant of our program.
ARTICLE I
Section I -- Athletic Association
The Athletic Association consists of all parents of children who participate in sports at St. Stephen Martyr parish, all coaches of sports sponsored by the Athletic Association and all members of St. Stephen Martyr parish who actively volunteer within the Athletic Association.
Section II – Athletic Association Board
The St. Stephen Martyr Athletic Association consists of an eleven-member board that volunteers its time and talent. An Athletic Director, Assistant Athletic Director, Secretary, Treasurer, Intramural Director and six at-large members comprise the Board. The Board establishes guidelines and policies for the sports programs at Saint Stephen Martyr Parish in conjunction with the Catholic Schools Athletic Association (CSAA) guidelines. Decisions will be made by a majority vote of the Athletic Board, when the board cannot come to a come to decision then the vote will be decided by the Parish Business Manager.
The board members, regardless of position, must attend all Athletic Association Board meetings, work as gym manager and other board sponsored events on a regular basis. Any board member who fails to attend three or more board meetings, fails to volunteer to work as gym manager when required by the board or otherwise fails to live up to the level of volunteerism expected by the board may be removed from the Board based on a majority vote of the remaining board members after a meeting was held to allow said board member to present his reasons for not living up to expectations of the board. The Parish Business Manager would be notified of this action before the meeting was held and the vote taken in order to assure fairness in the process.
The Athletic Association Board (the Board) provides general supervision of all activities of the Athletic Association. The Board approves bills on the treasury expenses. All expenditures exceeding $1000.00 must be brought before the Board for approval.
Section III – Committees
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee consists of the Athletic Director, the Assistant Athletic Director, the Treasurer, the Secretary and the Intramural Director. This committee helps the Athletic Director make decisions of consequence which cannot wait until the next board meeting for resolution. The executive committee approves all expenditures exceeding $250.00. All expenditures under $250 require approval from one of the executive committee members and verification by the Treasurer.
Special Committees
Special committees may be formed from time to time as needed by the Board, e.g., Fund Raising, Publicity Committees, etc. Each committee will have a Chairperson appointed by the Board and will report to directly the Board. The committee chairperson will be responsible for the selection and supervision of committee members.
Section IV – Duties of Board Members
Athletic Director
The Athletic Director (A.D.) provides leadership for the entire Athletic Association. The Director presides over meetings, assures the program follows the regulations and standards established by the CSAA, and supervises sports coordinators on team player selection, player tryouts and practice scheduling. The Athletic Director ensures all coaches on the list of approved coaches meet all coaching requirements. This responsibility includes requesting background checks and verifying attendance of Safe Environment training. The A.D handles the compliance area for coaches including but limited their approval by C.S.A.A. and the parish office. The A.D. works with the Board and its committees to develop a vision and future for SSM Athletics.
Assistant Athletic Director
The Assistant Athletic Director (A.A. D.) acts as the ombudsman for the athletic program. The A.A.D. supervises all player sign ups and generates players lists for Coordinators. The A.D. shall handle the compliance area for athletes. The A.A.D. performs the duties of the Athletic Director in his/her absence.
Secretary
The Secretary keeps the minutes of the Board and distributes them to all Board members, the Parish Life Committee and the Parish Business Manager. The Secretary keeps an accurate, classified list of the Board members addresses and phone numbers and conducts all general correspondence of the Board. He/She maintains a written record of all acts of the Board. He/She receives and disposes of all correspondence as directed. He/She preserves all reports and documents pertinent to the operation of the Board. He/She notifies all members of all meetings.
Treasurer
The Treasurer receives all monies of the organization and keeps an accurate account of all receipts and disbursements. The Treasurer pays out all funds recommended by the Athletic Association Board and Athletic Director. The Treasurer prepares the annual budget, which will be approved by the Board. The treasurer - in conjunction with the Parish Business Manager - monitors the adherence to the budget and reports to the Athletic Association Board monthly.
Intramural Director
The Intramural Director (I.D.) oversees the day-to-day operations of the intramural program. He/She will set coordinators, select coaches, assign teams and schedule games and practice with the approval of the AD for all sports under the 3rd grade level. The I. D. holds sign ups in conjunction with the A.A.D.
At-Large Members
There are six At-Large Board Members all of whom have voting privileges. The At-Large members chair committees based on the Association’s needs. At-Large Members volunteer as needed to help the Executive Officers of the Board perform their assigned duties.
Coordinator
The Athletic Director will appoint a Coordinator for any sport/activity when deemed necessary, whenever possible coordinators should be selected from outside of the Athletic Board to increase volunteer participation and groom future board members. The Athletic Board will review all Coordinator appointments at the next available meeting. Open positions for Coordinators will be advertised at least one month in advance of the starting date for the Coordinator position. The term for the position of Coordinator will be one year from the starting date. At the end of the term, the position will again be advertised for interest. Coordinators may succeed themselves. The Athletic Director will appoint a replacement in the event a Coordinator leaves the position before completion of the term. Any persons interested in applying for a Coordinator position must contact the Athletic Director. The Board, at the next regular Board meeting which falls one month after the position is advertised, will review all applicants and will appointment the Coordinators from the pool of applicants. Following the meeting, the Athletic Director will advise the Coordinator of the appointment. The Coordinator has no voting privilege, unless the Coordinator is a current board member, then they have all the voting privileges of a board member.
The Coordinator oversees the day-to-day operations of a particular sport. The Coordinator assists with in-school recruiting, presents coach nominations to the Board and Parish Office, organizes meetings with coaches prior to the season to establish a season plan, supervises tryouts, and directs team selection. The Coordinator determines equipment needs, obtains prices for needed equipment or uniforms, and presents a proposal to the Board for approval to purchase. The Coordinator, as needed, creates a committee to assist him/her in completing the duties of the position in an efficient manner.
The coordinator nominates coaches to the Board for approval, communicates with coaches on schedules, rosters, and tournaments, and ensures all coaches have a copy of and understand the by-laws and expectations for SSM coaches. Positions for coaches should be advertised at least one month prior to the start of the tryouts and practices. The Coordinator handles post-season evaluations for each team, oversees key turn for each coach, and supervises uniform returns. These duties must be performed in a proper and timely fashion.
The Coordinator keeps the Athletic Director informed of all transactions of the particular sport. The Coordinator must attend each Athletic Board meeting while his/her sport is in season - season is defined as one month before the start of practice through two weeks after the completion of the final game.
The Coordinator should carry out all duties outlined above to the best of his/her ability. Failure to keep the Athletic Association Board and Athletic Director notified of all activities and/or issues involved with the sport can result in probation and/or replacement. When the actions of any Coordinator are under review, the procedures outlined in Article VI, Section II – Probation and Replacement of Coaches will be followed.
ARTICLE II
Section I – Fiscal Year
The fiscal year shall be from July 1 to June 30.
ARTICLE III
Section I – Sports
Sports
Sports are defined as any activity sanctioned and supervised by the Athletic Association. These include but are not limited to Cross Country, Football, Flag Football, Cheerleading, Volleyball, Basketball, Swimming, Field Hockey, Baseball, Track and Soccer. All of these activities operate under the same rules regarding practice times, player conduct, tryouts, etc.
ARTICLE IV
Section I – Meetings
Athletic Association
There will be one annual mandatory Athletic Association Meeting for parents, coaches and players at the beginning of each school year. The Athletic Board and its officers will be introduced at this meeting and all expectations for parents, players and coaches for the upcoming year will be covered. Other agenda items may be added if deemed necessary by the Board.
Athletic Association Board
Board meetings will be held on the second Tuesday of the month beginning January, 2011. The meetings will begin at 7:00 p.m. and will be held in the small meeting room.
Coaches
A meeting for all coaches who participate within the Athletic Association shall be held prior to the start of fall sports each year. This meeting will cover 'Article VI, Section 1 Coaches' of the by laws.
ARTICLE V
Section I – Elections/Appointments of Positions
Term Limits:
Athletic Director 2 years
Assistant Athletic Director 2 years
Secretary 2 years
Treasurer 2 years
Intramural Director 2 years
At-Large Members 2 years
Coordinators 1 year
Committee Chairs 1 year
Athletic Board Members are elected by random draw from eligible members of the Association. The process works as follows: The Athletic Board advertises available Board positions through the SSM and OMOS parish bulletins and/or the school newsletter. The Board will accept self-nominations as well as nominations by peers. Once nominations are closed the Board will sponsor a special meeting of discernment. All prospective members are required to attend; failure to attend can result in the individual being removed from the random draw. The random draw will occur no later than the first of June.
Officers are elected by the Board through secret ballot at the July Athletic Association Board meeting, this secret ballot will occur with a vote by the newly elected board members with input from the exiting board members and officers. Each officer will serve out his/her remaining term on the board or the term limit listed above.
ARTICLE VI
Section I – Coaches
The St. Stephen Martyr Athletic Association is totally dependent on volunteers. All are encouraged to apply to coach or assist in the various sports offered. All coaches must possess strong Christian ethics along with good teaching and communication skills. The primary goal must be to teach basic skills and positively reinforce the self-image of each team member. Each coach must also promote Christian values through sportsmanship. As role models, coaches are not allowed to smoke, drink, or use profane language during practices and games. The use of profanity and negative comments to players, competitors, or officials is not tolerated. The rules of conduct apply to both coaches and their assistants.
1. Anyone wishing to become a head coach must be at least 18 years of age and submit his/her name to the responsible Coordinator prior to that sport’s season. Any new coaches are required to complete a background check, safe environment training and have Parish Office approval.
2. The Coordinator recruits head coaches.
3. Names of all head coaches will be presented to the Athletic Association Board.
4. All coaches must be approved by the parish office prior to the start of practice.
5. All head coaches and the Coordinator of that sport are required to attend tryouts.
6. Head coaches and the Coordinator will meet to select teams based on the Tryout Selection Process created and maintained by the Athletic Board.
7. It is expected that each coach commit to a one-year contract. He/she will be encouraged to continue coaching with the annual approval of the Board.
8. Upon completion of the season, coaches are required to return all equipment to the Coordinator within one week of their team’s final game.
9. Coaches are to be teachers of the game and develop each child to his or her fullest ability.
10. The Coordinator must furnish complete rosters to CSAA and the school office. The coach is responsible for making sure his final roster as kept by the Coordinator matches his team and that no player participates who has not been officially signed up to play.
The school will work with the Coordinators if warnings or suspensions become necessary.
11. It is the coach’s responsibility to conduct orderly practices. Because the players are the coach’s responsibility for the entire practice period, the player may not leave practice unless a parent or person with parental permission picks them up. A coach must remain at practices and games until all team members have departed. Any practice held will be for all team members.
12. Coaches are not to schedule practices during school wide activities are scheduled, especially during parent/teacher conferences. No practices should be scheduled on Holy Days and during Mass.
13. Coaches are responsible for following all CSAA rules in regards to practices. This time schedule includes practice and jamboree games. Players participating in more than one sport cannot exceed the practice time limit, cheerleading included.
14. The coach will hold a meeting with parents before the season to answer any questions and present information presented at the
annual Association meeting.
15. It is the coach’s responsibility to assign & supervise workers for
his teams assigned concession stand time slot. Failure to provide
proper staffing can result in the coaches being suspended immediately
from his/her position.
16. Coaches shall also be required to adhere to the Coach’s List of
Expectations as created and maintained by the Athletic Board.
Section II – Probation and Replacement of Coaches
The Board may place a coach on probation for behavioral reasons or major/minor team and/or CSAA violations after a majority vote. The coach will be notified of this decision by the Athletic Director and/or Coordinator.
A coach may only be replaced or not asked to return, for whatever reason, after a majority decision vote by the Board. In such event, the coach is entitled to a review hearing before the Board.
The procedure outlined below will be followed when the Board is reviewing any coach being considered for an indefinite suspension for behavioral reasons or major team and/or CSAA violation(s).
1. The Coordinator will give an oral warning on the reasons and/or
violations.
2. If the problem persists after the oral warning is given, a written notice from the Athletic Director will follow. The notice will state the date and context of the previous oral warning. The coach may request a hearing before the executive committee at this time.
3. If the problem persists after the written warning, a hearing of the nature of the reason or violation will be conducted by the Athletic Association Board. The hearing will be held as soon as possible, preferably within 7 days. The coach may address the Board in order to provide information regarding his/her actions. Any other person may then address the Board with pertinent information about the coach in question and his or her actions. Any other party that plans to attend this board meeting must give the board secretary 24 hours notice of their attendance.
4. The Board will then discuss the matter in private and immediately render its decision.
5. A written report of the hearing and the Board’s decision shall be kept on file by the Board Secretary.
6. All decisions made by the Board are considered final.
ARTICLE VII
Section I – Team Selection
1. Teams are divided into 3rd/4th, 5th/6th and 7th/8th grades (3rd/4th grade sports will be limited to Basketball, Football, and Volleyball). Athletes not attending St. Stephen Martyr or a Catholic school are required to regularly attend CRE classes. Attendance will be monitored by a Board member or person selected by the Board.
2. All students in the 3-8 grade level will be eligible to play on the A, B, C, etc. team. In most cases there will be no cuts and all players will be placed on a team. However, in some cases, based on number of players signing up, there may be only one team. This may also occur if there is lack of available coaches.
If this occurs, it may be necessary to have a cut off for an acceptable number of players to fill a team. In a case where the CSAA dictates that only one team (in grades 3-8) can be entered into a league, tryouts must be held, and cuts may be made to have an appropriate number of players to fill the team. This will be determined by the Board.
3. All players (grade 3-8) will be selected on their athletic ability, skill level, and attitude towards the sport.
4. All teams are selected using CSAA guidelines. CSAA rules require that in cases where a parish has more than one team competing in a grade division (grades 3-8), the best, most skilled of those teams must compete in the “A” league for that grade division. Accordingly, for grade divisions with multiple teams, the St. Stephen Martyr Athletic Association (SSMAA) identifies one team as “A” team.
5. There will be a publicized sign up period before tryouts. After the appropriate numbers are achieved to fill team(s), special permission from the Assistant Athletic Director must be given to sign up late. If this is allowed, a late fee of $20 will be charged in addition to the sign up fee. The Athletic Association Board will review all special cases.
6. Once team selection has been completed, the Coordinator of the sport will review and approve the roster. Once the roster is approved, parents and players will be notified of the team placement.
7. Parents should note that team selections are done by consensus of all coaches involved in a fair and impartial manner. Parents may address questions or concerns first to the coach, then to the Coordinator, then to the Athletic Director and finally to the Athletic Association Board.
ARTICLE VIII
Section I – Ethics, Behavior, and Expectations for Student Athletes
Athletes need to be reminded the focus of the athletic program is to promote the self-esteem of each participant, to learn the skills involved in playing the sport well, and to practice these skills through competition. Good sportsmanship should rule in all situations. With that in mind, players, coaches, or fans who fail to adhere to high standards of sportsmanship will not be allowed to participate. Any conduct or action unbefitting a young Christian athlete, disrespect toward authority, property, rules, or horseplay will not be tolerated. Athletes not attending St. Stephen Martyr or a Catholic school are required to regularly attend CRE classes. Attendance will be monitored by a Board member or person appointed by the Board. Athletes are asked to adhere to the following guidelines.
1. An athlete’s first priority is academics with athletics and all other aspects of school life second.
2. Dedication to the sport and team:
a) Do your best to be present and on time for all games and practices.
b) Keep yourself in the finest physical condition by abstaining from alcohol, drugs, and tobacco products.
c) Maintain a strong academic record in order to set a positive example for others.
d) Always behave in a manner that reflects well upon yourself, your teammates, and your school.
e) Strive at all times to be the best that you can be.
f) Promote team spirit by encouraging fellow athletes.
3. All CSAA rules must be followed. Players who sign a contract for a sport are expected to remain a participant for the duration of the activity. Prior to withdrawing from any such activity, the player shall discuss the reasons for withdrawing with the coach and the Coordinator. Coordinators, coaches, and student participants have a right to expect that all players will honor their commitment.
4. An athlete must make a commitment to his/her sport. An athlete must attend all practices and all games unless excused by the coach in advance. In case of illness or unavoidable family emergency, the athlete should notify the coach by phone as soon as possible.
5. For any player on any team at any grade level, team members should only be allowed to suit up for a game if they have participated in an adequate number of practices (as determined by the coach) since the previous game. If a child misses school because of illness or disciplinary action, the child may not participate in practices or games that day or night. For absence due to reasons other than illness, the decision will rest with the coach under the supervision of the coordinator. Players are required to make up all class work missed due to absence.
6. Any infraction of the rules governing student athletic participation may result in suspension or expulsion from the team. Players must be in good standing in both effort and conduct in school. They should have a positive attitude, show school spirit, follow school rules, and demonstrate a sense of responsibility.
*If a student fails to comply with the above regulations, the following procedure will be implemented:
1. Verbal Warning – Any verbal warning at practice or during a game made by a coach for any disciplinary reason should be done in the presence of another adult, preferably the assistant coach or coordinator.
2. Written Warning – If the above warning does not stop the behavior in question, the athletic board will notify the parents, coordinator and the coach, who in turn will deliver the written warning together to the player/participant. If for any reason the school decides a student athlete should receive a written warning for behavior in school, then they replace the athletic board in the above process.
3. Suspension – If the warning does not suffice, the player is suspended from the team/squad for a period of time to be designated by the Athletic Board. Parents, student, and coach will be notified. If the problem is corrected after the suspension, the player will be reinstated. Parents, student, and coach will be notified of reinstatement.
4. Removal from Team/Squad – If the preceding steps do not prove effective, the student will be removed from the team or squad. Eligibility will be determined at the end of the season or at the beginning of the next school year by the Athletic Board before a player is allowed to participate in another sport.
Coordinators need to furnish the school with a roster of their team and the phone numbers of the coaches so that the school can work with them in this process.
*SSM Student Handbook
Section II – Ethics, Behavior, and Expectations for Parents
Signing your child (ren) up for playing sports at St. Stephen Martyr automatically makes you a member of the St. Stephen Martyr Athletic Association (SSMAA) program. Some important things to remember as a member of SSMAA are:
1. Sign players up on time.
2. Pay participation fees at sign-ups of each sport. Fees are based on the expenses incurred by the athletic program.
3. Have players at practice on time and picked up on time.
4. No player should be left at practice without adult supervision.
5. Work the concession stand when scheduled. If you are unable to work your scheduled time, provide a substitute in your place or you will be billed a fee by the Athletic Association Board. All fees must be paid before players will be allowed to sign up for another sport.
6. Help the athlete maintain proper care of uniform and equipment. If a uniform and/or equipment is not properly cared for, lost or not returned the athlete will not be allowed to sign up for future sports and you will be billed for the value of uniform. All fees must be paid before players will be allowed to sign up for another sport.
7. Each team may need parent(s) to help the coach in assorted duties.
8. The athletic program is for the enjoyment of the children. Parents should promote Christian values and sportsmanship at all times. Excessive yelling and abusive language is unacceptable. CSAA rules state unsportsmanlike behavior will not be accepted, and the parent will be removed from the game.
All sports related dinners, awards night, etc., will be treated as a Parish function. The parent will be notified of the details of any such function in advance. It is the parent/guardian responsibility to supervise their child’s behavior at all such functions.
Section III – Grievance Procedure
If a problem should occur while a child is participating in a team sport at St. Stephen Martyr, the grievance procedure is as follows:
1. If the parent has any issue with a coach, it is mandatory that the parent must wait 24 hrs before approaching that coach to resolve the issue.
2. If the problem still exists, the parent can contact the Coordinator responsible for that sport by phone or in person to resolve the issue.
3. If the problem isn’t resolved at this point, the parent can contact the Athletic Director by phone or in writing to resolve the issue.
4. If the problem is not resolved by the Athletic Director, the parent must present in writing the issue to the Athletic Association Board through the Secretary and will be discussed at the next scheduled Athletic Association Board meeting.
5. Amended Section III-Grievance Procedure 9-04-07 @ Athletic Board Meeting.
ARTICLE IX
Amendments
These articles may be amended at any regular meeting by a two-thirds majority vote of those Board members present, provided the amendment has been presented at a previous regular meeting.
The above by-laws were brought to the regular meeting of St. Stephen Martyr Athletic Association Board, placed on the floor for a vote, and approved on July 11, 2006.
SIGNED: St. Stephen Martyr Athletic Association Board
