SOUTH COUNTY POP WARNER

PO BOX 175 Webster MA 01570

 

ARTICLES OF ORGANIZATION and BY-LAWS

ADOPTED SEPTEMBER 2011

REVISED JANUARY 2018

 

ARTICLE I

The exact name of the corporation is:

SOUTH COUNTY POP WARNER INDIANS

 

ARTICLE II

The purpose of the cooperation is to engage in the following activities:

 

1.    To organize, operate and maintain a football and cheerleading league for the youth of Webster, Dudley, Oxford, Douglas, and Thompson, CT.

2.    To provide instruction and competition in the game/sport of football and cheerleading. To organize teams at all levels of instruction and competition for boys and girls in accordance with National Pop Warner rules. 

3.    To lease, and by gift, devise or purchase, to own and operate real estate and personal property for such purposes.

4.    To solicit donations and accept money or personal property in aid of such purposes and to invest and maintain the same.

5.    To do all things lawful under, and consistent with, Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 180, as the same may be amended from time to time. The corporation is irrevocably dedicated to, and operated exclusively for, non –profit purposes. No part of the income or assets of the Corporation shall be distributed to, or inure to the benefit of, any individual.

6.    To carry on any other activity, which may be lawfully carried on by a corporation organized under the non-profit laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, whether or not related to, those referred to in the foregoing paragraph.

 

ARTICLE III

Board of Directors, Members-At-Large and Members

 

The organization shall be operated by an elected Board of Directors and supported by appointed Members-At-Large. Board elections are held each January during the banquet or when the board decides to hold elections. Board Members are elected by nomination and voting of current members in good standing. Members-At-Large are appointed by the elected board. Only members in good standing can be nominated, make nominations and/or vote. Members are defined as parents/guardians of enrolled children whose enrollment/registration fees and any other obligations are current, coaches, and current board members and any honorary member recognized by the board of directors. Good standing is defined as members who have demonstrated good sportsmanship, good moral character, loyalty and genuine care for the organization. The Board of Directors shall, by vote at a closed meeting, determine if a member is no longer in good standing when such a vote is necessary.  All Members-At-Large, Board of Directors, and Members must dress appropriately for all events. 

 

Board of Directors shall include:

President

Vice President

Treasurer

Secretary

Football Coordinator

Cheer Coordinator

 

PRESIDENT:  The President shall be the chief executive officer of the corporation and have all the powers and duties determined by the Board. The President shall be well versed in all Pop Warner rules as they relate to both football and cheer. He or She shall preside over all meetings, have general charge and supervision of committees or delegate that supervision to another, and shall attend all monthly Central Mass Pop Warner meetings or delegate another to attend when he or she is unable. The President is an Executive Board Member and casts his or her vote only when a tie-breaking vote is needed.

 

VICE PRESIDENT:  The Vice President shall have and may exercise all of the powers and duties of the President during his/her term during the absence or disability of the President. The Vice President will assist the President as necessary and have and may exercise any powers the Board delegates to him or her. The Vice President shall be authorized to sign all checks. The Vice President is an Executive Board Member and casts votes on all matters.

 

TREASURER:  The Treasurer shall be the chief financial officer and the chief accounting officer of the corporation. The Treasurer shall be in charge of the financial affairs, funds, securities, and valuable papers of the corporation and shall keep full and accurate records thereof. The Treasurer must have a working knowledge of maintaining the checkbook and accounts. The Treasurer shall sign all checks. The Treasurer shall make available at any reasonable time to the Board of Directors the books and accounts and to any member who makes a written request to view. The Treasurer shall provide a Treasury Report at each Board meeting. The Treasurer shall prepare the necessary paperwork to have the yearly tax filing and non-profit filing done by a certified public accountant. He/she shall have other duties as designated by the Board. The treasurer shall turn over all books, vouchers, and records at the end of the term and be available to the successor for the period of one month to answer questions and assist the successor in a smooth transition. The Treasurer is an Executive Board Member and casts votes on all matters.

 

SECRETARY:The Secretary shall record and maintain all records of all proceedings of the members and the Board and keep said records in a file at his/her residence. Records shall be made available to the Board when requested. When the Secretary is absent form any meeting the Treasurer shall keep the minutes of any meeting. The Secretary is authorized to sign checks. The Secretary will collect all mail from the post office box and distribute as necessary. The Secretary shall be in charge of all team books and any activity, such as data entry into the roster software, collection of paperwork, and certification of books, associated with the team books. The Secretary will order all Pop Warner registration forms. The Secretary may post information on the SCPW Facebook page. The Secretary is to send out one calls and emails at the request of Board members. The Secretary is an Executive Board Member and casts votes on all matters. 

 

FOOTBALL COORDINATOR:  The Football Coordinator shall work with the President and Vice President to determine the number of teams and assign all football players to the appropriate roster based on the Pop Warner Age & Weight Matrix. The entire Board of Directors approves final roster placement when special issues/exemptions arise. The Football Coordinator is available to answer questions from parents and coaches in regards to rules and expectations, shall be well versed in all Pop Warner rules as they apply to football, and will attend monthly Central Mass Pop Warner meetings. The Football Coordinator also takes inventory of all football equipment and uniforms, makes recommendations when new equipment needs purchasing or old equipment needs repair or retirement. The Football Coordinator is the direct contact between all football coaches and the Board of Directors, is responsible for all game notifications such as date, time, location and addresses. The Football Coordinator is responsible for retrieving equipment and uniforms from players who withdraw from the program before the season is over. The Football Coordinator may post information on the SCPW Facebook page. The Football Coordinator may not hold a head coach position unless an urgent need for a head coach presents itself. The Football Coordinator is an Executive Board Member and casts votes on all matters.

 

CHEER COORDINATOR: The Cheer Coordinator determines the number of teams and assigns all cheerleaders to a roster based on Pop Warner rules based on age and skill level. The entire Board of Directors approves final roster placement when there is an exceptional placement to be made. The Cheer Coordinator is available to answer questions from parents and coaches in regards to rules and expectations, including financial obligations of the cheer season. The Cheer Coordinator will be well versed in all Pop Warner rules as they apply to cheerleading and will attend monthly Central Mass Pop Warner meetings. The cheer Coordinator also takes inventory of all uniforms, makes recommendations when new uniforms need to be purchased or old uniforms need repair or retirement. The Cheer Coordinator holds accessory order sessions and chooses, with Board approval, the vendor from whom accessories will be purchased. The Cheer Coordinator is the direct contact between cheer coaches and the Board of Directors. The Cheer Coordinator is responsible for all game notifications such as date, time, location and addresses. The Cheer Coordinator is responsible for retrieving uniforms from the cheerleaders who withdraw from the program before the season is over. The Cheer Coordinator may not hold a head coach position unless an urgent need for a head coach presents itself. The Cheer Coordinator may post information on the SCPW Facebook page. The Cheer Coordinator is an Executive Board Member and casts votes on all matters.

 

Members-At-Large shall include:

Fundraising Coordinator

Concession Manager

Website Manager

Scholastic Coordinator

Assistant Football and Cheer Coordinators

 

FUNDRAISING COORDINATOR: The Fundraising Coordinator shall research appropriate fundraisers and with the Board’s approval, will coordinate activities each season. The Fundraising Coordinator will organize dates for the fundraiser, will distribute and collect all materials to and from participants and facilitate the overall fundraising activities. The Fundraising Coordinator must be available to answer any questions from parents and guardians and must explain to all participants what is expected from them in regards to fundraising. While the Fundraising Coordinator does not cast an official vote on matters, he/she will be invited to board meetings when appropriate, and his/her input considered when Board Members cast votes.

 

CONCESSION MANAGER: The Concession Manager is responsible for the operation of the concession stand. He/she will hold the league’s BJ Wholesale Club membership as the Primary Member. The Concession Manager will purchase all items for sale in the concession stand and maintain all equipment used in the concession stand. The Concession Manager will hold a debit card to make these purchases after Board approval. While the Concession Manager does not cast an official vote on matters, he/she will be invited to board meetings when appropriate, and his/her input considered when Board Members cast votes. 

 

WEBSITE MANAGER: The Website Manager is responsible for maintaining all information on the SPCW website, including posting upcoming dates and activities, scheduled events, the Board of Directors contact information, correspondence from the Board of Directors to the SCPW community, and any other pertinent information deemed necessary. The Website Manager shall also take input from the Cheer and Football Coordinators, as well as the head coaches, and post weekly highlights and achievements from the games and/or events as requested. The Website Manager will administer broad text messages th the SCPW community, maintain the online registration capabilities, and online merchandise sales. The Website Manager does not cast an official vote on matters, he/she will be invited to board meetings when appropriate, and his/her input considered when Board Members cast votes.

 

SCHOLASTIC COORDINATOR:  The Scholastic Coordinator is responsible for monitoring the academic performance of all SCPW members, and maintaining documentation as needed. The Scholastic Coordinator will work with SCPW families to enter qualifying Little Scholar submissions and addendums, and for ensuring all active members meet minimum academic requirements. While the Scholastic Coordinator does not cast an official vote on matters, he/she will be invited to board meetings when appropriate, and his/her input considered when Board Members cast votes.

 

ASSISTANT FOOTBALL AND CHEER COORDINATORS: The Football and/or Cheer Coordinators may choose to have an assistant coordinator when appropriate. The Assistant Football Coordinator is responsible to help the Football Coordinator with any supporting activities deemed appropriate. The Assistant Cheer Coordinator is responsible to help the Cheer Coordinator with any supporting activities deemed appropriate. When an assistant coordinator is appointed, the position should be announced to the SCPW families for anyone to volunteer, and the best volunteering candidate will be chosen by a vote of the Board of Directors. While the Assistant Football and Assistant Cheer Coordinators do not cast official votes on matters, they will be invited to board meetings when appropriate, and his/her input considered when Board Members cast votes. 

 

ARTICLE IV

POWER, LOCATION, LOGO/INSIGNIA, FISCAL YEAR, MEETINGS

 

1.    The Board of Directors shall have and may exercise all powers necessary and convenient to affect any or all of the purposes for which the corporation is formed, provided that no such power shall be exercised in a manner which is inconsistent with Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 180 or any other chapter of the said General Laws, and provided, further, that the corporation shall not engage in any activity or exercise power which would deprive it of any exemption from federal income tax which the corporation may receive under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as now in force or hereinafter amended. 

2.     The principal office of the corporation in the Commonwealth of Mass shall be located in Webster, MA. The Board of Directors may change the location, as they consider appropriate.

3.    The Directors have adopted a logo (“SC”) and may adopt or alter a corporate seal or official insignia of the corporation.

4.    The fiscal year of the corporation shall end on the 31^stday of December each year, unless otherwise decided by the Board of Directors.

5.    Board of Directors meetings or member meetings will be called when the Board determines such meetings are necessary. Each Director shall have one vote.

6.    If a vote arises in which a result will personally benefit a board member or his/her family member, the voting board member must recues him/herself from the matter.

7.    Two Directors must count all money from concession, merchandise, 50/50 raffles and gate after a game, before leaving the game field. The two people counting cannot be related or married. The exchange shall have a written receipt (signed by both directors) documenting the names of members, date, time, location, and funds raised. The written record shall serve as an audit trail of funds raised, matching up to deposits in the SCPW financial management system. Receipts should be kept by the Treasurer for a minimum of one year and be made available on request to the board. 

8.    The Fundraising Coordinator and/or Board Director must collect and count all money raised at each fund raising event before leaving the event. The two people counting cannot be related or married. The exchange shall have a written receipt (signed by both directors) documenting the names of members, date, time, location, and funds raised. The written record shall serve as an audit trail of funds raised, matching up to deposits in the SCPW financial management system. Receipts should be kept by the Treasurer for a minimum of one year and be made available on request to the board. 

9.     

 

ARTICLE V

RESIGNATIONS, SUSPENSIONS/REMOVALS, VACANCIES, ELECTIONS

 

1.    Member Suspension and Removal: In accordance with the National Pop Warner Code of Conduct for Members, a member may be suspended from any and all Pop Warner events when he/she violates the code of conduct, receives a verbal or written warning and/or violates the code a subsequent time. An additional violation of the code may lead to a permanent removal from Pop Warner. A member may also be removed when the Board determines the member is a threat to the safety of the children and the integrity of the organization.

2.    Director Suspension and Removal: A Director may be removed from the Board without cause by a two-thirds majority vote of the current Directors or with cause by a majority vote of the current Directors. A Director may be removed with cause only after a reasonable notice and opportunity to be heard. 

3.    Director Resignation: A Director may resign by delivering his/her written resignation to the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, or to a meeting of the Board. Such resignation shall be effective upon receipt unless another time is specified. Lack of attendance without sufficient cause by any Director for three or more consecutive meetings may constitute resignation from the Board.

4.    Vacancies: The Board of Directors will fill any vacancy in the Board. Each successor will hold the position for the unexpired term, or until he/she resigns, is discharged as set forth in Article V section 2, or no longer becomes able to hold the position.

5.    Elections, as noted in Article III, are to be held each January at the banquet. Members will make nominations and an accompanying (“second”) nomination must be made. When there is no contest, the Secretary will cast the vote and confirm the uncontested winner. When there is a contest a secret, written ballot will determine the election.

 

ARTICLE VI

SELECTION OF COACHES/RESPONSIBLITIES OF COACHES

 

1.    Coaches are chosen from a field of volunteers each year. The President, Vice President, and Football/Cheer Coordinator will choose head football/cheer coaches. All head coaches will choose their own assistant coaches and staff. No head coach may be the head coach of more than one team. The Board of Directors may decide an assistant coach chosen by the head coach is not an appropriate choice and may discharge that assistant coach.

2.    Head Coaches determine what role their assistant coaches will play. Head Coaches must notify their respective coordinator any time he/she must speak to an assistant coach in a disciplinary or warning manner. Head Coaches must hold an initial parent/guardian meeting at the start of the season informing parents what they can expect, who to contact with questions or concerns, and what is expected from parents/guardians and participants. Head Coaches are responsible for the team book and all of its contents. Head Coaches must immediately notify their respective coordinators when a child withdraws from the program. Head Coaches will appoint a team mom/dad and be sure that person knows what is expected of them. Head Coaches must be sure their participants attend equipment and uniform sessions and must attend the session’s him/herself as well. Head Coaches must adhere to all National Pop Warner rules and take charge that their assistant coaches do the same. 

3.    All coaches must wear their matching coaches shirts and SCPW ID at all games and competitions. 

4.    CORI background screening checks shall be conducted annually for all volunteers, and shall follow CORI background screening process, procedural document SCPW-002.

 

ARTICLE VIII

REGISTRATION AND REGISTRATION FEES, FUNDRAISING, and National Competitions

 

The Board of Directors shall determine registration fees each season upon advice from the Treasurer. No child shall participate in any practice, game, SCPW event, or receive equipment or uniforms unless properly registered and all fees have been paid. Fees are occasionally waived when there is good cause to do so. Request to waive or partially waive fees must follow the Financial Hardship Scholarship Request process, and must be approved by the board in advance. No coach may participate unless properly registered, completed any/all required certifications, and having turned in all background check information including a copy of a state issued identification. No registration money collected from any participant will be credited or attributed to travel costs for National Competition. 

 

Fundraising held in the regular season are to fund operating costs of said season and are not to be earmarked for travel expenses to National Competition unless and until all regular season operating costs have been met and the Board votes to allocate those funds for travel expense.  The following regulations must be followed or the team will forfeit all monies raised and may not be allowed to go to Nationals.

-All social media (ie gofundme, facebook, instagram) fundraising has to be approved by the board firstly.  All funds raised by these methods will be split evenly with all the National bound teams.

-Canning locations and times are to be approved by the board. Each canning site must have a coach or other adult present at all times. At the end of the canning time a board member must be contacted so they may go to the site to collect the money raised. All money must be counted and signed off on by the adult on site and the board member.  Canning money is dispersed by way of reimbursement in the following manner:

 

 

 

Hours are written down for each participant that canned for the day. They are put into a spreadsheet and all hours are added together and divided by the daily total raised. This is then the participant hourly amount raised for the day. So if 5 participants go canning for three hours each and make $500 each participant would get $33.33 for an hour or $100 for the day. The time or location of each child does not matter as all monies raised are pooled together. 

                        

 

The board shall, only when funds are available, choose to fund necessary hotel accommodations for the Football Coordinator (only when a football team travels to Nationals), the Cheer Coordinator (only when a cheer team travels to Nationals), and the head coaches of the teams going to Nationals. All other board members and coaches may choose to fundraise for the minimum stay defined next paragraph.  No parent may fundraise for his or her portion, only board members, assistant coaches, and student demonstrators may fundraise. For the Head Coaches and the Coordinators, the term necessary shall mean one day prior to the arrival of the SCPW teams and until the day the last team competes, or other schedule deemed reasonable and approved by the board. If after funding hotel accommodations monies are still available, the Board may fund airfare; either in part or in whole, but must be approved in advance by a vote of the Board. 

 

For all coaches, assistant coaches, board members, student demonstrators, and participants the amount that can be reimbursed is for the minimum stay, as laid out by Nationals. The reimbursement rate is also based on the four people per room occupancy.  If a room only has 1-3 persons in it the participant (coach, asst. coach, etc.) will be responsible for the difference.  On airfare reimbursements, if approved by the board to do so, will be made based on the average flight cost for each participant. Participants only will be reimbursed for the amount that was actually paid for the flight up to the approved amount. 

 

ARTICLE IX

PARTICIPANT UNIFORM, SPECTATOR CONDUCT

1.    All participants must come to games and events when asked wearing their given uniform. Sometimes participants will be asked to wear certain clothing for team building. Participants are expected to adhere to the Head Coaches decision on attire. 

2.    With the exception of the Varsity cheer team, cheerleaders may not wear makeup to any games or competitions. If one Varsity cheerleader is wearing makeup then all the girls on the team must wear the same appropriate amount. An appropriate amount is determined by the Head Coach but can be overruled by the Board of Directors.

3.    Spectators may not sit or stand behind the team or team bench at games and/or scrimmages or competitions.

4.    Spectators may not address the coach or game official unless to point out an emergency and may not coach from the sidelines.

ARTICLE X

PERSONAL LIABILITY

The Directors of the corporation will not be personally liable for any debt, liability, or obligation of the corporation. All persons, corporations or other entities extending credit to, contracting with, or having any claim against, the corporation may look only to the funds and property of the corporation for the payment of any such contract or claim, or for the payment of any debt, damages, judgment or decree, or of any money that may otherwise become due or payable to them from the corporation. Nothing herein shall constitute members or Directors of the corporation as partners for any purpose.

 

ARTICLE XI

DISSOLUTION

Upon dissolution of the corporation, the Board of Directors shall, after paying or making provisions for the payment of all of the liabilities of the corporation, convey or distribute all assets to a local non-profit organization which serves the youth of Webster, Dudley, Douglas, Auburn, Sutton, Oxford, MA and Putnam, Thompson, CT.

 

ARTICLE XII

AMENDMENTS

These By-Laws may be amended at any regular Board meeting and only by a majority vote of the Directors in office. A 14-day notice to amend the by-laws must be provided. 

 

AMENDED RULES

These rules meet and/or exceed National Pop Warner rules and were adopted by the Board of Directors on the dates listed.