ARTICLES AND BYLAWS
JESSAMINE COUNTY FASTPITCH SOFTBALL
ARTICLE I - NAME
This organization shall be known as the Jessamine County Fastpitch Softball, Inc.
ARTICLE II - OBJECTIVE
A. Jessamine County Fastpitch Softball seeks to instill in the participants: ideals of good sportsmanship, honesty, loyalty, courage, and respect for and of authority. This objective will be reached by providing supervised competitive athletic games. The supervisors, coaches, parents, volunteers and spectators shall bear in mind at all times that the attainment of exceptional athletic skill or the winning of games is secondary and that the molding of future citizens is of prime importance.
ARTICLE III - VOTING MEMBERSHIP
The voting membership of the association will have one vote each and shall be limited to persons in good standing with Jessamine County Fastpitch Softball and meet the following requirements:
A. Parents or guardians of the participants in the league.
B. Coaches.
C. Assistant Coaches (Limited to (1) one non-player parent per team.)
D. Board members.
ARTICLE IV - EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS
A. The Executive Board consists of the following members:
1. President
2. Vice-President
3. Secretary
4. Treasurer
5. Player Agent
6. Fundraising Coordinator
7. Facilities and Maintenance Coordinator
B. At the annual organization meeting, the Board Members shall be elected for a period of 2-years per term.
C. There is a minimum requirement of one (1) year on the board in order to be elected for president, and vice-president.
D. Elected Executive Board members shall take office on March 1st.
E. The offices of President and Secretary will be voted on and filled in years ending in even numbers. The offices of Vice-President, Treasurer, and Player Agent will be voted on and filled in years ending in odd numbers.
1. Members of the first Executive Board, (Brian Collier, Ryan Bryant, Josh Dennis, Alissa Smith and Brandon Wides) elected June 25, 2016, are eligible to serve on the Board until elections in 2019.
F. An elected member of the executive board may be removed by a majority vote of the Executive Board.
G. Should any vacancy of the executive board occur by death, resignation, or otherwise the same shall be filled without delay by the executive board.
ARTICLE V – MEETINGS
A. An annual meeting of the members of this association shall be conducted by the end of each quarter for the reading of reports. At the 3rd quarter meeting elections will be held for Executive Board members who will take office March 1st. A public notice will be made two (2) weeks prior to the date of the meeting. Additional meetings may be called by the president, or upon request of at least three (3) executive board members. The executive board members will have no less than quarterly meetings.
B. A majority vote of the members present at said meeting shall constitute a quorum provided notice has been given via a posting at the park, website, and other social media sites or sent via email, seven (7) days in advance and all executive members have been notified.
ARTICLE VI – FINANCIAL POLICY
A. The executive board shall decide all matters pertaining to the finances of Jessamine County Fastpitch Softball. It shall be general policy to place all income in a common treasury; directing expenditures of same in such a manner as will give no individual or team any advantages over the other as to equipment and so forth. (Ask about division of accounts with general/capital expenditures.)
B. No expenditure or association commitment over two hundred fifty ($250.00) dollars will be made without prior executive board approval.
C. All debit card transactions will be preauthorized via phone, email, or directive by the president with approval of funds by the treasurer. Two (2) cards are to be issued in the name of the president, and treasurer. All expenditures must have corresponding receipts and be within the limits listed above unless preauthorized above that amount.
D. A financial report, including the concession stand report, of all monies shall be submitted at every executive board meeting and every general meeting of Jessamine County Fastpitch Softball, at the discretion of the executive board.
E. No part of the net earnings of the association shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to, its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons. Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the association shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on:
1. By an organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(C) (3) of the internal revenue code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code.
2. By an organization, contributions to which are deducted under section of any future federal tax code.
F. Upon the dissolution of the association, assets shall be distributed for one of more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501(C) (3) or the internal revenue code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by the court of common pleas of the county in which the association is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.
ARTICLE VII – INSURANCE
A group type accident insurance obtained by and in the name of Jessamine County Fastpitch Softball shall cover each participant in league play or practice session of the Jessamine County Fastpitch Softball. Each player shall be required prior to participating in any league play or practice session, to pay a specified registration fee and return a completed application form. No Jessamine County Fastpitch Softball facility will be available until above requirements has been met.
ARTICLE VII – COACHES AND ASSISTANTS
A. Coaches and assistants of all teams shall submit a coaching application for approval by the executive board as well as pass a criminal background check.
B. Each team will have one (1) coach and one (1) assistant, and one (1) dugout coordinator (mom). Unless otherwise stated in league addendums. They shall be responsible for their team’s conduct on or off the field, while acting in their capacity as a coach or assistant.
C. Each coach or assistant shall conduct himself/herself at all times in such a manner as to be a credit to this association and to the Jessamine County community. Coaches and/or assistants shall be subject to removal or asked to resign by majority vote of the executive board for justifiable reasons, including Article VII, Section E.
D. Each coach and assistant will be allowed to have their children play on the team they manage.
E. Any coach or assistant ejected from a game may be brought before the executive board and will be subject to any disciplinary action deemed appropriate. The coach or assistant will be given 24 hours advance notice of the meeting at which time a decision will be made with or without his/her presence.
F. Any coach or assistant who has outstanding financial obligations to Jessamine County Fastpitch Softball or any other softball organization or related business will not be allowed to coach until proof of restitution is provided in writing to Jessamine County Fastpitch Softball executive board.
ARTICLE IX – PARTICIPATION
A. Participation in this association shall be governed by Jessamine County Fastpitch Softball.
B. Each player shall conduct herself at all times in such a manner as to be a credit to this organization and the Jessamine County community. Each player shall be subject to removal from the assigned team upon recommendation of his/her coach to the executive board (with majority vote of the executive board).
C. Any player with outstanding financial obligations to Jessamine County Fastpitch Softball will not be allowed to participate until proof of restitution or agreement is provided in writing to the Jessamine County Fastpitch Softball executive board.
D. Any member of a team that does not attend two (2) successive practices and does not have a valid reason suitable to the coach’s approval (illness or vacation) may be prohibited from playing the following league game.
ARTICLE X – APPLICATIONS AND PLAYER PLACEMENT
A. All applications shall be turned in by the dates determined by the executive board for both spring and fall seasons.
B. Each player must furnish a certified state issued birth certificate with their application showing the date of birth. A copy of the birth certificate will be attached to the application and kept in the Jessamine County Fastpitch Softball files. Returning players with a copy of a birth certificate on file need not furnish a birth certificate each year unless requested by the executive board.
C. No player can participate in any game or practice session until her application and fee has been paid in full.
D. No player shall be allowed to be placed on two different league rosters at the same time in the same season. No pick-up players allowed for league games, no exceptions spring and fall.
E. Spring season - All players must play in a league that matches their age as of January 1st of the current year, i.e., 9-year old players will be placed on the 10U league. Fall season – All players must play in the age league that will apply with the upcoming January 1st date. Example: A 10 year old playing in the 10U league in the Spring that has a birthday between January and December of the current year will move to the 12U league for the Fall season.
F. Placement of returning players and coaches for leagues shall be done in the following manner: For each season, any player who participated on a team of the past season shall be permitted to remain on that team. Any player who does not desire to remain on the team with which she participated in the past season will be permitted to place her name in the draft. She shall be assigned to a team, other than the one she participated on, for the upcoming season in the same manner as a new applicant.
G. Placement of new players shall be handled through a draft. A draft shall consist of those players that are:
1. New applicants to the league shall be placed in a league that matches their age. Applicants will be placed on a team of corresponding league having players of the same age level, i.e., 12- year old applicants will be placed on a team composed of 12 years old & under.
2. Teams that have folded.
3. Players that no longer wish to play for the former team.
ARTICLE XI – LEAGUES AND TEAMS
A. The executive board shall form leagues of this association after the signed applications and birth certificates of players wishing to participate have been received. No team shall have less than ten (10) players.
B. Jessamine County Fastpitch Softball leagues shall consist of the following age divisions:
1. Eighteen and under (18U)
2. Fourteen and under (14U)
3. Twelve and under (12U)
4. Ten and under (10U)
5. Eight and under (8U)
6. Six and under (6U)
C. Minimum age is four (4) years old as of the start of registration for the season, either Spring or Fall.
ARTICLE XII – AMENDMENT
The by-laws or any section thereof may be amended or repealed by majority vote of the executive board members present at any called meeting of this association provided ARTICLE VI, SECTION B has been adhered to. Any amendment of these rules governing the Jessamine County Fastpitch Softball shall be made in written form and presented to each coach and to the umpire coordinator. Standing rules – no changes shall be made to the standing rules without executive board approval.