2024 By laws
Beverly Youth Hockey: By-Laws
BEVERLY YOUTH HOCKEY ASSOCIATION, INC. By-Laws
Adopted: February 9, 1993
As Amended: April 2024
Article 1: Name
The name of the association shall be Beverly Youth Hockey Association, Inc.
Article 2: Objectives
The objectives of the Association shall be: to promote and enhance skating, both hockey and learn-to-skate, for all youth of Beverly at the lowest possible cost. Membership shall not be denied to any youth by reason of gender, race, creed, religion, national origin, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
Article 3: Affiliation
This Association shall be affiliated with U.S.A. Hockey and Massachusetts Hockey and shall be bound by the rules of these organizations.
Article 4: Membership
The membership of the Association shall be:
A. All current active coaches and assistant coaches.
B. The members of the Board of Directors.
C. The parents and guardians of all currently or
previously affiliated players.
D. All currently affiliated players.
Members must be in good standing with U.S.A. Hockey and Massachusetts Hockey.
Article 5: Fiscal Year
The fiscal year is to begin on the first day of July and end on the last day of June.
Article 6: Seasonal Year
The seasonal year is to begin on the first day of September and end on the last day of April.
Article 7: Meetings
SECTION 1: RULES OF ORDER
All meetings shall be conducted in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order.
SECTION 2: ANNUAL MEETING
The annual meeting of the Association shall be held in April at a time and place within the City of Beverly as designated by the President. The annual meeting shall be open to all members of the Association. The membership shall be given by the President at least three (3) weeks’ notice of the time and location of the meeting. The purpose of the meeting shall be:
1) The election of officers and new members to the Board of Directors for the ensuing terms of office.
2) The vote of amendments to the By-Laws, and the consideration of changes to the By-Laws.
3) A written financial report for the most recent year ending shall be presented to all of its members.
4) Copies of the By-Laws will be available to all members.
5) A list of current officers and Board Members will be available to all members.
SECTION 3: BOARD MEETINGS
The Board of Directors shall meet once a month during the Seasonal Year, on the first Monday of the month. This day may be changed by the President with a minimum notice of two (2) weeks before the meeting date. Every effort should be made to maintain the Monday schedule.
To conduct business a quorum of one half plus one of the elected board members must be present. When a quorum is present, a simple majority vote shall be sufficient to pass a motion, unless otherwise specified in these By-Laws. If after two meetings, no quorum has been met as specified above, then in the third consecutive meeting a quorum shall constitute one half of the board members present plus one. Any member of the Association can bring new business before the Board of Directors. The matter may be presented in person or in writing if the member is unable to attend the Board Meeting in person. No advance notice of such new business is required.
All Board of Director’s meetings shall be open to the general membership, except when the Board of Directors is in executive session. The Board may enter into executive session at the request of any officer to discuss business, which does not affect the general membership, i.e. nonpayment of membership or action concerning an individual member. Minutes of the executive sessions will be kept by the secretary but will not be made available to the membership at large.
Any association member can request a meeting with the Board to be held in Executive Session, but this request must be in writing at least 24 hours prior to the requested meeting. The subject of such a meeting must be specific to the individual only and not the general membership.
Board members are expected to be prepared to discuss and vote on business in advance of various deadlines for each item. Every effort should be made to afford the opportunity for board members to ask questions, clarify information, conduct due diligence and discussion on all business which is of importance to the advancement and growth of the players and association. Voting by electronic communications should only occur when there is a sense of immediate urgency and failure to call a vote will cause irreparable harm to the organization or membership.
Article 8: Board of Directors
SECTION 1: MEMBERSHIP
The Board of Directors shall be comprised of the Association officers and thirteen (13) other members. Each member of the Board will have one (1) vote.
The Board of Directors includes among its voting members, individuals whose children are actively skating in the program, and the membership and voting power held by such individuals may not be less than 20% of the membership and voting power of the Board of Directors.
A person must be a current member of the Association, have no outstanding balance due this or any other youth hockey association, and be at least 18 years of age to be eligible for election to the Board.
SECTION 2: TERM
Each of the thirteen non-officer members of the Board shall be elected to a three (3) year term of office. A director’s term on the Board may be extended beyond three years by re- election to the Board, or by election to an officer-ship. In the case of officer-ship, the person’s term on the Board will expire with expiration, removal, or resignation from the term of officer-ship.
SECTION 3: AUTHORITY
The authority and duties of the Board of Directors are to:
A. Provide the organization and direction for the achievement of the Association’s objectives.
B. Make decisions relative to the operation of the Association and to enforce these By-Laws and decisions of the Board.
C. Have discretion of expenditure of monies. All expenditures require a vote of the Board.
D. Fill any vacancy (including officers) on the Board by nomination and election by standing Board members at the next regularly scheduled Board meeting following the creation of vacancy.
E. Act upon issues beyond the scope of the By-Laws, or upon any temporary ruling by the President.
F. Act on any and all proposals, to amend or revise the By-Laws and regulations of the Association or its governing bodies. Proposed amendments to the By-Laws must be approved by the Board prior to presentation to the membership at the Annual Meeting.
G. Approve the slate of candidates recommended by the nominating committee for eligibility before presentation to the general membership at the Annual Meeting.
H. Staff and maintain the following standing committees:
o Executive: membership shall be the officers plus one Board member chosen by the President. The President shall chair.
o Fundraising
o Finance (chaired by Treasurer)
o Communications
o Programming and Scheduling
o Director of Hockey Operations/Program Development
- Coordinate with coaches on practice plan/ADM
- Monthly Coaches meetings
- Player development-Start-mid-finish (parent communications)
- parent/player complaints
- Tryout coordinator
o Hockey Directors at each level (LTS/XIce/Mites/Squirts/PW/Bantam)
- Coordinate coaches meeting at each level
- Practice plans/ADM
- Tryout preparations
- Player Development
- Player/Parent complaints
o Valley League/Mass Hockey Rep(s)
- BYH rep for meetings/hearings/info
o Ice Coordinator/scheduling
- Representative for Endicott Meetings practice ice scheduling
- Coordinate with coaches for practice time/dates
o Equipment manager
- Inventory
- New purchases-cones/pucks/decals/jerseys/socks etc.
o Fund Raising Director(s)
- Coordinate with FR committee/report to board
- Events/Canning/Calendar/Sponsorships
o Communication/Web Admin/Registrar
SECTION 4: COMMITTEES
The President from the standing Board of Directors will assign committee chairs. The committees will consist of no more than five (5) members, excluding the chair, and will be staffed at the request of the committee chair. At least 50% of each committee membership, including the chair, shall be Association members who are not directors or officers. The committees’ memberships and chairpersons will have a term of one (1) year.
The committee chairs will report to the President who will also be an “at-large” member of all committees (except executive) without voting privilege.
SECTION 5: OBLIGATIONS OF DIRECTORS
It shall be the obligation of each member of the Board of Directors to attend the regularly scheduled meeting of that body, to act in the best interests of the Association, to obey and support the spirit and letter of the By-Laws, and to perform the duties assigned to them by the President of the Association.
Failure of any non-officer director to attend three (3) of four (4) such consecutive meetings, or to frequently fail to follow the direction of the Board or the By-Laws, will be cause for dismissal from the Board of Directors. A Motion of Dismissal may be made by any member of the Board at a regularly scheduled meeting and, if seconded, requires a simple majority vote to pass. Waiver of attendance may be exercised by the President of the Association and must be announced at the meeting of absence.
SECTION 6: NOMINATIONS
Nominations for officers (if any) and Board members will be accepted at the regularly scheduled March meeting. The Nominating Committee will finalize the list of candidates for all open positions at the March meeting. The Board will prepare the ballot and inform the membership of the eligible nominees and By-Law changes for the election to be conducted at the annual meeting held in April.
SECTION 7: ELECTIONS
The election of directors to the Board and the election of officers from the standing Board will be held in April at the Annual Meeting. The conduct of the election will be the responsibility of the Nominating Committee. Election will be by secret ballot among the Association members present at the Annual Meeting. The results of the election will be disclosed prior to the adjournment of the Annual Meeting.
In the election of directors, all votes shall be tallied for each candidate. The candidates receiving the highest number of votes will be declared the winners of the open director seats.
In the event of the availability of additional directors seats during the ensuing seasonal year, the candidate(s) receiving the next highest number of votes will be asked to fill the vacancy(ies). In the event there are no eligible candidates from the prior Annual Meeting, the standing Board of Directors may nominate an Association member of their choice at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board. Election will be made by simple majority of the Board present at the Board meeting immediately following the nomination. Directors so elected will serve the remainder of the term of office that was to be served by the departing director.
SECTION 8: REGISTRAR
At or before the May Board meeting, the President shall appoint a Registrar for the ensuing season. The Registrar shall have the responsibility for the enrollment and registration of the youth membership, coaches, and teams within this Association, state or national Associations, and any leagues as the Board may direct. Funds collected by the Registrar at the registration should be given immediately to the Treasurer. A candidate for this position must come from the current Board of Directors.
ARTICLE 9: OFFICERS
SECTION 1: PRESIDENT
The duties of the President shall be to act as the executive and operating officer for the organization. All standard and ad hoc committee chairs shall report to the President. The President shall be responsible for the conduct and performance of the committees. The President shall be the primary policy authority for the Association implementing the directives of the Board of Directors and By-Laws. The Vice President shall preside over the Board of Directors meeting in the absence of the President.
The President shall have signing authority for all affairs of the Association. All funds received by the President shall be given to the Treasurer as soon as possible.
The President is elected to a two (2) year term of office, maximum. A two (2) year absence from the office is required before serving in the position again.
SECTION 2: VICE PRESIDENT
The Vice President shall perform duties assigned by the President. The Vice President shall preside at meetings in the absence of the President. The term of office of the Vice President shall be two (2) years. Candidates for Vice President must be currently on the Board of Directors.
SECTION 3: SECRETARY
The Secretary shall keep a correct and complete record of the activities of the Association and shall deliver same to their successors. A report of the most recent proceedings of the Board shall be presented by the Secretary to the Board at the next regularly scheduled meeting. The Secretary shall be responsible for all correspondence sent and received by the association.
All funds received through correspondence by the Secretary shall be given to the Treasurer or the President as soon as possible.
In the absence of the Secretary, the President may designate another officer to report the proceeding activities and to record the meeting. The term of the secretary shall be two (2) years. Candidates for Secretary must be currently on the Board of Directors.
SECTION 4: TREASURER
The Treasurer shall receive all monies of the Association and pay all expenses approved by the Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall keep proper and correct records of all transactions and shall make disclosure of monthly income expenditures, variance to budget, and balances at each regularly scheduled meeting of the Board. An annual report must be prepared for approval of the Board no later than April 30.
The Treasurer shall be required to furnish a bond, the cost of which will be paid by the Association. The Treasurer will prepare, complete and file any financial forms necessary for the operations of the Association. The Treasurer and President will be the authorized signatures on record for the Association’s checking account. Both signatures will be required on checks. Possession and care of checks will be the responsibility of the Treasurer. The term of the Treasurer will be two (2) years. Candidates for Treasurer must be currently on the Board of Directors.
SECTION 5: ELECTIONS
In addition to Article 8, Board of Directors Elections: no officer shall be a candidate for another office of the Association without resigning from the current office. Such resignation will be effective the day of the election.
SECTION 6: REMOVAL FROM OFFICE
Any officer for conduct outside the spirit of the By-Laws may be removed from office by a two-thirds vote; the officer in question must abstain from the vote. Such cause may include failure to attend two (2) consecutive Board meetings. A waiver of attendance may be granted by the President but must be disclosed to the Board at the meeting of absence. The removed officer will remain on the Board of Directors for the remainder of the term of office. The Board may choose to remove the officer from the Board of Directors entirely under a separate two-thirds vote.
ARTICLE 10: AMENDMENTS
Amendments to the By-Laws may only be ratified at the Annual Meeting. A majority vote of the general membership present at the Annual Meeting is required to ratify a proposed amendment. Advance notice of any proposed amendment to the By-Laws shall be given to the general membership at least two weeks prior to the Annual Meeting.
Any Association member can propose a change in the By-Laws at any time, but all proposed amendments must meet the notice requirements and will be acted upon only at the next Annual Meeting.
ARTICLE 11: YOUTH ELIGIBILITY
SECTION 1: NATIONAL AFFILIATION
The eligibility of any youth participating in the Association shall be determined by the rules and regulations of USA Hockey.
SECTION 2: LOCAL ELIGIBILITY
A participating skater may be a resident of the city of Beverly or may be able to participate in the Beverly Youth Hockey program via Massachusetts Hockey rules and regulations governing eligibility.
No Association player or coach can re-register if there is an outstanding balance due Beverly Youth Hockey Association, Inc., or any other youth hockey program.
SECTION 3: PLAYING LEVEL ELIGIBILITY
All eligible candidates for team play may attend tryouts only for their appropriate age group, except as noted below. The appropriate age groups shall be determined by the age groupings set by USA Hockey.
Players must try out for the level of play according to their age group. Players may only move up a level of higher play at the request of a higher-level team, according to USA Hockey and Massachusetts Hockey rules. The Board of Directors reserves the right to permit a player to play at the next higher level when unusual circumstances make it necessary to do so for the good of both the player and the program.
All players must attend tryouts. In the event a player can’t attend tryouts, he must notify the Board of Directors prior to the tryout. Players will only be excused from tryouts for legitimate reasons, e.g. Sickness, death in family, etc.
The Board of Directors will assign a player who does not attend a tryout to a team in their age group following a review.
A player may not try out for a team at a lower than appropriate age group, unless special permission is granted by the full Board of Directors. The action of the Board in such matters must be in compliance with all regulations of the district, state, and national levels of USA Hockey.
Coaches calling up a player for a game must call up players from the next lowest level only. The maximum number of games that such a player may participate in is five (5) in one season.
ARTICLE 12: DISCIPLINE
The Board of Directors shall be responsible for disciplinary action. It shall have the power to recommend any disciplinary action including suspension or expulsion of any member for conduct detrimental to hockey, either on or off the ice. This shall include abusive or threatening words or action to any player, game official, coach, or Board member. If a player or team official is disqualified from a game for a match or gross misconduct penalty, the situation must be reviewed by the Board of Directors at the next regularly scheduled meeting. Further disciplinary action may be taken by the Board at that time. Appeals of such action may be made to the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE 13: SPECIAL MEETINGS
The President can call special meetings of the Board of Directors for any purpose that he/she deems necessary.
ARTICLE 14: PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY
Provide a safe and healthy environment for all. Provide a fair and equal opportunity to participate in the game of ice hockey with the emphasis on skills of the game, not on winning.
Provide an opportunity for advancement to a more competitive environment for those who choose to do so. Promote sportsmanship and self-esteem.
ARTICLE 15: REGULATIONS FOR SPONSORS
Any and all donations by any corporation, business, or individual will be accepted and appreciated to further the development of all youth participating in the program. Sponsorship at any dollar level will hold no authority or influence with regard to the program philosophy, membership, or actions of the Board of Directors, teams, or coaches.
The Association will appropriately publicly acknowledge sponsorship contribution.
ARTICLE 16: REGISTRATION, PROGRAM
FEES, AND PAYMENTS
SECTION 1: REGISTRATION, PROGRAM FEES
Prior to registration, the Board of Directors shall determine the annual cost for team play.
Registration fees will be based on the fee structure from the USA Hockey. Program fees will be based on the anticipated demand for ice time, equipment and supplies.
Parents/Guardians of Beverly Youth Hockey members are responsible for full payment of the annual cost for team play when a player voluntarily withdraws from the program, after the first scheduled league game.
Learn-To-Skate fees may vary from session to session due to the length of each session.
The program fees will be subsidized by Association’s treasury funds whenever possible, to reduce participant costs.
SECTION 2: PAYMENT
The terms of payment are:
All participants must be registered and paid through the Association website prior to tryouts.
Tryout fees are $50 (non-refundable) for all levels.
The full amount of programs fees must be paid by September 1st. If the full amount of program fees have not been paid by that time, the player will not be allowed to participate in any on ice activities (practices and games) until paid.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a player’s Parent/Guardian may request an exemption from the requirement that program fees be paid in full by September 1st by proposing an alternative payment plan. Such alternative payment plan requests must be made in writing and must be directed to the Association’s President or Treasurer. All alternative payment plans must provide for the payment of all program fees by February 1st. Alternative payment plan requests will be reviewed and evaluated by the Executive Board members, who approve or disapprove such requests in its sole and absolute discretion. Failures to strictly adhere to approved alternative payment plans will result in the player not being allowed to participate in any on ice activities (practices and games) until paid, and may result in the Executive Board, in its sole and absolute discretion, requiring that the full remaining unpaid amount of program fees be paid in full prior to the player being permitted to return to on ice activities.
SECTION 3: DISCRETIONARY POLICY
The Association reserves the right of discretion in setting fee discounts and coordinating payment plans with the Association’s objectives. The Association at any time can present a formal Financial Aid Application Process detailing the funding and application process for such aid. Such plan must be voted and approved by the Board of Directors.
SECTION 4: INJURY CREDIT / REFUND POLICY
If a player is unable to participate in hockey due to illness or injury, whether hockey-related or not, he or she may be eligible for an injury tuition credit or refund subject to the approval of the Board of Directors. Injury tuition credit / refund requests must be made in writing and provided to the team’s head coach, who will provide the written request to the Board.
The following criteria will generally be used by the Board when evaluating a player’s eligibility for an injury tuition credit or refund:
1) the injury or illness must cause the player to be unable to practice and play games for at least four weeks;
2) the injury or illness must be validated by a doctor’s note;
3) the fact of the player not practicing and playing games for at least four weeks must be confirmed by the player’s head coach; and
4) the Board must review and approve the granting of a credit or refund in each case.
If the above criteria are met and the Board approves the tuition credit or refund, the credit or refund will be an amount representing the cost associated with the total number of weeks the player was unable to participate (including the four-week eligibility period). The credit or refund amount will be calculated by dividing the total BYH program fee (net of the tryout fee) by the number of weeks in the season and multiplying that amount by the number of weeks the player has missed. The applicable amount will, generally, be in the form of a credit that can be applied towards the player’s future BYH program fees; however, the Board may, in appropriate circumstances and in its sole and absolute discretion, approve a refund of the approved amount.
The Board is committed to protecting player privacy and medical information, and HIPAA requirements in effect at the time of the injury/illness will be followed.
ARTICLE 17: INDEPENDENT TEAM PLAYERS
It is permissible for a member of the Beverly Youth Hockey Association to simultaneously be a member of an independent hockey team. This permission is contingent upon the following:
A. All financial responsibilities with the Beverly Youth Hockey Association, Inc. are kept current. The player agrees that in situations of scheduling conflict between Beverly Youth Hockey and the independent team, the player’s responsibility to Beverly Youth Hockey takes precedence. The player may be released from this responsibility by the Beverly Youth Hockey if a determination is made that the independent hockey team commitment has taken precedence over the BYH team the majority of the time.
ARTICLE 18: COACHES
Section 1: All Head Coaches, Assistant Coaches and any personnel assisting on the ice or bench are required to obtain USA Hockey coaching certification (patching) of the appropriate level for teams to which they are appointed no later than December 31.
Section 2: All head coaches, one (1) per team, and assistant coaches, up to four (4) per team must be approved by the Board of Directors. Appropriate USA Hockey coaching certification level is required to protect the Beverly Youth Hockey Association from potential liability and/or litigation. All patching shall be completed by December 31st of each season. All candidates for head and assistant coaching positions must submit the Beverly Youth Hockey Coaches Application.
ARTICLE 19: EQUIPMENT
All players participating in games and practice sessions shall be required to wear proper equipment as designated by USA Hockey and the Massachusetts Hockey Association including but not limited to: Hockey Skates, Supporter & Cup, Shoulder Pads, Elbow Pads, Hockey Gloves, Hockey Shin Pads, Hockey Pants & Socks, Mouth Guard, and Approved Hockey Helmet with Full Face Mask. All head and assistant coaches must wear a helmet when taking the ice at any facility while serving in a coaching capacity to protect the Beverly Youth Hockey Association from potential liability and/or litigation.
ARTICLE 20: TRYOUTS
A tryout committee will be formed comprised of at least five (5) members who will be responsible for overseeing tryout activities such as scheduling, organizing, and managing the annual Beverly Youth Hockey tryout process. The tryout committee will lead development of a player selection process that includes player tryout results and head/assistant coaches’ evaluations. Annual tryouts will occur for the following levels: Mites, Squirts, Pee Wees & Bantams. All tryout processes will be discussed and approved by the Board of Directors at a monthly board meeting prior to tryouts. The Board of Directors will provide guidance, which may be updated from time to time, to players and prospective players and their Parents/Guardians regarding the tryout process.
Unbiased, independent evaluators who do not have players trying out for the level they are evaluating will be secured to conduct tryout evaluations for each level. Upon completion of tryouts, data collection and tabulation along with review of head/assistant coaches’ evaluations for each level shall be conducted by a tryout committee member who does not have a player who tried out at that level. All tryout result data and team placements will be reviewed, discussed, and approved by the full Board of Directors prior to public announcements. All tryout results data and head/assistant coaches’ evaluations are confidential and shall not be released to the general membership.
ARTICLE 21: TEAM MEMBERS
Teams shall consist of not less than eleven (11) and not more than seventeen (17) players, who shall be designated primary players to allow for adequate opportunity for playing time for all participants.
ARTICLE 22: INDEMNIFICATION
To the fullest extent permitted and in the manner prescribed by applicable law, the Association shall indemnify, against all liability incurred in a proceeding (and advance reasonable expenses to), any director or officer of the Association, who is, was, or is threatened to be made a party to any such threatened, pending, or completed action, suit, or proceeding (whether civil, criminal, administrative, arbitrative or investigative), including an action by or in the right of the Association, by reason of the fact that he or she is or was such a director or officer or is or was serving at the request of the Association as a director, officer, employee, or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise.