Board of Directors Westmoreland Hockey Association By-Laws As amended 1/18 ARTICLE 1 At a general membership meeting held at the end of each season, the nominating committee consisting of at least two (2) board members, appointed by the President and approved by the Board, shall present a slate of thirteen (13) directors with a minimum of one parent from each sponsored age group. Nominations from the floor will also be accepted. Election will be by a majority vote of the members present. When filling a vacancy on the board, all age groups are represented the person with the next highest vote at the last annual board meeting will be asked to serve. If an age group is not represented, the person with the next highest vote in that age group will be asked to serve. If no one else is available in that age group, nominations will be taken and will be voted on by those non-playing members of that age group. Duties of Officers ARTICLE 2 Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 Section 4 President It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all meetings of the organization and to perform such other duties as ordinarily pertain to his or her office. Vice-President - It shall be the duty of the Vice- President to preside at all meetings of the organization in the absence of the President and to perform such other duties as ordinarily pertain to this office. Secretary It shall be the duty of the Secretary to record and preserve the minutes of all meetings of the organization and to perform such other duties as ordinarily pertain to this office, including correspondence. Treasurer It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to have the custody of all funds, account the same to the organization at the annual meeting and to perform such other duties as pertain to this office. Upon retirement from office, he shall turn over to the successor or to the President, all funds, books if account I addition, he/she shall collect duties, advise coaches/managers on delinquent members and maintain all financial records. The Treasurer and all officers shall be bonded for his or her term of office.
ARTICLE 3 Finance Section 1 Section 2 The Treasurer shall deposit all funds of the W.H.A. in a bank to be named by the Association. All bills shall be paid by checks signed and countersigned by the President, Vice-President, Treasurer or Secretary. Board approval of specific checks is not required for expenditures covering normal operating fees such as ice time, insurance, P.A.H.L. fees, official fees and those items where the specific funds allocation has already been approved by the Board. For those not specifically approved by the Board and not considered as normal expenses, the specific payment should be approved by the Board before paid by the Treasurer. Section 3 This fiscal year shall be from July 1 through June 30. Section 4 The newly elected President and Treasurer shall audit the books of the organization for the just completed fiscal year and submit a report to the Board of Directors for the purpose of preparing a budget for the following year. ARTICLE 4 Quorum A Quorum for a board meeting shall consist of at least seven (7) members. Rules of Board Conduct ARTICLE 5 Rules and Regulations of governing all matters pertaining to the playing of hockey shall be those of the P.A.H.L. and USA Hockey. All members must be aware that the aforementioned are of superseding authority. Board Attendance ARTICLE 6 Board members are required to attend 65% of all regular board meetings. If a board member shall not maintain the desired attendance the board may vote to open his/her seat. The board will consider any extenuating circumstances that may have prevented the board member from meeting the required attendance. Board Attendance will be tracked and included with the minutes and agenda for each regular board meeting.
ARTICLE 7 Parliamentary Procedure The rules contained in Robert s Rules of Order Revised shall govern this organization in all cases to which they are applied and in which they are not in conflict. Coaches ARTICLE 8 All head, assistant coaches, and team managers are required to comply with Pennsylvania ACT 153 and its amendments as required by the State of Pennsylvania, and USA Hockey. All head and assistant coaches shall be registered annually as individual Participants of USA Hockey for the current season (before the start of the season) and meet all required USA Hockey Coaching Education Program requirements as described in USA Hockey s Rules and Regulations Section V. An Extended Executive Committee shall exist for approval of PA Criminal Checks that are returned to WHA with a record. The extended committee will review each case to determine the risk to WHA and its members. The risks would include but are not limited to a conviction of sexual abuse, aggressive behavior, child endangerment and/or the distribution or consumption of illegal or prescription drugs not prescribed by your primary doctor. Extended Executive Committee Members: President Vice President Treasurer Secretary Coaching Coordinator General Manager
ARTICLE 9 Order of Business 1. Reading of Minutes 2. Treasurer s Report 3. Reports of Committees 4. Old Business 5. New Business 6. Next Meeting ARTICLE 10 By-Laws Amendment These By-Laws may be amended at any meeting of the Board of Directors by a twothirds majority of the members present and voting provided a quorum is present, and provided the amendment shall have been read at one previous regular meeting. Committees ARTICLE 11 The following standing committees shall be convened each year. 1. General Manager 12. Referee Scheduler 2. Statistician 13. Discipline 3. Registration 14. PAHL Representative 4. Pictures 15. Sponsor/Fundraisers 5. Jerseys 16. Laurel Tournament 6. Coaches Coordinator 17. Banquet 7. Rink Liaison 18. In House / Learn to Play Hockey 8. Evaluations 19. Equipment Manager 9. Scheduling 20. Budget 10. By-Laws 21. ADM Coordinator 11. Website 22. Safe Sport Representative. Other committees may be convened at the discretion of the Board of Directors. Committee chairperson will be appointed by the President with the approval of the Board of directors and consent of the person selected. The chairperson of each committee may be a member of the Board; however, the Board shall have the authority to appoint a non-board member as the Committee chairperson. Each chairperson shall present his or her program to the President and Treasurer for review before final implementation when deemed necessary by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE 12 Teams Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 Section 4 Section 5 Section 6 Section 7 Section 8 Where 22 32 players exist in an age group, two teams shall be organized in that age group. Where 33-48 players exist in an age group, three teams shall be organized in that age group. These teams are intended to be chosen in such a manner and fashion as to be as competitive as possible. Where more than one team is formed in each age group the split of the teams shall be keeping with any guidelines decided by P.A.H.L. Where P.A.H.L. guidance is to have AA, A and B competition, on-ice evaluations of that respective age bracket will determine the teams. The competitiveness of the teams shall be the primary consideration of the Board upon submission to P.A.H.L. for this organization. Playing members may play up one age bracket with the consent of the playing member, his parent/guardian and the Board. It is the policy of W.H.A. to allow capable playing members to play up one age bracket if the movement of the player does not cause undue turmoil in either age bracket affected by the move. All players who request to play up an age bracket must make the request in writing and obtain the necessary consent from the Board before the players are placed by the coaches for the respective teams involved. Selection of the teams in AA-A-B age groups shall be accomplished no later than four weeks after the completion of tryouts. In the event of more than one team in a Non AA-A-B age group a later registering player will be assigned to the team that was next in the draft rotation. In an AA-A-B team situation, the late registering player will be assigned to the appropriate player level as determined by the coaches and approved by the Board. If there is enough interest in any session in any age group, the Board may authorize an elite travel team to compete outside the P.A.H.L. schedule. On-ice evaluations will be designed by the Evaluations committee, with approval from the Board. The maximum number of W.H.A. players permitted to dress for any W.H.A game is to be regulated by P.A.H.L. and USA Hockey.
ARTICLE 13 Fund Raising Any fund raising by or for a W.H.A. member or individual team, or group of teams within the W.H.A., must have approval of the Board of Directors in advance. Fund raisers that benefit individual teams or players within the organization are not allowed ARTICLE 14 Registration The Board reserves the right to reject an application to register if those attempting to register are: a) Have been suspended or expelled from a P.A.H.L. member organization in the past. b) Have quit WHA during the regular season, except for injury or academic reasons. c) Are transfers from other P.A.H.L. associations who have never played for W.H.A. Code of Conduct ARTICLE 15 In order to maintain a level of decorum for W.H.A. in a positive sense, the Board of Directors of the W.H.A. has voted to institute the following Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct is effective for all W.H.A. teams during all game situations. The game situation includes the time from entering the ice rink premises (home or away) until departure. Practice conduct is an in-house situation and is subject to coach s discipline, using the Code of Conduct as a guideline. Coaches decisions will have the support of the Board of Directors. Any gross misconduct or match penalty suspensions will carry practice suspension during the time of suspension. Players will be deemed ineligible to participate in WHA activities (practices, games, events, etc ) if they are suspended or banned from any facility that is considered a home rink, either for practice or games. This includes any facility that has games or practices scheduled for the organization by the WHA Scheduler. Eligibility to participate in WHA activities will be reinstated at the discretion of the Board of Directors once the suspension from the facility is lifted.
Offense Action 1. Fighting First Offense Current game plus one game suspension Second Offense Current game plus three game suspensions 2. Miscellaneous Conduct Infractions A. Throwing of stick or One game suspension other equipment during game B. Flagrant cursing or One game suspension profane Language C. Breaking a stick in anger One game suspension D. Use of a stick with intent First Offense to injure One game suspension Third Offense Current game plus balance of season suspension Second Offense Three game suspensions Third Offense Balance of season 3. Coach Misbehavior Any coach, assistant coach or team manager who abuses either verbally or physically, any coach, player, game official, minor official, parent or spectator, shall be punished in accordance with the W.H.A. By-Laws. Season suspension as required by the W.H.A. By-Laws at the discretion of the Board of Directors.
4. Parent Misbehavior The offending parent, guardian or responsible Any parent, guardian or individual shall be banned from the rink. responsible individual in charge of a W.H.A. player First Offense who abuse, either verbally One week suspension or physically, any player, coach, game official, minor Second Offense official, parent or spectator, Balance of season shall be subjected to action in accordance with the W.H.A. By-Laws. Enforcement -Coaches, assistant coaches and team managers shall have the primary responsibility for the conduct of their players and should impose the appropriate provision of the Code of Conduct when necessary. The Code of Conduct shall be imposed fairly and equally to all members (playing and non-playing) of W.H.A. -Violations of this code will be investigated and dealt with pursuant with USA Hockey s Bylaw 10 ( Procedure for Suspension and Discipline of Members ) -The final enforcement of the W.H.A. Code of Conduct shall be the responsibility of the Board of Directors of the W.H.A. - Any appeals for disciplinary action must be made in writing to the W.H.A. Board of Directors and will be handled in accordance with USA Hockey s Bylaw 10 ( Procedure for Suspension and Discipline of Members ) -Each player and his parent, guardian or responsible individual shall be given a copy of the Code of Conduct prior to the start of W.H.A. endorsed practice. -Any suspension for any time of balance of season forfeits all monies paid as registration of dues. -Any monetary fines imposed by P.A.H.L on individuals from W.H.A. are to be the sole responsibility of the player and not W.H.A. This fine is to be paid prior to the next appearance on the ice (Practice or game).