ByLaws
April,2001; Revised January 25, 2007; Revised February 27, 2014; Revised August 10, 2017 ; Revised February 28,2024
ARTICLE I Name and Composition
The name of this league is the Alameda Contra Costa Youth Soccer League (the “League”). The League is formed as a federation of clubs active within the League boundaries who have sought membership in the League. These clubs currently consist of the Eastshore Alliance Fútbol Club and the Richmond United Soccer Club (collectively, the “Member Clubs”).
ARTICLE II Boundaries and Territories
The southern boundary of the League is the Oakland-Emeryville city line, the Oakland-Berkeley city line, and that part of Oakland with the zip code 94609. The northern boundary is the boundary between the League and the West Contra Costa Youth Soccer League.
ARTICLE III Purpose
The purpose of the League is to develop, promote, and administer the game of soccer among youth younger than 19 years of age, regardless of age, sex, race, creed, and/or ability, within the territory of the League. This purpose shall be pursued in compliance wit h the League Mission Statement, as most recently approved by the board of directors of the League (the “Board of Directors”) on July 19, 2007, and as may be amended from time to time as the Board of Directors deems appropriate.
ARTICLE IV Affiliation
The League is a member of Alameda-Contra Costa Youth Soccer League, Inc. (“ACCYSL”), a California nonprofit corporation. The League is an affiliated branch of Cal North (formerly the California Youth Soccer Association-“CYSA”), and through Cal North with United States Youth Soccer (“USYS”) and the United States Soccer Federation (“USSF”). The League and/or its member clubs may maintain additional affiliations with other organizations whose primary purpose is to credential, insure, and/or organize youth soccer activities.
ARTICLE V Authorities
1. The League is governed by these Bylaws, the Articles of Incorporation of the ACCYSL, and, to the extent applicable, the Constitution and Bylaws of Cal North, except where superseded by USYS and USSF. Each of these referenced documents shall be made available to any member of the League upon reasonable notice to the League’s duly appointed secretary (the “Secretary”). These Bylaws may be changed or amended by (i) a vote of the Members (defined below) at the Annual General Meeting (defined below) or at a duly called special meeting of the Members or (ii) by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the members of the Board of Directors which vote shall be ratified by the Members at the next Annual General Meeting following such vote of the Board of Directors provided, that the vote of the Board of Directors shall be in force and effect on an interim basis until such time as the Members ratify or reject such vote.
2. The governing authority of the League shall be the Board of Directors, whose powers are described in these Bylaws.
3. The League may recognize committees for the purpose of coordinating the administration of League programs.
ARTICLE VI Membership
1. Membership shall consist of each Member Club and each duly elected member of the Board of Directors (each such Member Club or member of the Board of Directors, a “Member”).
2. All member teams, their players, coaches, parents, and referees shall abide by these Bylaws, the rules of play (“Rules of Play,” which shall be made available to any member of the League upon reasonable notice to the Secretary), the regulations of the League as set forth by the Board of Directors, and all applicable rules and regulations of the associations with which this League is affiliated.
ARTICLE VII Seasonal Year
The seasonal year for membership shall be from August 1 through July 31 (the “Seasonal Year”). Insurance coverage shall be for the same period of time. A player’s age for the purposes of team assignment shall be determined by his or her age as of January 1.
ARTICLE VIII Annual General Meeting
1. Toward the end of the calendar year, the president of the League (the “President”), with the concurrence of the Board of Directors, shall call for an annual general meeting of the membership, to be held no later than January 31st of the said Seasonal Year (the “Annual General Meeting”). Written notification shall be sent to all members at least 21 days prior to the Annual General Meeting. For purposes of this notification, the Members shall be notified by the Secretary through an email message.Any duly appointed representative from a Member Club may vote at the meeting (subject to the limitation set forth in Section 3 of this Article VIII). If the meeting is not called by the President, the Annual General Meeting shall be held on the third Thursday in the month of February, at a location within the boundaries of the League, as determined by one of the Vice Presidents.
2. The purpose of the Annual General Meeting is to elect the Board of Directors and to transact any other business which may come before the meeting. Proper business for this meeting includes modification of these Bylaws, Rules of Play, or League Regulations.
3. Each Member Club and each member of the Board of Directors shall have one vote. Voting shall not be by proxy, and each member representative shall have only one vote, regardless of the number of members he/she represents.
4. The Board of Directors must present its nominations for election to the Board of Directors to the general membership at least 21 days prior to the meeting. Additional nominations may be made from the floor.
5. A quorum of the general membership shall be a majority of the number of member clubs.
6. If a quorum is not present at the Annual General Meeting, the Board of Directors may conduct a subsequent qualifying election by email or other reasonable methods that may secure a quorum, which method the Board of Directors may determine in its reasonable discretion.
ARTICLE IX Board of Directors
1. The Board of Directors shall consist of the President, and three Vice Presidents (Vice President-Fields, Vice President-Secretary, Vice President-Treasurer), each of the Member Clubs president or other officer. The president shall rotate between the Member Clubs every year. Up to four additional Directors may be added, Communications Director, Field Host Coordinator, Scheduling Coordinator, Referee Coordinator. No member of the Board of Directors shall receive monetary compensation from the League for Board-related activities without the express approval of the Board of Directors (without counting the vote of the member who may be compensated) . The President may not receive monetary compensation for Board-related activities. For the avoidance of doubt, serving as a game official (center referee or assistant referee) shall not be considered “Board-related activities.”
2. The Board of Directors shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. Terms of office shall commence upon the completion of the Annual General Meeting (or subsequent election in accordance with Section 7 of Article VIII), and shall continue for one year or until a successor takes office.
3. Vacancies on the Board may be filled during the year by a vote of the Board of Directors. In the event that a member of the Board of Directors is no longer able to serve or is removed from office, a replacement may be appointed by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. An individual elected to fill a vacancy shall be entitled to hold the office until the next Annual General Meeting.
4. Club representatives shall be responsible for providing a liaison between the League and their respective clubs. They shall also be responsible for ensuring required club representation on League committees.
5. A regular meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held a time and place within the League boundaries to be determined by the Board of Directors at its prior meeting. The meeting shall automatically end at 10:00 PM, and all items still on the agenda shall become “old business” on the next month’s agenda. The Board of Directors may extend the meeting in discrete intervals only by a majority vote. Other ending times may be approved by the Board of Directors at a regularly scheduled meeting.
6. Special Meetings may be held by the Board of Directors by request of the President or any two (2) members of the Board of Directors. Notice shall be given in writing to all members of the Board of Directors 96 hours before the meeting. Such notice shall be delivered personally, by email, or be postmarked 96 hours before the meeting.
7. A quorum shall consist of majority of the Board of Directors.
8. On all matters requiring a vote, each member of the Board of Directors shall have one vote. Voting by proxy is not allowed. The act of a simple majority vote of the members of the Board of Directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors, unless a greater number is required by these Bylaws or some other law. Each member of the Board of Directors has a fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of the League and shall be subject to such duty with respect to each and every vote or action taken in his or her role as a member of the Board of Directors.
9. Removal of the members of the Board of Directors shall be at the reasonable discretion of the Board of Directors in accordance with the following:
A. Grounds for removal shall be failure to perform duties as set forth in these Bylaws, failure to attend more than three consecutive regularly scheduled League meetings, or serious abuse of office.
B. A member of the Board of Directors shall face recall when a petition is signed by a majority of members of the Board of Directors.
C. The petition shall be presented to the President, who shall call for an Emergency Meeting of the members of the Board of Directors within 14 days. If the recall is directed against the President, the petition shall be presented to the Secretary, who shall call the Emergency Meeting within 14 days.
D. A majority vote for removal (of those voting) at the Emergency Meeting shall be required for removal of a Director from office.
ARTICLE X Duties of Officers
1. The Board of Directors shall be responsible for and have authority for the following:
A. Being familiar with, interpreting and enforcing the Bylaws, Rules and Regulations of the League, and all applicable Rules and Regulations of the Associations with which the League is affiliated.
B. Ensuring proper accounting of fiscal transactions and accurate reporting to the Cal North District Commissioner and/or his/her appointed assistant (or such other official as Cal North shall designate).
C. Establishing a common set of administrative rules for all teams in the League and providing suitable levels of competition.
D. Providing opportunities of play for all youth within the boundaries of the League.
2. The Board of Directors shall have the right and authority to suspend, bar completely, or otherwise discipline any team, player, coach, manager, team assistant, League official, or any other person associated with the League operation from any member team or organization. Disciplinary action may be imposed by the Board of Directors, or by the Disciplinary Committee, and the boards of directors of the member clubs and organizations on behalf of the ACCYSL. Notice of disciplinary action will be communicated in writing within 13 days of determination. Any disciplinary action is subject to appeal as defined in Article XII of this document.
3. The individual duties of the Board of Directors are as follows:
A. President shall be the officer primarily responsible for carrying out the purposes and objectives of the League. The President shall conduct all meetings of the Board of Directors and the Annual General Meeting, and shall vote at any such meeting. The President shall appoint the standing committees and/or committee chairs, subject to the advice and consent of the Board of Directors. The President shall supervise all business affairs of the League, and may sign, with the Secretary or other proper officer of the League authorized by the Board of Directors, any deeds, mortgages, bonds, contracts, or other instruments that the Board of Directors has authorized. The President and the Treasurer shall be individually and jointly responsible for ensuring that the appropriate U.S. and California tax returns are filed in a timely manner. The President shall perform any other duties prescribed by the Board of Directors.
B. Vice-President-Fields shall be responsible for all activities related to playing fields subject to agreements with and among the Member Clubs and any third-party administrators of local field use, including, to the extent applicable, obtaining permits, developing, and maintaining fields. He or she shall perform any other duties prescribed by the Board of Directors.
C. Vice-President-Secretary shall keep an accurate record of all meetings and maintain contact information for all members of the Board of Directors, handle all correspondence of the League (except for that unique to a specific function of another member of the League or its Board of Directors), give notice of required meetings, and maintain the files of the League, including Rules of Play, Bylaws, and Rules and Regulations. He or she shall also perform all duties incidental to the Secretary’s office or assigned by the Board of Directors.
D. Vice-President-Treasurer shall have charge and custody of and be responsible for any funds and securities of the League, receive and give receipts for all monies due and payable to the League, deposit any funds of the League in its name in the banks, trust companies, or other depositories selected by the Board of Directors, and perform other duties incidental to the office of Treasurer or assigned by the Board of Directors. All accounts shall be paid by check bearing the President’s, Treasurer’s, and/or Registrar’s signature or by electronic transfer (PayPal, direct bank transfers, online credit card payments and the like) authorized by the President, Treasurer, and/or Registrar. The receipt book shall be produced when required by the Board of Directors, properly balanced according to the current bank statement. The Treasurer and the President shall be individually and jointly responsible for ensuring that the appropriate U.S. and California tax returns are filed in a timely manner. The Treasurer shall also be jointly responsible with the Secretary for the Annual Report. If required by the Board of Directors, the Treasurer shall give a bond for the faithful discharge of the Treasurer’s duties in the sum and with the surety or sureties specified by the Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall provide quarterly financial reports.
E. Communications Director shall be responsible for external communications of the League and the promotion of its goals and objectives within the communities it serves. This shall include maintaining and updating the League website and other electronic presences, updating and monitoring the use of internal and external email lists, producing occasional printed materials, updating recorded messages including the league rainout number, and preparing other materials as directed by the Board of Directors.
F. Field Host Coordinator shall be responsible for maintaining the order, safety and cleanliness of League fields on game days. This shall include making sure that the rules of the organizations to whom these fields belong are followed. Together with the Vice-President Fields, it shall also include ensuring that all necessary equipment and markings are present and in good condition.
G. Referees Coordinator shall be responsible for the assigning of referees to all seasonal League matches, and together with the Scheduling Coordinator will keep a record of these assignments for the purposes of payment. The Referees Coordinator will chair the Referee Committee and will have overall responsibility of the refereeing program of the League, including the training of new referees and the advanced training of active referees.
H. Scheduling Coordinator shall be responsible for making the seasonal game schedules and field assignments for all League teams, and perform all other duties assigned to him/her by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE XI Standing Committees
1. The following standing committees may be appointed yearly. Other committees may be appointed as needed, and the chairs of those other committees shall be appointed by the President.
A. The Rules Committee is responsible for maintaining the Rules of Play, and for researching any rule or Bylaw change and making recommendations to the Board of Directors. The chair of this committee shall be appointed by the President.
B. The Disciplinary Committee is responsible for hearing all protests and appeals, and for disposing of all disciplinary matters that arise in the course of League play. The chair of this committee will be appointed by the President.
C. The Finance Committee is responsible for preparation of a draft annual budget to be considered at the first League meeting following the Annual General Meeting. It shall be chaired by the Treasurer, include the President, and be otherwise composed of one representative from each club in the League.
F. The Referee Committee is responsible for promoting, training and maintaining the qualifications and registration of the League referees. It shall be chaired by the Vice President-Referees and include one representative from each club in the League.
G. The Tryout Committee is responsible for coordinating, scheduling, and overseeing competitive team tryouts so they may be completed yearly in manner that is timely, efficient, and equitable to the various Member Clubs in the League. It shall be composed of one representative from each club in the League.
2. Any committee chairs may introduce business to the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE XII League Programs
Reserved for future use.
ARTICLE XIII Protests and Appeals
1. Only violations of the Bylaws, Rules of Play, specific procedures of the League, the Constitution and Bylaws of CYSA, or misapplications of the “Laws of the Game” shall be proper subjects for protests or appeals.
2. Protests or appeals are to be in writing to the chairperson of the Disciplinary Committee post marked within seven (7) calendar days of the action being protested or appealed. The fee of $100 must accompany the protest or appeal and will be returned if the committee votes to uphold the protest or appeal. Any decision rendered by this committee may be appealed to the full Board of Directors of the League per the Cal North Constitution, Bylaws, Rules and Regulations.
3. In the matter of Protests and Appeals, no person associated with the operation of the League shall invoke the aid of the courts of any state or of the United States without first exhausting all available remedies within the appropriate soccer organization, including a final appeal to the Annual General Meeting of the USYS.
ARTICLE XIV Dissolution
The League may be dissolved only in accordance with the provisions set forth in Section 9680 of the California Corporations Code.
Should the League be dissolved, all assets remaining after payment of all debts shall be distributed to a nonprofit fund, foundation, or corporation which is organized and operated for the sole purpose of the development of youth soccer.