Revised March, 1997

By-Laws of the WSSL

(Western Spring Soccer League)

Article I - Name, Organization, and Authority

A. This organization shall be known as the WSSL - Western Spring Soccer League.

B. The league is formed as a nonprofit organization. All operating expenses are the responsibility of the member teams.

C. The Authority to conduct business and administer funding is vested in the Board of Control. This board shall abide by the Ohio Revised Code as it pertains to organizations not for profit and the by-laws contained herein.

Article II - Purpose

A. To allow youth soccer through S.A.Y. (Soccer Association for Youth) program and policies in the spring (Supplemental) season of the year.

Article III - Membership

A. Membership shall consist of all team representatives 18 years and older.

B. Officers - The Board of Control shall consist of the following officers and representatives: President, Vice President, and Secretary/Treasurer as a combined job. These officers shall be elected at the first meeting (February) or be appointed by the president at the first year only. The remaining members shall be formed by the team representatives. One representative per team. The Vice president, and Treasurer will- vote as individual representatives. The president will vote only to resolve ties.

Each division will be represented by a commissioner who will have no vote as a division commissioner, but will retain his vote as a team representative.

C. Term of office - The president and Secretary/Treasurer shall serve two year terms, and the Vice President a one year term for the initial years. Each officer will be elected to two year terms thereafter.

D. Vacancy - Any officer or representative may be removed from his position for just cause, determined by the Board of Control by a 2/3 vote, of the attending members of that meeting.

Article IV - Duties of the Board of Control

A. President - Schedules all meetings of the board and presides over same. Is responsible for overall administration of the programs and is the responsible representative to the Soccer Association for Youth (S.A.Y.).

B. Vice President - In the president's absence, serves in his stead. Performs the annual audit of moneys and performs any other duties as deemed necessary by the President.

C. Secretary/Treasurer will be responsible for the minutes of. each meeting and the accounting of all moneys of the league.

D. Division Commissioners - Confirms certification of teams. Take and record scores and standings. Coordinate schedule changes including rain out changes and, in general, form communication with the teams in their divisions and report any problems to the responsible party. Divisions are broken down to girls passers (U08G), girls wings (U10G), girls strikers (U12G), girls kickers (U14G), boys passers (U08B), boys wings (U10B), boys strikers (U12B), and boys kickers (U14B).

Article V - Meetings

A. Regular meetings - There shall be two meetings per month - the first and third Wednesday of each month beginning February each year and extending through June of that year.

B. Special meetings - May be held on the request of the President or three board members. Notice shall be given to each representative. Notice of the meeting shall state the purpose of the meeting.

C. Quorum-A majority of the team representatives present shall constitute a quorum.

Article VI - Referees

A. A referee scheduling and training shall be coordinated by a member appointed by the President. Referee assessment will be controlled by this representative

Article VII - Order of Business

A. Approval of previous minutes.

B. Treasurer's report.

C. Reports and correspondence.

D. Unfinished business.

E. New business.

Article VIII - Amendments

A. These by-laws may be amended by a 2/3 vote of the board. A notice must be given at least seven (7) days in advance of the meeting. Two (2) meetings separated by seven (7) days must be held. The first meeting for discussion and the second for discussion and voting.

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

1.00

Team selection shall be in accordance with SAY rules. Rosters of the preceding fall draws shall be used. Additions or changes to rosters will be allowed per SAY Rules to fill vacancies created by players quitting. All players from the previous draw should be notified of the teams' formation so they may have the option of not playing.

1.10 Upper aged players

Due to the fact that each teams is a District and to allow as many players as possible to play, the SAY rule #8 (League Team) Section 4 Topic A will not be followed. Each team may have as many upper aged players as they need, but may play but nine upper aged players at one time on the field.

2.00 Season

This is a spring only organization comprised of teams from the Western Area of Cincinnati, Ohio. Areas targeted for play are from WCBM, WASA, SAY Northwest, and Lawrenceburg. Players may participate even though they are not associated with the above organizations. At the end of the season, all teams and players are to return to their original SAY Areas.

3.00 Protests

All protests will be decided by the Board of Control. This board will be chaired by the President.

3.10

Team representatives from the concerned teams will be allowed to be present, but will not have a vote.

3.20

Parties involved may attend these protests to present their view at the appropriate time.

3.30

This board will meet as necessary to resolve all protests at that time.

3.40

The Protest Board's decision will be final.

3.50

Protest must meet SAY/WSSL requirements before being considered. The director of officials will screen and interpret the protests as prescribed by S.A.Y.

3.60

The accepted due process procedures will be allowed in all cases.

4.00 Organizational

Only recognized teams will be allowed to vote. One (1) vote per team.

4.10 Participants

Participants may not play on school teams.

4.20 Organizational Variance

Five year old players who will be six years old by the start of the season will be eligible to play.

5.00 Equipment

Equipment as allowed in the Laws of the Game will be used.

5.10 Helmets

Keeper helmets will not be mandated, but may be helpful in preventing injuries.

6.00 Tournaments

Attempts will be made to conduct or join tournament play at the end of the regular season.

Due Process Procedures

1. A complaint must be. filed in writing within five (5) days of the incident complained of or decision being appealed. The filing will be with the franchise president.

2. A hearing will be held within three (3) days of the filing. The hearing board will be selected by the president. This will be comprised of three (3) members, all disinterested, chaired by the president, who has no vote in the decision. The complainant and other persons of his choosing will be allowed to present evidence. The person whose decision or actions are being complained of, or appealed, also will be heard.

This board will render a decision within (2) days and notify the parties involved in writing.

3. If the complaining party is dissatisfied with the decision, it may appeal to a review board which is comprised of the Board of Control; all team representatives, vice-president, and Secretary/Treasurer. Concerned parties will be excluded from this particular review. All appeals must be filed within three (3) days of the decision being appealed. The appeal will be held within five (5) days of its receipt and a decision rendered within two (2) days of the hearing in writing.

4. Cases not covered by a published Franchise Code of Ethics and behavior with specified penalties may be appealed to the National Review Board. A fee of $50.00 will be required which will be refunded If the appeal is granted.

Note: These due process procedures do not affect existing protest procedures involving game incidents, as described in organization rule #9.

Maximum Penalties for Violating Coaches' and Spectators' Code of Ethics

The following are examples of violations of the Coaches arid Spectators Code of Ethics. These unsportsmanlike behaviors will result in specific penalties to be Issued by the District Representative and/or the Franchise Board.

1. Entering the field of play without permission of the referees - Warning/Caution/Ejection/One Game Suspension.

2. Threatening actions or words towards officials, players, or spectators - Two Game Suspension.

3. Abusive language to an official - Ejection; second offense: Two Game Suspension.

4. Aggressive physical contact with the referee or a player; e.g. grabbing the arm, turning Individual around, poking, bumping, pushing, etc.: Ejection with two Game Suspension; second offense: Expulsion.

5. Striking an official or player: Expulsion.

6. Refusal to leave the playing field after an ejection - one game suspension and forfeiture of game regardless of length of game played..

7. Constant and excessive verbal harassment of the referee or players - Caution/Ejection; Second Offense: One Game Suspension.

8. Instructing players to play in a dangerous or unsportsmanlike manner- Caution/Ejection; Second Offense: 5 game suspension.

9. Instructing players to play in a dangerous or unsportsmanlike manner with deliberate intent to

harm: Ejection with 2 game suspension; second offense: Expulsion.

10. Coaches remain between penalty box line and mid field. Spectators remain on opposite side of field from players and coaches between the penalty box lines, where possible: Warning/Caution/Ejection.

11. Playing an illegal player - Game Forfeiture. If it can be proved that the coach deliberately and with full knowledge used an illegal player - Season Suspension.

Definitions

A coach UNDER PROBATION will be placed on suspension for any of the above Infractions. In general, the penalties for a coach on probation will be twice that applied under non-probation status as described above.

A coach UNDER SUSPENSION may not attend or participate in any way in any game his or her team plays during his or her suspension.

A coach UNDER EXPULSION is out of the program indefinitely Reinstatement may be made only after a favorable review by the Franchise Review Board. An expelled coach may not act in a coaching. managerial or supervisory capacity of any team.

The violation of an expulsion will result in possible game forfeiture and/or elimination of the team from league play and/or necessary legal action against the violator.

All penalties may be appealed by the coach to the Franchise Review Board. However, all decisions reached by the Franchise Review Board will be final.

Five Goal Differential Rule

Due to the fact that the Western Spring Soccer League is a recreational league and that some teams may be much stronger than the Opposition, the league, with discussions with SAY National, has developed the following ruling:

Should a team, in the course of play, realize a five (5) goal advantage and score more goals beyond the five (5) goals, the referee will have the team remove a player from the field at each goal scored beyond the allowable limit (5). This action may force a possible forfeit of the match due to (1) fewer than seven players on the field or (2) not allowing each player to play at least 50% of the match.

Should a defending team intentionally score on themselves, causing a forfeit or an opposing player to leave the field, the goal will be disallowed, causing a corner kick for the attacking team.

Players removed from the match may be used as subs. The number of players on the field is the objective, not the players themselves.

Should the losing team score more goals which bring the differential below five (5) goals or at five (5) goals, the team which has removed players will still have to play with the reduced number of players. Example: Team red has outscored team blue by two goals beyond the limit and has removed two players from the match. Team blue scores three goals (which brings them within the limit), team red still must play the remainder of the match two players short.

Should a team start with more thin seven (7) players but less than eleven players and score beyond the limit, it will be required to play with fewer players even though players show up late for the match. Meaning that, for example, team blue scores a goal beyond the five (5) goal limit and at the time had but nine (9) players on he field; they can play with no more than

five (5) players for the remainder of the match. Should a player show up late for the match at this time, the team will still be restricted to five (5) players on the field.

Coaches may, of course, pull players from the field or play people in unfamiliar positions to maintain the scoring differential and the number of players on the field. The players need to be made aware of the ruling so they won't attempt to score.

Goals scored late in the match which are an obvious attempt to show contempt for this rule may be reported to tie league Board of Control for further action. This report should be filed by the referee, the coach who feels this as an act of contempt needs to contact the referee about this action. The referee will then file the report with the Referee Administrator who will take the action if necessary, to the President for a decision of whether to take board action for the contempt.

This is an attempt to keep the league recreational arid to allow the "Spirit of the Game" to prevail.