club constitution

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The club shall be called the Croydon Cougars basketball club.

The Club shall be affiliated to England Basketball (EB) and the London Basketball Association (or their successor organisations).

The objectives of the Club shall be;

1) To provide the opportunity for Members to play basketball

2) To organise such social events as the Members shall desire.

The Club shall be managed by an Executive Committee elected from its Membership.

The Executive Officers of the Club shall be;

• Chairman

• Vice Chairman

• Treasurer

• Club Secretary

• 1 other elected Officer

Other Officers shall be some or all of the following, at the discretion of the Executive Committee;

• Team Secretary and/or Team Coach or Captain for each league team.

• Senior Coaches.

• Social Secretary.

The election of all officers shall take place at the Club Annual General Meeting.

The management of the Club shall be vested in the Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee shall have the power to create and fill any vacancy in its membership, and to create and fill any other office which in its opinion is necessary.

The quorum necessary for transaction of business at either Executive Committee meetings or full meetings of the Club's officers shall be 3 Executive Officers. However, should less than 3 Executive Officers be available after giving reasonable notice of a meeting, 2 Executive Officers and 2 Other Officers shall be sufficient to constitute a quorum.

Each question at Club meetings shall be decided by a majority vote by the Members present and voting (with the exception of changes to this Constitution Document or changes to Membership Rules, in which cases the Executive Committee may offer members the opportunity to vote additionally or alternatively by post or email). In the event of a vote by post or email, despatch of voting papers to the last recorded postal or email address provided by the member shall constitute proper delivery to that Member. In the event of a tied vote the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.

The Executive Committee shall be responsible for considering any application for membership. The Club AGM shall take place between May 1st and June 30th when the annual report of the Executive Committee and statement of accounts shall be presented. At least 14 days notice of the AGM shall be given to all Club Members.

The financial year of the Club ends on 30th April.

The Executive Committee shall have the power to take appropriate disciplinary action against any Member, and shall have the authority to expel from the Club any Member guilty of conduct deemed to be to the detriment of the Club, or to take such lesser disciplinary action that the Committee considers appropriate.

There shall be the right of appeal to the Executive Committee or an Appeal Committee (of at least 3 Executive Officers and/or Other Officers) set up by it to act on its behalf, against any decision made by an Officer of the Club. In the event that the Committee has decided upon the expulsion of a Member, the Appeals

Committee shall constitute 5 suitably senior Club Members, to include at least 2 Executive Committee members. “Suitably senior” could include Other Officers, and/or ordinary Members who are qualified referees, and/or other Club Members of at least 5 years standing within the Club.

MAIN DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE & OFFICERS:

GENERAL DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE:

• To manage the Club’s affairs for the benefit of the Membership.

• To prepare and circulate written minutes of Club meetings.

• To set appropriate standards of conduct for Club Members, and ensure that they are maintained.

• To maintain an appropriate set of rules for Club Members.

• To decide upon the number and (where possible) the league positioning of teams, to co-ordinate player/team allocations and court time allocations.

Individual duties of the Executive Officers are broadly as follows, although individual tasks may by agreement be shared or adopted by other Officers:

CHAIRMAN

 Attend relevant external meetings and represent the club externally.

 Provide visible leadership internally. Coordinate the activities of the Executive and the Club, and call and chair meetings of the Committee and Members as appropriate.

 Ensure that the Club’s strategy and direction is kept under review.

CLUB SECRETARY

 Maintain master schedule of club fixtures, and publish a list of club training and match schedules to all Members.

 Arrange for courts for home matches and training.

 Confirm referees for home matches.

 Confirm time, venue and kit with opposition for all matches.

 Maintain details of all club members (addresses and telephone/email contacts).

 Arrange table officials for all home matches/ensure own team fulfils table rota duties.

 Ensure the Club is represented at appropriate league meetings.

 Register players and teams with EB and leagues as appropriate.

TREASURER

 Manage Club funds efficiently, including proper control of bank accounts.

 Ensure that bills are paid — court fees, registrations, equipment etc.

 Coordinate payment of referees.

 Coordinate and record receipt of income from players — registration, subscriptions and match fees.

 Review financial situation at Executive Committee meetings.

 Prepare budget annually and recommend Subscription levels to Committee.

 Prepare accounts annually and present to the Members at the AGM.

ADDITIONAL ELECTED OFFICER

 Assist the Committee in co-ordinating & communicating player allocations to teams, training, etc.

 Maintain match results and statistics.

 Contribute to Communications and Publicity efforts within and outside the Club.

TEAM COACH

 Select the team and make players aware of selection.

 Arrange travel to away matches.

 Run team during matches.

 Assist the Committee by providing input for bulletins.

 Appoint an assistant to fill in for the coach during absence and/or assist the coach during matches.

Send copies of score sheets to League / Communications Officer.

 Liaise with Club Secretary with regard to alterations to fixtures, and release promptly any un-needed court bookings by phone and email to the Sports Centre.

MEMBERSHIP

 Membership applications shall be reviewed by the Executive Committee, which will normally approve a temporary membership for a period of up to 3 months during which the applicant’s playing ability and suitability as a prospective Club Member shall be assessed. Depending upon the outcome of that review, the Committee can

a) decline the application

b) approve the applicant as a full member

c) approve the applicant as a Training Member (who may participate in training and social activities, but not matches: may vote at meetings).

d) defer the application for further evidence.

e) postpone the application until a vacancy becomes available.

Temporary Members will immediately be responsible for paying the subscription appropriate to their standing on the assumption that their membership application will be approved, and on such payment, are entitled to vote as Members. Should the application be declined, any subscription can be repaid, less registration fees paid to EB, and any individual match fee that would be due per match played, as defined in the current level of subscriptions.

Junior membership is available from the 13th birthday of the applicant, subject to the approval of the parent or guardian of the individual. Junior members may vote as Members.

 Child protection: if exceptionally an individual aged under 16 (eg being the child or sibling of an existing adult member) wishes to participate in club activities including training sessions or matches, it will require the approval of the Parent or Guardian, and additionally, there will be no coaching or other activity by any solitary Member. Any activity involving an individual under aged 16 can only take place in the presence of the Parent, Guardian, or other Adult Member approved by the Parent.

 Honorary Membership: the Committee may grant full Membership on a non-paying and non-match playing basis to non-playing individuals who, in the opinion of the Committee, make a significant contribution to the well-being of the Club.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

 Subscriptions shall be reviewed annually, and the level of proposed subscription shall be voted upon by Club Members. Subscriptions cover Match Fees and Training sessions, but do not cover Tournaments or Summer League.

 Concessionary subscriptions will generally be available to reflect full-time education status, and memberships restricted to Training.

 Temporary Members may, at the discretion of the Committee, play occasionally for the Club (eg insituations where former Members or family of Members are only intermittently available because of study or work location). In such cases, a match by match fee will be payable, and the temporary member should not play more than 5 matches in a season without seeking full Membership.

 Temporary members have no voting rights and cannot be Club Officers.

OTHER FINANCIAL ISSUES

 Travelling Expenses: the Club does not reimburse the costs incurred by players taking their cars to matches. The club recommends that players share costs on a match by match basis.

 The club will only apply for a banking overdraft or credit card if approved at a board meeting deemed quorate.

 The Club will support Club Members wishing to take suitable Coaching or Refereeing qualifications: subsidies will be agreed by Committee on a case by case basis. The Club will also pay 10 pounds to any club member successfully gaining any new or additional suitable technical qualification.

CLOSURE OF THE CLUB

In the event that the Club has to close, the assets of the Club will, in the first instance, be utilised to pay off any outstanding external creditor. In the event that there is a credit balance in the club account after dissolution then balance will be donated to the Croydon Voluntary agency who will redistribute to help support charitable organisations in Croydon who are focused on widening participation in youth sports in the borough.

MEMBERSHIP RULES

Individual Membership is subject to –

 Approval by the Club’s Executive Committee.

 The Member remaining up-to-date with payment of subscriptions.

 Prompt payment of any fines imposed by the Club Executive Committee, EB

 Compliance with reasonable directions given by Executive Committee or Executive Officers.

 Membership confers the right to -

o train at open training sessions, and training sessions for the Member's allocated squad

o be considered for selection for teams for matches

o attend and vote at the Club AGM, and in other matters proposed by the Committee

o stand for election as a Club Officer at the AGM or at the invitation of the Committee

o participate in other events organised by the Club

 Members (other than Training Members) will generally be assigned to a team. This will be the team they will normally play for. Members are responsible for ensuring that they let the team coach or secretary know in advance if they are not available.

 Members have differing levels of commitment to training. The Club will endeavour to reflect this in the allocation of individuals to appropriate teams.

 Members are responsible for club property whilst in their possession and may be liable to disciplinary action in the event of loss.

The Club does and will subscribe to the Fair Play Charter (or similar successor document) published by England Basketball, and Members are expected to support the goals contained therein.

Members represent the Club when they are playing for the Club, training, or participating in other Club activities. Members are expected to maintain the highest standards of conduct in their interaction with match officials, team-mates and coaches, opposition players and officials, spectators and the public.