About Shawnee Soccer Association

Welcome to the SSA About Us page. Our Constitution and By-Laws are posted below.

Revised, approved, and adopted by resolution of the Board of Directors as of July 27, 2009

Article 1. Name

The name of this CORPORATION shall be Shawnee Soccer Association.

The Shawnee Soccer Association is formed as a nonprofit, educational organization dedicated to the support, youth/adult education, and propagation of the game of soccer in an area encompassing the Shawnee, Tecumseh, Grove, Meeker, Seminole, Prague, Chandler, Dale, Bethel, North Rock Creek, Pleasant Grove and South Rock Creek school districts. Shawnee Soccer Association is affiliated with the Frontier Country Soccer Association, the Oklahoma Soccer Association, the United States Youth Soccer Association, the United States Soccer Federation, and the Federation International de Football Association. The Shawnee Soccer Association agrees to abide by the rules and regulations of administration and play established by Frontier Country Soccer Association (and sanctions of violations there-of) and to pay the appropriate fee established by the Board of Directors of Frontier Country Soccer Association. These by-laws shall constitute the rules of Shawnee Soccer Association unless they are not in compliance with the laws set out by our father organizations. In the event a specific item is not in compliance then the item in the Shawnee Soccer Association by-laws which is out of compliance shall be null and void and of no force or effect. All other items not affected by this noncompliance will remain in full force and effect. Shawnee Soccer Association, also stipulates that our youth soccer program shall not reject the application of any person for reason of race.etc

Players and parents and guardians of players shall be admitted to membership in the association upon acceptance by the association, of a properly completed registration form and payment of the player’s individual registration fee as established by the Frontier Country Soccer Association and the Shawnee Soccer Association. Coaches shall be admitted membership in the association upon the acceptance, by Oklahoma Soccer Association and the Shawnee Soccer Association, of properly completed coach’s registration form. Membership duration shall be from approved registration to the following season’s registration.

The membership of any player or team may be terminated at a special meeting called for that purpose by the concurrence of two-thirds of the eligible votes of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall be empowered to suspend any coach who is deemed by the Board to have violated the by-laws of the Shawnee Soccer Association.

Except as otherwise provided in these bylaws or any special rule of order the Association shall be conducted in accordance with the latest authorized edition of Robert’s Rules of Order.

Meeting Date and Time

There shall be a meeting of board members at 7:00 P.M. on the fourth Monday of each month unless it is rescheduled due to circumstances.

The membership meeting in May shall be known as the “Annual” meeting and shall be for the purpose of electing board members, receiving reports of board members and committees, and for any other business that shall arise.

At all meetings of the Board of Directors, a majority of the Directors holding a position shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The act of a majority of the Directors present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors. If a quorum shall not be present at any meeting of the Board of Directors, the Directors present may adjourn the meeting until a quorum is present.

The Directors shall be elected at the” Annual Meeting” of the members or at a special meeting of members held for that purpose. Each Director shall hold office until their successor is elected and qualified. Club members who are allowed to vote in the annual election are the Board of Directors, coaches, and parents or guardians of the players from the previous season.

The business and affairs of the Shawnee Soccer Association shall be managed by its Board of Directors, which may exercise all such powers of the Shawnee Soccer Association.

The President shall preside at all meetings. In the absence of the President, the President shall appoint a director of their choice to preside over the meeting. If the President cannot appoint someone then the Board of Directors may appoint someone.

The decisions of all committees may be subject to appeal to the Board of Directors of the Shawnee Soccer Association. An appeal may be awarded with a majority vote.

All board members shall be elected by a show of hands unless the majority of eligible voters present shall request an election by secret ballot. All board members shall serve until their successors are elected.

Board Member’s terms of office shall begin at the close of the meeting at which they are elected.

Board Member Qualifications
No member shall hold more than one Shawnee Soccer Association office at a time. A Board Member can be anyone elected by the members of the association following the approval of their volunteer disclosure form.

The President shall preside at all meetings of the Shawnee Soccer Association and shall be the general manager of the Shawnee Soccer Association. The President shall have the authority to appoint a Technical Advisor to serve as designated by the President. The President shall represent the Association at all meetings (Frontier Country Soccer Association, Oklahoma Soccer Association, etc.) The President shall serve as the Association’s liaison with the City of Shawnee and other outside organizations with whom the Association has a contract, and oversee the activities of the other officers to ensure they are properly fulfilling their duties and that the day-to-day activities of the Association are properly being maintained. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees.

The Secretary shall keep the records and minutes of all meetings of the Shawnee Soccer Association. At each meeting the Secretary shall provide a copy of the minutes of the previous meeting, shall give notice of meetings, prepare a meeting agenda, maintain custody of the records of Shawnee Soccer Association, and shall update the club by-laws as necessary.

The responsibilities of the registrar shall include the placement of players on teams, generating game schedules, rosters and player passes. In addition, the Registrar must resolve ant issues among player transfers. The Registrar is responsible for the organization and coordination of the general registration including the development of school flyers and creation of media advertising for registration. The Registrar must compile and submit player forms, volunteer disclosure’s forms, transfer forms, rosters, and registration invoices to Oklahoma Soccer Association each fall and spring season.

Treasurer Duties

The Treasurer shall receive, disburse, and account for all the funds of the Shawnee Soccer Association which shall be kept in a bank or banks designated by the Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall report to the membership at each meeting an accounting of receipts and disbursements of the Shawnee Soccer Association including a copy of the most recent bank statement. The Treasurer shall prepare other tax or financial reports as necessary including an annual tax return (that may be completed by a CPA). The Board of Directors will review/approve cash receipts and disbursements (on a retrospective basis) and any disbursements exceeding five hundred ($500.00) will require prior board approval. Checks shall not be written for cash. The Treasurer is also responsible for collecting the mail at the club post office box.

The Referee Coordinator shall chair the Appeals Committee. The Referee Coordinator, subject to approval of the Board of Directors, shall formulate and revise as necessary the rules of competition to be consistent with the rules and by-laws of the Frontier Country Soccer Association, Oklahoma Soccer Association, United States Soccer Federation, and Federation International de Football Association.
The Referee Coordinator should also ensure that referees have certification/recertification courses available. In addition, this position requires that Shawnee Soccer Association has enough certified referees available, should send referee fees to the treasurer for payment, fax game sheets to Frontier Country Soccer Association and check game sheets for completeness. The Referee Coordinator should be an O8 licensed referee, per Oklahoma Soccer Association guidelines in order to answer all questions as they pertain to the Laws of the Game and be available to referee as needed.

THE APPEALS COMMITTEE shall consist of the Referee Coordinator, Coaching Coordinator, and appropriate age group coordinator. The Appeals Committee shall have the power to call witnesses and to review records. The Appeals Committee shall hear all protests of all Shawnee Soccer Association governed games in accordance with the rules if the following requirement is met:

1. Federation International de Football Association, Oklahoma Soccer Association, Frontier Country Soccer Association, or Shawnee Soccer Association rules were violated.

2. Referee judgment shall be no basis for protest.

3. Procedure for filing a protest is as follows:

4. If the protest meets the requirements as outlined above, a hearing will be scheduled.

6. The committee may uphold the result, alter the game result by declaring a forfeit, or cause the game to be replayed. These are the only options.

7. A verbal decision will be given at the hearing, followed by written confirmation within seven days of the hearing. If the committee rules in favor of the protesting coach, his/her $50.00 will be refunded. If the committee rules against the protesting coach, his/her $50.00 will be forfeited.

8. All decisions of the Appeals Committee shall be appealed to either the Shawnee Soccer Association Executive Board or the Frontier Country Soccer Association Appeals and Disciplinary Committee (refer to the Frontier Country Soccer Association By-Laws).
The Appeals Committee shall also hear and investigate any and all player or coach ejections from games involving Shawnee Soccer Association governed competition, and shall decide upon the punishment, if any, applied to said player or coach. Such disciplinary action so applied may be in addition to such action taken by Frontier Country Soccer Association, or Oklahoma Soccer Association if any. It shall be the responsibility of the Referee Coordinator to ensure that all decisions of the Shawnee Soccer Association Executive Board and the General Membership are in compliance with Frontier Country Soccer Association, Oklahoma Soccer Association, and Shawnee Soccer Association Guidelines and By-laws.

The Field Coordinator shall chair the fields, equipment, and purchasing committee shall obtain and maintain all fields and maintain equipment of Shawnee Soccer Association. Expenditures in excess of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) must be approved in advance by a vote of the membership at any regular meeting, or the majority of the Board of Directors. The Field Coordinator oversees field maintenance including: lining, mowing, fertilizing, watering, trash removal, and weed application to all fields. The Field Coordinator is responsible for field layout, and improvements, as well as maintenance of mowing equipment. The Field Coordinator has the responsibility of determining cancellation of games due to inclement weather and updating the clubs rainout line.

The Coaching Coordinator identifies coaches for teams and schedules coaching clinics. T he Coaching Coordinator must also work on developing player training programs with the club’s hired Coaching Director. The Coaching Coordinator will develop and seek prior Board approval for all coaching contracts. In addition the Coaching Coordinator must make themselves available to coaches requesting instructional assistance.

The Uniform Coordinator shall be responsible for organizing the ordering and purchasing of recreational non traveling teams uniforms and distribution.

The Concession Stand Coordinator is responsible for the upkeep of the concession stand; they must also provide a monthly report which includes expenses, income, and hours of operations and also provide a written report of scheduled workers.

Section 21

Fundraising Coordinator Duties

The Fundraising Coordinator is responsible for identifying and researching fundraising alternatives and oversees fundraising activities. This position is also responsible for researching and obtaining club grants and soliciting local business for donations. The Fundraising Coordinator will be responsible for keeping record of the dates for donation advertisement signs at Staude Field. The Fundraising Coordinator must contact the Field Coordinator when the donation signs need to be posted or removed.

Section 22

Age Group Coordinators Duties

The Age Group Coordinators shall consist of a U6 coordinator, a U8 coordinator, anU10 coordinator and travel rec. coordinator. The Age Group Coordinator shall assist the Registrar with team- placement, game schedules, and player transfers. It is the responsibility of the Age Group Coordinators to assist coaches with fundraisers, pictures, and player awards. Age Group Coordinators are responsible for keeping team records and standings in the appropriate age divisions. Regardless of how many divisions a coordinator is responsible for, they are only allowed 1 vote.

Section 23

Board Members Vacancies

In the event of a vacancy occurring in any office of the Shawnee Soccer Association, a special meeting will be held to elect a successor to the office by majority vote of club members.

Section 24

Removal or Resignation of Board Members

At any meeting called specifically for the purpose of removing a Board Member, that person shall be removed by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of all board members holding position. Any proposal made to remove a board member must be documented in the prior minutes of the Shawnee Soccer Association board meeting. Any Board Member of the Shawnee Soccer Association may resign at any time by giving written notice of such resignation to the President or Secretary. If any Board Member misses 3 consecutive Monthly Board Meetings this will be grounds for removal. If the offices of President or Secretary are vacated by resignation, the resignation may be submitted to any Board Member. The acceptance of any resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.

Article 6. League Organization and Rules

Section 1

Association Affiliations

All league play including tournaments, playoffs and championship games sanctioned by Shawnee Soccer Association or Frontier Country Soccer Association shall be governed by the rules and regulations of the Frontier Country Soccer Association, as amended by supplemental rules and regulations imposed by the Board of Directors of Shawnee Soccer Association if any. Any such supplemental rules and regulations so imposed by the Board of Directors of Shawnee Soccer Association may not be contradictory to, or conflict with, the rules and regulations of Frontier Country Soccer Association and shall be available for examination through the Secretary of Shawnee Soccer Association.

Section 2

Team Classifications

All teams will be divided into three categories of teams:

Girls only teams.
Boys only teams.
Mixed teams

Section 3

Team Age Groups

The age determination for all teams shall be the player’s actual age before August 1 of any fiscal year. To participate in SSA, players must be 4 years old prior to August 1. The age groups shall be as follows:

under 5 years of age
under 6 years of age
under 8 years of age
under 10 years of age
under 12 years of age
under 14 years of age
under 16 years of age
under 19 years of age

Section 4

Team Age Group Exceptions

A player may not play in a younger division than his age allows. No player shall “play up” more than one older age group unless there are no teams available for their division. Any player playing up more than one division must have a signed release form from parent or guardian.

Section 5

Formation of Teams

Teams shall be formed by the Age Group Coordinator and Registrar in accordance with the following rules:

Players on Previous Teams

Any player who participated on a given team during the previous season may again register to play on that same team for the next succeeding season, so long as the player meets the age qualifications of that team and registers during the designated registration time period.

New Players

Any player who was not registered with any Shawnee Soccer Association team during the immediately proceeding season will be placed on a team by the appropriate Age Group Coordinator or Registrar.

Players from Abandoned or Previous Teams

In the event a player was registered on a Shawnee Soccer Association team during the immediately proceeding season and that team has either disbanded or has moved up out of the age bracket for which the player intends to play, the player will be placed on a team by the Age Group Coordinator of Registrar. All players to be placed on the team will be placed by the Age Group Coordinator or Registrar in order to maximize competitive balance among all teams.

Player Acceptance

A coach may not selectively refuse to accept any player assigned by the Age Group Coordinator or Registrar.

Player Recruiting

An effort of coaches, parents, or others to recruit or place players on a specific team, or to remove or exclude a player from a team is STRICTLY PROHIBITED. It is the direct responsibility of the Age Group Coordinator and Registrar, to ensure the integrity of the team formation process.

Number of Players on Teams

In forming new teams and adding players to existing teams, the Age Group Coordinator and Registrar shall limit all under 6 teams to 6 players, under 8 teams to a maximum of 8 players, under 10 teams to a maximum of 12 players, under 12 teams to a maximum of 14 players, and all other teams to a maximum of 18 players in order to maximize player participation. Players in excess of these numbers may be approved by the Board, but it shall be discouraged unless special circumstances indicate the additional players would be in the best interest of those directly involved.

Rights of Players to Play

A registered player shall be entitled to play at least one-half (1/2) of every game scheduled for his/her team.

1. Enforcement of Players Right to Play
The coach of each team shall be responsible to scrupulously observe the intent of this policy.

2. Exception for Players Injuries
A player who has left a game due to minor injury should be allowed to return to the game as soon as possible to play out his/her allotted time.

3. Exception for Late Arrival to Game
Consideration will be given to coaches for players who arrive to the match late, after play has started.

4. Exception for Player Unwilling to Play
Consideration will be given to coaches for players who do no want to play at the specific time.

Recreational Team Formation

1. All recreational teams shall start each season approximately equal in terms of ability, numbers, and age.

2. The placement of players on teams shall be the responsibility of the Age Group Coordinator and Registrar.

3. Each Club shall formulate guidelines based on the needs of that Club for forming teams from one or more of the following methods.
a. School attendance
b. Geography
c. Neighborhood concept
d. Random draw

4. Efforts by coaches or others to recruit players onto recreational teams on the sole basis of the player’s ability shall be prohibited.

Player Transfer

In the event a player wishes to transfer from a team for which he was registered during the immediately preceding season, approval to transfer may be granted by the Age Group Coordinator or Registrar upon requesting a transfer to a different team.

Player Registration Fees

Fees for registration shall be set by the Board of Directors. Any requests for refunds will be in the amount of one-half (1/2) of the registration fee and must be approved by the Executive Board. The refund must be requested before the second scheduled game. After this date, no refunds will be granted. Requests must be made in writing and mailed to Shawnee Soccer Association PO Box 1721, Shawnee, OK. 74802. Refunds take up to six weeks to process. Any other refunds must be approved by the board.

Referee Fees and Game Reschedule

Upon mutual agreement of both coaches:

If the coach requesting the cancellation provides 72 hours notice, SSA will re-schedule the game. However, if cancellation is made within 72 hours prior to scheduled game time, the coach requesting the cancellation is responsible for the referee fees. If the referee fees are not paid, the game is declared forfeit by the coach requesting the cancellation.

Code of Behavior

Code of Behavior for Players
Players who play within the Shawnee Soccer Association (SSA) are expected to treat game officials, coaches, and other volunteers of the Association with respect. They are also expected to treat players from other teams with respect and play within the laws of the game of soccer at all times. SSA authorizes its referees and board members to utilize the laws of the game to ensure the safety and fair play of players, coaches, parents, and SSA representatives before, during, and after matches while on playing fields. Specifically, players may be cautioned, sent off the field, or asked to remove themselves from the playing fields for such offenses as:

Violent conduct toward a player, coach, or game official
Spitting at or on a player, coach, or game official
Using offensive, insulting, or abusive language and/or gestures
Deliberately failing to adhere to an official’s request to follow rules
Serious foul play
Taunting of other players

In all of these offenses, the game official in charge will determine if an offense has occurred. Players may appeal to the SSA Board if the feel they have been cautioned or removed unfairly. A player who is sent off the field during a game is suspended for the next regularly-scheduled contest for his/her team.

Code of Behavior for Coaches

Coaches within the Shawnee Soccer Association (SSA) are expected to treat game officials, players, and other volunteers of the Association with respect. SSA authorizes its referees and board members to utilize the laws of the game to ensure the safety and fair play of players, coaches, parents, and SSA representatives before, during, and after matches while on playing fields. Specifically, coaches may be cautioned, sent off the field, or asked to remove themselves from the playing fields for such offenses as:

Violent conduct toward a player, coach, or game official
Spitting at or on a player, coach, or game official
Using offensive, insulting, or abusive language and/or gestures
Deliberately failing to adhere to an official’s request to follow rules
Berating of players
Instructing players to play outside the laws of the game

In all of these offenses, the game official in charge will determine if an offense has occurred. Coaches may appeal to the SSA Board if the feel they have been cautioned or removed unfairly. A coach who is sent off the field during a game is suspended for the next regularly-scheduled contest for his/her team.

Any further violation of these policies will result in the following course of action:
1st violation-verbal warning
2nd violation-written letter from SSA board
3rd violation-dismissal from coaching permanently

Code of Behavior for Parents

Parents of players within the Shawnee Soccer Association (SSA) are expected to treat game officials, players, and other volunteers of the Association with respect. They are also expected to instruct any other adult or youth whom they bring to the SSA fields in this Code of Conduct Behavior. SSA authorizes its referees and board members to utilize the laws of the game to ensure the safety and fair play of players, coaches, parents, and SSA representatives before, during, and after matches while on playing fields. Specifically, parents (and visitors) may be cautioned, sent off the field, or asked to remove themselves from the playing fields for such offenses as:

In all of these offenses, the game official in charge will determine if an offense has occurred.

Any further violation of these policies will result in the following course of action:
1st violation-verbal warning from coach
2nd violation-verbal warning from SSA board
3rd violation-dismissal from side line for remainder of THE SEASON

Theses by-laws can be amended at any meeting of the Board of Directors by a majority vote, provided that the amendment has been submitted in writing and a copy is provided to each board member at least one week prior to the board meeting.

The fiscal year of Shawnee Soccer Association shall be from September 1 of any year to August 31 of the succeeding year.

The Shawnee Soccer Association may be dissolved by the Board of Directors by a vote of board members serving at that time at any regular meeting of the Board of Directors or special meeting called for that purpose. Upon dissolution, the Board of Directors shall, after paying or making provision for the payment of all liabilities of the Shawnee Soccer Association dispose of all assets of the Shawnee Soccer Association by donating said assets to the Frontier Country Soccer Association or any such organization which is organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational, religious, or scientific purposes shall at the time qualify as an exempt organization or organizations under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law), as the Board of Directors shall determine.

Revised, approved, and adopted by resolution of the Board of Directors as of July 27, 2009