GHYFA By-Laws

GOOD HOPE YOUTH FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION 2008 BY-LAWS (REVISED 07/2008)
I. Purpose:
A. A non-profit organization to teach the basic rules and activities of football, majorette, and cheerleading. Stressing citizenship and sportsmanship.

B. The Good Hope Youth Football Association was organized to build, support, promote, and operate youth activity.

II. Meetings
A. The meetings are to be held wherever there is space available.

B. The next meeting will be set before the present meeting is over. The President may call special by petition.

C. To become an Association member, a $10.00 fee per family is necessary. This is due payable before that family can participate in voting and related club activities. This fee also serves as a registration fee for your child.

D. Only members, parents and/or guardians that have paid dues are eligible to vote.

E. There must be at least ten (10) members present to conduct a meeting.

F. COACHES AND SPONSORS ARE REQUIRED TO BE PRESENT AT ALL ASSOCIATION MEETINGS, OR HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE ATTEND ON THEIR BEHALF IF THEY ABSOLUTELY CAN NOT ATTEND THE MEETING.

III. Duties and Responsibilities of Officers:
A. President-Provide leadership and direction to the association in accordance with those by-laws.

B. 1st Vice President-Become acting President in the absence of the President. Serves as an ex-official on all standing and special committees.

C. 2nd Vice President-Becomes acting Vice President in the absence of the first Vice President. Will be responsible for all cheerleading sponsors and activities.

D. Secretary-Maintains a written, accurate record of all meetings pertaining to the Association, including birth certificates.

E. Treasurer-Submit monthly written financial statement of the membership. Receives and disburses all monies of the association with the approval of the membership, except for previously appropriated funds. Collect registration fees. Collect rental fees for football equipment by contract.

IV. Election Procedures:
A. Any officer, including the president, can be a coach or sponsor. An officer must be a member of the association. The election of the officers will be conducted at the first meeting following the football banquet. The election will be done by secret ballot. If your name is on a ballot, you must be present for voting.

V. Standing Committees:
A. Standing committees will be decided upon at the first meeting following election of officers, if necessary. All committees will be comprised of a chairman and co-chairman.

B. Ways and Means-charged with the responsibility of providing finance for the association. At least two (2) people will be chosen to serve on his committee.

C. Sponsorship-charged with obtaining the necessary sponsors for the association.

D. Publicity-charged with promotion of football players, cheerleaders, games, and association.

E. Concession Stand-charged to provide adequate number of persons for operation of concession stands. At least two (2) people will be chosen for this committee.

F. Gate-charged to provide adequate number of persons to operate gate.

G. Chains-charged to provide adequate number of persons, three (3) per game to operate the chains.

H. Equipment-charged with the inventory of all club equipment before and after each playing session. Also charged with the storage of all concessions, football, and field equipment. Only the equipment manager and/or officers may purchase equipment.

I. Banquet committee-charged with providing food, trophies, decorations, entertainment, etc. for the awards banquet.

J. Grievance Committee-charged with settling disputes involving the football coach or cheerleading sponsor. This committee will be comprised of 3 members to be voted on by the association.

VI. Football Players:
A. Must attend Good Hope School, or be home-schooled and live in the Good Hope School District, or attend a private school which does not have a football program. The Good Hope School District would include any area where the Good Hope School busses run. Rules are according to Cullman County Youth Football Association rules and regulations.

B. Academic grades will be left up to parents and coaches. No specific grade point average will be necessary as long as the student is working to his ability.

C. If a player misses more than one (1) practice in a prior week without good cause, the coach has the authority to hold the player out of one (1) game.

D. All equipment must be safety approved. Mouthpieces must be used at all times during practices and games.

E. Each player will have the utmost respect for all coaches. The coach at his discretion will deal with any disciplinary problems. All parents will be notified of any discipline problem.

F. It is mandatory that each player must have a parent or guardian present at all times, during practices and games. If a parent cannot be present, a guardian (18 years of age or older) is required to be at all games and practices. If no parent or guardian is present, the child will not be allowed to participate and this will be considered an unexcused absence.

G. Parents of football players must sign a waiver releasing the association of any responsibility for prior medical problems. If the football player does have a prior medical problem, he/she needs a doctor's release to play.

VII. Cheerleaders and Majorettes:
A. Cheerleaders will be eligible for cheerleading squad by grade not age. Cheerleader must attend Good Hope School, or be home-schooled and live in the Good Hope School District, or attend a private school, which does not have a football program. Fireplug 1st & 2nd, Wee-Wee 3rd & 4th, Pee-Wee 5th & 6th. A child will be permitted to move up, only if she has cheered on the same squad for two years. Each squad is allowed tow mascots only.

B. Grades will be left up to parents and sponsors. No specific grade point average will be necessary as long as the student is working to her best ability.

C. Cheerleader uniforms may be bought every three years. This may be brought up before the parents for a vote unless the uniforms are discontinued, then no vote will be necessary. Any accessories to be bought (hair bows, water bottles, etc.) will be brought up for a vote by the parents.

D. Cheerleader Captains: A child, who is cheering on the same squad for two consecutive years, will be allowed to be a captain and call out cheers during a football game.

E. Cheerleaders must attend practice unless she has good cause, which must be approved by sponsor. If a cheerleader misses three (3) practices (unexcused) it is at the discretion of the sponsor to have cheerleader sit out one (1) quarter. Sponsors will decide before sign-ups what is and is not excused.

F. Cheerleader must attend Cheerleading Clinic or she will be expelled from participating for the remainder of the season. Each sponsor is responsible for setting up her own clinic.

G. Every cheerleader will have the utmost respect for all sponsors. The sponsors at her discretion will deal with any disciplinary problems. All parents will be notified of any discipline problem.

H. It is mandatory that each cheerleader must have a parent or guardian present at all times, during practices and games. If a parent can not be present, a guardian (18 years of age or older) must be at all games and practices. If no parents or guardian is present, the child will not be allowed to participate and this will be considered an unexcused absence.

I. Parents of cheerleaders must sign a waiver releasing the association of any responsibility for prior medical problems. If the cheerleader does have a prior medical problem he/she needs a doctor's release to cheer.

J. Girls can not go out for both cheerleading and majorettes. They must pick one or the other.

K. Cheerleading and majorette sign-up fees will be $60.00, (this does not include the $10.00 association fee).

VIII. Coaches and Sponsors:
A. The association will select coaches and sponsors for one year at a time.

B. Coaches and sponsors will be selected by secret ballot at first meeting following the football banquet.

C. A head coach and head sponsor will be elected for Fireplug, Wee-Wee, and Pee-Wee by the association. Head coaches and sponsors will select their own assistants, but must be approved by officers by March association meeting.

D. Coaches and sponsors may be dismissed if they do not comply with association rules.

E. Coaches and sponsors have the right to ask or demand that any parent or person leave the practice area if they are hindering the coach, sponsor, players, or cheerleaders from pursuing the goals and purposes of this association.

F. Coaches and sponsors are required to be present at all association meetings, or to have a representative to attend on their behalf if they absolutely can not attend the meeting.

G. Coaches, assistant coaches, sponsors, and officers are required to attend a CPR and/or safety/first aid class to become certified in CPR. Coaches, assistant coaches, sponsors, and officers must have their CPR certification on file before the first practice.

H. Head sponsor must be present for practices, clinics, and extra activities, which are voted on by the club. In the event of cancellation or postponement, the sponsor must call to notify.

I. Any extra activities must be brought before the club for a vote.

IX. Playing Rules:
A. Any manager, coach, or player who conducts himself in an ungentlemanly or un-sportsmanlike manner, (that would reflect discredit to this program) while participation in any youth football competition, shall be removed from further participation. The association president has the authority to take all steps necessary, including calling law officers for assistance to insure crowd control.

B. No player, coach, manager, fan, or any other party associated with any youth football team, shall heckle, abuse, or make any uncomplimentary remarks to any opposing player, coach, association officer, or game officials. Any individual violating this regulation shall be ejected immediately from the game and stadium.

C. Any player, coach, manager, association official, or individual accompanying a team will be suspended for the remainder of the game, from the time of the infraction, if they:
1. Use profane language in any manner.

2. Make any unnecessary gestures in protesting any official's decision. Only the coach may ask for clarification of a rule. There will be no argument after the rule is clarified.

3. Make unnecessary gestures to any fans or opposing players.

X. Recognition Night:
A. This will be a night of Recognition for the graduating (6th grade) Pee-Wee football players, cheerleaders, and majorettes. Details will be voted upon.

XI. Equipment:
A. The football equipment fee will be $60.00 per child. There will be NO refund after football camp has started.

B. Parents will be responsible for buying their child one game jersey and red game pants (in addition to the $60.00 equipment fee). If your child has a jersey and moves up, and the older child has the same jersey number, the older child will have the right to that number.

C. ALL EQUIPMENT WILL BE TURNED IN AT THE END OF THE FOOTBALL SEASON! NO EXCEPTIONS!

***** At least one parent or guardian (18 years of age or older) is required to be present at all games and practices. If any injury occurs during a practice or game, an ambulance will be called. Once the ambulance is in transit, it is the responsibility of the parent to have the child treated.