Booster Rules & Guidelines
Booster UIL Guidelines and Rules
2022-2023 Booster Board
President: Rachel Koch rkoch_boston@yahoo.com
Vice President: Mendi Huffman mendi2629@msn.com
Treasurer: Joanna Avakian jomamavakian@gmail.com
Bookkeeper: Currently Open
Secretary- Currently Open
Concessions: Christina Kelley c_m_auze@hotmail.com
Fundraising: Currently Open
Spirit Wear: Dawn Snyder dawn@snydersquad.com
GHS Softball Booster Organization
Bylaws
ARTICLE I.
Name and Purpose
The name of The Organization will be the Grapevine High School Softball Booster Club. Within these Bylaws, it will hereafter be referred to as “The Organization” or “GHS Softball Booster Club”.
Section 1. The purpose of this Organization is to be of service to the GHS Softball Team and its coaches. Working closely with the current Head softball Coach, The Organization will promote the team’s achievements, support the team financially, and help the team achieve its goals as set forth by the coaches, the booster officers, and the volleyball team members. The Organization will work in cooperation with school officials under appropriate Grapevine -Colleyville Independent School District and State of Texas UIL guidelines for booster organizations.
Section 2. Meetings of The Organization will be conducted in a positive and supportive atmosphere and The Organization will refrain from negative actions.
Section 3. No part of the net earnings of The Organization will inure to the benefit of or be distributed to its members, officers, or other private persons except that The Organization will be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensations for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in Article I Section (1) hereof. No substantial part of the activities of The Organization will be the carrying on of propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and The Organization will not participate in or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office.
ARTICLE II.
Membership Dues
Section 1. Membership will be open to parents/guardians of current GHS Softball team members. Contribution levels for dues will be set annually by the Executive Board with a minimum membership amount announced. Payment of the prescribed dues will allow the individual the following privileges: participation in all GHS Softball Booster Club activities and the right to hold office as described in Article IV below.
Section 2. The GHS Softball Coach(es) and the GCISD or GHS administrators overseeing booster organizations will be exempt from paying dues.
Section 3. The term of the membership will cover one academic year, which year coincides with that of the school. Persons may be granted membership at any time throughout the year. Dues are payable any time after the contribution scale is published by the officers of the board for that year and, usually at the first GHS Softball Booster Club general meeting. Voting privileges on items for consideration presented by the board of officers will be extended to all active members whose dues are paid in full.
ARTICLE III.
Meetings
Section 1. Regular official meetings of The Organization’s Executive Board of Officers, as described in Article IV below, will be held monthly or as deemed necessary by the board president. A 2/3 quorum of the board is needed to hold an official meeting. The Board or its members may meet in unofficial capacity at any time to work on or discuss issues for the benefit of The Organization.
General membership meetings will be announced and held at minimum once in the fall and once in the spring of the current year as deemed appropriate by the Executive Board. The President, with the consent of the majority of the Executive Board will have the power to set/change such dates of required board and general membership meetings and add/or eliminate a meeting entirely as deemed appropriate for the operations of The Organization.
Section 2. Special meetings will be held at the call of The President, or The President will call a special meeting at the written request of at least ¼ of The Organization’s membership provided the reason of request is given as a written petition. Seventy-two (72) hours of notification must be given prior to the call of a special meeting. The membership will be notified by email, text, telephone, and/or another appropriate communication mode.
Section 3. The order of business at official meetings will be as follows:
A. Welcome – Call to Order
B. Approval of minutes from previous meeting.
C. Treasurer’s Report
D. Coach’s Report
E. Fundraising Report
F. Old Business
G. New Business
H. Next Meeting Date
I. Adjournment
Section 4. Voting on issues of importance involving fundraising, designation of funds, committee work, supporting activities, special actions, and/or other items deemed appropriate by The Board or the Coach may be carried out only at an official Executive Board Meeting and only when both a 2/3 quorum of the Executive Board and the Varsity Head Softball Coach. All voting will be determined by a simple majority count of the quorum present at the meeting.
Any item is open for discussion at a general membership meeting as deemed appropriate by The President and the Executive Board or as indicated in Article III Section 2 above at membership request. The general membership will serve in an advisory capacity, but final simple majority voting on all matters will take place by the Executive Board at official meetings with the Coach also voting on matters.
In the event that there is no upcoming Grapevine Softball Executive Board meeting scheduled or when a 2/3 quorum is not available to vote on an item, the following method of voting may be used. The President will prepare a written explanation of the matter to be voted on and transmit such written explanation to each Executive Board member via e mail, US Postal Service (mail) or other appropriate written and documentable media. When voting by the aforementioned method, the voter may be directed to reply within a specified period of time, to be determined by The President. Each Board member will indicate his name by signing electronically on such return correspondence. The President’s written explanation of the matter to be voted on and the voting results will be added to the minutes of the next board meeting for documentation.
ARTICLE IV.
The Executive Board
Section 1. The Executive Board will consist of the; Varsity Head Softball Coach (“The Coach”), President, VP of Operations, VP of Events, Parliamentarian, Treasurer, Secretary, and any additional at-large roles as designated and voted upon by the existing Executive Board to meet needs for the coming year. Each member will serve for a period of two (2) years or until a position must be filled mid-term if a position is vacated for any reason (See Article V Section 5).
Section 2. The Executive Board will have the power in the intervals between meetings to transact all business not otherwise provided for in the Bylaws or delegated to a special committee, except that of modifying any action taken by The Organization. A simple majority vote with a 2/3 quorum of Executive Board members will be necessary to decide a voting matter. The Executive Board will vote to approve the depository institution proposed by the Treasurer and any expenditures of more than four hundred dollars ($400).
Section 3. The Executive Board will have an official meeting prior to each regular meeting of The Organization’s membership. The Executive Board will be subject to the call of The President or at the written request of at least ¼ of The Organization’s members.
Section 4. An orientation meeting will be held for all incoming and outgoing Executive Board members prior to February 1st. The Board will review the preliminary plan and concerns for the upcoming year prior to taking a summer recess.
Section 5. In the event that there is no upcoming Executive Board meeting and a voting matter arises the following method can be utilized at The President’s discretion: The President will prepare a written explanation of the matter to be voted on and transmit such written explanation to each Executive Board member via e mail, US Postal Service (mail) or other appropriate written and documentable media. When voting by the aforementioned method, the voter may be directed to reply within a specified period of time, to be determined by The President. Each board member will indicate their name and vote in email format. The President’s written explanation of the matter to be voted on and the voting results will be added to the minutes of the next board meeting for documentation.
ARTICLE V.
Officer Designations and Elections
Section 1. Positions: The officers will include: the President, the VP of Operations, the VP of Fundraising, the Parliamentarian, the Treasurer, the Secretary, and any additional at-large roles designated and voted upon by the existing Executive Board to meet needs for the coming year. These officers will hereafter be referred to as the Executive Board. The Executive Board will also include the Varsity Head Softball Coach.
Section 2. Election of officers will take place as follows: in April of each year, a notice will be sent from The President to the general membership announcing that nominations for officers will be open for a two-week period. During this time, an individual may be nominated for the Executive Board by any member of The Organization or by the Varsity Head Softball Coach via simple email or a phone call to The President.
After this two week nominating period, a list of proposed officers will be prepared by the Executive Board from the list of nominated candidates. Once the candidate’s willingness to serve is confirmed, a complete slate of candidates will be submitted to members through a printed ballot. Members will either accept or reject the slate as a whole through a simple majority vote.
If the slate of candidates is not accepted, the nominating process will be conducted again in an Executive Board meeting and another special meeting will be called for the general membership to vote. A simple majority vote will determine the outcome. If this process does not allow for a slate of candidates to be selected the responsibility will fall strictly to the Head Varsity Softball Coach and the Executive Board to choose the next year’s officers.
Section 3. Officer Eligibility. Only parents /guardians of current team members will be eligible to be nominated for office. At the discretion of the Head Varsity Softball Coach, parents of freshmen can be nominated for an office if deemed appropriate. If the freshman player does not make a team, however, the parent will be asked to step down and a new officer will be appointed by the Executive Board to take that place. An eligible parent may serve on the Executive Board all four years however officer positions should be changed so that no one person serves in the same role for more than two years. If extenuating circumstances occur, the Executive Board may extend an officer’s current role for one additional year. There is an exception to the eligibility rule for the treasurer position: If there is no one among parents of current players qualified for the unique demands of this position, the Executive Board can contract services with a qualified individual outside of the program.
To be eligible to hold the office of President, the nominee must have previously served on the Executive Board or as a Committee Director for a full term.
Section 4. Assuming Office. New Officers will be installed at the May Executive Board meeting once they have been approved by the majority of The Organization’s membership.
Section 5. Resignation or Termination of Office. In the event of an officer’s resignation, a letter of resignation must be submitted to The President by the resigning officer. Termination of office will automatically occur when the officer no longer has a child who is a member of the team. A new officer will be appointed to finish the term by majority vote of the Executive Board as designated in Section 7 below.
Section 6. Neglect of Office. If any officer willfully neglects his duties to the detriment of The Organization, players, parents, coaches, or the Executive Board may call for his dismissal. Termination from office requires a majority vote of the Executive Board.
Section 7. Vacancy of Office. In the event of a vacancy of the office of President, the “President-Elect” or the VP of Operations will assume the role of President for the remainder of the term. In the event of a vacancy in any of the other offices, the Executive Board will meet and appoint a willing replacement to serve the rest of the unexpired term. Members at-large may be appointed by the Executive Board as needed in these situations.
ARTICLE VI.
Team Chairpersons and Committees
Section 1. The Executive Board will choose willing Team Chairpersons to serve as committee leads based on majority vote.
Section 2. The Team Chairs will consist of the following as deemed appropriate by the Board each year: Media Guide, Community Service, Spirit Wear, Decorations & Celebrations, Special Event Nights, Philanthropy, Jam the Bleachers/Teacher Appreciation, Game Day Meals, Photography & Videography, Banquet Coordinator, and Coordinators for other Committees as needed.
Section 3. The Team Chairs will select their committee members from active GHS Softball Booster Club membership.
ARTICLE VII
Duties of the Officers and Committee Chairpersons
Section 1. The President will preside at all meetings of The Organization and the Executive Board will be an ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee.
Section 2. Officer Responsibilities.
A. President. The President will serve as the leader of The Organization and will oversee all meetings and set agendas for the meetings in conjunction with the needs of the coaching staff and Executive Board. The President will be the primary line of communication between the Head Varsity Softball Coach and The Organization and between The Organization and the leaders of the school district who oversee UIL teams and booster clubs. The President will manage the coordination and distribution of all Organization business to members via email or other means and will also assist the coaches in communication with parents. The President will oversee and assist all other officers and committees and ensure appropriate decisions and processes are adhered to in keeping with the intentions of the Executive Board, the Bylaws of The Organization, and in keeping with the guidelines of the school district and UIL rules and guidelines.
B. Vice-President of Operations. The Vice-President of Operations will act as an aide to the President and will report her/his activities at each monthly meeting. In the absence of the President, the Vice-President will perform the President’s duties.
C. Vice-President of Events. The Vice-President of Events will be in regular contact with committee heads to assist with timeline/responsibilities of their particular committee. The VP of Events will be informed on the details of each committee and communicate with the Board and head softball coach.
D. Parliamentarian. The Parliamentarian will recommend a review of the Bylaws annually and recommend any changes deemed necessary each Spring. The Parliamentarian shall bring a current copy of Robert’s Rules of Order and a copy of the bylaws to each meeting to guide procedure.
E. Secretary. The Secretary will keep a record of the minutes of all official meetings of The Organization and the Executive Board. The Secretary will submit a draft of the minutes for approval to The Board. The Secretary will prepare and keep on file a correct list of names and addresses of the membership of the Grapevine Softball Booster Club.
F. Treasurer. The Treasurer will be responsible for the collection of all dues and will control all funds of The Organization and disperse them as authorized by the Executive Board. The Treasurer will keep a written set of records showing all receipts and disbursements and will prepare an annual report for the audit committee at the beginning of the May meeting of each year or immediately prior to the new Treasurer assuming office on the 1st of May. In addition, annually, the Treasurer will be responsible for coordinating an audit committee. This committee may be two members within another GHS booster club or an outside audit committee. This committee will be presented to the Executive Board for approval prior to the audit taking place. An audit report will then be presented and available to the Executive Board within thirty (30) day or on a date agreed upon by the Board.
The Treasurer will present a financial report at every meeting of the Executive Board and at every meeting of the general membership of The Organization. This position will be a signatory on all GHS Softball Booster Club accounts. The Treasurer is also responsible for preparing the budget.
G. Officer at-large. At-large roles are defined and voted upon by the Executive Board with the purpose of meeting specific needs for the coming year. The title of this officer role will be designated by the Executive Board and voted by the general members. The officer will have the same voting rights as all other Board members.
Section 3. Chairperson & Committee Responsibilities
A. Spirit Wear Chairperson. This Spirit Wear Chairperson will be responsible for The Organization and implementation of all spirit items purchased by members at their own expense. All Spirit items and pricing will be agreed upon by the Executive Board before being made available. These items may include but are not limited to t-Shirts, decals, yard signs or any other merchandise with the GHS Softball logo on it. All spirit items will be made available at general meetings and through communication on the website throughout the year. Spirit items will be delivered at announced times to be determined by the Spirit Wear chairperson.
B. Special Events Chairperson. The Special Events Chairperson will be responsible for The Organization of all special events, i.e. Middle School Night, Senior Night, etc. The committee will also be responsible for any other special projects by the team or Organization which do not generate money to the group.
C. Decorations & Celebrations Chairperson. The Decorations and Celebrations Chairperson will run the committee responsible for decoration of the field during softball season and for coordination of the annual Homecoming Parade float decoration assisted by the coaches and players.
D. Banquet Chairperson. The Banquet Chairperson will run the committee which will organize and implement all food, ticket distribution, and decorations for this event. All choices of location, food offerings, agenda, cost, and other relevant items will be approved by the Executive Board at least two (2) months in advance of this event.
E. Media Guide Chairperson. The Media Guide Chairperson will work with a designated member of the Executive Board to coordinate all items for the annual program. This will include advertising via input from the VP of Fundraising, PDAs, pictures, schedules, coaches and administrators. The general direction, look, and cost of the program will be approved by the Executive Board. The program is to be completed by the first game of District level competition. The Media Guide Chairperson duties will also include coordination with the Head Softball Coach of the varsity banners.
F. Designated Events Coordinator. A Designated Events Chairperson may be created by the Executive Board to run a committee to meet the needs of The Organization (i.e. Playoff Committee). This committee might coordinate special fundraising projects, player and/or membership events and any other special events as designated and approved by the Executive Board.
G. Community Service Coordinator. The Community Service Coordinator will work with the Head Softball Coach to have our softball athletes select and participate in at least two (2) community service events and/or projects twice per year.
ARTICLE VIII.
Finances
Section 1. Each year, at the end of May, it is the responsibility of the current Executive Board to budget and ensure that at least $2500 remains in the Club’s account for the start of the next year.
Section 2. Cut-off Date. All financial transactions will be concluded by the 31st of May. All receipts for expenses not received prior to this date will not be paid or rolled into the future unless specifically agreed upon in vote by the Executive Board.
Section 3. Filing of Taxes. Our fiscal year-end is considered to be 61/xx through 5/31/xx, or the end of April. All sales tax filings are due on or before the 20th day of the month following the end of each reporting period.
Section 4. Budgeting and Expenditures. Prior to the first general meeting, the Executive Board will establish a planning budget for the year to include all projected revenue and expenditures. This budget will be monitored and compared to actual income and expense throughout the year with modifications being completed as the Executive Board sees fit. A Treasurer’s report will be given at all board and general meetings of the membership. All requests for monies up to $400 must have preapproval from a Executive board member with check-writing privileges. A vote by the Executive Board is required to approve expenditures of more than four hundred dollars ($400). Anything requested by a committee head that is over the committee budget must get Executive Board approval.
Section 5. The books of the Treasurer may be open for review by any member of The Organization with written request presented to The President. Such a meeting will be set up within 10 days of the request and will include the Treasurer.
Section 6. Use of a debit card attached to the booster club bank account is strongly discouraged. Physical control of the card is difficult for the club to monitor, and adequate approvals and documentation are can be circumvented by spot purchases with the card. Checks which are blank in the amount or payee name should never be pre-signed by the Treasurer for any reason.
ARTICLE X
Disbanding a Charter
Section 1. Any such assets not so disposed of will be disposed of by the Court of Common Pleas of the county in which the principal office of The Organization is then located exclusively for such purposes or to such organizations as said court will determine.
ARTICLE XI
Rules of Order
Robert’s Rules of Order, newly in its most recent edition, will be the authority on all questions of procedure not specifically stated in the Bylaws of The Organization.
ARTICLE XII
Amendments
An amendment to the Bylaws may be introduced by the Executive Board and passed by the full board membership with a 2/3 majority vote.
All proposed amendments or changes to the Bylaws will be published and made known to the general membership via written notice from the Secretary of the Board. A minimum of two weeks will be given for the general membership to advise the Board on such matters with directions how to do so published with the written notice. An open Executive Board meeting will occur prior to the actual vote to hear any inquiries from the general membership. After a maximum of 45 minutes, the Executive Board will recess to a closed meeting to vote on the matter. If no such inquiries or requests are made by the general membership, the vote will take place at the next Executive Board meeting.
In order to maintain oversight of The Organization, the Head Varsity Softball Coach has the right to veto such changes to the Bylaws at any time prior to an official vote on the matter. If the resulting vote is affirmative, the changes will be published and the Bylaws amended for The Organization to follow from that date forward.