AYSO region 422
Website - ayso422.tripod.com
August Board Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, August 30, 2005 6:00pm
In attendance:
Michael Sansone, Rebecca Burkhalter, Cathy Dowell, Annette Satterthwaite, Melanie Judd, Michelle Bassett, Christine
Poulson, Kim Poulson, Cindy Hillstrom, Ann Montgomery, Chris Brown, Joanne Hedges, Darnelle Earl, Kay Larrison, Sabrina Peart,
Natalie Shupe.
Michael made the introductions of the new board
members.
Division openings are currently as follows:
Co-ed – several openings as 3rd
team was created at 22 per team allowed
U14 – FULL
U12 – 3 boys positions open and none for
girls
U10 – 2 boy and 4 girl openings
U8 – 2 boy and 4 girl openings
U5/U6 – either 2 or 3 openings
Division Coordinator will handle all registrations for their division and all questions should be directed to Rebecca
from this point on.
Refund policy paper handed out. All refund requests are to be directed
to our Treasurer Melanie Judd. Melanie with remove the child from the EAYSO and
issue the refund to the parent. She will them notify the appropriate division
coordinator and the Registrar by e-mail to have them remove their registration copies from their books and bring them to the
next board meeting to be placed in the refund book that the Region Treasurer will maintain.
Michael explained the chain of command for all board members especially division coordinators, to handle any complaints
or issues that arise. The coach administrator, Brian Bliss handles coach’s
complaints. The risk management/safety director Sabrina Peart will handle any
unsafe field conditions, equipment and any injuries. It is important that division
coordinators not have to take complaint calls. Parents that want to complain
should be directed to the appropriate administrator as listed on the problem resolution sheet.
Michael explained that there is a due process and all complaints will be handled quickly and appropriately via the
chain of command. They should be given to the Regional Commissioner as a last
resort. Should due process be necessary, the Regional Commissioner has to create
a board to hear the issue and needs to remain neutral until that time.
Coaches’ clinic was a success; everyone was pleased with the 72% turn out.
. Michael’s only suggestion to make it better was that Valley events
be taken in to consideration since the Balloon fest was the same weekend.
Cindy turned the explanation of the Referee clinic to Natalie. The
Referee clinic had a good turn out and with a full room and 17 new referees.
Painting fields is okay for kids 14 and older to make up time for missed school hours. John or Michael can sign off for volunteer work that high school kids do to make up school time on the
form that they get from their school office. This time must be done without pay
or gifts of appreciation in order to qualify for school make-up time. If any
one knows of kids with this need John could use their help.
Michelle asked if teams were all the same in that kids from Liberty, Eden and Huntsville
were on the same team and all having to drive distance for practices. Michael
answered that yes and it can only benefit the children since they all go to the same school. The computer divided up the children
to make balanced teams to stay away from team stacking. Suggestion made that
kids find others from same area to carpool. Also no matter what we do we will
have some complaints. The region will continue to use the EAYSO system
to create teams per National guidelines to abide by one of the 5 AYSO philosophies of “balanced teams”
Fundraising this year will be beef jerky and it is needed to build up a budget for the Referee gifts of appreciation. Last year $5000.00 was given in just referee gifts of appreciation and we need to
scale down the gifts of appreciation and remember that this is a volunteer program.
This is an unpaid, all volunteer program and the small gifts of appreciation are meant to be a thank you not payment.
Jerky orders will be due September 24, 2005 and turned in during the team pictures.
Jen volunteered to collect the money on Thursday night. Volunteers are
still needed for help collecting the fundraiser jerky money from 9-12 and 12-3. Sabrina
volunteered for 9-12. Rebecca will be there from noon to 3pm, but we need to
have at least 2 people there at all times, so if you can help, please show, even if it is only for an hour or two.
Due to scheduling conflicts at the Huntsville stake
center on Sept. 10th & 24th, 2005, U10 boys and girls game on those days will be at Valley Elementary in the back. The U8 boys and girls games will be held on a make shift field at Huntsville Park. All pictures on the 24th only will be taken at the Huntsville Park Bandstand. There will be NO CHANGE for U5/U6 games or pictures. Totshots will be sending out a schedule to all coaches to let them know when their
team picture time is. The coaches will need to fill out their master form for
the beef jerky order and turn that in at the same time to one of the board members as well.
We will be seated near the gazebo as well.
Fundraising is important to help with the finances of the Regions budget.
Currently the breakdown on the average fees paid per child of $35 is as follows:
$11.75 NSTC dues (includes insurance, 16 weeks of game play, 3 Soccer
Now magazines, and funding for the National Support and Training Center (NSTC) in Hawthorne, CA.)
$18.00 for the full uniform of jersey, short and socks
$ 5.00 reserve per child required by National.
This totals $34.75
This leaves the region with 25 cents per child to purchase: field paint, twine, stakes, and equipment, training
supplies (including copies, binders for coaches, etc.,) training for board members at Section meeting each year, NAGM for
the Regional commissioner training each year, as well as the gifts of appreciation for the referees. $700.00 to $1000.00 is spent per year in just coach and referee
training alone and it is needed because we do not want our children’s lives in just anyone’s hands and volunteers
need the appropriate training. As of right now we only have $500.00 dollars left
for the rest of the fall and spring season. John has informed Michael that paint is needed for the spring season as well. This will not be enough to complete the season.
Other suggestions for budget help are raising registration per child. City
league’s charge $55.00 per child for only fall OR spring. If you want both
you need to pay $110.00 per child. We only charge $40.00 for early bird and many
received another $5 discount for using EAYSO to pre-register online. $35.00 doesn’t even cover all that is required
for the child with a mandatory $5.00 reserve per child that is required by National.
Sabrina expressed concern that raising the registration fees will make it impossible for some children to play and
the game keeps these children off the streets. AYSO is about the children and
we need to find other options. She stated she is not apposed to raising fees,
but would just like to think about what is best for the players first and see if we can find other solutions before having
to raise the yearly fee.
Michael states there will be a tournament. The T-shirts will
continue to have the sponsors’ names on them. High Valley Shootout Tournament has been held
yearly the last weekend in June. There are normally around 84 teams, this year
we had in the mid-60’s. Maximum number of teams we can put on the fields
we have now is 92. Michael suggested that both John and the Tournament coordinators
to start searching out more fields and possibly include outside teams like city and comp teams to increase profits. Ann stated that in the sub-division going in at Sheep Creek, that there will be a soccer field going in
there as well. Possibly tiered sponsorship program for both the region and the
tournament?
The tournament has funded the additional costs incurred throughout the regular season. Such as increase in uniform fees, new equipment, paint purchases and such.
But with everything going up in price each year, and the tournaments steady yearly profit average of roughly $5000,
this will no longer continue to maintain the region during regular season. Melanie
has been the primary coordinator for the sponsorships through the community as well as the Ogden Valley Business Association. She has done an outstanding job, but we need to have more board member participation
in finding sponsors. According to National, all tournaments must run on their
own budget (sponsors and fundraisers) and all expenses come from the tournament fees.
The region is not to supply monies for any tournament costs. The profits
are to be put back into the region and a yearly budget reserved for the next year’s tournament as well. Rebecca suggested that for those speaking with sponsors that we let them know that since we are a non-profit
organization that ALL contributions are tax deductible and the region will supply anyone with the appropriate tax documents
to put towards their income taxes, business or personal. This would benefit everyone!
Michael suggests having play offs at the end of each season and playing up until champions. A fee will be charged to play in the play offs. We could also
consider having an indoor soccer league, during winter, at Valley Elementary if okay by Tommy Lee. That will be looked into further.
Michael asked all board members to come up with suggestion to help in the budget of the region for next board meeting
in September. He also asked individually for suggestion tonight. Kathy suggests that maybe we can cut uniform costs and any extras at training sessions. Natalie suggest paying own insurance, however, National requires this insurance to be paid by each child
regardless of personal insurance. Mel suggested getting more sponsors. Darnelle suggest that we raise fees but not by $20.00 maybe $5.00 or $10.00 and try cutting and raising
in all other areas.
Meeting adjourned at 7:40pm.
