BY-LAWS
OF THE
UPPER CHESAPEAKE WRESTLING LEAGUE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Paragraph Item PageNo.
BY-LAWS
1. Name--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3
2. Objective----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3
3. Membership-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3
4. Officers and Duties----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4
5. Meetings------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6
6. Committees-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6
7. Appeals------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7
8. Competition Regulations----------------------------------------------------------------------- 7
9. Amendments to By-Laws and/or Rules---------------------------------------------------- 12
10. Code of Conduct and Disciplinary Actions for Misconduct-------------------------------- 12
BY-LAWS
UPPER CHESAPEAKE WRESTLING LEAGUE, INC.
1. NAME: The name of the organization shall be the Upper Chesapeake Wrestling
League (UCWL).
2. OBJECTIVE: The UPPER CHESAPEAKE WRESTLING LEAGUE is an organization dedicated to the following purposes:
A. The objective of this organization is to foster an atmosphere where each youth can reach their fullest potential as a wrestler by administrating age appropriate competitions in a safe environment.
B. To provide an opportunity for individual wrestling clubs and organizations to meet in a competitive situation to various skill levels and age groups.
C. To develop a high caliber of sportsmanship.
D. To encourage individual clubs or organizations to improve wrestling instruction and to develop the character of each wrestler to the fullest potential through participation in the sport.
E. To improve the caliber of wrestling in the State of Maryland.
F. To prepare young wrestlers for high school and college wrestling.
3. MEMBERSHIP:
A wrestling club desiring membership in the UCWL will be admitted if it meets the league eligibility requirements and is accepted by the league members, a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the membership being required. In addition to the foregoing, a new club desiring membership must provide a $100 initiation fee upon being voted into membership. This is not part of that season's league fee nor is it refundable.
A. Any wrestling club or organization, which is a member of the league and completes a season in good standing, retains its membership in the organization.
B. Any wrestling club can lose its membership in the league if it fails to adhere to the requirements set forth in these by-laws. Such loss shall be by action of two-thirds (2/3) vote of the full membership.
C. Any adult who is not a member of a team, but is interested in participating in the UCWL shall be eligible for membership, provided that such adult shall be proposed by one member and seconded by another member of the organization. At the next regular meeting of the organization, voting shall take place and a two-third (simple majority) vote shall elect to membership.
D. Fees
1. All fees, will be proposed by the Treasurer or Executive Committee and confirmed by the membership with a 2/3 vote.
4. OFFICERS AND DUTIES:
A. The officers of the organization shall consist of a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. The duties of these officers shall be as follows:
1. President -
a. Conduct all league meetings.
b. Make league decisions on rules and regulations as set forth in this document or amendments thereto.
c. Break any tie votes that occur at any meeting at which he presides.
d. Appoint all committee members in accordance with these bylaws.
e. Approve and ensure all regular invoices are paid
2. Vice-President -
a. Assist the President
b. If the President is unable to perform the duties of his/her office for any reason, the Vice President shall occupy his/her position and perform his/her duties with the same authority as the President. The Vice President shall, under the direction of the President, oversee the functioning of such committees of this organization, as the President shall designate.
c. Maintain team rosters for the league
d. Maintain and distribute By-Laws to all Teams
3. Secretary -
a. Record minutes and attendance of all league meetings and insure that each club receives a copy of these minutes at the next meeting. Provide a similar report of all Executive Committee Meetings.
b. Handle all league correspondence and present pertinent information to coaches in a prompt manner.
c. Keep all coaches and officers of the league correctly informed on the name, address, zip code, phone numbers (home and business), and e-mail addresses of all coaches and officers.
4. Treasurer -
a. Present annually in writing to each team representative a detailed Treasurer's report, as well as an oral report at all scheduled league or Executive Committee meetings.
b. Provide a league budget prior to the initial scheduling meeting to the Executive Committee for review and thereafter to the league coaches prior to the final scheduling meeting.
c. Be an active Director on Executive Committee.
d. Receive all monies and deposit the same in a bank or authorized entities.
e. Pay out monies in payment of organization obligations only on authority given by the Executive Committee and in exchange for receipt(s). All checks and vouchers shall be signed by the Treasurer and have written approval by one other officer.
f. Have custody and keep and maintain general records of organization receipts and disbursements.
g. Treasurer’s reports will include bank statements.
B. Officers and Executive Committee member-at-large shall be elected at the UCWL March meeting by written ballot for a term of one (1) year. The individual receiving the majority of the votes cast for any office shall be declared elected. Newly elected officers shall assume their duties effective April 1.
C. Nominations for office shall be made from the floor at the January coaches' meeting.
D. Vacancy in the office of President shall be filled by the Vice-President. Vacancy in the office of Vice-President or any other office shall be filled by appointment by the President or acting President until the next league meeting is called at which time nominations from the floor and voting by written ballot will fill the vacancy (vacancies).
E. The officers and a Committee Member-at-Large will compromise the Executive Committee. The President shall cast his vote in the event of an Executive Committee tie.
F. Any Executive Committee member may be removed by a petition signed by two-thirds (2/3) of the total membership.
5. Meetings -
A. A league meeting will be held every month during the wrestling season (October through February) and a post-season meeting. Unless otherwise designated, meetings will be held on the first available Monday of each month.
B. League meetings shall be called by the President. The day, time and place shall be established by the President. Notice of all meetings will be given to all clubs or organizations in the league at least two (2) weeks prior to the date of the meeting and this notice shall state the date, day, time and place of the meeting.
C. Two-thirds (2/3) of the membership eligible to vote shall comprise a quorum. In the event that a quorum does not exist for a regularly scheduled meeting and critical league business must be addressed, the President can waive the quorum rule to address the critical business at hand.
D. Special meetings may be called by the majority of the membership upon presentation of written petition to the President who must, upon receipt of said petition, arrange for and preside at such meetings within two (2) weeks.
E. Only one representative from each team will be allowed to vote in regular and special business meetings. The President reserves the right to invite guests to all meetings. Otherwise, all meetings are closed to the public. All clubs will designate their speaking representative before the meeting.
F. Any member team or officer can propose a motion for league action. In order to be considered for voting, the motion must be seconded by a different member team or officer. Discussion on the motion will then occur. The President will preside over discussions and then call for a vote.
G. Motions up for vote and special league expenditures shall be approved by a 2/3 vote of the membership present at the meeting.
H. If any program misses an official league meeting, a $40 fine will be imposed for each offense. If a team misses more than two league meetings per season, additional disciplinary action will be considered by the Executive Committee.
6. COMMITTEES:
The standing committees of the organization shall be the Executive Committee, Tournament, and the Rules.
A. Executive Committee -
1. Insure that all league members comply with the provisions of these bylaws and amendments thereto.
2. Guide the league through each season.
3. Approve or disapprove of Presidential appointees to all other committees.
4. Make necessary decisions on actions not covered or provided for in this document or amendments thereto, and resolve any conflicts between one section of these by-laws and another.
B. Tournament Committee -
1. The Tournament Committee shall consist of at least three (3) members, one of whom shall be designated Tournament Director.
2. The committee shall be responsible for all matters pertaining to the league tournaments.
D. Rules Committee -
1. The chairman will develop, maintain and notify all coaches and officials of UCWL rules and modifications.
2. The Rules Committee shall be appointed as needed by the President. A report of the committee shall be presented at the first coaches' meeting of the season.
2. The Commissioner of the Officials Association servicing the UCWL is to receive a list of exceptions to the National High School Wrestling Rules.
7. APPEALS -
A two-thirds (2/3) vote of the teams in good standing that are in attendance is required to overturn decisions of the standing committees of the league except that any decisions made by the Tournament Committee during tournament sessions shall be final. Appeals shall be presented to the President in writing and shall be presented to the membership no later than the next league meeting.
League actions, which are mandated by the by-laws and/or regulations, are not subject to appeal and may be altered only through the amendment process established in Paragraph 7.
8. Competition Regulations
A.ELIGIBILITY –
A club desiring to remain as a member of the UCWL must adhere to all regulations stated herein. Violation will subject the club to disciplinary actions by the Executive Committee. Such action may include a fine, loss of voting privileges, dismissal from the league, restriction from tournament participation, etc.
1. A club must strive to field a representative team. The UCWL has two competitive formats available per age group.
q Elementary School Division: (Ages 10 and under)* A full team shall consist of twelve (12) weight classes as follows: 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100, HWT (Max. 130).
q Middle School Division: (Ages 11-14) A full team shall consist of sixteen (16) weight classes as follows: 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100, 105, 112, 120, 130, 140, 150, 175, HWT (Max. 235)
* Coaches with wrestlers under the age of 8 must use discretion for participation. Birth date as of November 1. The membership will revisit and potentially revise weight classes each year based upon participants from each club.
2. Each Team must have the capability to run multiple team events (Tri-meets/Quads).
3. Each club must have a responsible person in charge of the team. This person will be the coach or acting coach of the team. It is his responsibility to attend all league meetings and see that all pertinent league information is passed on to the members of his team. It is also the responsibility of the coach to establish and maintain a proper attitude among his assistants, team members and fans that will insure the type of sportsmanship and fair play for which the UCWL stands.
4. Each club must have at its immediate disposal the name, address, and phone number of the nearest medical facility, and send it in with the team roster to be filed with the UCWL.
5. Each club is responsible for providing the necessary equipment and scoring forms at the scoring table for all home events. There must be at least two (2) responsible persons at the scoring table during each dual meet, preferably one from each team. There will be no more than three (3) persons sitting at the scoring table at any one time unless both coaches agree.
6. Each club must submit, on a form provided by the league Vice President, a complete roster of all wrestlers who are members of their organization (team) via e-mail in Excel format (See Rules 7and 11). Only wrestlers on a team roster are eligible to participate in league matches or events. The team roster must be submitted to the league designee no later than 48 hours prior to the first scheduled league event. If the team roster has not been received by the time of the first scheduled event, the team in default will automatically be suspended from all league events. Exceptions will be voted by the Executive Committee.
7. Additional names may be added to a team roster up to and including January 15th. Exceptions will be considered by the Executive Committee; however, objective evidence must be submitted to substantiate the claim for an exception. Examples of objective evidence may include a letter from a physician to substantiate an injury or a home settlement form to substantiate a move to the area.
8. Each club must be willing to schedule events on at least one of three (3) days of a given week so that scheduling can be accomplished for the convenience of all clubs.
9. Each club must meet its financial obligations to the league.
10. Each club must conduct at least two (2) practices a week.
11. The wrestler's correct full name, approximate scratch weight, and birth date must appear on the roster. If the wrestler is a late addition to the roster, the addition must have been made at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to the time of the scheduled meet in which the wrestler competes. This information is to be forwarded to the Vice President and opposing coaches by e-mail in Excel format.
12. It is UCWL policy that a wrestler must participate with the team in which they first register for within a season. The Executive Committee or the UCWL will not interfere with any alternate arrangements for wrestlers wishing to change teams within a season provided that an agreement can be reached between the two wrestling programs, wrestler, and parents.
13. A league wrestler cannot have participated in any official high school wrestling matches. The definition of participation includes weighing-in and the definition of a high school match includes competition for team points to determine an ultimate winner in a meet. The Executive Committee shall have the authority to decide on an individual basis all situations not covered by the above provisions.
14. Wrestlers under the age of 8 who are members of league teams may participate in league events at his coach's discretion and responsibility. Fourteen-year-olds cannot wrestle any lower than 90 pounds.
15. A wrestler cannot wrestle more than two (2) weight classes above the weight class for which he weighs in.
16. Any form of ineligibility, either by accident or design, shall require a decision by the Executive Committee as to whether the team match result will be reversed. The Executive Committee ruling shall be based on the effect of the ineligible wrestler on the match result.
17. No wrestler can wrestle in more than one division in the same day.
18. All events will be conducted according to the rules of the "National Federation of State High School Associations except as provided by these regulations:
A. Match time - A match in the Elementary Division will consist of three (3) 1 minute periods. Match time for the Middle School Division will consist of three (3) 1 1/2 minute periods.
B. Each visiting coach will call the home team at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to the event for verification.
C. Weigh-ins - Contestants must weigh-in, stripped at least to underwear, prior to the start of the match, at the match site. It is the home team's responsibility to record the exact weight of every participating wrestler of both teams on the league weigh-in record sheet. This weight record sheet, along with the official copy of the results of the meet, is to be retained for the end of season seeding meeting and a copy of the results must be provided to the visiting team(s). Further, each coach will be required to sign the weigh-in record sheet and the meet record as verification of the accuracy of all the information contained in both of these documents. The wrestler's name and weight must be recorded on the weight record sheet regardless of the fact that he may not wrestle in the dual meet for which he is being weighed. Only eligible wrestlers are to be listed on the weigh-in sheet.
*Consecutive Days Weight Allowance: A one (1) pound weight allowance may be granted for consecutive days wrestled or snow days. All teams must agree to the allowance and notified (48) hours before the scheduled match time. Consecutive days wrestled must be a result of participation in a league match or tournament sanctioned by UCWL.
*Growth Allowance: A one (1) pound weight allowance will be given for all weight classes. The application date will run concurrent with National Federation High School Rules (NFHS). The weight allowance applies to all league dual meets, Dual Meet Championships and the end of the year Tournament..
D. Visiting team arrival - The teams should arrive at least thirty (30) minutes prior to the scheduled time of the dual meet. If a team fails to arrive thirty (30) minutes after the scheduled meet time, the meet will be forfeited to the opposing team. The exception to this requirement will exist when an emergency occurs.
Cancellations - Once the final schedule has been completed, there should be no unilateral change made unless all coaches agree. Postponements or cancellations due to weather or facility problems must be communicated by the host team to all visiting teams as early as possible. If coaches agree to postpone the meet, the home team must contact the Commissioner of Wrestling Officials in order that the referee involved can be informed of the postponement. The coaches involved must then arrange for a new date and time in which the postponed meet can be held and the home team coach is responsible, for requesting the presence of a referee, of the Commissioner of Wrestling Officials. Any postponement of events for reasons other than inclement weather conditions must be by the consent of all coaches and the necessary arrangements with the Commissioner of Wrestling Officials will be made by the home team coach. In addition to all of the foregoing, it will be the responsibility of the home team coach to notify the President as soon as possible after the decision to postpone has been mutually agreed upon by all coaches involved or where a decision in this respect is made by either the President or Vice-President.
Attendance at all league-scheduled matches and tournaments is mandatory for league teams once the final schedule has been agreed to at the final schedule meeting (determined by the President). Failure to attend a scheduled match will result in a 100.00 fine for each event that is missed. Missing two events during a season will also be referred to the Executive Committee, which may determine additional disciplinary actions against that team.
In the event that a team feels that there were extenuating circumstances which prevented their attendance at a match, they may file a written appeal with the Executive Committee within 48 hours of the scheduled event, explaining the circumstances and asking for the fine to be waived.
F. EOUIPMENT -
1. Standard wrestling uniforms prescribed by current National High School rules are mandatory. Exceptions will be decided upon by the Executive Committee. Steel or metal supporters are prohibited, and non-metal supporters are permitted and even preferred. Knee pads are strongly recommended for all contestants. Head gear will be mandatory for all contestants during dual meets and tournaments. The National High School Rules as amended by the UCWL pertaining to uniform and equipment will govern. Where any question arises concerning uniform or equipment, the decision of the referee will be final.
2. Gym shoes are acceptable, but wrestling shoes are preferred;
G. OFFICIALS -
1. Officials for all UCWL dual meets and league tournaments will be obtained or by the Executive Committee.
2. Officials fees will be paid directly by the league.
3. Any complaints about the type of officiating being provided for the UCWL should be brought to the attention of the league President who will insure that appropriate action is taken. At no time should an individual coach take the initiative of conferring with the Commissioner concerning an official, other than to rate that official for the specific dual meet by means of the rating forms (if provided).
H. PROTESTS-
In the event a wrestling club feels it necessary to present a protest for any reason against another club, the protest is to be filed in writing with the league president within forty-eight (48) hours of the incident which is the subject of the protest. The protest shall be acted upon by the Executive Committee.
I. TOURNAMENTS-
1. The UCWL Individual Tournament will be a closed tournament, conducted at the completion of the regular meet season.
2. The method of seeding will be determined by a vote of the teams (one per club).
3. The Tournament Committee shall establish the procedures for the conduct of weigh-ins for the tournament.
4. Tournament team points will be awarded in accordance with placement points as stipulated by the NFHS rule book. No advancement points or other tournament scoring points will be awarded. Only one wrestler per team may score team points in each weight class.
5. The host team of the UCWL tournaments shall make every effort to obtain on-site medical/first aid staff. UCWL financial assistance for medical/first-aid staff must be pre-approved by the Executive Committee.
9. AMENDMENTS TO BY-LAWS AND/OR RULES -
Except as otherwise specifically provided in the Constitution and By-Laws, all questions of Order or Procedure with respect to any meeting or action of this organization, its Board of Directors or any committee appointed hereunder shall be determined in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised, as revised from time to time.
Amendments to these bylaws and/or regulations shall require a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the teams in good standing that are in attendance. All amendments shall first be referred to the Rules Committee for study and report. Reports out of the Rules Committee shall be made within sixty (60) days.
10. CODE OF CONDUCT and Disciplinary Actions for Misconduct
The UCWL is an organization dedicated to foster an atmosphere where each youth can reach there fullest potential as a wrestler by administrating age appropriate competitions in a safe environment. UCWL is dedicated to developing a high caliber of sportsmanship within its wrestlers, coaches, parents, and Volunteers. UCWL encourages individual clubs or organizations to improve wrestling instruction and to develop the character of each wrestler to the fullest potential through participation in the sport.
Head Coaches Responsibility:
Ø Responsible for overall behavioral conduct within their program at league events
Ø Will swiftly address unacceptable behavior of assistance coaches, volunteers, parents, wrestlers, and fans supporting your team.
Ø Will be honest and truthful in all situations.
Ø Will exhibit good sportsmanship at all times. By ensuring entire the following;
o Respects opponents and officials both in victory and defeat
o Encourage athletes to uphold the rules of wrestling
o Consistently display high personal standards
o Refraining from public criticism of fellow coaches
o Refrain from the use of profane, insulting, harassing or otherwise offensive language
Ø Will be a positive role model for players, leading by example
Ø Will place the well being of every player ahead of personal desire to win.
Ø Will treat everyone fairly regardless of gender, race, sex, or religion.
Ø Will ensure that competition is suitable for the age, experience, ability and fitness level of the athletes.
Disciplinary Action
Failure to adhere to the Code of Conduct could result in the following:
A. Suspension or expulsion from UCWL or from UCWL programs and activities.
B. Expulsion from an Event.
C. Denial of participation in future Events.
D. Requirements to issue written or verbal apologies.
E. Fine or reparations for the individual and/or team.
F. Further disciplinary actions may be imposed by the Executive Committee.
Appeals
Appeals need to be made in writing with in 24 Hours of receiving notification of the committee’s decision. The appeal will be put to a vote of the UCWL membership excluding the program or programs affected by the decision. A 2/3 vote is required to overturn the Executive Committee’s decision. The result of the vote is final.