Greater Spokane Area New Association Framework

Presentation to the Boards of IEYSA and SpVJSA June 3, 2013 Revised June 7, 2013

Agenda
Welcome and Introductions Presentation by WSYSA Discussion and next steps

Facilitator Yolanka Wulff

ywulff@gmail.com 206-660-8498

Two decades as attorney and consultant to nonprofits and small businesses Five years working with youth soccer in Washington
Consultant for WSYSA organizational restructuring and constitutional convention Drafted WSYSA bylaws and governing documents Drafted model association and club bylaws Consultant to WSYSA, Districts, Associations and Clubs Work on entity restructuring including formation, mergers and consolidations, and dissolutions

Board governance training

WSYSA Roles and Responsibilities

As a State Association, WSYSA is an administrative body of USSF and USYSA. WSYSA is charged with carrying out USSFs and USYSAs programs for amateur youth soccer within the State of Washington. USYSA defines a State Association as the highest level administrative body for youth soccer within a single state. WSYSA has exclusive jurisdiction over its programs and activities. USYSA states that one of the responsibilities of a State Association is to provide and coordinate opportunities for every player under its jurisdiction to play soccer at the developmental, intermediate, and advanced levels.

Member Association Roles and Responsibilities

Voting members of WSYSA Council Administrative and coordinating organizations for WSYSA programs that contain clubs and/or teams in which individuals under nineteen (19) years of age learn and play soccer in WSYSA leagues Support and promote the mission, purpose and activities of WSYSA Structure their soccer operations and program delivery in order to maximize implementation of WSYSAs mission, exempt purpose and goals

What does it mean to be a Member Association?

Membership is a contractual relationship between a parent organization and its associations. As a contract, membership can be renewed or revoked. USYSA states this relationship explicitly in its bylaws: The term of membership of an Organizational Member is for one seasonal yearMembership automatically renews each seasonal year as long as the Member remains in good standing with USYSA.

What does it mean to be a WSYSA Member Association?

WSYSA has established requirements for continuation as a Member Association. These include an annual reporting to WSYSA as well as maintenance of criteria and responsibilities as set forth in WSYSA Bylaws. WSYSA also has policies and procedures for the termination of Member Association status when necessary. The criteria for termination include in part a determination that the conduct of the Member Association is adverse to the best interests of soccer or Washington Youth Soccer. These criteria are patterned after the very standards that WSYSA must itself meet to remain a State Association within USSF and USYSA

What Hat Are You Wearing Today?

Association is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation
Benefits: tax exemptions; deductibility of donations Obligations: public benefit; exempt purpose

Nonprofit board members must put the interests of the association ahead of their personal interests or the interests of any organization
Duty of Loyalty Duty of Care fiduciary obligations Nonprofit board is not a parliament

Recognize and manage conflicts of interest

WSYSA Organizational Structure

WSYSA
Provide programming and training Provide services registration, risk management, best practices, etc Provide access to USYSA competition Provide development, marketing, corporate sponsorships - Liaison with WSYSA - Oversee, promote and enable programming - Manage shared assets - Manage shared services

Association

Clubs

Deliver programs

Creating one association in Spokane

The Board of WSYSA believes that the two-association structure in Spokane inherently leads to incompatibility and conflict which is detrimental to WSYSA and to youth soccer in Spokane. The current association structure of soccer in Spokane does not maximize the implementation of WSYSAs mission, exempt purpose and goals. A single new association for the entire Spokane geographic area will be more capable, based upon the nature, scope, quality and strength of its programs, of carrying out its responsibilities to WSYSA. WSYSA has determined that the creation of one association in Spokane is necessary to fulfill its own obligations as a State Association under USSF and USYSA

Spokane Association Responsibilities

Implement WSYSA soccer programs in Spokane
Run leagues Promote programs within the community Provide feedback on programs to WSYSA Liaison with referees

Manage shared assets (fields) Manage shared services

Registrar Bookkeeper Mod Director (as needed) Select Director (as needed)

Handle disputes

Spokane Association Board Structure and Responsibilities

The board as a whole has the responsibility for governing the entire organization: Leadership development board and staff Finance & Budget Fundraising Strategic Planning Community Relations Operations Representative design: Officer positions elected by a form of weighted vote (current officers, weighted club votes). Officers will not be club board members. Each club has a representative. Weighted vote based on membership, modifier to keep clubs in balance. Design based on expected numbers Initial board will be a transitional board selected to ensure representation, objectivity and necessary skills

Spokane Association Governance Structure

Board of Directors

Member Club

Member Club

Member Club

Tiered Programming
Level Regional U5-U7 Programming limited to offering camps, supporting association activities and development U8-U9 Juniors Not a selection process, sign up Training focused Organized into teams for crossover play with other area RCs U10 RC Selection process Rosters of 6 or 9 depending on strength Play in RCL or alternative based on strength/ travel U11 Selection process Rosters of 9 Play in RCL or alternative based on strength/ travel U12-18 RCL

Select

N/A

N/A

N/A

Area Select League

Area Select League Select Super League for qualifier(s) Seasonal leagues Focus on fun and development

Recreational

Mod programming No selection Seasonal leagues Focus on fun and development

Mod programming No selection Seasonal leagues Focus on fun and development

Mod programming No selection Seasonal leagues Focus on fun and development

Mod programming No selection Seasonal leagues Focus on fun and development

New Association Club Framework

New Association combined boundaries from IEYSA/ SpVJSA Regional Club - SSC Shadow U11-U18, RC only (with 1-2 U10) U8-10, add-on - Joint Junior Academy model with Select groups

U8-10 add-on - Joint Junior Academy model with RC City Center South Hill Breakers Cheney Storm North County Sabers Cover by splitting with Sabers/ Breakers Valley FC Spokane

U5-U10 Mod (Rec), U11-U18 (Select, Rec)

RC and Select programming, sizing

Level SSC Shadow U8-U10 Joint Juniors, localized training, some crossover jamborees with other RC groups Overlaid with regular mod structure to avoid dilution U10 RC 1-2 RC teams Roster of 6 or 9 depending on strength U11 4-5 teams per age/ gender RCL for highly qualified team RC or D6, Place appropriately play up, manage at age divisions for competition Develop joint plan Based on turnout D6 league U12-14 3 teams per age/ gender RCL U15-18 3 teams per age/ gender RCL

N/A

Select (Neighborhood)

SAA

Based on turnout D6 league Select Super League for qualifier(s)

Based on turnout D6 league Select Super League for qualifier(s)

*SSC Shadow exits Select, joint migration plan *FC Spokane exits Premier, joint migration plan

Benefits of Consolidation
A consolidation will eliminate unnecessary duplication of administrative overhead A consolidation will provide more leverage and better support for the considerable talents and energy of the staff and volunteers as they focus on serving the youth of Spokane A consolidation will sustain the missions of IEYSA and SPVJSA as administrative and coordinating organizations of WSYSA, as well as support the missions of WSYSA, the United States Soccer Federation and the United States Youth Soccer Association.

Steps to implementation
Each Association approves and completes a Letter of Intent to Consolidate Each Club that wishes to participate in the task force approves and completes a Letter of Intent to Participate Set up Task Force with representation from both associations and WSYSA, and every club that commits to participate. Set up agreed upon workplan with milestones Set up agreed upon budget and cash flow plan Work with existing Select Clubs and SSC Shadow to develop an integrated club/ programming framework for a new association Issue communications on the process, including approach to engaging broader constituents in the process WA Youth Soccer provides recommended framework (bylaws, operating documents), structural guidance (club types and strategies)

Steps to implementation (contd)

Identify any unique structural elements required due to local assets/ liabilities/ entities (i.e., Plantes Ferry, Spokane Youth Sports), board makeup, and club/ program strategies. WA Youth Soccer board review and approval of the proposed structure Set up transitional board Extended team sessions to review direction with key stakeholders. Complete new bylaws and any critical operating documents for new association and any additional structures. File any required legal documents to avoid delays Communicate changes and define specific plans for onboarding existing clubs and programs. Includes communicating any specific expectations on the roles of existing clubs in new association Complete operating documents required for association launch and plans for completion of remainder of documentation. Launch new association on October 31, 2013; complete migration of clubs, assets and liabilities. Close down any entities not carried forward in new structure

Timeline
On or before July 9 completed Letters of Intent On or before July 31 first meeting of the Task Force On or before October 31 completion of consolidation documents

Discussion