ARTICLE 1 - NAME
The name of this organization shall be the La Habra Girls Softball Association, hereafter referred to as LHGSA.

ARTICLE 2 – OFFICE
The principal office for transaction of LHGSA business shall be located in the city of La Habra, California. The Board of Directors may change the site of the principal office from one location to another within the City of La Habra.

ARTICLE 3 – OBJECTIVE
The specific objective of the LHGSA is to operate a recreational softball league to develop good sportsmanship, high character, and physical and mental well being of young persons through the game of softball. LHGSA encourages responsible adults to supervise the program on the playing fields and to make their leadership and experience available for the training of these young people.

ARTICLE 4 – LIMITATIONS
The LHGSA is a nonprofit benefit corporation and shall carry on its activities in compliance with Section 501 (c) (3) and Section 170 (c) (2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or the corresponding provisions of any future United States Internal Revenue Laws) for corporations exempt from Federal income taxes and for which contributions are tax deductible.

SECTION 1 – POLITICAL ACTIVITY
No substantial part of the activities of the LHGSA shall consist of carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the LHGSA shall not participate in or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.

SECTION 2 – PROPERTY
The property, assets, and net income of the LHGSA are dedicated irrevocably to the purposes set forth in ARTICLE 3 above. No part of the net income shall ever inure to the benefit of any of its directors, trustees, officers, members, employees, or to the benefit of any private individual.

SECTON 3 – DISSOLUTON
Upon the winding up and dissolution of this organization, and after paying or adequately providing for the payment of debts, obligations, and liabilities, the remaining assets shall be distributed to a nonprofit fund, foundation, or corporation which is organized and operated exclusively for charitable purposes and has established its tax exempt status under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

ARTICLE 5 – GENERAL MEMBERSHIP
General membership shall consist of any adults having an active interest in the objectives of the LHGSA as defined in ARTICLE 3 above, who agree to be governed by the word and intent of all of the LHGSA Bylaws and Board policies. A member may be suspended or expelled by the Board if it is determined that the member has engaged in conduct materially and seriously prejudicial to the purposes and interests of the LHGSA. Due process guarantees as outlined in Article 6, Section 5 below should be followed when suspending or expelling a general member.

ARTICLE 6 – BOARD OF DIRECTORS

SECTION 1 – OFFICERS
A. President - The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer and general manager of the LHGSA and shall, subject to the control of the Board, generally supervise, direct, and control the activities and affairs of the corporation.

1. The President shall be the presiding officer at all Board meetings and sets the agenda for each meeting.

2. The President may form committees and appoint members to those committees with the approval of the Board.

3. The President shall vote only to break a tied vote of the Board.

4. The President shall be in charge of obtaining all field permits, facility use permits, etc. required for league functions.

5. The President shall recommend and, with Board approval, secure adequate insurance for the league.

B. Vice President –The Vice President, under the President’s direction, will assist the President in the general supervision of the LHGSA.

1. The Vice President shall perform all the duties of the President
in his/her absence.

2. The Vice President automatically succeeds to the office of President in case of a vacancy in that office.

3. He/she shall help organize and supervise all LHGSA activities such as opening and closing day ceremonies, the pancake breakfast, dances, picnics, etc.

C. Secretary – The Secretary shall record and maintain a file of minutes of all meetings and actions of the Board, committees of the Board, and of general membership meetings.

1. The Secretary shall keep on hand a copy of the LHGSA Bylaws and Board policies.

2. The Secretary shall be responsible for notifying the appropriate members of all Board meetings, committee meetings, and general membership meetings.

3. He/she should compile a record of LHGSA activities such that this information can be passed on to future Boards from year to year.

D. Treasurer – The Treasurer shall maintain correct accounts of all business transactions of the LHGSA. This will include accounts of its assets, liabilities, receipts, disbursements, gains, losses, capital, and all income of any sort and kind derived by the LHGSA.

1. The Treasurer shall prepare a budget to be adopted by the Board prior to the start of the regular season.

2. The Treasurer shall submit to the Board an annual financial report at the end of the fiscal year.

3. He/she shall provide the Board with an updated financial report at each regular monthly Board meeting.

4. He/she, upon the request of any Board member and by appointment, shall provide that Board member access to inspect any or all books of accounts within five (5) days of such a request.

5. He/she shall promptly deposit all monies in the name of and to the credit of the LHGSA into an account or accounts approved by the Board.

6. He/she is directly responsible for the disbursement of all LHGSA funds. All league funds are to be protected by a two party signature of accounts. Signatures on the accounts shall be the President, the Vice President, Secretary, and the Treasurer. No two authorized signers may be related by blood, marriage, or reside at the same address.

7. He/she shall supervise the collection of money from the snack shack, fundraising, or any other league financial ventures, and maintain accurate records of income and expenses.

E. Division Commissioners – Each age group division of the LHGSA will have a commissioner representing them on the Board. The Divisions are as follows: High School (18 and Under), Major (14 and Under), Minor, (12 and Under), Mini-minor (10 and Under), Micro-mini (8 and Under), and Mini-tee (6 and Under). The Division Commissioners’ responsibilities are as follows:

1. Recruit a Board approved coach for each team in their division.

2. Review with the coaches the rules and procedures of the LHGSA and of their respective division prior to the start of the season.

3. Hold regular coaches meetings to discuss general information from the Board or from committees of the Board. Report back to the Board any concerns expressed by the coaches or their parents.

4. Be responsible for the general welfare of each registered players in their divisions with respect to the league goals as stated in Article 3 above.

5. Make sure that each coach secures a scorekeeper, that the scorekeepers are familiar with the score keeping methods, and that an official scorebook is kept for all league games.

6. Receive official protests, review and evaluate their merits, and present it to the protest chairman.

7. Mediate, intervene, and/or take action as appropriate to resolve disputes between coaches, parents, spectators, and players within their division at games, practices, or other league functions.

8. Keep the Board advised of any unresolved situations that may adversely affect the LHGSA if left unsettled.

9. Report to the Board any serious injuries suffered by a player requiring a doctor’s care.

10. High School Commissioner has the additional responsibilities of promoting / recruiting for this division among the local high schools and working with surrounding cities to coordinate game schedules.

F. Players Representative – The Player Representative’s primary responsibility is to represent all players in all division within the LHGSA and to insure that the aims and purposes of the LHGSA Bylaws and playing rules are being complied with by all involved. The Players representative may not be a head coach of a team in any division. The Players Representative’s responsibilities are as follows:

1. Obtain the names, birthdates, etc. of all registered players from the registrar.

2. Schedule with the approval of the Board tryout dates and times for each division and supervise the tryout procedures.

3. Meet with the President and the Divisional Commissioners to establish and publish the draft method to be used in the selection of teams in each division.

4. The Players Representative shall have the sole responsibility of maintaining a waiting list for each division for qualified players applying after the player drafts have taken place.

5. The Player Representative with the Divisional Commissioner shall assign players to teams with vacancies by a lottery selection method.

6. Upon notification of a player dropped by a team coach, the Player Representative shall contact the parents of the player to establish the reason for the drop. The Player Representative shall then advise the Divisional Commissioner of the drop and the reason.

7. The Players Representative may not transfer a player from one team to another as a matter of convenience without Board approval and approval of the coaches involved.

8. The Players Representative shall chair the All-Star Selection Committee.

G. League Head Coach – It shall be the duty of the League Head Coach to provide the coaches of the LHGSA the means by which they may improve their coaching techniques. The League Head Coach should develop and maintain coaching clinics that will provide the LHGSA a consistent coaching philosophy from division to division. The areas involved are:

1. Knowledge of the playing rules.

2. Offensive elements including hitting, bunting, and base running.

3. Defensive elements including catching, fielding, throwing, and positioning.

4. Basic pitching mechanics.

5. Strategies for interacting with parents, players, umpires, and fellow coaches.

6. The League Head Coach organizes team practice schedules for all divisions.

H. Umpire-In-Chief – It shall be the duty of the Umpire-In-Chief to recruit and schedule all umpires for games played. He/she shall see that all umpires are adequately trained and qualified. The Umpire-In-Chief shall be responsible to see that all umpires and coaches are provided with copies of the LHGSA playing rules.

I. Team Parent Coordinator – It shall be the responsibility of this officer to recruit a Board approved team parent for every team. The Team Parent coordinator should hold a team parent meeting at least once a month during the playing season. The Team Parent Coordinator should inform all team parents of their duties and obligations as team parents for their team.

J. Registrar – It is the responsibility of the registrar to supervise the signups of all the players of the LHGSA.

1. The Registrar shall set the dates and place for all league sign-ups.

2. He/she shall devise flyers and arrange for distribution to the local schools.

3. He/she shall be responsible for all advertising for sign-ups such as newspaper
notices, banners, mailers to returning players, etc.

4. The Registrar shall keep an accurate record of the membership of the LHGSA.

K. Sponsorship Coordinator – It shall be the responsibility of the Sponsorship Coordinator to acquire sponsors for the LHGSA.

1. The Sponsorship Coordinator shall act as a liaison between the LHGSA and all sponsors.

2. The Sponsorship Coordinator will keep accurate records of all team
and league sponsors.

3. He/she will see that all money collected is turned over to the
Treasurer.

4. He/she will see that each sponsor receives a plaque, banner, letter, or
other form of recognition deemed appropriate by the Board.

L. League Advisor – The league Advisor shall give advice to the President and the Board concerning the interpretation of the LHGSA Bylaws and the League Rules.

1. The League Advisor may be asked by the President or the Board to audit the financial books of the LHGSA, including the snack shack ledger.

2. The League advisor should oversee and certify all elections or votes taken by the general membership.

3. The League Advisor should be knowledgeable of meeting procedures.

4. The League Advisor should be knowledgeable of the LHGSA organization
and history.

M. Equipment, Safety, and Fields Manager– It shall be the responsibility of the Equipment, Safety, and Fields Manager to purchase, issue, and maintain all equipment for the LHGSA.

1. He/she shall oversee the preparation and maintenance of all fields during the season.

2. He/she is also responsible to make sure that all teams are abiding by the safety policies established by the Board, which includes supplying and maintaining a first aid kit for every team.

N. Snack Shack Coordinator– It shall be the responsibility of the Snack Shack Coordinator to operate the snack shack at all games during the season.

1. The Snack Shack Coordinator shall work with the Team Parent Coordinator to develop a schedule of volunteer workers from all league teams to work in the snack shack.

2. The Snack Shack Coordinator shall supervise the purchase of all foods, beverages, materials, etc. needed to operate the snack shack.

3. The Snack Shack Coordinator, with the Treasurer, shall supervise the collection of all money and maintain accurate records of expenses and income.

4. The Snack Shack Coordinator will see that the snack shack is clean and in order at all times.

SECTION 2 – NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES
A. Eligibility – All current adult members of the LHGSA in good standing are eligible to run for office for the following season. Only current members of the Board of Directors are eligible to run for the office of President.

B. Nomination Committee – The President shall appoint a committee to select qualified candidates for the offices of the Board of Directors. The committee will present a slate of officers to the Board by the Board’s April meeting.

C. Nomination from the Floor – Any adult member of the LHGSA in good standings may submit their name for nomination at the April Board meeting. Adult members in good standing may also nominate other adult members in good standing at the April Board meeting, contingent upon confirmation of their willingness to be placed on the ballot.

SECTION 3 – ELECTION OF OFFICERS
A. Election Date – The election date shall be set by the Board and must be no later than Closing Day ceremonies. The general membership must have at least two weeks notice of the election of officers.

B. Eligibility to Vote – All general members in good standings are eligible to vote. Under the spirit of Article 5 the general membership includes all parents or legal guardians of registered players, and all Board members, Board approved coaches, assistant coaches, team moms, volunteer umpires, etc. who have an active interest in LHGSA but are not the parents or legal guardians of any registered players.

C. Manner of Voting – Voting will be conducted by secret ballot prepared by the Secretary. The President will appoint an election committee consisting of at least three members to monitor the voting and to count the ballots. The ballots must be maintained for a period of at least one week after announcing the results of the election to allow for the review of the results if they are in question.

D. Official Results – The candidate with the highest number of votes will be declared the winner. In case of a tie, the new Board of Directors will break the tie at a special Board meeting to be called by the incoming President. The election results will be certified by the current League Advisor.

E. Voting by Proxy – Voting by Proxy will not be allowed.

F. Use of League Funds – No LHGSA funds may be used to support a nominee for office.

SECTION 4 – TERM OF OFFICE
The term of office for all Board members will be one year, from August 1st to July 31st.

SECTION 5 – REMOVAL OF OFFICERS
A. Voluntary Resignation - All voluntary resignations must be submitted in writing.
B. Removal for Cause – Any officer of the Board of LHGSA may be removed by a vote of three-fourths (3/4) of the current membership of the Board. Grounds for removal are:
1. Breach of duties as described in these Bylaws.
2. Chronic absenteeism at Board meetings and League functions.
3. Conduct materially and seriously prejudicial to the purposes and interests of the LHGSA as defined in Article 3 of these Bylaws.
Officers represent the Board at all league functions and may be held to a higher standard than the general membership. Any officer being considered for removal by the Board is entitled to due process. This includes the right to hear all testimony, ask questions of any witness, review any documents, and to make statements on his/her own behalf.
C. Removal by General Membership. – Upon receiving a recall petition signed by 10% of the general membership, the President shall call a Special General Membership Meeting within a fourteen (14) day period. The Secretary shall notify all general members of the league of any Special General Membership meetings. Grounds for removal are the same as Article 6, Section 5 (B) above. The Quorum for a Special General Membership meeting is 10% of the general membership. Any officer being considered for removal by the general membership is entitled to due process as outlined in Article 6, Section 5 (B) above. A two-thirds (2/3) vote of the general membership is required to remove an officer. If an officer is removed at the Special General Membership meeting, the general membership has the right to elect a replacement officer by a majority vote.

SECTION 6- VACANCIES
The President is succeeded by the Vice President per Article 6, Section 2 (B). Except in the case of the removal of an officer by the general membership, Article 6, Section 5 (C), the Board may fill any other vacancies with any qualified general member of the LHGSA in good standing.

ARTICLE 7 – MEETINGS

SECTION 1 – GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
The Board will hold an Annual General Membership Meeting after the players draft but prior to the start of the softball season. Special General Membership Meetings may be called by the Board as the need arises. The Secretary shall notify all general members of the league of any Special General Membership Meetings. The quorum to conduct business requiring a vote at a General Membership Meeting is 10% of the general membership.

SECTION 2 – BOARD MEETINGS
A. Regular Meetings - The Board of directors will hold regular monthly Board meetings at a day, time, and place set by the Board.
B. Open Meetings - All Board meetings will be open to the general membership, except for portions of meetings related to disciplinary action or other personnel issues that can be reasonable deemed confidential in nature.
C. Special Meetings - Special Board meetings may be called by the President with sufficient notification of all Board members.
D. Quorum - A majority of the current Board members constitutes a quorum.

ARTICLE 8 – STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES

SECTION 1 – POWERS OF THE COMMITTEES
The Board may create committees to serve at its pleasure and direction. Any committee created by the Board has only that authority to act as granted by the Board.

SECTION 2 – APPOINTMENTS TO THE COMMITTEES
The President shall have the power to nominate the chairperson of all committees subject to the ratification by the Board. The size of each committee shall be determined by the Board. The Chairman of each committee may select the members of his/her committee with Board approval.

SECTION 3 – STANDING COMMITTEES
A. Fundraiser – It shall be the responsibility of this committee to suggest means of raising monies for the LHGSA. The Fund Raiser Committee shall provide the Board with a potential revenue statement, a time schedule, and an overview of the logistics of any proposed fund raising project. All fund raising projects must meet with Board approval. No contract may be entered into without Board approval.

B. Publicity – It shall be the responsibility of this committee to keep the general membership informed of the activities, announcements, and policy changes of the LHGSA. The Publicity Committee should also submit articles to the local newspapers as well as keep local civic organizations and municipal entities appraised of the league activities.

C. Yearbook – It shall be the responsibility of this committee to provide the LHGSA with a yearbook to be distributed to the each registered player at the end of the season.

D. Uniforms – It shall be the responsibility of this committee to purchase and distribute uniforms to all teams.

E. Trophies and Awards – It shall be the responsibility or this committee to purchase all trophies and awards deemed necessary by the Board.

F. Scorekeeper – It shall be the responsibility of this committee to ensure training for all LHGSA scorekeepers. Each league team should have at least one trained scorekeeper. The Chairperson for this committee will ensure that an Official Scorebook is kept for each division.

G. All-Star Committee – It is the responsibility of this committee to supervise the selection of the divisional All-Star teams and coaches. This committee shall establish written procedures for choosing All-Star players and coaches prior to the selection process. The committee shall aid divisional All-Star head coaches in the selection of tournaments to compete in. The President, the Players Representative, and the League Head Coach shall be members of this committee.

H. Protest Committee – It shall be the responsibility of this committee to resolve all game protest according to the playing rules of the LHGSA. The Protest Committee shall consist of the Umpire-In-Chief (unless he/she is involved in the game in question) and at least two other unbiased members of the Board who are not coaches or assistant coaches in the division involved, and who do not have a child playing in the division involved.

I. Nomination Committee – It shall be the responsibility of this committee to present a slate of officers to the Board by the Board’s April meeting. Candidates shall meet the requirements set for in these Bylaws.

J. Scheduling Committee – It shall be the responsibility of this committee to obtain fields, assign practice times in an equitable manner, and schedule league contests.

K. Tournament Committee – It shall be the responsibility of this committee to organize the annual La Habra All-Star Tournament. This committee shall handle all aspects of organization including, but not limited to, publicity, registration, scheduling, fields and equipment, awards, umpires, scorekeeping, rules, records, and the snack shack. Board members shall be involved with tournament duties consistent with the duties of their Board position.

L. Winterball Committee – It shall be the responsibility of this committee to organize the LHGSA Winterball season. Board members shall be involved with Winterball by assuming duties consistent with their Board position.

SECTION 4 – SPECIAL COMMITTEES
The President with the approval of the Board, or the Board itself, may appoint special committees to perform specific tasks for the benefit of the LHGSA. The committee chairman must be approved by the Board. Any committee created by the Board has only that authority to act as granted by the Board.

ARTICLE 9 – COACHES

SECTION 1 – REQUIRMENTS
Head Coaches and Assistant Coaches must be at least twenty-one (21) years of age unless approved by the Board. Head Coaches shall be recommended by their Divisional Commissioner and are subject to the final approval of the Board. Head coaches may select their Assistant Coaches after the divisional draft, subject to approval of their Divisional Commissioner and the Board.

SECTION 2 – RESPONIBILITES
A. Team Organization - The Head Coach shall be responsible for organizing his/her team including finding Assistant Coaches, a Team Parent, a trained scorekeeper, and a female chaperone for all practices and games.
B. Team Functions - The Head Coach shall organize all practices, games, and oversee all team functions. When not present the Head Coach may delegate his authority to a League approved Assistant Coach.
C. Team Conduct - The Head Coach is responsible for the conduct of the entire team including all Assistant Coaches, parents, spectators, and players. The Head Coach may be ejected by the umpire for their conduct.
D. Safety - The Head coach should always carry emergency medical releases for his players and a first aid kit.
E. Chaperones - The Head coach is responsible to have a female chaperone present at all team functions. A female chaperone must be present in the dugout during games.
F. League Functions – The Head coach may be required by the Board to participate, or have his/her team participate in league meetings, field days, ceremonies, fundraisers, etc. It is the duty of the Head Coach to follow through on any individual or team responsibilities related to these league functions. The Head Coach may send a team representative when appropriate.

ARTICLE 10 – UMPIRES
The Umpire and Chief will appoint or contract all league umpires. All umpires will be responsible for knowing the ASA playing rules and the LHGSA league playing rules. The umpire will have complete authority over game progress as outlined by those rules. The umpire will have the authority to eject any player, coach, parent, or spectator who does not conduct themselves appropriately.

ARTICLE 11 – EJECTIONS
Any Head Coach, Assistant Coach, parent, spectator, or player who is ejected by the umpire will automatically lose the right to attend the next league game in any capacity. The Board has the power and discretion to dictate increased consequences if warranted. Due process guarantees as outlined in Article 6, Section 5 (B) above should be observed if the Board desires to dictate increased consequences.

ARTICLE 12 – INSURANCE
The Board of the LHGSA shall be authorized to purchase a secondary sports league insurance policy to cover all league participants for accidents occurring during approved league functions. The Board is also authorized to purchase liability insurance for its adult volunteers.

ARTICLE 13 – AMMENDMENTS
Bylaws of the LGSA may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the current membership of the Board of Directors followed by either a majority vote of the general membership at a General Membership meeting, or by a Special Election called by the Board. The Secretary shall notify all general members of the league of any Special General Membership Meeting or of any Special Election. The quorum for a Special General Membership meeting is 10% of the general membership. There is no quorum for a Special Election vote as long as a reasonable attempt was made to notify all general members, reasonable access for voting was given, and copies of the old and new Bylaws were made available for inspection.