Board of Directors Minutes

Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Association

Board of Directors Minutes
11/4/02

Present: President Rick Tompkins; Secretary Kathy Helm; VP Frank Olszewski; VP Travel Tom Dougherty; VP Intramural Bill Blaise; Treasurer Ned Levi; Registrar Donna Outt; Cindy Field (SYRA); Frank Giancroce (SRA); Sue Hackett (District 1); Vince deBerardis (District 2); Jim Tragone (District 4); Greg Lebo (District 5): Wim Roset (District 6); Joe Marsden/Mark Yocum (District 7); Dave Edgecombe (District 8); Ron Mull/Russell Davis (District 9); Marty O’Donnell (District 15); Bill Carmalt (District 16); Kim Difiore (District 17); Greg Wilson, Executive Director; Guests: Eamon McWilliams, Bill Deitrich, Kim Fairwater

Absent: Districts 3, 10, 11, 13, 14,

Call to order: President Rick Tompkins called the meeting to order at 7:05PM.

Minutes/Secretary - The minutes for the August, 2002 meeting were read. Motion by Marty O’Donnell Second by Wim Roset Motion passed.

Kathy reported on the Boy’s and Girl’s ODP meeting that she attended at the regional meeting in Pittsburgh.

President Report Rick discussed the following:

At the President’s meeting in Pittsburgh the discussion on setting up a legal defense fund in order to pursue grievances against other organizations, which came out of the meeting in Dallas.
Tony Diccio attended the regional meeting to discuss setting up a Women’s A league. He would like to have a partnership with Region I and WUSA. There are 4 out of 8 WUSA teams in Region I. The Northeast Women’s Soccer was set up in Region I to promote Women’s soccer prior to World Cup. Everyone in region I except PA West is a member. The money earned through promotional games is in a corporate account at this time. The discussion is in the preliminary stages to use this to set up a feeder league for the WUSA teams.
All the State Associations presidents from Region I had a round table discussion on small sided games. Rick took a survey on what other states in the region are doing with the small-sided issue. He will get that information out to the membership.
Executive Committee met in Pittsburgh and discussed small-sided games and how can we educate our membership.
Office staff – New receptionist is Patricia Hoffman.
Computers – Ned presented an upgrade proposal for our office staff systems.
Registration –our attorney reviewed contract and presented it back to Demosphere. The first monies have been allocated. Conference call is pending.
Risk Management – Chris Cook is our new risk management coordinator. New address to send forms is: PO BOX 476, Mechanicsburg PA 17055

ODP – New logo has come out for USYS ODP. Open tryouts will be finished for all age groups by 11/10. Preliminary list are being sent out.
Indoor state cup – application is on web site and in the touchline. Deadline for application is 11/30. Need volunteers to work at the indoor cups with registration. Recommendation came from the Committee to have touchline rules for all facilities whether they have boards or not. Motion to have all indoor cup games with touchline rules was made by Frank Olszewski. Seconded by Ned Levi. Motion passed. There will be a night at the Kixx for all the A-level winners.
Outdoor Cup – application is on web site and touchline. 1/17 is deadline for spring cup.
League select festival – 4/5 & 6 will be held at York.
Mike Freed is getting paperwork together for our financial audit.
Arbitration – Volcanoes –District 1/United Junior had a coach that went after the referee. The club fined him $300 and probation for 1 year. District 1 and United Junior acted very quickly on this matter. Great job.
Varsity Club hosted a Top Soccer event on 10/26.
State office – foreclosure is taking place on our building. Discussion on buying building in conjunction with US Amateur, Amateur Assoc of PA and EPYSA. Richard Groff is investigating this issue.
Web Site – Rick discussed articles on web site

Small-sided game resources
Announcement of current events
Region I information
Cup dates
Sponsorship and banners
Coaching licensed updates
District map

Executive VP

Frank asked for the feedback on 5-year plan from membership. If you get any more feedback from your clubs/leagues please get that information to Frank.
Frank attended the referee meeting at our regional meeting in October. The discussion was on ODP, Regional directors league and Regional cup referee coverage.

VP Travel

Tom reported on the Top Soccer meeting at the regional meeting. They would like to expand program for autistic children.

VP Intramural

Bill attending the Soccer Start meeting. The discussion was on starting Soccer Start programs through the after school programs in the schools. If you know of any areas that are financially challenged please notify Bill.
Discussion on the definition of Rec at each state association is different. So discussion followed on developing a definition. The group came up with the following definition: A non state player pass player
They would like to get a Region I summit together.

Registrar

Donna attended the registration meeting at the regional meeting. They discussed the survey that was taken by each state association.
The topic of players playing across state association was discussed.

Treasurer

Ned attended referee and Soccer Start meeting in Pittsburgh. He reported that they would be extending the regional competition by a day.
The treasurer year-end report will be email to before December meeting.
Ned reviewed our cash flow and investments.

District Reports-

1- No report

2- Vince reported that only one club out of his district responded to 5-year plan.

3- Bill Blaise stated that Norris Hills is not a club anymore

4- No report

5- No report

6- Wim reported that permission to travel forms are being return in a timely fashion. John Kukitz, Allentown Boys and Girls club, trying to get program establish since it is a low-income area needs help with start up operating costs. Rick will touch base with office and try to get some information.

7- Joe asked is paperwork for Suburban County Soccer League is correct. Donna reviewed with Joe want needed to be done. Joe stated that the 5-year plan is overwhelming to some people and feels that it is an administrative burden for some clubs. We need to help clubs/leagues with burden.

8- No report

9- Ron reported on 11/3 Redland with host a high school showcase with 20 teams. 30 college coaches have responded to attend.

10- Absent

11- Absent

13- Absent

14- Absent

15- Marty reported that they would have select tryouts. Junior program has started. The 5-year plan discussion was very vocal.

16- No report

17- Absent

SYRA

§ Cindy reported that tomorrow,11/5, is the all female clinic with 35 attendees.

§ On 12/21 there will be a clinic given by Brian Hall at the Embassy Suite,Phila from 9-1.

§ There was a hearing on a referee that was out of line.

§ Introduced Frank Giancroce, Region I director of referees.

§ EPSA runs the referee association

SRA

Frank Giancroce presented a discussion on referee issues especially with PAGS and Delco. PAGS and Delco are having problems with referee issues. Rick said this is an issue only with these two leagues that other memberships are not having the same issues. Some of Frank’s suggestion/concerns:

Coaches were given referee list, which is against policy
Recommended that for younger age groups use l man system
2475 registered referees in EPSA
Referees have been told not to take assignments by coaches. Only from certified assignors
From January 1 to August there were 27 referee courses. There are 35-27 new referees

Mark Yocum, Reading, shared with the membership that there are 210 referees in Reading. 155 are used weekly. PAGS area schedule is not clear for assigning. He feels that communication is not good from PAGS and Delco and does not want to associate with those leagues. Other membership agreed that communication is not good within those leagues.

Vince asked if they can lower the number of attendees at the classes from 15. Frank and Rick stated that National will not agree to this. It was asked and turned down before.

Jim Tragone asked why assignors have difficulty covering games when there are referee in their area that are not being called. Rick stated that it is a league problem since they employ the assignor.

Joe Marsden asked when does EPYSA step in to control PAGS and Delco. Rick stated that Monica is trying to get some control of referee and game situations. Joe asked Vince to take it back to Delco that the membership is upset with communication.

Old Business

On 10/17 & 18 Donna, Dave, Carol and Greg met with demosphere. They have now received specs. They will have a conference call with demosphere to go over corrections on specs.

List of clubs that did not pay fees, as of 11/4 they will be sent notices on fine. We will send copy to district commissioners so you will be updated.

The following leagues/clubs will be fined:

District 1 – Chestnut Hill Fathers Club, Holy Terrors SA, Lawncrest AA, Parkwood YO

District 2 – Delco Soccer League

District 3 – Audubon SA, Towamencin YA

District 4 – All Submitted

District 5 – All Submitted

District 6 – Emmaus YSA, Jim Thorpe Rotary

District 7 – All Submitted

District 8 – Lititz YSC

District 9 – All Submitted

District 10 – Mountain View Soccer, North Pocono YSL, Tri-Boro YS

District 11- All Submitted

District 13 – All Submitted

District 14- Brandywine Booters, Glenmoore Eagle YA, Pheonixville Area SC

District 15 – All Submitted

District 16 – All Submitted

District 17 – Red Lion/Dallastown

Jardel Jaguars did not have constitution and bylaws so membership is pending on receiving this information.

Ron Mull discussed motion that was passed n CASA tournament date that was turned down. Russell Davis from CASA gave the membership a history of the tournament and asked if we could reconsider. Motion to revisit the CASA decision was made by Ron Mull. Seconded by Tom Dougherty Discussion followed.

Motion to table until next month was made by Bob McDade. Seconded by Jim Tragone.

2 opposed Motion passed.

IGSL was fined for entering a club roster into the league select festival. IGSL appealed the decision. Eamon McWilliams, President IGSL, Bill Dietrich, VP, and Kim Fairwether presented their case to the membership. They do not feel that it is stated clearly in any of the rules and they would like the fine revoked. Motion to waive the fine for lack of documentation as stated was made by Marty O’Donnell. Seconded by Sue Hackett

10 no 6 yes. Motion defeated

Motion to amend fine to $200 (bond) was made by Wim Roset. Seconded by Jim Tragone Motion passed.

Eamon asked to have select festival redefined.

Last month Wim Roset reported that “NSCAA.com has a great tournament topic written by Dr. Jay Miller” should be Dr. Jay Martin.

New Business

Greg Wilson, Executive Director, asked for an amendment to the budge to add an office staff. Motion to approve $41,000 with benefits for new staff was made by Dave Edgecombe. Seconded by Wim Roset Motion passed

Good of the Game

No arbitration meeting since September. Kudos to the leagues!

Wim Roset would like an updated list for district commissioners.

Please keep Sam Burns, Delaware ODP Boys Administrator, in your thoughts and prayers his son passed away this week.

Mark Yocum shared with the membership that Joe Marsden was awarded person of the week in Reading. Congratulations Joe.

Meeting adjourned at 9:10pm

Respectfully submitted,

Kathy Helm

Board Secretary