NCSL BOD OF DIRECTORS MEETING   NOVEMBER 17,2003

 

The meeting was called to order at 7:30PM.

 

Roll call shows a quorum.  Clubs not present: Baltimore Bays, Calverton, Reston, Severna Park, St. Mary’s, Takoma Park. Virginia Blackwatch, Vista, and Vienna.

 

Ray Greenberg-R&D-This was a good season with very few problems.  We only had 2 terminated games, one allegedly for an injury; in the past the average number of terminated games per season is 8-10.  We received 10 protest of which 6 were granted.  Two of the protests involved family members stepping up to perform center or assistant referee duties without notifying their opponent, both of these protests were granted.

Even though referees are required to show cards to coaches, we continue to have coaches who are ejected from the match without being shown a card.  Some of these coaches are making the incorrect assumption that if they were not shown the red card then they don’t have to serve the automatic one game suspension.  Not every referee knows that he must show a card if ejecting a coach.  If you are asked to leave the field, that is the equivalent of a red card shown.

Dennis Quicker is stepping down as the R&D database manager.  Dennis has done an outstanding job over the past 3 years.  We posted a notice on the web site seeking a new database manager and received over 40 interested individuals in the 2 days that the notice was on the web site.  A new database manager will be announced shortly.

 

Mike Basileo-Md. Registrar-Please get changes to the registrars early.  High school age teams that have not done a roster need to get those in early.

 

Kathleen Sessions-Administrator- Awards have been ordered, some have gotten theirs, others are on their way.  Spring entry materials are here for you, remember that it is all done electronically now.

 

Jim Bonfils-VYSA Boys NV Travel Commissioner-Travel leagues came together in Richmond to talk about things of interest.  No decisions were made but there was a lot of good discussion.  We broke into 3 groups: training, state and regional leagues, sub-regional leagues, and what VYSA can do to help travel.  Need more timely coach training.  Looked at sub-regional league and concluded that while No. VA may not need this type of league, other areas of the state do.  Good to get the group of leaders together, would probably do it in a half day next time.

 

Jeff Skigen-President- There is a region 1 Directors league which is by invitation and application that covers from Maine to Virginia.  There are now sub-regional leagues.  Virginia’s will be held in the fall.  Right now it is under the umbrella of WAGS for boys and girls but discussions with them are being scheduled.  There are issues with the Y leagues, super Y league, and lots of questions.

 

John Ellis-Consultant on Player Development- This is the time of year to start planning your important training for coaches.  You need to decide now if your club will have courses for soccer development, you need about a 3 month lead time.  He will be glad to help you plan one if you contact him.  If you can, it really does help the players.

 

Jeff Skigen-President’s report-  Several years ago we had trouble getting a quorum for the mid-season meeting and switched it to January.  For future meetings, any member may send a proxy, but that proxy must be in writing.  Send a copy or e-mail to Kathleen at the office but also bring a copy with you.

 

One of the issues last spring was the NCSL being more proactive to the needs of our community.  Re-scheduling was an example.  All re-scheduling was done in the confines of our rules.  On occasion, there was discomfort with that for different reasons.  In the Spring, Kathleen will continue to do what she has been doing, when that does not work, the team should go to their club rep.  If the club rep believes this is a reasonable request, we ask you to take that to Kathleen.  If Kathleen does not have the flexibility to deal with it, it will go to the Commissioners.  The Commissioners are the advocates for the teams and players.  Commissioners are empowered to change the decision.  If you are still unhappy, go to the President or Vice-President.  We will try to do things in a friendlier fashion, the problem is that what works for one team, often does not work for the other team.  And sometimes, the answer is no.  When we talk about re-scheduling later in the season, we will have a problem getting all the games played.  Is it better to play 3 games in 2 days, or use our rain dates early and take the chance that the game will not be played?  Couple of clarifications, you should all know that you may have 2 teams per age group.  Once you have 2 teams, you are done unless an existing team transfers to your club.  We currently have a club that has 2 teams in the league, and a team with the first slot on the waiting list, which they cannot use.  They would have to transfer one of the existing teams.  You cannot transfer a waiting list team.  The wait list slot belongs to the club, not the team.  For the U9 and U10 age group the rules as they are written limits clubs to 2 teams per age group.  Cannot transfer another team in if you already have 2 in the age group.  In the Spring of the U10 season, you may transfer a team.

 

At the last meeting, we talked a lot about structure.  The officers and commissioners met and decided to give the 5 teams dropped each season some time to work and see what happens to the wait list.  Consensus was that to increase the # of divisions is not what we are about, a more competitive way of travel soccer.  If you have good players on a 6^th division team, you need to get them on a higher level division team in order to develop their potential.

 

It is clear that we are missing the boat by not using advertising on the web site.  Steve Heinreck did a very thorough report.  Without objection, I would like to have the officers and committee look into this.  There would be no distribution of e-mail lists, etc. and we would not consider unrelated advertisers.  Any volunteers that would like to be involved, please see Jeff after the meeting.  The gain must be monetary or advantageous to our teams.

 

 

 

New Business- We have applications from 2 clubs that would like to join the NCSL. 

Motion:  To accept Premier AC as a member club.

Motion made by Potomac.

Seconded by SWYA.

Motion defeated.

 

Motion: to accept Sports Youth America as a member club.

Motion made by Team America.

Seconded by Fort Washington.

Motion is defeated.

 

Announcements- Dennis Sebastian has invited over 200 college coaches to come and look at teams in this area in a mini-tournament format.  December 6 is the date for the girls, December 7 for the boys.  He wants to get 10 teams of U17 teams or older for each day.  If interested,, he can be reached by phone at 301-8434-5730, no calls after 8PM, or by e-mail at dens1975@cs.com.

 

Maryland’s annual workshop will be held in January,  Watch web site for details.

 

Old business:

Motion: To add an additional division at the U11, U12, and U13 age levels to reduce the wait list effective Spring ’04.

Motion made by CSA.

Seconded by Sterling.

Question put to John Ellis about adding divisions-You  only get better if play with good players.  You have to decide what a travel league is.  Some people are playing only for social reasons.  You have to consider the effect you have on the players when you increase the league.

Motion is defeated.

 

Meeting is adjourned at 9:35PM.