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PUGET SOUND SWIMMING ASSOCIATION Updated: May 21, 2005
OBJECTIVES MEMBERSHIP OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES PROTESTS MEETINGS RECORDS VOTING AMENDMENTS
Constitution
Article I NAME
The name of this association shall be the Puget Sound Swimming association. It shall hereinafter be referred to as the “PSSA”.
Article II OBJECTIVES
A. The objectives of the association are: To promote amateur swimming in the Pacific Northwest area.
B. To encourage more persons to take an active part in competitive swimming.
C. To publicize competitive swimming and to make these activities interesting and important sports for both participants and spectators.
D. To promote superior teaching and coaching of swimming
E. To cooperate with other groups interested in promoting aquatic sports.
F. To disseminate information pertaining to the various activities of PSSA
G. To protect and promote the mutual interests of the PSSA
H. And, in general, to act as an authoritative body in the arbitration of controversies and in the final determination of all questions which any arise in swimming activities of the Association.
Article III MEMBERSHIP
A. There shall be three classes of membership in the PSSA
1. Club members are those organizations, both YMCA and non-YMCAs, within western Washington, from the Longview-Kelso area north, and within western British Columbia, which foster competitive swimming programs.
a) All YMCA’s within the prescribed area are automatically eligible for membership
b) All non-YMCAs within the prescribed area may hold membership under the following conditions:
(1) The invitation for an organization to join shall be extended by the president and/or any member of the PSSA
(2) Upon receipt by the president of written acceptance of an invitation to join the PSSA, the organization concerned may be voted upon at any scheduled meeting. Approval of membership shall be a majority vote of all members.
(3) The membership of all non YMCA’s shall be reviewed annually, but otherwise they shall have full league participation and shall adhere to all PSSA rules and regulations, and receive all rights that go with said membership.
2. Associate Members are those organizations or individuals within the territory of the PSSA who express an interest in promoting competitive swimming, such as former coaches or former parents group chairs.
a) Associate members shall be entitled to attend all meetings, participate in all discussions and receive free, all publications of the PSSA.
b) Associate Members shall have no vote.
3. Contestant Members shall be any swimmers who are affiliated with a Club Member, and who are currently registered with the League Commissioner of the PSSA. In addition, non-YMCA swimmers must have a current USA membership
a) It shall be the responsibility of each Club Member to send a complete list of its Contestant Members with ages, sex and birth dates to the Records Chairperson and League Commissioner, no later than the date of the first PSSA meet of the current season. Failure to comply will result in a fine of $10.00 payable to the PSSA.
b) Contestant Members shall be accepted without regard to color, creed, sex or national origin.
c) It shall be the responsibility of the coach to insure that each swimmer is a current member of the YMCA and/or USA Swimming, or has proof of adequate insurance coverage.
d) Membership registration for Contestant, Associate and Club Members shall be on a yearly basis from September 1 to August 31.
e) The acceptance of membership in the PSSA shall bind each member to abide by all conditions of the Constitution, By-Laws, Rules of Competition, or other regulations of PSSA.
f) Any Contestant, Associate or Club Member violating any of the provisions of the Constitution, By-Laws, Rules of Competition, or other regulations of the PSSA will be subject to suspension.
(1) If a Contestant Member is guilty of such an offense, and the offense occurs at or during a PSSA swim meet, the officials may handle the offense as they see fit. The question of suspension will then be acted upon in one of the following two ways:
(a) It will be considered at the next meeting, or
(b) At the direction of the President, the Secretary will poll all Club Members by telephone
(2) A majority vote by all PSSA Club Members will be required for suspension within 30 days; otherwise the suspension will be voided.
(3) Some violations of amateur status, as defined by USA, require immediate suspension within 30 days; otherwise the suspension will be voided
(4) A suspension may be removed by a majority mail vote at any time after the suspension.
(5) The membership of a Club Member, Associate Member or Contestant Member may be revoked only at the annual meeting. The motion for revocation must be made by a Club Member and must pass by a two-thirds majority of the Club Members present. The member concerned must then be informed in writing by the President of the action taken by the PSSA.
(6) Club Members in the PSSA shall be assessed for membership as follows: a flat fee of $15.00 for each Club Membership. This assessment shall be for one year, payable October 1st and no later than January 1st. They shall be sent a statement by the Treasurer.
Article IV OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES
A. Each officer shall be elected at the annual meeting of the PSSA and shall begin his/her term of office immediately after election at the Annual Meeting.
B. An officer shall be considered elected when he/she polls more votes than any opponents.
1. In the event of a tie vote, the President must vote to break the tie.
2. The vote shall be conducted, counted and permanently recorded by the Secretary.
3. In the event that an office becomes vacant due to any cause, the rankings of the previous vote shall prevail and the next nominee in line shall immediately ascend to the office.
C. There shall be five officers of the PSSA:
1. President: The President shall call meetings as required in Article VI, Section A, whenever he/she deems them necessary or whenever requested to do so by two or more members of the PSSA; he/she shall preside over all meetings, deciding all questions of order and offering for consideration all motions regularly made; he/she shall appoint all committees necessary; he/she shall review all assignments to committees as he/she deems necessary; he/she shall be allowed to make motions; he/she shall not be allowed a vote on any questions or motions except in case of ties, (if he/she is also the official representative of the Club Member for the purpose of voting, he/she does retain that vote); he/she shall enforce all penalties for violation of the Constitution, By-Laws, Rules of Competition, or other regulations of the PSSA; and he/she shall also perform such duties as the office may require.
2. Vice-President: The Vice-President shall perform the duties of the President in the absence of the officer. During meetings, he/she shall perform the duties of the Secretary or Treasurer, in the absence of those officers. He/she shall also order all awards for the league.
3. Secretary: The Secretary shall keep a concise summary of all proceedings; he/she shall notify absent members of their duties and assignments; he/she shall conduct all necessary correspondence. Minutes of each meeting shall be distributed to each team within 30 days after the meeting.
4. Treasurer: The Treasurer shall collect fines, collect membership assessments and be responsible for the league books.
5. League Commissioner: The League Commissioner shall explain, define and interpret any provisions of the Constitution, By-Laws, Rules of Competition, or other regulations of the PSSA upon request of a member or members; his/her decision shall be final.
Article V PROTESTS
A. All protests shall be directed in writing to the League Commissioner, with copies to the other parties concerned, and to the President and Secretary.
B. A protest must be considered by the League Commissioner immediately. His/her decision must be handed down within 30 days of the date he/she was notified of the protest.
C. Club Members violating any parts of the Constitution, By-Laws, Rules of Competition, or other regulations of the PSSA may be suspended from the PSSA for the remainder of the season, or any part of it.
Article VI MEETINGS
A. There shall be tree regular meetings per year:
1. A pre-season organizational meeting at least three weeks prior to the first PSSA meet of the year.
2. A mid-season meeting as soon after the first of January as possible.
3. The Annual Meeting, to be held at least two weeks after the last PSSA meet of the year, but before the end of May.
B. Written notice shall be mailed to all PSSA members by the Secretary at least one week in advance of all regular meetings. Written notice at least one week in advance of all other meetings is required where practical.
B. At no meeting shall there be a requirement for previous publication or notification to members of any item of business to be discussed and brought to a vote. This provision shall not prohibit the Secretary from attempting to establish an agenda for the meeting.
D. Quorums: At all PSSA meetings a quorum shall consist of one more than fifty percent of the Club Members currently belonging to the PSSA. At all committee meetings, a quorum shall consist of one more than fifty percent of the total committee membership.
D. Email and telephone votes. At any PSSA meeting the President my direct the Secretary to conduct mail or telephone votes in emergency situations where immediate action is imperative, provided that:
1. The Secretary mails or telephones a clear statement of the questions to be voted upon to each member; informs each member of the manner by which the votes are to be cast; informs each member of the name and address to which the votes are to be sent; and, informs each member of the closing day, date, and time of the vote. Mail votes shall close no later than thirty days after they are mailed to the members; telephone votes shall close no later than forty-eight hours after they are telephoned to the members.
2. The number of votes required to pass a resolution voted upon in this manner shall be a majority of all Club Members.
3. The Secretary files all votes cast and produces such votes at the future request of any member.
4. The Secretary mails the results of the vote to each member within seven days following the close of the vote. Results of the vote shall include the number of votes cast both for and against, and whether the motion passed of failed.
E. All meetings shall be conducted according to Robert’s Rules of Order with regard to all matters not otherwise provided for in the Constitution, By-Laws or Regulations of the PSSA.
F. A fine of fifty dollars ($50.00) will be assessed against any team that fails to have a representative in attendance at a PSSA League regular meeting.
Article VII RECORDS
A. Records will be accepted for swimmers in their bona fide age groups only.
B. One set of PSSA records will be recognized: 25 yard (short course) records.
C. In dual or triangular meets, records will be accepted only for the regular dual meet events. In PSSA Championship meets, records will be accepted for any events offered in the meets.
D. Records may be established only at PSSA meets, between and among PSSA teams, between the dates of September 1st and August 31st.
E. Times will be accepted for other than first place for records made at Pacific Northwest YMCA Regional Championships; i.e. if a swimmer outside the PSSA gets first place and a PSSA swimmer places with a time which is better than the current league record, his/her time will be accepted. Records will be accepted from either preliminary of final times.
F. Records made at Y-Nationals may count as PSSA records in a swimmers respective age group. If a record or event does not exist, it shall be added.
G. Records may be accepted from intra-PSSA meets not regularly scheduled if the host team notifies all PSSA members and the Secretary at least 30 days prior to the meet, and sends out complete summaries after the meet.
H. Applications must be mailed to the Records Chairperson after the meet in which the record was set. Upon verification, a certificate of accomplishment will be sent to record holder’s coach for record holder by Records Committee.
I. To be accepted as a record, the performance must be in a race started by an approved starting devise, and must be timed by at least three stopwatches or an automatic timing devise and two stopwatches.
Article VIII VOTING
A. All motions regarding additions, deletions or amendments to the Constitution, By-Laws or Rules of Competition of the PSSA shall require for passage, a majority vote of the Club Members present at the Annual Meeting of the PSSA.
B. All other motions regarding actions, decisions or procedure not provided for elsewhere in the Constitution, By-Laws or Rules of Competition shall require for passage a majority vote of all Club Members present at any official PSSA meeting.
Article IX AMENDMENTS
A. No amendment may be made to the Constitution, By-Laws or Rules of Competition except at an Annual Meeting
B. All amendments to the Constitution, By-Laws or Rules of Competition shall go into effect the first day immediately following their adoption.
C. In the event that two regulations shall be found to be contradictory, the one having the latest date of adoption shall be effective. All such cases shall be reported immediately o the Secretary.
D. Proposed amendments must be submitted in writing to the chair by a member in good standing by April 1st. These amendments will be included in the agenda for voting at the May meeting.
Revised May 21, 2005