The purpose of the ARCSA, a nonprofit organization, is to promote and grow adult recreational and competitive soccer programs in the central Arkansas area. All monies collected by the ARCSA will be used to fulfill the purpose previously stated. All positions in this organization are volunteer positions; there are no salaried positions.

All players, coaches, and captains aged 18 years and over and who are registered with the Arkansas State Soccer Association (ASSA) are eligible for membership in the ARCSA. Only after receiving a waiver from the Board of Directors may a person or player who is under the age of 18 be permitted to play in an officially-sanctioned ARCSA game.

The ARCSA shall be governed by a Board of Directors, which consists of the Executive Board and At-Large Board members. The following Executive Officers who will be elected for two (2) year terms in even-numbered years (i.e. 2008, 2010, 2012, etc.) at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in April of that year: President, Secretary, and Registrar. The following Executive Officers who will be elected for two (2) year terms in odd-numbered years (i.e. 2011, 2013, 2015, etc) at the AGM in April of that year: Vice President and Treasurer. These five officers will constitute the Executive Board.

In addition, six (6) At-Large Board members shall be elected to assist the Executive Board and represent the interests of all ARCSA members. The At-Large Board members will be elected on a three-year rotational basis. At-Large Board positions A1 and A2 will be elected the following years: 2008, 2011, 2014, etc. At-Large Board positions B1 and B2 will be elected the following years: 2006, 2009, 2012, etc. At-Large Board positions C1 and C2 will be elected the following years: 2007, 2010, 2013, etc.

Any member of the Board of Directors shall be removed, for good cause shown, upon a 2/3 majority vote of the entire Board of Directors. A vote of this kind shall be done at a closed-door meeting, with the member in question having been given two (2) weeks prior notice as well as a comprehensive list of all grievances on which his or her removal is predicated. At this meeting, and before a vote of any kind, if the member in question requests it, a hearing will be conducted, chaired by the President, or, if the President is the subject of the proposed removal, then the Vice-President, pursuant to the procedures mandated at that time by the President (or Vice-President if the President is the subject of the removal motion). The vote will occur after the hearing, if one is held, and proxy votes or absentee votes shall not be allowed.

Section 1 President

The President is the sole spokesperson for the ARCSA, unless he or she delegates otherwise, and is responsible for guiding the ARCSA in all matters. He or she is also considered the Chief Executive Officer for any purpose. The President is elected by a majority of then-sitting members of the Board of Directors who are in good standing and who are present at the AGM, unless a proxy vote is allowed for good cause shown and with the majority consent of the Board of Directors. For all purposes, to be applied to these Bylaws, a member of the Board of Directors is no longer in good standing if he or she misses three (3) consecutive, or four (4) out of five (5) consecutive regularly scheduled Board meetings. Only a then-sitting member of the Executive Board may be nominated, and voted on, for President The president has the following specific duties:

1. Maintenance of good ties with the Arkansas State Soccer Association, the Parks and Recreation Department from whom fields are rented, if any, and the Referee Association used by the ARCSA. This includes, but is not limited to, setting up and attending meetings necessary to the functioning of the ARCSA.
2. Entering into financial agreements on behalf of the ARCSA. This power is limited to those agreements directly related to the running of the ARCSA. Lines of credit are strictly prohibited and may not be entered into without the express permission of the full board as decided by majority vote. Examples of permissible agreements include field rental contracts and tournament agreements.
3. Oversight of day to day operations of the ARCSA. This includes, but is not limited to, regular communication with the other Board members to insure timely operation of the leagues.
4. Acting as a point of contact for new players, helping them get the information necessary for their entry into one of the leagues. This duty can be delegated to another Board member.
5. Performance of whatever legal duties deemed necessary to fulfill the mission of the ARCSA. This includes monitoring the performance of the other Board members and offering solutions (whether direct aid or suggestions) to problems faced in the execution of their duties.
6. The President is the guide for the ARCSA, and may facilitate this process by creating standing or temporary committees to address specific issues important to the operation of the leagues or the ARCSA. The president shall appoint Board members or other ARCSA team captains or players to those committees.
7. The President, acting as chair, shall call to order one Board of Directors meeting approximately once per month. The meetings shall follow Roberts Rules of Order.
8. The President may not serve more than two consecutive terms. The President may not serve as team captain while in office.

Section 2 Vice-President

The Vice-President is charged with assisting the President with day-to-day operations of the association and operates as his or her eyes and ears regarding league matters. He or she is also considered the Chief Operating Officer for any purpose. The Vice- President is elected by a majority of then-sitting members of the Board of Directors who are in good standing and who are present at the AGM, unless a proxy vote is allowed for good cause shown and with the majority consent of the Board of Directors. Only a then- sitting member of the Board of Directors may be nominated, and voted on, for Vice-President.

The vice-president has the following specific duties:

1. The Vice-President may stand in for the President if the President is unable to attend a meeting, and may sign contractual agreements on behalf of the Association with the express permission of the President
2. The vice-president shall call to order meetings when the president cannot be present.
3. The Vice-President shall be the main contact between ARCSA and the organization from which the league is renting fields. He or she will coordinate the procurement of said fields for league play.
4. The Vice-President shall assist the President with suggestions for individuals to chair and make up the committees listed in Article VI.
5. The Vice-President may not serve more than two consecutive terms. The Vice-President shall not be a team captain.
6. The Vice-President, acting as chair, shall call to order the Judicial and Disciplinary Committee as stated in the Judicial Operations Manual when the need arises.
7. The Vice-President will make the decision (with direction, if available, from President or Burns Park officials) on any weather- related situations affecting league play. The Vice-President, with the help of members of the Board of Directors, if asked, will also make the proper arrangements (i.e. email, website updates, phone calls) to make sure all team captains know of any cancellations.
8. The Vice-President, with the President, will review the proposed schedule prior to the start of any soccer season and approve or disapprove it.

Section 3 Treasurer

It is recommended that the Treasurer possess knowledge in banking processes and maintain a current accounting of the ARCSAs debits and credits which shall be presented at each ARCSA meeting. The Treasurer shall disburse and deposit funds to and from any ARCSA accounts in accordance with the directions provided by the Executive Board on a case-by-case basis. Disbursements larger than $200.00 automatically require the approval of a majority of the Executive Board. He or she is also considered the Chief Financial Officer for any purpose. The Treasurer is elected by a majority of then-sitting members of the Board of Directors who are in good standing and who are present at the AGM, unless a proxy vote is allowed for good cause shown and with the majority consent of the Board of Directors. Any of ARCSAs membership is eligible to be nominated, and voted on, for Treasurer, although it is recommended and highly preferable that the Treasurer first have served in some capacity on ARCSAs Board of Directors, given that the treasurer essentially holds the associations purse-strings.

Section 4 Secretary

The Secretary shall keep accurate notes of each meeting and read the minutes from the previous meeting at the beginning of each minute. This requirement can be waived by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. The Secretary shall post the minutes on the league website no longer than two weeks after each ARCSA meeting. The Secretary is elected by a majority of then-sitting members of the Board of Directors who are in good standing and who are present at the AGM, unless a proxy vote is allowed for good cause shown and with the majority consent of the Board of Directors. Any of ARCSAs membership is eligible to be nominated, and voted on, for Secretary.

Section 5 Registrar

The Registrar is responsible for the ensuring team captains complete the proper registration of members with the ARCSA and the Arkansas State Soccer Association. The Registrar will provide team captains with assistance in completing this process. The Registrar also is charged with suggesting any proposed changes in the registration process that he or she believes will assist in its efficient operation. The Registrar is elected by a majority of then-sitting members of the Board of Directors who are in good standing and who are present at the AGM, unless a proxy vote is allowed for good cause shown and with the majority consent of the Board of Directors. Any of ARCSAs membership is eligible to be nominated, and voted on, for Registrar, although it is recommended and highly preferable that the Registrar first have served in some capacity on ARCSAs Board of Directors. Further, it is advisable that the Registrar have some computer knowledge.

Section 6 At-large Board Member

The At-Large Board members will represent the broad interests of the ARCSA membership. These Board members shall attend each meeting to assist the other officers in all decision-making processes of the organization. Any of ARCSAs membership is eligible to be nominated for, and voted on, any of the At-Large Board positions. Further, these positions are to be filled by a person earning a majority vote of the ARCSA members attending the AGM. Proxy votes from any person shall not be allowed for this purpose.

Committees can be and are created and dissolved at the sole discretion of the President, with the exception of the Judicial and Disciplinary Committee and the Registration Committee, which exist under construction of these Bylaws and are self-evident.

Section 1 Judicial and Disciplinary Committee

The Judicial and Disciplinary Committee shall be Chaired at all times by the Vice-President. In the event that the Vice-President feels, for whatever reason, that he or she should recuse for a period of time or for a specific purpose, the Vice-President shall appoint a member of the Board of Directors to Chair the Committee. The Vice-President would assume the Chair when the reason for recusal has passed. At no time will the President ever serve on this Committee for any reason. This Committee shall be comprised of at least two members of the Board of Directors, appointed by the President. Additional positions on this Committee can be added as necessary, or subtracted as necessary, as long as there is a Chair and two members of the Board of Directors serving on the Committee at all times. Members of the general ARCSA population can be appointed by the President to fill out positions on this Committee. While all appointments are by the President, it is highly advisable that the suggestions of the Vice-President as to appointments be considered. This Committee will meet in the manner decided by, and at the discretion of, the Chair.

Section 2 Registration Committee

The Registration Committee shall be Chaired at all times by the Registrar. This Committee shall be comprised of the Treasurer and at least one members of the Board of Director, appointed by the President. Additional positions on this Committee can be added as necessary, or subtracted as necessary, as long as there is a Chair, the Treasurer, and one member of the Board of Directors serving on the Committee at all times. While all appointments are by the President, it is highly advisable that the suggestions of the Registrar as to appointments be considered. This Committee will meet in the manner decided by, and at the discretion of, the Chair.

The ARCSA shall use referees which will enable the ARCSA to maintain a good working relationship with the local referee association and the referee associations membership. Referees overseeing ARCSA member games shall use FIFA-approved rules to govern such games while allowing for any modifications approved by the ARCSA Executive Board. Any approved modifications must be communicated to the participating referees before the start of each season.

Article VIII Amendments These bylaws may be amended at any regularly scheduled meeting of the Full Board by a two-thirds vote. All amendments must be submitted in writing (email is acceptable) to the Full Board no less than one calendar week prior to the scheduled meeting at which the amendment will be introduced.

Amendment 1 (passed at the January 19, 2010 Board meeting)

"The terms of service for the offices of Vice President and Treasurer scheduled to end in April of 2010 shall be extended for a period of one (1) year and shall end instead in April of 2011, with two (2) year terms of service as defined in Article IV occurring thereafter."

Article IV. Officers

The ARCSA shall be governed by a Board of Directors, which consists of the Executive Board and At-Large Board members. The following Executive Officers who will be elected for two (2) year terms in even-numbered years (i.e. 2008, 2010, 2012, etc.) at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in April of that year: President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Registrar. The following Executive Officers who will be elected for two (2) year terms in odd-numbered years (i.e. 2011, 2013, 2015, etc) at the AGM in April of that year: Vice President and Treasurer. These five officers will constitute the Executive Board.

Amendment 2 (passed by electronic vote after the August 2017 Board meeting)

"Only after receiving a waiver from the Board of Directors may a person or player who is under the age of 17 be permitted to play in an officially-sanctioned ARCSA game."

Article III. Membership

All players, coaches, and captains aged 17 years and over and who are registered with the Arkansas State Soccer Association (ASSA) are eligible for membership in the ARCSA. Under no circumstances will a person or player who is under the age of 17 be permitted to play in an officially-sanctioned ARCSA game. Only after receiving a waiver from the Board of Directors may a person or player who is under the age of 17 be permitted to play in an officially-sanctioned ARCSA game.

Last modified August 17, 2017