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TRITON YOUTH BASKETBALL, INC.

Bylaws

  1. MISSION STATEMENT

TRITON YOUTH BASKETBALL, Inc. (also referred to as TYB) is an all-volunteer, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization designed to promote and develop basketball programs for boys' and girls' in the third through eighth grades that live in the towns of Newbury, Massachusetts (including Byfield), Rowley, Massachusetts and Salisbury, Massachusetts or that attend a school within the Triton Regional School District (including private and charter schools located within the towns served by the Triton Regional School District). The development of boys' and girls' basketball will focus on providing the players with the fundamental understanding and enjoyment of basketball. Participation and sportsmanship will be stressed at all levels, with a primary concern for developing basic individual skills and general team concepts.

  1. ORGANIZATION

Officers. TYB shall be managed by four elected officers: President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary. These shall each be elected by the Board of Directors for terms equal to the shorter of three years or such remaining time as the officer has a child participating in the TYB program. Officers can be re-elected for subsequent terms and may resign at any time.

Program Directors. Separate coordinators shall also be appointed by the President from among the members of the Board of Directors to serve as: Boys Travel Director, Girls Travel Director, Upper TYBA Director (Grades 5-8) and Lower TYBA Director (Grades 3-4). The same person may serve as an officer and Program Director.

Board of Directors. Policy decisions on behalf of TYB shall be made by a Board of Directors. The Board shall consist of the officers plus up to an additional 13 members (or such greater number as may be approved by a majority of the Board of Directors). In addition, standing Board positions shall be offered to the current Athletic Director and the Head Coaches of the Boys and Girls Varsity Basketball Teams at Triton Regional High School. All members of the Board are voting positions. Elected Board members shall serve so long as they remain active participants in TYB activities with elections being held to fill any vacant positions. Though there are no set qualifications to be a Director of TYB, it is expected that any candidate shall have demonstrated a previous tangible commitment to the program. Board candidates do not have to be coaches.

  1. DUTIES OF ELECTED OFFICERS AND PROGRAM DIRECTORS

A.       President

  • The President serves as overseer of all TYB operations, functions and activities.
  • Approves the basketball calendar.
  • Appoints a board member to take minutes if Secretary is absent.
  • Investigates complaints and discipline concerns for both TYBA Leagues (formerly the rec league) and Travel Leagues together with the applicable Program Director.
  • Schedules all board meetings and coaches' meetings.
 

B.      Vice President

  • Performs all of the above with the President and fills in for President if absent for any reason.
  • Responsible for the progam development across all basketball operations: will work to ensure that proper skills are being taught and that coaches are working to develop players at appropriate levels.

C.      Treasurer

  • Responsible for TYB finances including payment of all approved expenditures and accounting of income from program registrations, tournaments, sponsors and other sources.
  • Shall present updated financials no less than quarterly for approval by the executive officers.
  • Responsible for payment of all TYB expenses, including all travel leagues, referee fees and facility rentals.
  • Issues a financial statement report at all board meetings.
  • Responsible for annual tax filings and non-profit filings.

D.      Secretary

  • Takes minutes at board meetings.
  • Assists with the coordination of registrations and tryouts.

E.      Travel Directors

  • Serve as primary liason with the appropriate league.
  • Organize tryouts for travel teams and ensure that teams are fairly selected.
  • Serve as primary overseer of all coaches and players with the travel program, including discipline.

F.       Upper and Lower TYBA Directors

  • Ensure that all teams are fairly determined in accordance with the guidance set forth herein or as otherwise established by the Board of Directors.
  • Serve as primary overseer of all coaches and players with the TYBA program.
  • Coordinate all activities within the TYBA program. The Lower TYBA coordinator shall also be responsible for setting the game schedule.

IV.       MEETINGS OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS

  • Meetings may be called by the President or any four (4) members of the Board of Directors.
  • There must be a minimum of fifty percent (50%) of the board members present before an issue can be voted upon (subject to such specific higher voting requirements as set forth herein). Issues requiring a vote without the minimum numbers of members present must be tabled until the next meeting. Board members must attend 75% of the meetings in each twelve month period in order to stay on the Board. If you cannot make a meeting, please contact the President by email or phone.
  • With the permission of the Board, the first 15 minutes of any Board meeting may be open to the public for any parents or other interested parties to bring concerns before the Board.
 

V.      TERMS OF BOARD MEMBERSHIP

  • New members of the TYB Board are elected by a majority of the current members and may remain as members for as long as they participate actively in the work of TYB.
  • Any officer or Board member can be removed at any time by a majority vote of the full Board.
  • Any member demonstrating consistent reluctance to participate and contribute to designated board activities will be contacted by the President to discuss the member's intention of remaining active.
  • All members of the TYB Board are responsible for assigned activities. It is expected that members of the TYB Board assist in the maintenance of a presence at Triton High School during all TYB activities.
  • All members must be "active members" by attending scheduled meetings on time as well as to participate in our fundraisers and TYBA programs.

VI.      ELECTION OF NEW MEMBERS

  • A vacancy on the Board will be filled as soon as possible.
  • Candidates for the vacant positions must commit to and support our youth basketball efforts as a whole, rather than simply a narrow segment of our program.
  • Nominations of prospective members may be placed before the Board by any member considered in active standing. Nominated persons must meet with the officers in advance of election such that the officers can make recommendations to the Board.

VII. PLAYER PARTICIPATION IN THE TRAVEL AND TYBA LEAGUES

The Travel Teams are for players who want to play basketball against a higher level of competition than TYBA. These players must possess individual and team basketball skills that will allow them to compete at a travel level. Players must try out and be selected for a Travel Team. All interested players (including players on a Travel Team) may participate in the TYBA, and players from outside of Rowley, Salisbury and Newbury may participate in the TYBA with the consent of the President and the Upper TYBA Director or Lower TYBA Director, as applicable.

TYBA Team Selection

  • Lower TYBA Teams will be created following an evaluation session using criteria sufficient to ensure balanced teams by both grade level and town. We recognize that a "draft" may not always be the best way to ensure fair teams.
  • Upper TYBA Teams will be created by the Upper TYBA Director using input from the coaches and must be approved by the President and the appropriate Travel Director (by gender) prior to finalization. The goal of the team selection is to create fairly-balanced teams while matching players with appropriate coaches who can best develop their ability.
  • TYBA Teams will be required to have relatively balanced playing time for all players (e.g. all players must play at least 40% of the game).
 

Travel Team Selection

  • Travel team tryouts are open to all players who have paid their registration fee and are in grades 5 through 8. Each year, an assesment will be made by the TYBA Lower Director, the applicable Travel Director (by gender) and the President as to whether the talent level would also support a 4th grade travel team in either gender.
  • Only players eligible to compete under the applicable travel league's guidelines may try out.
  • Travel teams must have a minimum of ten players. If tryouts are needed, they will be held. A minimum of three (3) evaluators (including the team coach) must evaluate the candidates for each travel team at the initial evaluation. Recognizing that a team is more than the sum of its parts, the evaluators are encouraged to work collaboratively to determine the best squad, and should take into account complementary skills sets of players (and not simply select the most skilled players without regard to the team needs as a whole).
  • The current Travel Director (by gender) will set the format and choose the evaluators for each session.
  • TYB tryouts for the travel teams will be a closed door session unless circumstances warrant otherwise.
  • Travel Tryouts are held during late October/early November. There might be only one tryout sessions for each team, with additional tryouts only added at the coach's discretion (subject to gym availability). All players must try out in  order to be considered for a position on a travel team.
  • In order to be fair to the participants, and to ensure proper team placement, an evaluator may consider actual personal knowledge of the player's current ability level beyond the performance at the tryout so long as the overall selection process is not compromised by such knowledge.
  • Any player injured during or before the tryouts will be evaluated on his/her previous experience if that player is expected to be able to return before mid-season. If this player is considered capable of playing travel basketball and deserving of a place on the team, they will be added to the already-chosen roster of players.

VIII. COACH SELECTION

  • Candidates may be male or female. They must be at least 18 years of age and do not have to be the parent of a player on the team. The candidates should have basic knowledge of the game and possess good administration and management skills and follow the rules set forth by the Officers and the TYB Board. Officers and members of the TYB Board shall not be given any special consideration to fill any coaching position.
  • Coaches of Travel Teams must have an advanced understanding of the game of basketball and have demonstrated an ability to teach it to his/her players. The son/daughter of the Travel Team coach must have sufficient skills to compete at a Travel Team level. If the appropriate Travel Director feels that the coach's child was not one of the ten most qualified players for the team, then the coach shall be required to carry at least eleven players on his/her roster.
  • Coaches are selected by the applicable director (Boys Travel, Girls Travel, Upper TYBA, and Lower TYBA) with the consent of the President. Coaches are approved for the current season only and must be approved each year. Both thePresident and the Board (by majority vote of the entire Board) have the authority to terminate and replace coaches who exhibit inappropriate behaviors as determined by the President/Board, as applicable.
  • Perspective coaches will be required to fill out paperwork for a Cori Check before coaching.
  • All coaches are required to abide by the applicable travel league requirements regarding playing time. Further, though every player is guaranteed playing time, this does not mean equal playing time. The only acceptable reason for a player not playing in a game is injury or disciplinary action.

IX.      PLAYER PROTECTION POLICY

TYB is committed to providing a safe environment for its players, and to prevent abusive conduct in any form. We have a responsibility to protect our players and ensure their safety and well being while they are involved in TYB-sponsored activities.

To this end, we have established the following guidelines of behavior and procedures for all people involved with TYB, including coaches, players, parents, spectators, volunteers and other invitees — all of whom are expected to observe and adhere to these guidelines.

1.    Abuse of any kind is not permitted. This means we do not tolerate physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse or misconduct from our players, coaches, officials, volunteers, parents or spectators.

  • Physical and sexual abuse, includes, but is not limited to, striking, hitting, kicking, biting, indecent or wanton gesturing, lewd remarks and indecent exposure. Unwanted physical and sexual contact is strictly prohibited within our organization.
  • Emotional abuse or verbal abuse is also prohibited. These include, but are not limited to, such forms of abuse as: insulting, threatening, mocking, demeaning behavior, or making abusive statements in regard to a person's race, gender, religion, nationality/ethnicity or age.
  1. In providing a safe environment for our players, we appoint all coaches and volunteers — and anyone else affiliated with our organization — as protection advocates. Every member of this organization is responsible for reporting any cases of questionable conduct or alleged mistreatment toward our players by any coach, official, volunteer, player, parent, sibling or spectator.
  2. To further protect our youth participants, as well as our coaches, officials and volunteers, we strongly advise that no adult person allow him/herself to be alone with a player (that is not their child) during TYB-sponsored activities. In particular, we recommend that coaches or other adult members of this organization:
  • Do not drive alone with a player (that is not their child) in the car
  • Do not take a player (that is not their child) alone to the locker room, bathrooms or any other private room
  • Provide one-on-one training or individual coaching without the assistance of another adult or the child's parent/guardian.
  • If you must have a private conversation with a player, do it within view of others
 

Failure to comply with these requirements can result in immediate removal from TYB by the President or Board of Directors (by majority vote of the entire Board).

X.    PARENT CONDUCT POLICY

As noted above, we have established guidelines of behavior and procedures for all people involved with TYB, including coaches, players, parents, spectators, volunteers and other invitees — all of whom are expected to observe and adhere to these guidelines. We understand that watching your son or daughter participate in youth sports can be an emotional experience — both positive and negative.

As a general rule, parents:

  • Should not coach their kids from the stands or behind the bench at any time during games
  • Should encourage their player and the team at all times. Win or lose.
  • Should never make comments to the referees
  • Should not vocally question any basketball decisions that your child's coach may make during the game.

If the TYB organization becomes aware of such behavior, the President or Board of Directors (by majority vote of the full Board) reserve the right to dismiss any player from the program for the remainder of the season (including playoffs) and/or remove any offending spectators (including parents) from the game in question or any future playoff games.

XI. MISCELLANEOUS

  • The Board will decide, by majority vote at any meeting where a quorum is present, any issues not covered under these bylaws.
  • Coaches from each team must attend a coaches meeting at beginning & end of season.
  • TYB reserves the right to amend these bylaws by a vote of two-thirds of the Board of Directors.