Tehachapi Mountain Roller Hockey Bylaws
TMRH Board of Directors
October 2015
Article One - Name
Section 1. The registered legal name of this organization shall be Tehachapi Mountain Roller
Hockey.
Section 2. The club will use the name Tehachapi Mountain Roller Hockey for public use
including AAU registration. The name Tehachapi Falcons may also be used for other general
public related communication.
Section 3. Tehachapi Mountain Roller Hockey is hereafter referred to as TMRH.
Article Two- Purpose
Section 1. The purposes of the Club shall be as follows:
a. To provide the Tehachapi community with a family friendly roller hockey league that
will exceed our participant’s expectations.
b. To encourage and foster participation in the sport of roller hockey at all levels of
ability without regard to race, color, sex, age, religion, or national or ethnic origin.
c. To create, implement and modify roller hockey programs under policies, principles,
rules and regulations established by the AAU.
d. To operate the Club consistent with purposes of a public benefit, nonprofit,
corporation organized under Internal Revenue Code Section 501 (c}(3) and the nonprofit corporation laws of the State of California; and
e. To remain non-profit, nonsectarian and nonpartisan. The Club does not contemplate
pecuniary gain or profit to any member and is organized solely for nonprofit
purposes. No substantial part of the activities of the Club shall be devoted to
carrying on propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence legislation or to
become involved in any political activities. No part of any net earnings or assets of
the Club shall inure to the benefit of any member or any other individual.
Article Three- Fees
Section 1. Club Fees:
a. TMRH reserves the right to set its own club fees. These fees must at the very least cover
the Club’s association fees but are not restricted to only these fees.
b. Fees are payment for Club membership and associated running costs and paid into
general revenue.
c. Only players considered to be in good standing (fees paid in full) shall be eligible to
participate in practice and scheduled tournaments.
Article Four- Officers
Section 1. The elected officers of TMRH shall consist of a President, Vice President, Secretary,
Treasurer, and Registrar. These officers shall serve as voting members of the Board of Directors.
Section 2. The officers of TMRH shall be elected by vote in the month of September.
Section 3. All officers shall assume their positions for a term of two years or until election of a
successor.
Section 4. All officers shall assume their position following election in September.
Article Five- Election Process
Section 1. The election process shall be as follows:
a. Individuals desiring to hold an elected position within TMRH should notify the Board
of Directors with their intentions at least two weeks prior to elections in September.
b. Nominations from the floor will also be accepted the day of elections.
c. Only those nominated persons who have confirmed their consent to serve if elected
shall be placed as a candidate for election.
d. Officers shall be elected by majority vote from the legal guardians/parents of the
player currently registered and within good standing with TMRH.
e. Each family has one vote per registered player.
f. An e mail notification to the parents/legal guardians of the players will be sent
announcing the upcoming elections and vacant positions. A website posting may
also be utilized for the announcement.
Section 2. Office Vacancy and Resignation
a. Should a vacancy in the Board of Directors arise, the remaining Board of Directors
shall fill the vacancy by another person based on a majority vote on an interim basis
until such time as the next election cycle.
b. Any member of the Board of Directors may resign upon giving oral or written notice
to the President, Vice President or Secretary.
Article Six- Board of Directors
Section 1. In addition to the elected officers, one parent representative from each division shall
serve as voting members of the Board of Directors.
Section 2. The parent representative shall be a volunteer selected by the Head Coach in the
division.
Section 3. Board members are not compensated for their service except for reasonable
reimbursement for out of pocket expenses approved by the Board of Directors. Any other
person requesting reimbursement must have been pre-approved prior to spending by the
Board of Directors.
Article Seven- Governance
Section 1. Board meetings shall be held as follows:
a. Regular board meetings shall be held no less than once per month during the months of
January through September. Meeting notice shall be given no less than five days prior to
the scheduled meeting. Meetings in the off season shall be called on an as needed basis.
b. The Board shall hold other such meetings at its discretion as it determines it is necessary
and appropriate. Notice shall be made no less than five days prior to the scheduled
meeting.
c. Each member of the Board shall have one vote.
Section 2. The order of business at any regular meeting of the Board shall be as follows:
Meeting called to order
Reading & Approval of the Minutes
Reports of Officers & Committees
Old Business
New Business
Adjournment
Section 3. Regular Board meetings are open to parent attendance. Parents wishing to submit an
agenda item shall submit their request to any Officer, coach, or parent representative no less
than five days prior to the scheduled meeting.
Section 4. A majority of the authorized number of the Board of Directors shall constitute a
quorum for the transaction of business during any Board meeting.
Section 5. Assuming a quorum, a majority vote shall approve or defeat a motion. In the event of
a tie, the motion will not carry.
Article Eight- Non-Voting Board Members
Section 1. The Board will accept volunteers and appoint individuals to include but not limited
to: Fundraising, Webmaster, Special Events Coordinator, Tournament Director/Scheduler and
Concessions Manager.
Section 2. Non-voting members may be asked to attend Board meetings but are not required to
determine a quorum.
Article Nine- Official Roles and Responsibilities
Section 1. The President of the TMRH shall:
Have general and active supervision of the affairs of the TMRH.
Preside at all meetings.
Represent TMRH in a professional manner.
Maintain and be the primary interface with the Tehachapi Unified School District
regarding the rink lease.
Chair any reviews or modifications to the bylaws.
Section 2. The Vice President shall:
Assume the powers and obligations of the President in his absence.
Assume other duties delegated by the President.
Chair any necessary grievance committees.
Section 3. Secretary duties shall be as follows:
Keep a written record of the proceedings of the Board meetings.
Record any changes to the bylaws.
Maintain the club’s files and records.
Section 4. The Treasurer shall:
Maintain accurate and up to date records of the financial status of the TMRH.
Report current financial status at Board meetings.
Oversee receipts and disbursement of funds for the Club.
Supervise payment of the Club’s bills as may be approved by the Board.
Notify parents of delinquent fees.
Section 5. The Registrar shall:
Ensure AAU registrations/club registrations are current and documented.
To maintain a duplicate record of such registration.
To collect registration fees.
To process accident insurance claims.
Maintain record of medical release information on an injured player.
Section 6. Head Coaches:
Have the final decision on player eligibility as it relates to skill level so as to not cause
harm to the player, teammates, referee’s or other competitors.
Conduct themselves in a professional manner.
Ensure all players are given an equal opportunity to demonstrate their abilities and
team spirit, without regard to race, creed, and religion or family ties.
Ensure accuracy and eligibility of all players on the roster of their particular team.
Inform the President in writing of any issues occurring within the team or any needs the
team may have.
Ensure medical release is received for any player returning from injury.
Attend scheduled practices and games.
Create and submit any bench rules the coach may deem appropriate for proper handling
of the team. Once reviewed and approved by the Board, these bench rules will be
distributed to the parents and players of the team.
Select the parent representative that will serve as their liaison between him/herself and
the Board of Directors by becoming a board member.
Section 7. Assistant Coaches- While not considered members of the TMRH Board, assistant
coaches are both welcomed and necessary for a cohesive team. Assistant coaches shall:
Along with the head coach, have the final decision on player eligibility as it relates to
skill level so as to not cause harm to the player, teammates, referee’s or other
competitors.
Conduct themselves in a professional manner.
Ensure all players are given an equal opportunity to demonstrate their abilities and
team spirit, without regard to race, creed, and religion or family ties.
Attend scheduled practices and games.
Contribute to the instruction necessary to the team members so as to make the TMRH
teams competitive.
Inform the head coach of any issues occurring within the team.
Adhere to and assure team adherence to all AAU rules and regulations.
Section 8. The team parent representative shall
Participate in the Board of Director’s decision making process.
Serve as committee chairpersons as determined by the Board.
Collect tournament fees for the team.
Bring parent concerns or ideas to the Board for inclusion in Board Meeting agenda.
Section 9. The Website Administrator shall:
Maintain the homepage with the TMRH mission statement.
Maintain postings of current club activities.
Maintain and post appropriate contact information for Board members and coaches.
Section 10. Tournament Director/Scheduler:
To schedule all practice and home games/tournaments.
To handle registration/involvement with away games/tournaments.
To distribute such schedules to coaches and parent representatives, as well as changes,
as soon as possible.
Section 11. Special Events Coordinator:
Coordinate special events or end of year activities for the Club with Board approval.
Section 12. Concessions Manager:
Manage and volunteer coordination of the rink concessions area.
Article Ten-Liability of Officers and Directors
The club consents and declares that each Officer and Director, members of all committees, and
all elected or appointed officials in any capacity, shall be deemed to have assumed office or
assignment on the express understanding, agreement and condition that each of them and
his/her heirs, executors and administrators, estate and effects respectively shall at all times be
indemnified and saved from harmless out of funds of the Club from and against all liabilities,
judgements, costs, charges, and expenses whatsoever which such member sustains or incurs in
or about any action, or suit or proceeding which is brought, commenced or prosecuted against
him or her and in respect of any act, deed, matter or thing whatsoever made, done or
permitted by him or her in or about the execution of the duties of his/her office and also from
and against all other costs, charges, and expenses which he or she sustains or incurs in or about
or in relation to the affairs thereof, except such costs, charges or expenses as are occasioned by
his/her willful neglect, intentional wrongful act or fraudulent act.
Article Eleven- Grievance Process
Section 1. The TMRH Grievance Committee shall be made up of the members of the Board of
Directors and chaired by the Vice President.
Section 2. Grievances may be submitted in writing directly to any Board member.
Section 3. Said Grievance must detail specific violation of rule, bylaw, or define a specific
situation within the organization being grieved.
Section 4. Grievance concerning a coach or Board member must first be presented to that
individual.
Section 5. The Grievance Committee shall have the express authority to interpret the bylaws
and render a decision.
Section 6. The Grievance Committee must convene a hearing within 10 days of being notified of
the grievance.
Section 7. No grievance will be accepted concerning referees or their decisions.
Article Twelve- Contracts, Checks and Deposits
Section 1. The Board of Directors may authorize any officer to enter into a contract in the name
of the Club if said contract is deemed necessary and appropriate by a majority vote.
Section 2. The President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Registrar shall be the only
signatories on the TMRH bank account.
a. Any checks or withdrawals from the TMRH account will require two signatures: the
Treasurer and one other board member signature. If the Treasurer is unavailable,
the President may sign in lieu of the Treasurer with one other Board member
signature. Board members may not sign for their own personal reimbursements.
b. Deposits may be made to the account by any member of the Board of Directors,
voting or non-voting member, coach or assistant coach with the receipt being
provided to the Treasurer within five days of the deposit
Article Thirteen - Fundraising
Section 1. The Club reserves the right to solicit funds in addition to membership fees through
various legitimate fundraising means.
Section 2. No person shall solicit funds as a representative of the Club or on the Club’s behalf
without the express written consent of the Board of Directors.
Section 3. Solicitation of Sponsorships
a. Solicitation of sponsorship on behalf of the Club must be made for the purpose of
raising funds for the Club’s general revenue. Sponsors may designate specific use of
funds donated, but ultimate final authority to utilize available funds rests with the Board
of Directors. Proceeds are to benefit all members of the program.
b. There shall be no sponsorship solicitation for use by a specific team only, unless
approved by the Board of Directors.
c. Nothing in this section shall be taken to discourage team fundraising events such as car
washes, etc. proceeds of which may be used for the benefits of that team only.
Article Fourteen- Logo and Club Recognition
Section 1. Use of the Club name “Tehachapi Mountain Roller Hockey”, team name “Tehachapi
Falcons”, and the Team logo shall only be used as approved by the Board of Directors.
Section 2. Team colors shall be royal blue, black, silver and white.
Section 2. Club and Team Awards- All awards received or given to the Club shall be the sole
property of the Club. This shall include all banners, trophies, or other honors/awards given for
tournament or league play. Individual player awards are not applicable to this rule.
Article Fifteen- Player Participation
Section 1. Protective equipment is important to the safety and well-being of all skaters
participating in the sport of hockey. Skaters must supply their own protective equipment. All
skaters must wear properly fitted equipment for all games and practices. Equipment that must
be worn includes:
Helmet with face mask and securing straps (HECC approved with a valid expiration date)
Mouth guard
Shoulder pads
Elbow pads
Gloves
Girdle
Knee and shin pads
Protective cup for boys/pelvic protector for girls
Roller Hockey Skates
Section 2. Players are required to obtain and provide proof of AAU membership prior to
participating in any practices or tournaments, including try-outs.
Section 3. Players must provide a copy of their birth certificate upon request.
Section 4. TMRH will adhere to the AAU Concussion Policy whereas there is reasonable cause to
believe that a concussion may have occurred, such participant shall not be allowed to continue
his/her participation in an AAU licensed event/activity without a medical release to resume
such participation.
Article Sixteen- Player and Parent Roles and Responsibilities
Section 1. Players of TMRH shall:
Represent TMRH in a responsible manner at all times
Respect and accept the decisions of the coaches and officials
Attend all scheduled practices and games. If unable to do so, the player will be required
to notify their head coach.
Respect and strive to improve both yourself and your teammates
Inform the coaching staff of any injuries sustained both inside and outside of the rink
Section 2. The parents of the TMRH are asked to:
Represent TMRH in a mature, professional and responsible manner at all times
Respect and accept the decisions of the coaches and officials
Ensure players attend scheduled practices and games. If unable to do so, inform the
head coach as soon as possible
Support the TMRH through being active in the organization and volunteerism when
possible
Provide transportation to and from all games and practices for the player
Pay all fees when due
Provide adequate equipment for your player
Bear in mind that the Board of Directors and coaching staff is made up of volunteers.
These volunteers are contributing a great deal of their own personal time and effort to
ensure success of the TMRH. Each Board Member takes and performs their role
seriously. Negative or derogatory criticism that is without substance or where positive
constructive alternatives/solutions are not offered is very detrimental to the entire
organization.
Decisions made by the Board are final and those decisions are made based upon
consideration for each situation. Also, decisions made will be predicated upon the
overall concerns of the club vs. concerns of the individual.
Section 3. The Club has instituted a 24 Hour Rule:
Coaches will not discuss a game situations or complaints until at least 24hrs after the
fact. This important rule does two things. First, it moves the discussion away from the
presence of the players. Second, it allows all parties to have time to put things in
perspective and “cool off” if necessary.
Article Seventeen- Playing Up for the Season
Section 1. Skaters and Goalies playing up for a season: TMRH does not allow skaters to
play at levels above their current age group except for special cases where skaters are
needed to compete a higher level team as determined by the TMRH board. The criteria
for a skater moving up are: 1) must be in the second year of the current level. 2) Must
be in the top five skaters at the skating up level from tryouts. 3) A skater may only move
up if there are players needed at the next higher level. 4) Must be approved by the
parents, coaches and TMRH Board.
Article Eighteen- Double Rostering of Skaters and Goalies
Section 1. From time to time, it may be appropriate for a team to include players on its
roster from a lower level team. In general, this is done in order to address a “critical
shortage” of skaters and/or goalies, and is not intended to give the opportunity for a
player to “double-up” on rink time by routinely attending practices and/or games of
multiple teams. The intent of this policy is to provide rules for the double rostering of
players. All roster decisions must be in compliance with TMRH rules and abide by the
policy.
Section 2. Definitions 1) Age-appropriate team – the lowest level team that a player is
qualified to play for, based on their age and birth date. 2) Critical shortage – having less
than 10 skaters and/or 1 goalie available for a game. 3) Skate up – a player playing a
game for a team above his/her age-appropriate level. This can be a skater or a goalie.
Section 3. Rules and Guidelines a) a player may be double rostered on a team at a level
immediately above their age-appropriate level only. For example, a child at the ageappropriate level of 10U could potentially qualify to be double rostered on one 12U
team.
b) If the need for double rostered players is identified for a given team, the players to
be included will be determined as follows: a. The head coach, or designee, from the
team in need of double rostered players will meet with the head coach, or designee, of
the lower age level team to identify which players are eligible for double rostering. Both
must agree that a particular skater is an appropriate choice, and may seek input from
other appropriate sources, such as previous coaches. Safety, skill, maturity, and size
should always be considered, especially when double rostering. b. After the players are
identified, the coaches or designees will meet with the parents of the skaters to review
this policy and to seek the parent's consent. c. Upon obtaining parental consent, the
coaches or designees will submit the players’ names to the Board of Directors for
approval. If approved, the player shall be added to the roster.
c) The double rostered player's primary obligation should be to their age-appropriate
team. Such a player should not compete for the higher level team if it will adversely
affect their age appropriate team, unless agreed to by the coaches of both affected
teams.
d) The intent of the double roster is not to give a player additional rink time on a
permanent basis, but to assist teams with a critical shortage of skaters. Therefore, a
double rostered player should routinely practice with their age-appropriate team. They
should not routinely practice for teams for which they are double rostered.
Article Nineteen- Evaluation and Team Placement
Section 1. TMRH will conduct formal team placement tryouts each year at the beginning
of the season.
Section 2. Evaluations will be conducted by independent evaluators, current and past
coaching staff, and/or Board members who do not have a skater at the level being
evaluated.
Section 3. Goalies will be evaluated year to year for team placement. Due to the
uniqueness of this position, a separate tryout screening process may take place during
tryouts which will include all shooting drills and scrimmages.
Section 4. Tryouts will consist of a mix of drills and scrimmages.
Section 5. Skaters must tryout at their age level. The only exception is a determination
from the TMRH board that players are needed at an upper level to field a team. See the
Skating Up policy for details.
Section 6. Final team selections will take place after tryouts. An initial roster will include
a top eight skater/starting goalie and remaining alternates, however, those asked to
travel will be per coach’s discretion on a tournament by tournament basis factoring in
items including but not limited to: skill, attitude, player conduct, absences, and
improvement.
Article Twenty-Disciplinary Action
Expulsion of a Player or Parent-The Club reserves the right to expel any player or parent
for conduct it determines to be opposed to the Purpose and Philosophy of TMRH.
Article Twenty-One-Amendments to Bylaws
These bylaws may be amended by the Board of Directors unless the action would
materially and adversely affect the right of the membership vote. Such amendments
shall occur by presenting the amendment at a regular or special meeting. The majority
approval of the Board of Directors is required to pass the amendment.