Free Newsletter Signup

Illinois Youth Rugby Association
130 North Garland Court
Apt 4603
Chicago, IL 60602-4850
Contact Executive Committee

About Rugby > BYLaws

BYLAWS

Article 1. Organization Name

1.1. The name of this organization shall be the Illinois Youth Rugby Association, hereinafter referred to as iYRA, and shall be affiliated with the Midwest Rugby Football Union (MWRFU) and United States Rugby Football Union (USA Rugby). It shall operate in the state of Illinois of the United States of America.

Article 2. Organization Purpose

2.1. The Illinois Youth Rugby Association is organized exclusively for fostering national and international amateur rugby competition, combating community deterioration and juvenile delinquency and contributing to the health of the youth of Illinois through sponsoring and conducting programs dedicated to the promotion of physical activity and fitness purposes under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future Federal tax code..

2.2. To foster an environment in which participation in the sport is encouraged for all those with an interest, regardless of race, religion or gender.

2.3. To develop the financial resources necessary to carry out these stated objectives, and disperse funds as approved by the iYRA membership.

2.4. To support and assist the local referee’s society.

Article 3. Terms and Responsibilities of Membership

3.1. Membership in iYRA shall be open to any club interested in the promotion and development of Rugby Union that agrees to conform to the policies and procedures of iYRA as set forth in these bylaws. Membership shall be on a calendar year (January 1st to December 31st) basis.

3.2. Initial Application for membership shall be submitted in writing to the President of iYRA. The iYRA Executive Committee (see Article 4) shall decide approval of membership by a simple majority. Termination of membership shall be decided by a two-thirds majority vote of those members present who are in good standing and eligible to vote at an iYRA General Meeting. Each team shall submit annually with their dues a membership renewal form available from the iYRA Secretary providing updated contact information, assignable referee, etc.

3.3. Full Membership in iYRA with voting rights shall be reserved for clubs actively involved in playing rugby and in good standing. Good standing requires all of the following:

3.3.1. Full payment of iYRA dues and fees.
3.3.2. Full payment of referee fees.
3.3.3. CIPP-registered with USA Rugby (club, 15 players and coaching staff minimum).
3.3.4. A USA Rugby certified coach
3.3.5. An assignable referee (USA Rugby Level 1 certified).
3.3.6. At least one USA Rugby certified touch judge available for all matches.
3.3.7. Submission of an annual membership renewal form.
3.3.8. Ensures the presence a qualified athletic trainer, or EMT certified or better at every game.
3.3.9. Submission of a signed iYRA Code of Conduct statement from every adult leader affiliated with said club. (see attached)
3.3.10. Full compliance with iYRA Bylaws and Executive Committee decisions.
3.3.11. Appropriate representation at all iYRA bi-annual meetings.
3.3.12. Maintenance of up-to-date contact information for 3 club officials with the Secretary.
3.3.13. Submission by each player participating in the Member club’s activities a completed iYRA Player Participation Form. Copies of said form will be maintained by a designated officer of each Member club.
3.3.14. All clubs functioning as iYRA Members at the date of Bylaws ratification (11/19/06) shall be considered Full Members and will be granted a grace period of 1 year (11/19/07) to comply with Articles 3.3.4, 3.3.5 and 3.3.6 of the iYRA Bylaws.

3.4. Provisional Membership in iYRA shall be available to new clubs in their first year of participation.

3.4.1. Provisional Member clubs do not have voting rights until achieving Full Member status.
3.4.2. Provisional Member clubs are required to fulfill all Full Member requirements described in Article 3.3 with the exception of 3.3.5 and 3.3.6.
3.4.3. A Provisional Member can be promoted by a simple majority of the Executive Committee after one year of participation, suitable documentation of compliance of all Full Member requirements stated in Article 3.3 and proof (from the iYRA VP) that no outstanding disciplinary issues are pending.
3.4.4. If, during a club’s period of Provisional Membership, a disciplinary issue arises, advancement to Full Member status must be approved by a 75% approval of Full Member clubs at an iYRA General Meeting.

^ BACK TO TOP

Article 4. Organization Officers and Committees

4.1. Day to day business of iYRA shall be conducted and directed by the iYRA Executive Committee as described in this Article.

4.1.1. The elected Executive Committee shall be comprised of the: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Boys Tier I League Coordinator, Boys Tier II League Coordinator, Girls League Coordinator and Disciplinary Chairman.

4.2. Election of Officers shall be held at the Annual General Meeting. Officers shall be elected for a one year term. No limitations on the number of terms that may be served shall apply to any Officer position.

4.3. President

4.3.1. The President assumes primarily responsibility for the execution of all iYRA activities. He/She shall preside at all Union meetings and shall ensure execution of any and all decisions enacted by the iYRA membership or Executive Committee. The President shall represent iYRA and its interests in all interactions with CARFU, the MWRFU, USA Rugby and any and all potential vendors or sponsors.
4.3.2. In his/her absence, the Vice-President shall assume the responsibilities of the President. In the absence of the President and Vice-President, the Treasurer shall assume the responsibilities of the President. In the absence of the President, Vice-President and Treasurer, the Secretary shall assume the responsibilities of the President.

4.4. Vice-President

4.4.1. The primary responsibility of the Vice-President is to ensure the appropriate handling of all issues related to the playing of rugby among iYRA clubs. He/she shall also assist the President with all duties requested, to include assuming the roles of the President in his/her absence.

4.5. Secretary

4.5.1. The Secretary assumes responsibility for all communication and record keeping within the organization. This includes, but may not necessarily be limited to, maintenance of all records of the iYRA, maintenance of minutes of all meetings, service as official correspondent of iYRA, maintenance and distribution of the membership directory and, if necessary, shall also assist the President with all duties requested, to include assuming the roles of the President in his/her absence.

4.6. Treasurer

4.6.1. The Treasurer assumes responsibility for all financial issues within the iYRA. This responsibility includes, but may not necessarily be limited to, maintenance of financial records, collection of the organization’s annual dues, disbursement of funds as directed by the Executive Committee, presentation at each iYRA General Meeting a report of the organization’s current financial position, preparation of the Annual Budget for organization approval and shall also assist the President with all duties requested, to include assuming the roles of the President in his/her absence.
4.6.2 It is the responsibility of the Treasurer to arrange for an independent audit of Association financial documents on an annual basis commencing in 2007. Said audit shall be conducted by an agent approved by a majority vote of the Membership at a General Meeting. Agent candidates shall be provided to the Association by the Executive Committee.

4.7. Boys Tier I League Coordinator

4.7.1. The Boys Tier I Coordinator has responsibility to the Executive Committee and the iYRA for the execution of Tier I play throughout the competitive season. He/she accomplishes this responsibility by sitting on the iYRA Competition Committee and the setting of each season’s playing schedule.

4.8. Boys Tier II League Coordinator

4.8.1. The Boys Tier II Coordinator has responsibility to the Executive Committee and the iYRA for the execution of Tier II play throughout the competitive season. He/she accomplishes this responsibility by sitting on the iYRA Competition Committee and the setting of each season’s playing schedule.

4.9. Girls League Coordinator

4.9.1. The Girls League Coordinator has responsibility to the Executive Committee and the iYRA for the execution of Girls League play throughout the competitive season. He/she accomplishes this responsibility by sitting on the iYRA Competition Committee and the setting of each season’s playing schedule.

4.10. Disciplinarian

4.10.1 The iYRA Disciplinarian has responsibility for the establishment of disciplinary policies for all play within the organization, collection of information regarding incidents of inappropriate behavior by members or opponents of the organization’s members and the establishment, execution and follow-up on such incidents. The Disciplinarian sits on the iYRA Competition Committee.

4.11. The Competition Committee

4.11.1 The Competition Committee, hereinafter referred to as the CC, will consist of the Vice-President, Boys Tier I and II Coordinators, Girls League Coordinator and the Disciplinarian. The iYRA Vice-president will serve as Chair of this committee.
4.11.2. The CC will be responsible to make all decisions affecting member teams for the following season, including; 1) Accepting and evaluating petitions to compete for a berth in the Midwest RFU Youth Championship Competition; 2) iYRA Play-Off structure and seeding; 3) Tier play organization; 4) Tier play scheduling and 5) Disciplinary guidelines and sanctions.

4.12. Officer Resignations

4.12.1. Should any Officer choose to resign at any time during their term, the officer shall provide recommendations for a replacement. The remaining officers shall select an interim replacement to serve until the next General Meeting.

4.13.Committee Formation

4.13.1. The Executive Committee has the right and responsibility to form temporary and/or standing committees to execute specific needs for the organization. Committee Chairs or members are not granted Executive Committee voting privileges unless the iYRA Bylaws are amended to grant such a privilege.

^ BACK TO TOP

Article 5. Player Eligibility

5.1. Age/Enrollment: The committee aligns itself with the USA Rugby policy on age, that is, the player is eighteen years of age or less on 1 September of the academic year in question. Further, the player must be enrolled in high school at some point in time during the academic year of the season being considered. Students in their fifth year of high school are not eligible to play for an iYRA Member club.

5.2. CIPP: All teams must be CIPP registered by 1 March. All players must be CIPP registered by 1 April for a team to continue playing [registered means at least 15 players on the USA Rugby website or other verification that at least 15 club members are registered in CIPP]

5.3. Numbers required for a second team: Clubs will be required to have a roster of 44 CIPP enrolled players to enter a second side in any division. If a club wishes to enter a third side in Tier competition, the roster must have a CIPP membership of 66.

5.4. Verification: A coach will be responsible for collecting names of his/her respective team before the match and placing them on the match report. The referee will be responsible for reporting substitutions, score, send-offs and sin-bins, and a coach from both teams will sign the card as correct before forwarding to the referee society chairman.

5.5. Player Movement: If a member club has entered more than one side in league competition within iYRA, e.g., 1st XV in Tier I and 2nd side in Tier II, no player that has taken the field in one Tier I league or playoff matche can take the field for that club’s side in any Tier II league or playoff match during that competitive season. Doing so will result in forfeiture of the Tier II match in which the ineligible player took the field.

5.6. Gender: There will not be any mixed gender high school teams allowed to compete in any match in the iYRA.

5.7. Team Loyalty. Players must play for their team affiliated with the school they attend. If they attend a high school that does not have a team, they may play for a nearby team until there is a team affiliated with their school [as a single school team or combined school team]. When a club forms at their school, they are required to play for their school’s club.

5.8. Players, who qualify to play high school rugby, but choose to play, fulltime or occasionally, with a college or club side during a competitive season may not participate in high school rugby during that competitive season.

5.9. Players, who qualify to play high school rugby, but choose to play at all with a college or club side first team in leagues or playoff competition may not participate in iYRA sanctioned competition from that moment forward.

Article 6. Determination of Midwest RFU Championship Participants

6.1. The protocol for determination of which clubs will represent iYRA in the MWRFU Youth Championship is the responsibility of the Competition Committee.

6.2. Boys clubs are eligible for consideration only in a year in which they are participating in the Tier I competitive league.

Article 7. iYRA Championship

7.1. The structure and seeding of the annual postseason championship tournaments are the responsibility of the Competition Committee.

^ BACK TO TOP

Article 8. iYRA Select Sides

8.1. The appointment of Boys and Girls Select Side coaches is the responsibility of the Vice- President, pending approval of the Executive Committee.

8.2. It is the responsibility of the appointed coaches to assemble the appropriate support staff for the carrying out of select side activities. This support staff must include appropriate medical/emergency supervision for all matches.

8.3. All individuals associated with iYRA select side activities must submit a signed Code of Conduct form to the Vice-President.

8.4. The Boys and Girls select side Head Coaches are required to submit a selection plan, training schedule and match schedule to the Vice-President and Secretary by April 1st.

8.5. Select side Head Coaches may only submit receipts for expenses previously approved by the Treasurer, acting on behalf of the Executive Committee.

Article 9. Safety

9.1. The home team coach will be responsible to have a qualified athletic trainer, or EMT certified or better at every game. A coach may fulfill this requirement as long as he is able to immediately pass his coaching responsibilities to another coach and assume the EMT priority.

9.2. The home team coach will have an emergency plan [e.g. hospital directions] available to give to visitors.

9.3. A coach from each team will have a cell phone available during each game.

9.4. Coaches will have the player’s emergency contact, insurance information and waiver release available at all times.

9.5. Failure of the home team to meet the requirement of Section 9.1 will result in a forfeit. Failure to meet this requirement twice in the same competitive season for home matches will result in the team being placed in Provisional Member status.

Article 10. Budget

10.1. The iYRA Budget shall be determined by the Executive Committee, subject to ratification by iYRA membership at the Annual Meeting. Further, a presentation and discussion of iYRA Budget status shall be an agenda item at every iYRA general membership meeting. Dues shall be billed within 30 days of budget ratification. It is the responsibility of the Treasurer to manage this process.

Article 11. Contracts, Loans, Checks and Deposits

11.1. Contracts. The Executive Committee may authorize any officer or officers, agent or agents, to enter into any contract or execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Association, and such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.

11.2. Loans. No loans shall be contracted on behalf of the Association and no evidences of indebtedness shall be issued in its name unless authorized by a resolution as determined by a majority vote of the membership of the Association. Such authority may be general or confined to specific instance.

11.3. Checks, Drafts, etc. All checks, drafts or other orders for the payment of money, notes or other evidences of indebtedness issued in the name of the Association shall be signed by such officer or officers, agent or agents of the Association and in such manner as shall from time to time be determined by resolution of the Executive Committee.

11.4. Deposits. All funds of the Association not otherwise employed shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of the Association in such banks, trust companies or other depositories as the Executive Committee may select.

^ BACK TO TOP

Article 12. Fiscal Year

12.1 The fiscal year of the Association shall be for such period as shall be established by the Executive Committee upon approval as determined by a majority vote of the Association membership.

Article 13. Parliamentary Authority

13.1. Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, most recent edition, shall govern the iYRA in all cases to which they are applicable to the extent they are not inconsistent with these bylaws and special rules of order the iYRA may adopt, as well as Illinois law.

Article 14. Amendments

14.1. These bylaws may only be amended at an iYRA General Meeting. Notice of the proposed amendment shall be given to the President and distributed to all members at least four (4) weeks before the meeting. A two-thirds vote of full member clubs in attendance shall be required for approval of an amendment to the Bylaws. Certified Proxies shall be allowed. Further, Bylaw evaluation/amendments shall be an established agenda item at every general membership Meeting.

Article 15. Grievances/Compliance

15.1. All grievances shall be submitted in writing to the relevant Executive Committee member for resolution within seven days of submission. Unresolved grievances shall be referred to the iYRA President (either by the Committee member or the originator of the grievance) and presented before the Board Members for resolution. In all cases, grievances shall receive adjudication from iYRA leadership within fourteen days of the original grievance submission. Further, issues of iYRA Member Club compliance with Association requirements shall be adjudicated by the Competition Committee.

Article 16. iYRA Meetings

16.1. There will be two General Meetings each year. Said meetings will be arranged by the President and communicated to the membership by the Secretary.

16.2. General Meetings will take place in July for elections and the determination of action items requiring significant preparation time for the next competitive season and during the first two weeks of January for Budget approval, scheduling issues and select side preparation review.

16.3. All member clubs are required to make a reasonable effort to attend iYRA General Meetings.

16.4. The Executive Committee may call additional meetings of the membership as deemed necessary to ensure the efficient management of Association affairs.

^ BACK TO TOP

Article 17. Quorum

17.1. A majority of the Full Members of the Association shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at an Association General or Special Meeting and an action of the Association must be authorized by an affirmative vote of a majority of the Full Members present at a meeting at which a quorum is present.

17.2. A majority of the Executive Committee of the Association shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at an Executive Committee Meeting and an action of the Committee must be authorized by an affirmative vote of a majority of the Executive Committee present at a meeting at which a quorum is present.

17.3. Decision making of the Competition Committee or any other Association committee shall be governed by the same quorum standard as describes in Article 17.1 and 17.2 of these Bylaws.

Article 18. Indemnification

18.1 Any person who is or was a Executive Committee member, Committee Leader or Committee Member of the iYRA (and the heirs estate, executors, administrators and personal representatives of such persons) shall be indemnified to the fullest extent now or hereafter permitted by law in connection with any actual or threatened action or proceeding (including civil, criminal, administrative or investigative proceedings) arising out of their service to iYRA or to another organization at iYRA’s request. Persons who are not Executive Committee members, committee leaders or members may be similarly indemnified in respect of such service to the extent authorized at any time by the board members.

Article 19. Dissolution of the iYRA

19.1 Upon dissolution of the Illinois Youth Rugby Association, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public service..

^ BACK TO TOP