GOLDEN GATE WOMEN’S SOCCER LEAGUE
Minutes of the
Special Meeting of the Board of Directors
Held on August 4, 2008
At Elks Club of San Francisco
450 Post St., SF
I. Lindsay Kauffman, President, opened the meeting at 7:14 p.m.
II. Roll Call
Teams Present: Adelante, Bay City United, Blackthorn FC, Bo and the Deelites, Celtic Ramblers, Chicas FC, Cramps, Crux, Daruma, EB United, Finnegans Wake, Follies, Forte, Heat, High Tide, Ireland's 32, Killer Tomatoes, Kismet United, Las Brujas, Mad Dog, Marin Flash, Mavens, Mna, Naomh Padraig II, Nighthawks, Oakland FC, Olympic Club, Orange Crush, Phoenix, Pirates, Pumas, Rip Tide, S.F. Eagles, S.F. Fuego, S.F. Vikings, SF Angels, SF Cosmos, SF Force, SFC United, Shamrock Rovers, Sirens, Spitfire, Sublime, Talking Feet, The Edge, Trouble United, Underdawgs, Underdogs FC, Urban Legends, VooDoo Dolls, Wakiza, Wasabi, Wild Girls, Zephyr, Zia FC
Teams Absent: DC United
III. The minutes from the May 12, 2008 General Meeting were accepted.
IV. Committee Reports
A. Vice President – Scheduling, Fields and Referees – Ian Clarke
· Get any requests for start times in ASAP
· We have 3 fields in San Francisco on Saturdays. They will be at Beach Chalet until Crocker Amazon opens on September 21. After that we will have 2 fields at Crocker Amazon and 1 field at Beach Chalet. On Sundays we have 4 fields in San Francisco.
· Lindsay: There will be a big celebration for the re-opening of Crocker Amazon with games, prizes, and festivities.
B. Vice President - New Players, New Teams, and League Liaison – Craig Settles
· Report on the August 3 Earthquakes game fundraiser: The League sold a lot of tickets. Finnegan's Wake sold 60 tickets. The League, unfortunately, got screwed on the public relations side. Our video that was supposed to be played at halftime was not shown, the tournament winners were moved around, and did not appear on the field. The recruiting video is available on the League site and can still be a recruiting tool.
· The Earthquakes skills clinics for players will be this weekend. One person from each team needs to e-mail Craig with the names and e-mail addresses of each interested player.
· Recruiting: He has stepped up the craigslist type of recruiting. A lot of work went into using the August 3 Earthquakes game as a recruiting opportunity. Players need to help drum up support and awareness. Craig sent an e-mail a couple months ago with information about how teams and players can get the word out about the League, including a flyer that people could post in their workplaces.
· Fundraising: We have a new sponsorship with Safeway. The company is buying ad space on our website. Safeway is also putting money into merchandise - bags, balls, etc. when we get sponsors, they often do not want to put the sponsorship entirely in cash - they like to put it in merchandise. Safeway will provide balls, team equipment bags, and cleat bags, all with the Safeway logo and the league logo. Craig would like to identify players in certain fields, e.g., consumer products, entertainment, software, etc., who can open the door to sponsorship opportunities and Craig can close the deal. Both the Kaiser and Safeway sponsorships worked this way.
C. Treasurer Report – Madelyne Cromwell
· The League is still running at a loss this season, but it will be less of a loss than last season. We used up our cash reserves in the spring. The $10,000 from Safeway will be helpful for building those up.
· Madelyne moves for approval of $1300 per team league fees. Sylvia Pacheco (Mna) seconds. Vote and the motion passes overwhelmingly.
D. Secretary
· No report.
E. Member at Large, CSAN Representative Barbara Elliott
· She missed the last CSAN meeting, but nothing affected us at the meeting.
· August 23 in Sacramento is the CSAN Annual Meeting. It is a mandatory meeting. The meeting is at 1:00 p.m. Te GGWSL gets two votes. We used to have 4 votes under the prior president, but the bylaws actually only provide us two. We need two people to go to the meeting and attend the Hall of Fame Dinner. The Delta King Hotel is $149/night, and there is a Best Western that is a little cheaper. The League pays for the expenses of the trip. We need to RSVP to CSAN by August 11.
o Lindsay says she can probably go. Corrine Moya (Phoenix) can probably go as well.
· Carnival had good GGWSL representation. The Nighthawks walked in front of the CSAN cable car. There were several women representing soccer
· Anna-Marie Blinn (Mavens): Asks if there is an error on the GGWSL site about the correct form to fill out to have players with dual registration in the open divisions and the Over 35 division.
o Barbara: Download the transfer form and pay $10.50.
o Ian: Teams that are unsure should call CSAN to make sure of the correct procedure and forms. He will make sure we have the right forms linked on the GGWSL website.
F. Committee Report
· Lindsay: The tournament was a big success, except for the truck with the goals breaking down, which out the tournament off-schedule. We needed more volunteers. Only three people volunteered.
· Elaine Monney (Wasabi): Perhaps teams playing could have their teammates volunteer.
· Lindsay: The two hour wait at the Earthquakes game for the tournament winners was a bummer.
V. New Business
G. Lindsay: We need a treasurer to take over. E-mail her if you are interested.
· Maddie: The job is really fun. It takes about an hour a week It consists of financial planning, accounts receivable, accounts payable, some checks bounce, pay invoices, etc. The League has one bank account and a set of checks. Maddie did some reorganization when she took over. Katie, prior treasurer, used QuickBooks, but Maddie uses Excel.
H. Lindsay: CSAN annual mandatory form for teams is online with Ian’s signature.
I. Lindsay: Volunteer requests are going out in the e-mails to the managers. These requests should be forwarded to the teams.
J. Ian: Going to remove the e-mail link on the website that lets you spam the League. Instead, there will be a login so the executive committee can spam the League.
K. Ian: Has been having his internet paid for by the league to host the website. He’s doing a lot more websites. He’s going to charge the league about $300 per year to do the League website.
L. Lindsay: Sports Basement provided 8 $50 gift certificates. They will go to the teams with the 8 highest conduct scores. Heat with 4.9. Zephyr, Bo and the Deelites, EB United, and Celtic Ramblers each with 4.8, and a five-way tie for SF Vikings, Nighthawks, SFC United, High Tide, and Mna, all at 4.7. The divisions the teams were in were all over the map.
M. Lindsay: We received a letter from a referee who refereed the Anne Wagner tournament last weekend, Jay Wiedwald. Per his letter, he was very impressed by the tournament and what he learned about Anne Wagner. He gave a $121 donation to the Anne Wagner fund.
N. Last day of the season:
· Anna-Marie (Mavens): The Over-35s division has 10 teams so they need 11 weeks of play.
· Ian: Teams should be prepared to play until December 6.
· Lindsay: Makes a motion to set December 6 as the final day for the open divisions. Maddie seconds the motion. Vote and the motion passes by a majority.
· Lindsay: Makes a motion to set December 14 as the final day for the Over 35 division. Maddie seconds the motion. Vote and the motion passes by a majority.
· Ian: Bye requests need to be made immediately, and can only be for legitimate tournaments.
O. Proposed amendments to Bylaws.
Remove grandmother clause as it no longer applies. Simplify wording of age requirement text.
Current Text
4. Over-35 Division age requirement. Players must turn 35 DURING current season but are eligible to play at the beginning of the season provided they will turn 35 during the season. Exception will be made such that those players, who have not attained age 35, but who already play in the over 35 league, will be grand mothered in and permitted to play.
Proposed revision
4. Players are eligible to play in the Over-35 Division from the beginning of the season provided they turn 35 during the season.
· Erin (Las Brujas): Wondered when the over 35s rule was put in and why it was necessary.
· Rachel Smith (Spitfire): Grandmother rule applies to at least 2 players.
· Barbara (Naomh Padraig II): The purpose of the rule is because we don’t want more under 35 people to join the division.
· Lindsay makes a motion to vote to approve revision number 1. Maddie seconds the motion. Vote and the motion is defeated.
Remove championship game when division winners have equal points. Division winner would be determined on goal differences if there is a tie on points. This simplifies league operation and coordination and reduces expense.
Current Text
5. At the end of the season, if the top two teams in a division have equal points then a championship game will be played between them to determine the divisional winner (i.e. - cumulative goal difference is not used to determine the divisional winners).
D. CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES
1. Teams will play a 90 minute game.
2. If at the end of the 90 minutes the score is still drawn then the teams will play 30 minutes of extra-time.
a. The extra-time will be commenced by a coin toss, with the teams choosing ends.
b. The extra time will consist of 2 15-minute halves.
c. Teams change ends at the halftime.
d. Halftime is only 5 minutes.
e. The extra-time is played to completion (i.e. - this is NOT a "golden-goal" period).
3. If at the end of the 30 minute extra-time the score is still drawn, then the teams will retire to one end of the field for a penalty kick shootout.
a. The shootout is commenced by a coin toss, to determine which team will shoot first.
b. Each team will take 5 penalties, alternating between each team.
c. Only players on the field at the end of extra-time may participate in the shootout.
d. All players participating in the shootout must remain on the field of play, near the center circle. The exception to this is the goalies that typically "wait" off to the side away from the goal, and not distracting the shooter.
e. The procedure for the penalty follows FIFA rules.
f. If after each team has taken 5 penalties the score is still tied, then each team will take 1 penalty until a winner is decided.
g. No one can shoot again until all the players that were on the field at the conclusion of extra-time have taken a kick.
Proposed revision
Strike all the text listed above. Do away with Championship game.
· Ian: Does not like scheduling championship games. He suggested determining the division winner by goal differential. He also notes that sometimes he gets resistance from participating teams for scheduling the championship game.
· Suna Akmese (SF Vikings): Her team was in a championship game in the spring and really liked it.
· Lindsay: Deciding division winners by championship games keeps people from running up the score.
· Ian: Notes that “goals for” is the 4th level of tie-breaker for division standings.
· Lindsay: Total goals still count.
· Barbara Dornseif (Naomh Padraig II): Suggested using team conduct scores to determine division winners.
· Lindsay: Team conduct is too malleable by other teams.
· Barbara (Naomh Padraig II): Suggests making the teams pay $100 to play the championship.
· Ian makes a motion to vote to approve the bylaw revision. Rachel Smith (Spitfire) seconds the motion. Vote and the motion is defeated.
Reduce the number of potential challenge match each season, and change year to season.
Current Text
d. The maximum number of challenge applications accepted each year shall be three.
Proposed Revision
d. The maximum number of challenge applications accepted each season shall be two.
· Lindsay makes a motion to discuss proposed revision #3. Erin (Las Brujas) seconds the motion.
· Barbara (Naomh Padraig II): Asks to clarify that there can still be 2 challenge matches per season if the revision is adopted.
· Craig: The rule really had been enforced as 3 challenges per season.
· Ian: People think of it as challenges by season. Also having too many challenge matches is disruptive.
· Teresa Mulvihill (High Tide): Expresses concern about discouraging teams with so many challenges and about having over-skilled teams killing in the lower divisions.
· Craig: Having three matches per season allows for flexibility. There have been 2 or so challenges per season lately.
· Ian: Notes that it also used to be the written rules that the League has to have notice of the challenge in February for a match in the fall season.
· Ian: Absorbing 3 new teams a season is a problem.
· Vote and motion passes by greater than 2/3 vote.
Clarify the consequences for the team being challenged.
Current Text
h. The result of the challenge match shall determine the placement of the new team according to the following rules:
i. If the new team wins the match, it is placed in the division into which it challenged.
ii. If the new team draws the match, it is placed in the division one below into which it challenged.
iii. If the new team loses the match, it is placed at the bottom of the league standings.
Proposed Text
h. Depending on the results of the challenge match, the following applies:
i. If the new team wins the match:
a. The new team is placed in the division into which it challenged.
b. The challenged team is placed one position below the promoted team in the division below it in the overall standings. Barring other teams dropping out of the league this means they are relegated.
ii. If the new team draws the match
a. The new team is placed in the division below the one into which it challenged.
b. The challenged team retains its current position in the overall standings.
iii. If the new team loses the match:
a. The new team is placed at the bottom of the league standings.
b. The challenged team retains its current position in the overall standings.
· Lindsay makes a motion to discuss the revision. Kathleen McKeon (Shamrock Rovers) seconds the motion.
· Ian: Explains that the revision is a clarification of the results of challenge matches.
· Vote and the motion passes by greater than 2/3 vote.
· Alex Lemus (S.F. Eagles): What happens if the challenge team picks the wrong division?
· Lindsay: Notes that most teams challenge in one division below where they think they should be.
Revise and simplify forfeit procedure. Remove suspension because it is detrimental to the other teams in the division.
Current Text
2. Teams forfeiting a game for the first time will be assessed a forfeit fine. Any team forfeiting a second game will be suspended for the remainder of the season, be placed at the bottom of its current division and assessed an additional forfeit fine. These fees must be paid no later than the due date of league fees for the next season. A team, which fails to pay these fees, will not be permitted to play in the league in any future seasons (until the fee is paid).
3. The resulting score of the forfeited game shall read 1-0 against the forfeiting team.
Proposed Revision
2. Teams are assessed a forfeit fine for each game they forfeit.
3. The opponent of the forfeiting team is awarded a 1-0 win, and for the following season they receive a credit equal to the forfeit fine paid by the forfeiting team.
· Lindsay makes a motion to discuss the revision. Kathleen (Shamrock Rovers) seconds the motion.
· Ian: The goal of the revision is to do away with suspending teams with 2 forfeits and increase the loss in points from minus 1 to minus 3. The forfeit fine would still stand. Also notes that voting in favor of revision #5 pretty much would require voting for revision #6.
· Kathleen (Shamrock Rovers): The $50 goes to the non-forfeiting team?
· Erin (Las Brujas): Prefers for the $50 to go to the League rather than the team on the other end of the forfeit.
· Jill Lounsbury (Nighthawks): Notes that it is a bummer to go out there and have no game, and so getting the money is fair.
· Maddie: The treasurer probably does not want to have to deal with tracking the credit.
· Kathleen (Shamrock Rovers): Is there any benefit to the forfeiting team providing advance notice to the other team so they don’t go out to the field?
· Ian: It’s nice, but does not relieve the team of the forfeit or the penalties.
· Karen Mauney-Brodek (Cramps): Getting that $50 would be nice.
· Ian: Most people appear to be okay with all but the part giving the forfeit fine as a credit to the other team.
· Lindsay makes a motion to amend the proposed revision by striking from the proposed revision “, and for the following season they receive a credit equal to the forfeit fine paid by the forfeiting team.” Maddie seconds the motion. Vote and the motion passes overwhelmingly to amend the proposed revision.
Amended proposed revision:
2. Teams are assessed a forfeit fine for each game they forfeit.
3. The opponent of the forfeiting team is awarded a 1-0 win.
· Lindsay makes a motion to vote on the revision as amended. Maddie seconds the motion. Vote and the motion passes by greater than 2/3 vote.
Further revision to the forfeit procedure.
Current Text
d. Minus one (-1) point for a forfeit.
Proposed Revision
d. Minus three (-3) points for a forfeit.
· Barbara (Naomh Padraig II): Advises teams to think carefully about voting for minus three points because it could have significant consequences. Naomh Padraig II will be too strong in the 6th division. Proposes changing the revision to minus one point for the first forfeit and for the second forfeit minus 3 points.
· Ian: Explains that minus 3 points was proposed as a balance to getting three points for a win.
· Lindsay makes a motion to amend the proposed revision to make the proposed amendment “Minus one (-1) point for a forfeit for the 1st game in a season. Minus three (-3) points for a forfeit thereafter in that current season.” Anna Marie-Blum (Mavens) seconds the motion. Vote and the motion passes overwhelmingly to amend the proposed revision.
Amended proposed revision
d. Minus one (-1) point for a forfeit for the 1st game in a season. Minus three (-3) points for a forfeit thereafter in that current season.
· Lindsay makes a motion to vote on the revision as amended. Maddie seconds the motion. Vote and the motion passes by greater than 2/3 vote.
P. Barbara (Naomh Padraig II): Explains that the forfeits that her team received last season were her fault. She feels that her team played the season in good faith and did not know they would be relegated. She would ask the 5th and 6th division to retroactively apply the new forfeit rule to the spring season. Makes a motion that revisions 5 and 6 to the bylaws be retroactive to Spring 2008. Motion is not seconded and does not come to a vote.
Q. Team mergers and teams dropping out.
· SFC United will merge with The Edge.
· Karen Bonini (EB United): East Bay United wants to still be relegated and does not want to play in the Premier again this season.
· Ian: If we want to have seven teams in the Premier division, we can. We need to discuss how to realign the divisions.
· Lindsay: DC United also does not want to play this season.
· Ian: We can have six teams play in the Premier division. Or we could have 8 in the Fall in the 1st Division and then even it out in the Spring.
· Kathleen (Shamrock Rovers): That would be a hasty decision, especially based on the needs of one team.
· Ian: Notes that having 8 teams in the Premier Division was a hasty decision based on one team.
· Lindsay: A number of teams promoted from the First Division and get spanked in Premier.
· Craig: We moved to 8 teams because season after season 2 teams were just switching between First and Premier, so the League went to 8 teams in Premier to get more rotation. The Edge and SFC United discussed merging because SFC United would fold otherwise.
· Ian: There’s a bylaw about the Executive Committee being able to draw the line for the divisions to promote competition and fairness.
R. Karen (Cramps): San Francisco Park and Rec is going to have a meeting where people can give comments about the environmental impact of artificial turf fields. They are thinking about converting more fields.
VI. Set the date for the next meeting.
· The next meeting will be held on September 8, 2008.
VII. Adjournment
· There being no further business to come before the Board of Directors, a motion to adjourn made by Lindsay and seconded by Madelyne Cromwell, and the meeting adjourned at 8:49 p.m.