Article I: Bylaw Updates

Section I- January 14, 2003

i. Added requirements for background checks.

Section II- May 9, 2008

i. Complete rewrite of the Bylaws; approved May 2008.

Section III. September 1, 2015

i. General update of the Bylaws; approved November 2015.

October 2024 updates-

Section IV, Article V Section ll & lll, Section V, Section X , Section XI, Article VII Sections l, ll

Article II: Entity Description

Section I- Name

i. The organization shall be known as the Goochland Youth Athletic Association, herein referred to as the

GYAA.

Section II- Location

i. The GYAA shall reside in Goochland County, Virginia. Address: PO Box 287, Goochland, VA 23063.

Section III-Type of Entity

i. The GYAA shall operate as a not-for-profit entity.

Article III- Purpose and Objectives

Section I-Purpose

i. The purpose of the GYAA shall be:

a. To provide supervised programs of sports and recreation for the youth of Goochland County;

b. To build today’s youth both mentally and physically through organized sports;

c. To direct the sports program commissioners, directors and coaches to stress the fundamentals of the sport, fair play and sportsmanship; and

d. To serve as a sports development system for the Goochland public school system.

ii. The GYAA shall fill this purpose by

a. Offering sports programs in baseball, softball, football and cheerleading;

b. Creating a safe and enjoyable environment;

c. Providing our volunteers with necessary training; and

d. Building a relationship of mutual trust, respect and partnership with county government and school administrators.

Section II-Objectives

i. To be considered by peer organizations as one of the best youth athletic association in the Richmond area.  GYAA shall be known for its friendliness, community spirit, sportsmanship and competitive teams.

Article IV-Membership

Section I-General Qualifications

i. Membership in the GYAA organization shall be granted to all people regardless of sex, race, creed or religion who meet the requirements for membership as set forth in these bylaws, and abide by the rules, policies and regulations of the GYAA.

ii. All prospective members shall be current on all fees due and have returned all equipment from any previous sport season.

iii. All prospective members shall be in good standing in the community, exhibit good moral character, and support the objectives of the GYAA.

Section II-Register Participants/GYAA Membership Definition

i. Registered participants in a sports program including children, parents/guardians, coaches and other GYAA volunteers shall be considered a member of GYAA for the duration of the registered sports season.

Section III-Board Members

i. All Board members and other GYAA volunteers shall be considered a member of the GYAA.

Section IV-Background Check

i. All Board members, commissioners, directors, members at large, coaches, assistant coaches and any other volunteer working directly with the children participating in a GYAA program shall be required to submit to a screening process including, but not limited to a confidential background check on a yearly basis.

Ii. Any flags will be subject to review by the GYAA Board of Directors and subject to a majority vote for approval. 

Iii. Please refer to the GYAA Criminal Background Checks Automatic Disqualifiers List

Article V-Board of Directors and Officers

Section I-GYAA Officers

i. The GYAA Officers shall consist of the GYAA President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. The GYAA Officers are also referred to as the Executive Board.

Section II- The Board of Directors

i. The Board of Directors, herein referred to as the Board, shall consist of the GYAA Officers, Immediate Past President, Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners, Directors and Assistant Directors. Removed Members at Large

Ii. These positions need to be filled for up to 12 months after resignation

Section III-Members at Large

i. There shall be 8 members at large positions, 2 designated for each sport.

ii. These positions shall be used as training positions for incoming commissioners and assistant commissioners. 

Iii. These positions will not have voting power.

Section IV-Voting

i. All members of the Board have one equal vote on all matters brought before the Board for approval.

ii. Items requiring approval must be approved by a majority vote of the Board unless otherwise stated.

Section V- Board Duties and Authority

i. All GYAA Board members shall adhere to the GYAA Bylaws.

ii. The Board shall ensure that the objectives of the GYAA are met and that all members adhere to the GYAA Bylaws.

iii. The Board shall have the authority to hear and rule on any disagreements concerning GYAA rules and policies. Their decision shall be final.

iv. The Board shall have the authority to suspend or expel any GYAA member found violating the rules and policies of the GYAA based on a majority vote by the board.

i. There is required to be written documentation of every incident supporting a suspension to occur.

Section VI-Meetings

i. The GYAA Board shall meet at least once each month (typically the first Tuesday of each month).

ii. Additional Board meetings may be called by the President.

iii. A quorum shall consist of five (5) Board members with at least two of the five representing the Executive Board.

iv. Voting by proxy is prohibited.

v. In emergency situations, if an issue is not resolved during the regular Board meeting, the Board may vote to give the President the authority to consult with the Executive Board members to resolve the issue prior to the next regular meeting. The President is responsible for communicating the resolution of the issue to the other Board members once it is determined.

vi. The Secretary will include the resolution in the minutes of the next Board meeting.

vii. Any GYAA member who is a non-Board member has pertinent business may attend the Board meeting under the following guidelines:

a. Participation may be limited to 15 minutes.

b. The Board must be notified at least 48 hours prior to the Board meeting of the request and the subject matter.

c. The Board has the discretion to hold a closed meeting at any time to discuss sensitive matters.

viii. Meetings of the Board shall be run by Robert’s Rule of Order.

Section VII-Terms of Board Members and Attendance

i. Board membership shall be limited to two (2) year terms unless re-elected by the Board. There shall be no restriction on the number of years a Board member can serve.

ii. Board members assume office January 1 st of the year following the election.

iii. Board members are expected to attend and participate in all Board meetings.

iv. Any Board member missing three (3) regular monthly meetings during one year, without reasonable cause as determined by the Board, may lose their board position and office.

Article VI-Duties of the Board Members

Section I-President

i. The President shall:

a. Preside at all meetings of the GYAA membership and the Board.

b. Perform such duties as prescribed in these bylaws or assigned by the GYAA or the Board.

c. Coordinate the work of the Officers and Committees of the GYAA to promote and achieve the objectives of the GYAA. Be the league representative for any GYAA functions.

d. Verify the GYAA bank balance with the Treasurer.

e. Have the authority to call for an audit of the financial records at anytime.

f. Serve as the ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee.

g. Have the authority to make emergency supply and equipment purchases up to $500 without prior Board approval.

h. Appoint a committee to review the Bylaws within their 2 year term.

Section II- Vice President

i. The Vice President shall:

a. Act as aide to the President and perform the duties of the President as needed.

b. Have the authority to sign checks and verify monthly bank statements.

c. Act on behalf of the Board as the liaison to the Dept. of Parks and Recreation.

Section III-Secretary

i. The Secretary shall:

a. Record the minutes for all meetings of the GYAA and the Board and distribute them in a timely fashion.

b. Perform other duties as requested by the Board.

c. Relinquish all records and equipment belonging to the GYAA at the expiration of his/her term, and assist with the transition of the new GYAA Secretary.

Section IV-Treasurer

i. The Treasurer shall:

a. Have custody of all the funds of the GYAA.

b. Keep a full and accurate account of all receipts and expenditures.

c. Make disbursements based on the budget adopted by the Board and authorized by the President and/or Board.

d. Present a financial statement at every monthly Board meeting.

e. Be responsible for the maintenance of books and account and records in a fashion that conforms to the Board’s requirements.

f. Support and serve as liaison (unless the Board chooses and approves a different contact) for all financial audits.

g. Compile and complete the IRS Form 990 annually prior to the April Board meeting. This form will be provided as a copy to all active board members and discussed as needed.

i. Provide a copy via email prior to the April board meeting for all voting members to review the 990 of the prior tax year. It is the responsibility of the President to ensure that this action item is included in the agenda for the April board meeting, and the responsibility of the Secretary to ensure that the minutes include the discussion and approval that all board members reviewed the tax return prior to the April meeting.

h. After the approval of the IRS form 990 annually, it is the responsibility of the Treasurer to mail the form via USPS Certified Mail with a return receipt. This will provide documentation for the organization that the IRS received the tax return and safeguard the organization from any future issues of non- compliance regarding the filing of the return.

i. Act as liaison to the Concessions manager/director.

Section V-Commissioners

i. The Commissioners shall:

a. Act as the coaches’ representative to the Board.

b. Be responsible for game scheduling of all athletic events of their respective sport.

c. Nominate coaches and submit their names to the Board for approval. Each coach shall be voted on separately and a simple majority is required for approval.

d. Not take on the responsibility of head coach without board approval.

e. Be responsible for budgetary expenditures and reconciling expenses with the assistance of the Treasurer.

f. Be responsible for inventorying all equipment at the end of the season, for distributing all equipment and securing the equipment in the rental warehouse for their respective sport.

g. Report to the Treasurer yearly the inventory of equipment and supplies with an itemized dollar amount so proper tax paperwork can be prepared.

h. Appoint a Football League Representative that is subject to game attendance and requirements and league certifications

**omitted the League rep section

Section VI-Fundraising Director

i. The Fundraising Director shall:

a. Present, coordinate, and organize all fundraisers. All fundraiser events or activities must be submitted to the Board for approval.

b. Report the status of all fund raising projects to the Board.

c. Coordinate team sponsorships along with the Commissioners, Directors and Coaches.

Section VII-Concession Director

i. The Concession Director shall:

a. Be responsible for all concessions and reporting all funds raised and spent to the Board.

b. Be responsible for submitting a budget for the board to approve/adopt.

c. Be responsible for ensuring all foods prepared and sold meet the State of Virginia health standards and requirements.

Section IX-Communications Director

i. The Communications Director shall:

a. Be responsible for producing a GYAA newsletter publication on a regular basis (quarterly) to be distributed to GYAA families and participants.

b. Be responsible for updates to the GYAA website.

c. Direct and assist in other means of communication of GYAA news to families and participants as the Board deems necessary. This may include working with the local Goochland news media for advertising.

Section X-Members-at-Large

i. Members-at-Large shall:

a. Be elected to serve 1 year term. They will serve in training positions as advisors; be liaisons to the members; and may be appointed to fulfill specific duties as deemed necessary by the President or the Board.

B. there will be 8 positions for members at large; 2 per sport

Section XI-Immediate Past President

i. Immediate Past President shall:

a. Be responsible for transitioning the new President in a timely fashion.

b. Attend Board meetings regularly, up to 12 months after resignation

c. Be a member of the Board and vote at meetings.

d. Be a guide to the Board.

Article VII-Nominations and Elections

Section I-Nominating Process

i.  Any potential candidate must be introduced to The Board.

ii.  All candidates are subject to a voting process.

Iii. All candidates must pass a background check 

Section II-Age requirement

i. All nominees for Board positions shall be at least 18 years of age and in good standing in the GYAA.

Article VII-Vacancies

Section I-Short and Long Term

i. Short and Long term vacancies of an office shall be filled by the President or his/her agreed upon delegate.

*Omitted the Long Term option

Section III-President’s Resignation

i. The President’s resignation shall be submitted to the Secretary and the position shall be filled by the Vice President. The new President shall appoint a new Vice President with the approval from the Board.

Article IX-Finances

Section I-Funds

i. Funds shall be generated by donations, registration fees, fundraising activities, grants, etc.

ii. All monies received shall be deposited in the GYAA bank account by the Treasurer or the Treasurer’s designee.

Section II-Budget

i. Each Commissioner/Director shall submit an annual budget request by the February Board meeting for the spring season and May for the fall season.

ii. The Board shall adopt an annual budget by the March Board Meeting for Spring and by the June Board Meeting for Fall.

iii. Any expenditure more than $500 above the approved budget shall be submitted to the Board for approval except in emergency situations as indicated in Article VI, Section I, g.

Section III-Audits

i. An audit of the GYAA financial records shall be conducted at least once a year by an independent accounting company. Results of the audit shall be reviewed with the Board and corrective actions (if any) are required within 90 days of the findings.

Article X-Bylaws Review

Section I-Mandatory Review Period

i. The bylaws shall be reviewed by a committee appointed by the President and changed by the Board as deemed necessary; a review shall occur at least once every two years.

ii. Any changes to the bylaws shall be approved by the Board and are effective on the date of approval unless otherwise indicated by the Board.

iii. Per Robert’s Rules of Order, any change to the bylaws requires