Arlington Women's Soccer League (AWSL) - (Arlington, VA)

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League Bylaws (July 2022)

ARLINGTON WOMEN'S SOCCER LEAGUE (AWSL)

CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS

ARLINGTON WOMEN'S SOCCER LEAGUE CONSTITUTION
(REVISED July 2022)

Article I: NAME AND PURPOSE

Arlington Women’s Soccer League (AWSL) is a voluntary association organized to provide an opportunity for women to:

play soccer for recreation;
increase their knowledge and understanding of soccer, its rules and techniques;
increase their general fitness; and
enjoy a greater involvement in team sports through competitive play.

Article II: MEMBERSHIP

Section 1: League Divisions

The league will be divided into two divisions;

a.   Open Division consisting of one or more brackets of teams; and
b.   Masters Division: consisting of one or more brackets of teams or subdivisions of teams (for example, O30 and O40).
c.   Division Composition: The Board of Team Representatives will decide the distribution of teams across divisions prior to each season with a primary objective of keeping the brackets as evenly balanced as possible for scheduling purposes (i.e., 6 teams, 10 games = play each team twice). The Board of Team Representatives will also consider team parity to allow teams of similar caliber to play in the same bracket, if possible. The Officers have the final decision regarding brackets based on field space and number of teams.

d. AWSL will attempt to follow a "one up, one down" policy wherever reasonable and practical. ("One up, one down" means team winning lower bracket moves up, and team finishing last in higher bracket moves down.) However, the Officers will have the discretion to have one, two, or no teams move between brackets depending on the circumstances.

e. New Teams: Registration within a particular division bracket of all newly organized teams will be considered on an individual basis by the Officers.

f. Team Reorganization: In the case of a team reorganization, the group that has the majority of team players (at least even (7) players) from the previous season may retain their team divisional standings unless otherwise decided by the Board of Team Representatives.

g. Pickup Soccer: The officers may organize pickup soccer games for AWSL in addition to the League Divisions described above.

Section 2: Player Eligibility:

a. All players must be at least eighteen (18) years of age.
b. Masters Division players must be thirty (30) years of age or more during the calendar year in which they play. The Board of Team Representatives may establish minimum ages for subdivisions within the Masters Division.

c. All players must be registered with the League before the first game in which they play. If applicable, proof of residency in Arlington County must also be included. For Arlington County residents, name and address must match their registration form. Proof must conform to requirements set forth by Arlington County (see attached), and must have a readable current address and date.

d. Each player must have signed the release from liability and suit form, and paid such fees as predetermined by the Officers before she participates in ANY AWSL competition. If player is not an Arlington County resident, the additional fee as set by the county must be included.

e. Open Division players may play in the Masters Division as long as the above age and registration qualifications have been met.

f. Masters Division players may play in the Open Division as long as the above registration qualifications have been met.

g. Open and Masters Division players may not be on the roster for more than one team within the division, including in two different brackets within the same division

h. All players will abide by the Constitution and Bylaws of AWSL.

Section 3: Team Eligibility:

a. Each team is to be comprised only of women registered with AWSL. Women include trans, genderqueer, nonbinary, and all players (other than cis-gendered males) who feel like a women’s league is appropriate for their participation. AWSL respects the rights of players to determine and establish their own gender identity for purposes of team eligibility.
b. Each team will be assessed a seasonal fee determined by the Board of Team Representatives which may change from season to season. Before a team may be included in the season schedule, it must pay the team fee and present a roster of twelve (12) registered players to the League by the deadline set forth each season by the Officers.

c. Each team in the league must be composed of women, of which fifty percent (50%) must meet the in-county requirements set forth by Arlington County.

d. A player may not change teams in the same division after the first scheduled game of the season without Officer approval.

e. New Player Placement: Vacancies on teams may be filled from new player registrations by the appropriate Division Coordinators.

Section 4: Fees:

a. All fees must accompany the registration forms. Players must have paid in full to be eligible to begin play.
b. Late Registration: Any returning AWSL team will pay a late registration fine of $50.00 if they have not registered by the registration deadline established by the Board of Team Representatives unless otherwise decided by the Officers.

c. Dual Registration: Any AWSL player playing in more than one division will pay the out-of-county fee for both teams if she does not meet the Arlington County residency requirements set forth by Arlington County.

d. Returned Checks: Any checks returned by the bank for any reason may be assessed a fee of associated bank charges.

e. Refunds: Prior to the first scheduled game, teams that have paid all or part of the registration fees may request a refund in writing. The Officers should consider and vote on the refund and the amount to be returned, if any.

Section 5: Uniforms:

a. Uniform Selection: When teams elect to change the color of their team jerseys, they must notify the appropriate Division Coordinator to ensure that there will be minimal color conflict. Existing team colors should NOT be adopted by newly formed teams.

b. Uniform Requirements: Players should have permanent numbers on the back of their regular team jerseys. A permanent number is defined as one that is silk-screened, iron-on, or applied with permanent marker only.

1. Uniformity in team shirts, such as coloring, pattern, etc. is encouraged.

2. Alternate Jersey: Permanent numbers are not required. Alternate jerseys

must all conform to same color group.

c. Uniform Conflicts: When teams with the same or similar color uniforms are scheduled to play, the HOME team will wear their alternate jerseys and the VISITING team will wear its own color to avoid confusion of players.

d. Players may wear leg wear/ socks of any type.

e. Shin guards are required to be worn in order to play in a game and socks must cover the shin guards. REFEREES MAY CALL DANGEROUS EQUIPMENT AT THEIR DISCRETION.

ARTICLE III: OFFICERS AND MANAGEMENT

Section 1: Officers:

The AWSL shall have at least six (6) elected administrative Officers: President, Vice President, two Secretaries, and two Treasurers. If possible, the term length for the six elected Officers should be staggered. Officers are non-voting unless they serve as their team representative (except in the case of a tie vote, in which case the President or other officer who has not yet voted casts the tie-breaker). The term of office is one (1) year. The league encourages that no officer serve more than two consecutive terms in the same position but recognizes that sometimes this will occur and is acceptable. General responsibilities of the Officers include:

a. day-to-day business;
b. determining the player registration fee prior to each season; and

c. should there either (1.) NOT be a quorum at any duly called meeting of the Board of Team Representatives, or (2.) matters come up between meetings and there is not enough time to arrange a meeting or hold an e-mail vote, the Officers are empowered to decide any issues of an emergency nature.

Duties of each officer are described below:
a. The President is empowered to:

call and preside over all AWSL meetings;
represent AWSL in its dealings with the Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation;
represent AWSL in its contacts with other women's leagues and similar organizations;
represent AWSL in its contacts with the referee association;
coordinate the work of Officers and volunteers;
assist with the scheduling of games; and
ensure that bills are paid in a timely manner.

b. The Vice President is empowered to:

act for the President if she is for any reason unable to attend to her duties until such time as the President is able to resume her official duties or until a new President is chosen;
assist with duties relating to referees, including but not limited to, notification and enforcement of penalties associated with players' red and yellow cards;
assist with scheduling games; and
assist with paying bills.

c. The Recruiting Secretary is empowered to:

assign new players to teams who need players; and
organize new teams when needed.

d. The Recording Secretary is empowered to:

keep the minutes of all meetings;
update the website with league schedule, bylaws and other documents;
ensure that the division coordinators are trained to update league standings on the website.

e. The Registration Treasurer is empowered to:

collect appropriate registration fees from each team;
collect all registration forms, Arlington County proof IDs, and team rosters and submit them to Arlington County;
maintain file copies of all paperwork;
keep a record of any players or teams suspended or expelled from the league;
pay AWSL bills as they become due;
dispense moneys as directed by majority vote of the Board of Team Representatives; all payments of AWSL invoices shall be made by check and each check requires signatures of two elected Officers that are approved signatories on AWSL’s checking account.

f. The Finance Treasurer is empowered to:

prepare a budget for each season and present the Board of Team Representatives with financial reports at regular intervals;
receive all bank statements and league bills in order to review them;
provide copies of all monthly bank statements to the elected Officers (and Board of Team Representatives, if requested);
provide all paperwork to auditor for annual audit; and
may NOT be authorized to sign checks.

g. All office positions may be held jointly by more than one person. Also, Officers may choose to share their duties with other Officers or league volunteers to help with task burden.

h. All Officers except the Finance Treasurer are authorized to become official signatories on AWSL’s bank account and thus are authorized to sign checks. All checks and withdrawals of any kind require two (2) authorized signatures.

Section 2: Management:

a. The Board of Team Representatives consists of one (1) player from each team in the League, each of whom will have one (1) vote. Team Representatives provide the liaison between their teams and AWSL. Each team should have alternate representatives who are prepared to vote at league meetings when the team representative is unable to attend.

b. The Team Representatives assumes the following duties:

attends AWSL meetings unless a substitute is arranged;
collects and submits her team's registration forms and fees;
reports game scores and red and yellow cards to her Division Coordinator promptly;
submit any specific referee comments concerning a referee’s failure to show up, egregious behavior, or going beyond the call of duty to the Division Coordinator; and
handles other duties relating to their respective divisions as directed by the President or other officer.

c. Division Coordinator (typically one for each division) assumes the following duties:

keeping a record of team standings and statistics (within their division) which is assessable to league members;
recording scores and reporting yellow/ red cards to the appropriate team captains and Officers (scores and card reports are received from Team Representatives);
informing the opposing team if a player from the team they are scheduled to play is suspended from play due to red or yellow cards,
determining, in conjunction with the President, when games need to be postponed and rescheduled; and
performing other duties relating to their respective divisions as directed by the Board of Team Representatives or other Officers.

ARTICLE IV: FINANCIAL PRACTICES

To protect the league against dishonest actions, to protect the Officers from wrongful accusations, and to protect both against honest mistakes, the league should:

a. Require more than one person to sign all checks.

b. Have the Bank statements reviewed by a person who does NOT have authority to write checks.

c. Require a Treasurer report submitted to the Board of Team Representatives once every season or more. The report should include itemized expenses, revenues, balances, and include copy of most recent bank statement.

d. Request Arlington County to include at least two Officers on every financial correspondence.

e. Request referee association to include at least two Officers on every financial correspondence.
f. Have at least 2 Officers sign every contract with referee association or other entities.

ARTICLE V: ELECTIONS AND SEASONS

Section 1: Meetings:

AWSL meetings are to be held a minimum of one (1) time per season. Notice of special meetings must be sent to Team Representatives and alternates, Officers, and other interested persons ten (10) days in advance of the meeting, except in cases of emergency. Teams not represented at meetings of the Board of Representatives do not get a vote. All meetings follow Parliamentary Procedures as set for in Roberts' Rules of Order (www.robertsrules.com) with the exception that a quorum will consist of three-fourths (3/4) of all teams registered in the League.

Section 2: Elections:

Any member of the league is eligible to run for and hold office and should express an interest in holding office either at a Board of Team Representatives meeting or via e-mail to the Board of Team Representatives. Each member of the Board of Team Representatives gets one vote for each officer from among the candidates. In general, elections will be held at Board of Team Representatives meetings but could also be held via e-mail, organized by the current Officers.

Section 3: Seasons:

AWSL organizes a Spring season that usually commences in March or April and a Fall season, usually commencing in August or September. A summer session is often organized as well.

ARTICLE VI: DISCIPLINARY MATTERS

Section 1: Ineligible Players:

In the event of a violation of the player eligibility provision, the opposing team will have one of the following options:

a. the violating team forfeits the game with a score of 3-0; or
b. the score remains as played.

Section 2: Discipline and Expulsion:

a. Procedure: Any player, coach, or team may be disciplined, suspended or expelled from the League by a three-fourths (3/4) vote of the Board of Team Representatives present and eligible to vote at a Board of Team Representatives meeting based upon sufficient evidence indicating an intentional disregard for the purposes and principles of the League as defined in the Constitution and Bylaws. No representative of a team involved in a disciplinary matter being covered may participate in any vote which may be taken. However, representatives from the team should be allowed to voice their point of view via e-mail or in the meeting.

a. Any player or team seeking such disciplinary action must notify the President of the AWSL and the person(s) sought to be disciplined, in writing. The President and Officers will then investigate the incident and any charges there from, and make recommendations to the Board of Team of Representatives at the next scheduled meeting of the Board of Team Representatives or via e-mail.

a. Player Conduct: Individual penalties: Players who receive red or yellow cards from the referee will be penalized in the manners listed below. Open Division penalties will not be assessed in the Masters Division and Master Division penalties will not be assessed in the Open Division.

Any player who receives a red card from the referee is suspended from the remainder of the game and the next game played by their team immediately following the infraction.
If a player receives a red card in the last game of the season, she will be suspended for the first game of the following season, REGARDLESS of whether she changes teams.
If a player receives two (2) red cards in one season, she will be suspended from play for the remainder of the season; if after receiving two (2) red cards in one season, she receives two (2) red cards in the following season, she is permanently expelled from the League.
If a player receives three (3) yellow cards in one season, she is suspended from play in the next game played by their team immediately following the game in which she received the third yellow card.
If a player receives her third yellow card within one season in the last scheduled game of the season, she is suspended from play in the first game of the following season, regardless of whether she changes teams.

a. Team Conduct: If at any time the conduct of a coach or of a player is determined by the Board of Team Representatives to be detrimental to the AWSL, that person is liable to suspension from participation in the League for such period of time as may be deemed reasonable and proper by the Board of Team Representatives, in conformance with the procedures above. Teams are responsible for the conduct of their players while participating in games and practices. Improper conduct on the part of players, coaches, or spectators may result in penalties against the individual, including expulsion from the field and suspension from further play, or against the team, including forfeiture of a game. Examples of conduct that will not be tolerated are:

abusive or degrading language;
physical threats;
support or encouragement of poor sportsmanship;
harassment of referees;
any of the above or any other action while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs;
entry onto the field of play without referee permission except in the case of Injury;
lack of control of spectators by teams' responsible.

a. Coaches Conduct: Any coach who receives a red card during a game from the referee is suspended from the remainder of that game and the game immediately following. The coach may not be at the field during the games from which they are suspended. Any coach who receives three (3) yellow cards in one season is suspended from the following game and may not be at the field during that game. If the third yellow card of the season is received in the last scheduled game of the season, the coach is suspended from the first game of the following season.

ARTICLE VII: BYLAWS AND AMENDMENTS

Section I: Bylaws:

Rules concerning uniform, dues, game procedures and other matters of AWSL policy are to be known as Bylaws and will be effective when passed by a three-fourths (3/4) vote of the Board of Team Representatives, after reasonable notice to the Board of Team Representatives.

Section 2: Constitutional Amendments:

This Constitution may be amended by an affirmative three-fourths (3/4) vote of the Team Representatives eligible to vote at any duly constituted meeting, provided written notice of the proposed amendment has been furnished to the Board of Team Representatives at least two weeks prior to vote.

ARLINGTON WOMEN'S SOCCER LEAGUE BYLAWS

LAWS OF THE GAME: All games will be played by modified FIFA (Federation of International Football Association) rules, with the following exceptions:

Law I: The minimum number of players needed by each team to begin official play is seven (7). Substitution will be as follows:

1. Own team possession on throw-in;

2. Either team may substitute on a goal kick;

3. Either team may substitute after a goal is scored;

4. One-for-one substitution on an injury when referee calls an injury time-out;

5. Cautioned player;

6. Free substitution at the half;

7. On possession throw-ins, if the team in possession of the throw-in elects to substitute, then both teams may make unlimited substitutions.

Law II: The game will consist of forty (40) minute halves with a five (5) minute break between halves. There will be a fifteen (15) minute grace period from the designated starting time to await the minimum number (7) of players.

Law III: If a referee does not show, the game should proceed after the 15 minute waiting period, or earlier. The referee coordinator should be called to notify them the referee is not at the field.

Law IV: Players may protect their faces and chest with palms facing inward close to the body. The ball must not be directed by the player's hands or arms. (This is ultimately a judgment call by the referee.)

Law V: The goalkeeper will have possession of the ball when its movement has been stopped by any part of one or both hands or arms and/or if the ball has been pinned to the ground by any part of the body. The goalie cannot be touched when she has possession of the ball. Once the ball has left the goalie’s hands, then the ball can be played by the other team. (This is ultimately a judgment call by the referee.)

Law VI: When a drop ball decision is made for an occurrence within the area of the penalty box, the referee will move the play to the nearest point outside the penalty box to restart play.

Law VII: Division Standings Calculation Methods:


Rank	Team	Games	Games	Games	Total	Goals	Goals	Goal
	Name	Won	Lost	Tied	Game	Scored	Allowed	Differential
					Points *			(GS-GA)**
1
2
3
4
5
6

* Three points are earned for a win, one point is earned for a tie, and zero points are earned for a loss.

** Goal Differential is calculated as Total Goals Scored (GS) minus Total Goals Allowed (GA).

The team in the bracket with the most Game Points (as defined above) at the end of the season is the champion for that bracket.

In the event that more than one team within a bracket has earned an equal number of game points (a tie), the tie-breaking procedure described below applies:

1. Head-to-Head - the team with the most game points, based only on the games played between/among tied teams, shall be the winner.
2. Head-to-Head goal differential - the team with the highest goal differential, based only on the games played between/among the tied teams, shall be the winner.

3. Bracket Goal Differential - the team with the highest goal differential, based on all games played within the bracket, shall be the winner.

4. Games Lost - the team with the fewest games lost based on all games played within the bracket shall be the winner.

5. Games Won - the team with the most games won, based on all games played within the bracket shall be the winner.

6. The AWSL president in consultation with the other Officers and the tied teams, will make a determination how to handle any additional ties.

LAW VIII: A player must not use equipment or wear anything that is dangerous to themselves or others. Jewelry that is of medical or religious nature, or are extremely difficult to remove, may be taped over and be deemed safe for play by the referee. Watch-style fitness trackers may be worn if covered by a wrist band or other similar protective covering. If a player on the field is deemed unsafe by the referee, they must leave the field to address the issue before returning. This alone is not a cautionable offense.

3. GAME PROCEDURE: Home team is the team listed first on the schedule for game day. The home team is responsible for supplying an official size 5 game ball. Both teams’ designated representatives must report the game score and any red or yellow cards received (by either team) to the Division Coordinator within 48 hours. The home team is also responsible for the change of jersey color if there is a conflict.

PROTESTS: No protest of game situations will be allowed in cases involving the judgment of the referee. Only protests of game situations involving player eligibility will be considered.

A team will be allowed twenty-four (24) hours after a game to file a protest as to the result of the game, using the following procedures:

A team representative notifies the League President by telephone or e-mail that a protest is being made and the subject of that protest.
A formal written complaint (email is acceptable) must be sent within 72 hours to the Officers. A $25.00 check made out to AWSL must be submitted within the 72 hours as well, and will be refunded if the protest is upheld.
The Officers notify the team representative of the opposing team in the game being protested that a protest is being filed, and provides her with a copy of the written protest (email is acceptable) when it is available. She then has 72 hours in which to furnish a written response to the written protest.
Upon receipt of statements from both teams, the Officers will examine team/player(s) registration records to determine the eligibility of the team/player(s) as of the date of the game being protested. If the protest is upheld, the opposing team will forfeit the game for playing with an ineligible player.
Both teams must comply with the terms of the decision. No appeal, counter-petition or rebuttal is allowed.

4. CANCELLATIONS, POSTPONEMENTS, and FORFEITS:
a. Cancellations and Postponements: The President and Division Coordinator, or other League representatives as designated at the beginning of the season, must be notified at least five (5) days prior to a scheduled game that a team is requesting postponement/cancellation and/or other change in scheduled games. It is at the discretion of the President (or other designated representative) as to whether or not a game is eligible to be rescheduled. This decision will be based on field availability and the reason behind the request. If said request is approved, the team requesting postponement/ cancellation must reschedule at the convenience of the other team, making every reasonable effort to be flexible and considerate towards the opposing team. If the teams cannot agree on a make-up date, the team originally unable to play the scheduled game must either play or forfeit the game. Prior to contacting the League for a postponement, teams should check with the opposing team to determine their willingness to reschedule.

b. Forfeits: Each team is given one game to forfeit with less than 48 hours’ notice without a financial penalty. Additional forfeited games without 48 hours advanced notice may incur a fee covering the referee(s) for that game. This fee must be paid prior to registering for the next season.

5. INCLEMENT WEATHER AND PARTIAL GAMES:

a. The ultimate authority with respect to termination of games rests with the Director of the Sports Section, Recreation Division, Arlington County Government, the Board of Directors, and various other concerned persons.

b. The decision with regard to cancellation of play prior to the commencement of the first game of the day will be made and communicated at least one (1) hour prior to the starting of the first game and is announced on the Arlington County Inclement Weather line at 703-228-4715.

c. The decision with respect to the cancellation of play subsequent to the commencement of the first game rests with the referee(s) at the field of play, having due consideration for the safety of the participants and the quality of the playing conditions. If the game is called, half of a game or more played will count as a completed game. If less than half has been played, the entire game will be replayed. Lightning, heavy downpours, field conditions, and loss of lighting are reasons for cancellation.

6. MISCELLANEOUS:

The AWSL may sponsor All Star games or a league tournament at the end of the Season.
The League logo may be used by individual teams within the AWSL only if their team name predominates in the overall design.
Team captains must identify themselves to the referees at the beginning of the game. Team captains and coaches are the only people who may address the referee(s) during the game.
Slide tackling by players other than the goalkeeper in the Masters Division is illegal.
Slide tackling is permitted only in Open Division but players must abide by the laws of the game when slide tackling. Referees may call dangerous play at their discretion.
Potentially Harmful Devices: No player may participate in a game while wearing an exposed cast, brace or other potentially harmful device. All casts and braces (i.e., metal and hard plastic) must be padded and covered. Exposed metal or hard plastic will not be allowed. No player may wear metal cleats or inappropriate footwear during the game. Referees may call dangerous equipment at their discretion.
Typically, there will be two referees in the Open Division and one referee in the Masters Division. However, the Board of Team Representatives may vote to change this for one or more seasons.
No pets are allowed on Arlington County Parks and Fields. Players bringing pets to games may be fined by Arlington County. In addition, the League may get cited and could lose field privileges. The only exception is for those who may need a guide dog which is necessary for the person to maneuver about the parks and fields.

Team Rep Responsibilities

Appendix A

Guide to Team Captain Responsibilities

Prior to the Season

Registration and Fees:

Collect money from players. Each player can write a check to AWSL or the team captain may collect fees from players and write one check to AWSL including out of county fees. Out of county fee is established by the county. The team fees are usually divided by a the number of players expected to be on the roster to get each player’s separate fee .

Captains are responsible for having players register in Formsite, including uploading documentation to satisfy the County’s residency requirement. Typically, all players must register and provide documentation for the Spring season, but only new Arlington resident players need to upload proof of residency for the Fall season.

Team Captain Meeting:

Arrange for documents and submission of fees as scheduled by the League administration.
Voice concerns for your team if needed.
Verify your contact information is correct with the League administration.
Have the secretary accept your roster, money, and forms.
Introduce yourself to your division coordinator and make sure she has your correct contact information.

During the Season

Prior to a game:

Assess how many players you have available for each game. If you don’t have enough players you must notify your division coordinator by Thursday 8 pm that you will forfeit for Open division and Friday 8 pm for Masters Division. No fee will be levied for any team that gave proper notice. A team’s failure to notify your division coordinator within the proper amount of time will be fined $83.00, or then-current referee fees.
Have a League approved roster.
The County field rover’s phone number, and, f provided by the County, a copy (email or printed) of the county permit.
In case of inclement weather, have you and your team call the weather line at 703-228-4715 prior to the game. Please note that games scheduled on the synthetic alternative surfaces will not be canceled unless there is dangerous weather.

Day of the game:

NETS:

At some fields, the nets may be kept in a locked box and you will need to coordinate putting up the nets prior to the start of the game.

3. GAME TIME:

If your team is the home team, make sure the referee has a game ball.
Introduce yourself to the other team captain and the referee.
Know who is home and who is the away team. Home team is the first team listed each time slot on the schedules.

4. AFTER THE GAME: (please note this process may change based on the League website)

Report your scores within 48 hours of your game time to your division coordinators. Include your score, the team you played against score, how many referees were present, their names, your evaluation (good or bad), along with any yellow and red cards.
Please report any forfeits also. You can include any information you would want the League to know about your team’s performance such as game MVP, goals saved, etc.

Inclement Weather Hotline Information

Team Sports Inclement Weather Hotline for Arlington County Parks and Recreation
(703)-228-4715

You may also sign up for text updates from Arlington County: https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Departments/Parks-Recreation/About/Inclement-Weather