Dobson Dolphins Swim Team: By-Laws

Last Revision August 23, 2009

Dobson Dolphins Swim Team Bylaws

ARTICLE I: NAME The name of this team shall be the Dobson Dolphins Swim Team and shall herein is referred to as the DDST in the bylaws. The DDST draws its membership from the County of Surry and surrounding areas. The DDST facility is located at 716 Gillespie Street Dobson, NC 27017. The DDST is a 501© 3 non-profit organization that shall be open to all irrespective of sex, nationality, and beliefs.

ARTICLE II: OBJECTIVE The objective of the DDST is to dedicate to the emotional and physical growth of its swimmers and to the morale of the community in which they live. The coaches, the parents, and all involved in DDST will strive to make swimming a fun experience. At the same time, they will foster in both parents and swimmers alike, the benefits of hard work and sacrifice, the traits of good sportsmanship, the value of self-discipline, the seeds and fruits of leadership, the exhilaration of competitive zeal, and the joy of community spirit. (08-23-09)

ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP

Section A: Membership on the DDST shall be open to all interested children between the ages of 5 and 18 before June 1 that year, who meet minimal swimming requirements. The final decision on whether a child can join the DDST rests with the Board of Directors and Head Coach. The Board of Directors may set a quota for membership. Membership shall be made upon Registration forms and payment of fees. Membership shall bind each applicant to abide by the Bylaws and Rules of the DDST. A portion of the registration fee pays for the year-end Conference Meet

Section B: Parents of the team swimmers shall be deemed to hold membership with the DSST and hold voting rights.

Section C: Parents of the team swimmers will at all times display appropriate behavior to The Executive Committee, Coaches, Other Parents, and most importantly the children at any time on any facility property within the BRSL Swim League or DDST function. Violations are covered in Article VI. Section D: All swimmers’ parents are required to volunteer to support multiple swim meets in one of the following areas: Set-up/ Cleanup, Timer, Starter, Runner, Scoring, Place Judge, Stroke and Turn Judge or Concessions. Failure to volunteer will jeopardize swimmer membership and the ability of the DDST to continue to function as a member of the BRSL. (08-23-09)

ARTICLE IV: CODE OF CONDUCT OF MEMBERSHIP

Section A: EXPECTATIONS OF PRACTICE: A swimmer will: 1. Maintain a cooperative and respectful attitude toward the coach. 2. Maintain conversational voice levels. 3. NO running on pool deck, No one on the diving board without a coach’s permission at any time, NO pushing or shoving another person either in or out of the water, NO splashing, NO chewing gum, NO spitting, NO obscene, derogatory, or profane behavior or language. 4. Be ready to begin practice on time. Swimmers should be in the pool area with all necessary equipment, ready to begin practice at least 5 minutes before the scheduled time at which their practice is to begin. This will allow for proper stretching and any pre-practice instruction necessary. 5. Observe and comply with the following rules of Blue Ridge Swim League. 6. Respect the personal property of teammates or restitution for damage will be expected. 7. Attend regular practice sessions as determined by the respective swim group coach. 8. Be responsible for their swim gear and keep all facilities clean. 9. Demonstrate cooperativeness and respect to all persons involved with DDST. 10. Gladly pitch-in if asked to assist a coach or parent member. 11. Refrain from playfulness deemed by the coach that can become frightening, harassing and hurtful to others. 12. Resolve differences through conversation and compromise. Disputes not successfully resolved verbally should be referred to the coach. 13. Practice lane etiquette. Swimmers who stop in the middle of any set for any reason should rejoin their lane as quickly as possible with the least disruption as possible. 14. Avoid unreasonable physical contact. There should not be physical contact between swimmers, which would be considered unreasonable. The DDST coaching staff will deal immediately with slapping, hitting, or punching any swimmer, in jest or in anger. 15. Not throw any objects. Any items in the pool area can be dangerous if thrown. Nothing should be thrown at any time. 16. Refrain from the use of addictive substances. Any swimmer who is known to use alcohol, drugs, or tobacco is subject to suspension from the team. 17. Swim warm-up/warm-down as part of the practice. The DDST coaching staff will announce when practice begins. Swimmers not swimming within the allotted amount of time defined by the coach will be in violation of the proper warm-up rule. Warm-down should be completed as quickly as possible. 18. At all Swim functions, whether it be practice, meets, or social gatherings, the DDST coaching staff expects all members to behave in such a way that there actions reflect positively on the team. 19. All members of the club, whether they are parents or swimmers, should continue to protect and improve the excellent reputation the club has throughout the state and country. Dobson Dolphins Swim Team Bylaws 

Section B: DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR DURING PRACTICE: 1. Disruptive behavior during practices will not be tolerated. The intent of practice is to improve technique and endurance. 2. The coach will handle disruptive behavior during practices. If necessary, the coach reserves the right to dismiss and/or suspend the swimmer from practice. 3. If the swimmer has been dismissed from practice, they may NOT leave the pool deck area until the practice session is over and the coach personally speaks with and dismisses the swimmer. Should the disciplined swimmer wish to call his/her parents for immediate pickup, he/she may do so with permission from the coach. The swimmer must then remain on pool deck until the parent arrives and the coach is notified that the swimmer is now under parental supervision. The discussion of the incident must be postponed until a time is convenient for the coach. 4. Under no circumstance will the coach, while coaching on deck, engage in a conversation with a parent concerning an individual disciplined during a practice session. 5. It is the coach's responsibility to inform the parent(s) following a reprimand that dismisses the swimmer from practice. This may be done verbally (in a private location) or in writing. The coach will maintain records of each incident; including date, incident description, and swimmer's signature. The record will be forwarded to the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE V. SWIM MEET BEHAVIOR:

Section A: EXPECTATIONS FOR SWIM MEETS: It is expected each swimmer will participate in the Blue Ridge Swim League sanctioned swim meets as determined by their respective swim group coach. During a swim meet, we are the guests of the host team. We must follow host team rules. When hosting a meet, practice session rules apply. Each family member attending any DDST meet should display exemplary behavior. Parents (adult/guardian) are responsible for their children’s conduct as well as their own. 

Section B: DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR DURING MEETS: Disruptive behavior can result in an individual’s expulsion from the meet and is usually handled by the Meet Director or Meet Referee. If serious enough, the entire club could lose their opportunity to compete. The swimmer represents DDST. Poor manners, poor sportsmanship, and poor behavior reflect negatively upon ALL DDST swimmers and could jeopardize our invitation to future meets. Infractions should be brought to the attention of the Meet Director for possible disciplinary actions. Expulsion from any meet requires the swimmer to attend a meeting held by the DDST Disciplinary Committee to review the incident. A parent must accompany the swimmer to this meeting.

ARTICLE VI: TERMINATIONS / SUSPENSIONS Any membership of DDST may be suspended and/or terminated by the Board of Directors for not abiding by the Bylaws and/or rules of the DDST.

ARTICLE VII: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section A: All business and DDST activities shall be conducted by or under the authority of the Board of Directors. Section B: Fees shall be established by the Board of Directors to enable the DDST to meet its lawful obligations. Section C: The Board of Directors (BOD) shall consist of the Executive Committee and Special Event / Fund Raiser Coordinator. None of the members of the BOD shall be paid for their services. (08-23-09) Section D: The Executive Committee will consist of President, Vice- President, Secretary, and Treasurer. A quorum is reached when a majority of the Executive Committee is present (51% majority of Board Members.) Section E: All members of the board will have one vote. A simple majority will solve all issues, unless otherwise specified in these bylaws. Section F: All disbursements in excess of $150.00 shall be authorized by the Executive Committee excluding regular utilities and payroll. (08-23-09)

ARTICLE VIII: DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Section A: Nomination and Election of BOD Members. The nomination and voting process will be administered by the current DDST Secretary. At the end-of-season, semi-annual meeting of the general membership, normally conducted in mid August; the general membership shall elect the new DDST BOD and Committee Members by majority vote. Nominations for BOD and Committee Members positions may be made by any member in good standing for any member in good standing provided the nominee consents. The election shall be announced at least one month prior to the election date. The final nominee slate shall be formulated and announced to the general membership for consideration one week prior to the election. The election process will consist of hard copy ballot with DDST positions and nominees clearly indicated. The ballots will be distributed at the beginning of the meeting. Each nominee or a designated representative from the general membership will be afforded two minutes to speak if they so choose. The election will be held, ballots collected, and a count conducted by the current Secretary and one member of the DDST not on the election ballot. The results will be announced by the Secretary prior to the meeting’s termination. In the case of a tie vote, a run-off election will be held between the two nominees. In a tie vote situation the nominees may elect to speak an additional two minutes in order to sway voters. Additional votes will be taken until the tie is broken. (08-23-09)

Section B: Term of Office. BOD and Committee Members shall serve until their respective successor has been elected, but any BOD or Committee Member may be removed with or without cause by a majority vote of the full membership of the DDST BOD. BOD members may resign by providing written notice to the DDST President 30 days in advance of their effective resignation date. Vacancies will be filled by persons selected by majority vote of the remaining BOD until a replacement can be elected by the general membership. A special meeting of the general membership is not required to fill vacancies so long as at least four elected members remain on the BOD. If and when only three or fewer elected members of the BOD remain in office, the BOD must order a special meeting be held within 30 calendar days and the BOD shall have no further authority to act until said vacancies have been filled by the general membership. (08-23-09)

Section C: Duties. The BOD shall manage the affairs of the DDST. All voting powers not specifically reserved for the general membership or pool committee herein shall be vested in the DDST BOD. The DDST BOD shall have the authority to do all things necessary for the safe, efficient and effective operation, management, and advancement of the DDST to include but not limited to expending DDST funds as it deems appropriate. Under no circumstances will a decision by the BOD be made to expend funds not planned in the approved DDST Yearly Budget, or otherwise pre-approved by the BOD, unless the Treasurer has calculated and briefed the financial impact of the desired expenditure. (08-23-09)

1. President. The President will serve as the chief member of the BOD. During recess the BOD shall have general control and management of the DDST business and affairs, except that any powers not specifically reserved by the President may be delegated by the BOD. The President shall act as the intermediary and chief liaison between and among the general membership, BOD, BRSL, and coaches, for the purpose of handling and resolving contentious issues. The President shall preside at all meetings of the DDST BOD and the DDST general membership unless the Vice President is designated to do so by the President in the President’s absence. The President shall maintain a detailed DDST President Turnover Binder in order to maintain integrity of the position over time. (08-23-09)

2. Vice President. The Vice President shall act in lieu of the President in the event the President is incapable of acting by reason of death, illness, resignation, or absence. The Vice President shall act as meeting Parliamentarian in order to ensure proper order is maintained. Roberts’ Rules of Order shall be used as a guide when executing these duties. The Vice President shall be responsible for general oversight of all committees, unless the BOD assigns oversight of a specific committee to another member. The Vice President shall coordinate and integrate changes to the DDST and the BRSL By-Laws. The Vice President shall maintain a detailed DDST Vice President Turnover Binder in order to maintain integrity of the position over time The Vice President shall perform additional duties as delegated by the BOD or the President. (08-23- 09)

3. Treasurer The Treasurer shall have primary custody of and maintain detailed records of the DDST bank account and all DDST related financial transactions, unless otherwise determined by the BOD. The Treasurer shall inform the BOD of total receipts, specific expenditures, and remaining balances at each regular meeting of the BOD. The Treasurer shall maintain a Reconciliation Detailed Report and a Profit and Loss Statement. One additional DDST BOD member will be designated as the account’s Co-Owner in the event the Treasurer is not available to conduct required account activity approved by the BOD. The Treasurer shall maintain all required tax records and ensure reports are submitted to appropriate government agencies in a timely manner. The Treasurer shall deposit all DDST funds, which the Treasurer receives, in such bank accounts as the BOD designates as soon as possible. The Treasurer shall pay out moneys as business may require upon the order of the BOD with proper vouchers to justify the expense. Expenses shall be paid by check only. Expenses will not be paid from cash on hand. The BOD may delegate any and all duties of the Treasurer. The outgoing Treasurer shall account to the incoming Treasurer for all financial books, records, and accounts within 60 days of the election of the new Treasurer. At semi-annual meetings of the general membership, the Treasurer shall submit a written report of the account balances at the previous meeting, receipts and expenditures during the interim period, and remaining balances. The BOD shall provide periodic financial summaries of the Treasurer’s report to the BOD as deemed appropriate or upon special request. DDST funds cannot be obligated nor payments made from the DDST account unless approved by the DDST BOD in advance; either by approval of the annual budget or via special vote for non-budgeted, emergent need. The Treasurer shall maintain a detailed DDST Treasurer’s Turnover Binder consisting of the reports mentioned above and any additional information as deemed appropriate by the Treasurer and or BOD in order to maintain integrity of the position over time. (08-23-09)

4. Secretary. The Secretary shall make and keep minutes of all meetings of the BOD and the general membership using an approved standardized format and the following process. A draft of the minutes shall be distributed to the DDST BOD within one week of the meeting. The BOD shall review these minutes in advance of the next meeting. During the ensuing meeting, the previous meetings minutes will be adjusted as required and approved by majority vote. The approved minutes will then be distributed to the DDST BOD within one week of approval and posted on the Website so as to be available for review by the general membership. The Secretary shall distribute approved copies of all meeting minutes to all appropriate members, by email or otherwise. The Secretary shall also maintain a list of all participating DDST members with name, address, telephone number, email address (if any), and names and ages of swimmers. The Secretary shall maintain a comprehensive record of all documentation generated by the BOD or used by the BOD. The secretary shall maintain a detailed DDST Secretary Turnover Binder in order to maintain integrity of the position over time. The Secretary shall perform other duties as delegated by the BOD or the President. (08-23-09)

5. Special Event / Fund Raiser Coordinator. The Special Event / Fund Raiser Coordinator will be a member of the BOD and responsible for fund-raising and special events. The Special Event / Fund Raiser Coordinator will be head of the Pool Committee and designate members of the Pool Committee with duties to include sponsorships, fundraisers, ribbons and awards for swimmers, sale of products such as swim suits, caps, goggles, and special order items for team apparel. The Special Event / Fund Raiser Coordinator will hold monthly meetings with the Pool Committee to report their findings and suggestions in writings at the BOD monthly meetings. (08-23-09)

Section D: New Officers will begin their term on September 1. Officers shall serve for a term of one year or until their successors are elected. Vacancies in office shall be filled by appointment by the Board of Directors from its own membership or the general membership until the expiration of the term. Each officer upon the expiration of the term of office shall turn over to the successor all records and other materials pertaining to the office.

Section E: All members of the Board of Directors must attend all meetings of the Blue Ridge Swim League including instructional classes.

ARTICLE IX: COMMITTEES

Section A: Pool Committee. Pool Committee will consist of (six) 6 elected members of the DDSTs Parents and be headed by the Special Event / Fund Raiser Coordinator. It is the sole responsibility of the Pool Committee for the selection of the head coach position for the DDST and the nomination of Facility Operations Manager. No member of the BOD, with the exception of the Special Event / Fund Raiser Coordinator will be present at the Pool Committee meetings unless requested by the pool committee. The Pool Committee Members are responsibilities include sponsorships, fundraisers, ribbons and awards for swimmers, sale of products such as swim suits, caps, goggles, special order items for team apparel and any additional items that are sold by or for the DDST. A designated member(s) will take inventory of these items at the close of the swim season and report their findings in writing to the head of the committee. A copy of the findings and a written proposal for orders of any items needed for the following season should be given to the BOD at the first meeting following the inventory. Due to the responsibilities of the Pool Committee, any nominee can run for both an elected office of the BOD and Pool Committee. However, the nominee can only be elected to one position based on the number of votes received for that office. Should that nominee be elected to the BOD, their name would be eliminated from the Pool Committee nominations. Should they not be elected to the BOD their votes would stand for the Pool Committee. Nominations may be made one month prior to the end of season parents meeting to the current DDST Secretary. If there are no nominations made prior the parents meeting, nominations may be made from the floor and the election may be conducted by upheld hands. (08-23-09)

Section B: Maintenance Committee. The Maintenance Committee is responsible for general maintenance of the DDST facility including the start up and closing of the facility. General maintenance includes, but not limited to, electrical, plumbing, landscaping, construction and repair of the DDST facility. The Maintenance Committee is not limited to the number of members. The members of the Maintenance Committee will elect a head to represent the committee and to attend meetings of the BOD when requested. (08-23-09)

Section C: Competition Coordinator. The Competition Coordinator is responsible for assigning DDST members to duties required to facilitate DDST events or meets whether they are at home or away. These assigned duties include Set-up/ Cleanup, Timer, Runner, Scoring, Starter, Place Judge, Stroke and Turn Judge and Concessions as required being a member of the DDST. The Competition Coordinator will attend meetings of the BOD and BRSL when requested. (08-23-09)

ARTICLE X: COACHES

Section A: The Head Coach is a non-voting member of the Board. She/he coordinates and conducts practice sessions and meets. Only the Head Coach is paid for their services at an amount determined by the Executive Committee.

Section B: All coaches will be responsible for training and supervising DDST members. The coaches shall organize private stroke clinics as deemed needed by the Head Coach. All coaches shall be responsible for the maintenance of team equipment.

Section C: To maintain proper conduct and discipline by the swimmers, the coach may suspend a swimmer for up to seven days, prohibit, or suspend participation in a DDST meet. This can be done without prior approval of Board of Directors for persistent and flagrant refusal to comply with proper and appropriate rules as established by the coach and the DDST Bylaws. The coach may also recommend to the Board suspension and/or termination of the swimmer’s membership on the DDST. Disputes between the Coach and swimmers and/or members regarding disciplinary action under this policy may be appealed to and finally decided by the board of Directors.

Section D: All Coaches will be appointed by the Pool Committee and approved by the BOD. The coaches will attend the BOD of Directors meetings as requested. (08-23-09)

Section E: Coaches of the DDST will be required to attend all meetings required by the BRSL. (08-23-09)

Section F: All coaches must have a current certification in CPR and First Aid. (08-23-09)

ARTICLE XI: FACILITY OPERATIONS

Section A: The daily operation of the pool facility is maintained by the Facility Operations Manager. The Facility Operations Manager is nominated by the Pool Committee and approved by the Board of Directors. The BOD will determine the amount paid to the Facility Operations Manager. (08-23-09)

Section B: The Facility Operations Manager will retain a $100.00 petty cash fund for small expenditures. Any expenses from this fund will be replenished with proper receipts by the Treasurer. The Facility Operations Manager is responsible for these funds and will turn over all petty cash at the close of the season. (08-23-09)

Section C: All facility staff lifeguards must be Red Cross Certified as a Life Guard with current certification. The facility staff will be hired with the approval of the Executive Director and the Board of Directors. (08-23- 09)

ARTICLE XII: MEETINGS

Section A: BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETINGS: The BOD shall meet monthly and before regularly scheduled meetings of the general membership. Special meetings may be called when required by the President. A simple majority vote will decide most issues. Four (4) voting members shall constitute a quorum. (08-23-09)

Section B: POOL COMMITTEE MEETINGS: The Pool Committee will meet once a month during the year. The Special Event / Fund Raiser Coordinator shall ensure that the Date, Time and Venue of the Committee meetings are arranged both to enable the maximum attendance of all committee members and the orderly conduct of committee business.

Section C: ANNUAL PARENTS MEETING: The Annual Meeting will be held at the start and close of each season, as set by the Board of Directors. Election of Board of Directors will take place at the close of each season meeting. The Board of Directors shall call a special general membership meeting at the request of twenty-five (25%) of the members. At all general membership meetings, the members present shall constitute a quorum, each member (proxy) shall be entitled to one vote.

ARTICLE XIII: MISCELLANEOUS AMENDMENTS OF THE BYLAWS: Changes to the Bylaws may be recommended by the Board of Directors. The membership may petition the Board for changes. Changes in the bylaws shall be presented at a general meeting of the membership, and shall be approved by a two-thirds (2/3) majority votes of the members present. Proposed changes in the bylaws must be provided to the membership at least ten (10) days before any meeting at which the proposals are to be considered for adoption.

ARTICLE XIV: DISSOLUTION If dissolution, disbandment, inactivation or other termination of the DDST is deemed necessary by the general membership, the funds and properties of the DDST, in excess of its liabilities, shall be disposed of in the decision of the existing membership by two-thirds (2/3) vote for the members present at a duly called general membership meeting.