Article One—NAME
The name of this organization shall be The South Sound Lacrosse League, which is will herein
be referred to as SSL.

Article Two—PURPOSE
SSL’s purpose is to support our mission statement by providing an organization structure that
enables youth lacrosse to operate, develop, and grow in our region.

Article Three—MEMBERSHIP
Membership in SSL shall be open to any amateur, community based youth lacrosse organization
which is not-for-profit, maintains an open membership, and is located within our geographical
region as specified within our rules and regulations that is under served by a current member.
Specifically, an organization sponsoring a youth lacrosse program may be a member of SSL if it
meets the following conditions:

1. The organization must agree to promote the game of lacrosse among youth in a safe and

sportsmanlike environment.

2. The organization must be not-for-profit.

3. The organization must have open registration. Registration must allow for participation

regardless of sex, race, creed, color, or religion.

4. No player may be paid for his or her participation in the organization whether the same be

money or other valuable consideration.

5. The organization must pay on a current basis all SSL dues, assessments, and fees.

6. The organization must maintain an appropriate liability insurance policy which minimum

standards are set by the Board of Directors.

7. The organization must select a representative of the organization to be a member of SSL Board

of Directors.

8. The organization must abide by and follow all SSL Bylaws and Rules & Regulations as

adopted by the Board of Directors.

9. The organization must draw its players from a defined geographical region that is consistent

with our play-for rules found within our rules and regulations.

10. The organization must represent and serve and an area which is considered under served by the Board of

Directors and not draw players from a current program.

Application for new membership must be made in writing to the Board of Directors.

Applications may be submitted before at any properly scheduled meeting of the Board, but will

only be considered for the pending season if they are received before the fall meeting (typically

November). Members are not required to renew membership. SSL members have the right to

accept or reject any such application without cause. Such application will be decided by a simple

majority vote. Newly approved members will receive Provisional membership for the first year

after which simple majority will affirm their permanent membership.

Article Four—BOARD OF DIRECTORS

1. There shall be a Board of Directors of SSL consisting of one representative from each SSL

member organization.

2. A board member may also be a member of the executive committee as outlined below, but

does not gain a second vote for holding such position.Article Five—DUTIES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Board of Directors shall conduct and transact the business of SSL. The Board shall be the

sole governing body of SSL except as otherwise provided herein. The Board shall represent SSL

and shall have the power to amend the Bylaws, Rules, and Regulations to further the purpose of

SSL. The Board shall elect an Executive Committee that will be comprised of at least: President

Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary. The Board of Directors may elect other officers from

time to time as needed.

Article Five—MEETINGS
1. Annual Meeting: The annual meeting of SSL each year shall be the February meeting of the
Board of Directors held at such time and place as the Board of Directors may determine. At least
seven (7) days before the date of the annual meeting, the Secretary shall send notice of the time
and place of the meeting to the designated representative of every member in good standing at
his or her address as it appears in the SSL membership roll book.
2. Regular Meetings: Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held periodically on an
as-needed basis. Generally, it is expected that there will be at least 3 regular meetings during the
period of January through June, and an additional 3 meetings between August and December.
Board members should be aware of their obligation to attend these meetings prior to committing
to taking the position. At least seven (7) days before the date of a regular meeting, the Secretary
shall send notice of the time and place of the meeting to the designated representative of every
member in good standing at his or her address as it appears in the SSL membership roll book.
3. Officer Meetings: As the officers will have the day-to-day responsibility for running
operations, they may meet more frequently
4. Special Meetings: Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the
Administrative Director when he/she deems it in the best interest of the organization. In addition,
at the request of at least two (2) members of the Executive Committee or one third (1/3) of the
members of the Board of Directors, the Administrative Director shall call a special meeting. At
least seven (7) days before the date of a special meeting, the Secretary shall send notice of the
time and place of the meeting to the designated representative of every member in
good standing at his or her address as it appears in the SSL membership roll book.
5. Quorum: The presence of not less than fifty (50%) percent of the members shall constitute a
quorum and shall be necessary to conduct the business of this organization. A meeting in which
there is no quorum may be adjourned for a period of not more than three (3) weeks from the date
scheduled and the secretary shall cause a notice of this scheduled meeting to be sent to all those
members who were not present at the meeting originally called. A quorum as hereinbefore set
forth shall be required at any adjourned meeting.

Article Six—VOTING
1. Each member organization in good standing and not a provisional members shall
be entitled to one vote.
2. Except as otherwise provided herein, all votes of the Board of Directors shall be decided by a
simple fifty-one (51%) percent majority of the members attending.
3. At all meetings, all votes shall be by voice, except that any questions may be voted upon by
ballot if a fifty-one (51%) percent majority of the members attending so requires.
4. For efficiency, it may periodically be deemed necessary for a board vote by email. In such
cases, responses shall be concise and clear (such as YES or NO). In these
cases, failure to respond will be considered absentee. Failure to reach a quorum forces the issue
to be resolved through a second email vote, or at the next in-person meeting.
5. In the event that a particular member is deemed in violation of the Bylaws, Rules, or
Regulations of SSL, the membership may move to suspend that member’s voting privileges.
Further, any member which is not current in its dues as set forth in these Bylaws shall not be
entitled to cast a vote for any reason whatsoever at a meeting of the Board of Directors.

Article Seven—ORDER OF BUSINESS
The order of business may be changed from time to time at the discretion of the Administrative
Director.

Article Eight—OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
SSL shall have the following officers: President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary. The
Board of Directors may elect other officers from time to time as needed. Individually, each
officer will have the duties outlined below. Collectively, these officers comprise the Executive
Committee and will hold the duties outlined below.

Article Nine—DUTIES OF OFFICERS AND THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
1. President: The Administrative Director shall preside at all meetings. The Administrative
Director shall appoint all officers and committees not required to be elected. The Administrative
Director shall submit an annual report to the Board of Directors at its annual meeting. The
Administrative Director shall communicate, collect and report all conditions of organizations.
The Administrative Director shall serve a two-year term with elections to be conducted at the
Fall Meeting to be held in October, November, or December of each and every year. An
Administrative Director may serve one or more consecutive terms so long as he/she is duly
elected by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Fall Meeting. The Administrative Director shall
have the authority to execute checks, which must also be executed by the Treasurer.
2. Vice President: The Policy Director shall perform such duties as may be delegated to him/her
by the Administrative Director. The Policy Director shall succeed to the powers of the
Administrative Director in his/her absence. The Policy Director shall serve a two-year term with
elections to be conducted at the Fall Meeting to be held in October, November, or December of
each and every year. A Policy Director may serve one or more consecutive terms so long as
he/she is duly elected by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Fall Meeting. The Policy
Director shall have the authority to execute checks, which must also be executed by the
Treasurer.
3. Secretary: The Secretary shall keep a record of the proceedings of meetings of the Board of
Directors and of the Executive Committee, file any certificate required by any statute, federal or
state, keep an accurate roll of all members of the organization, give and serve all notices to
members of the organization, be the official custodian of the records and seal of the organization,
present to the membership at any meetings any communication addressed to the secretary of the
organization, attend to all correspondence of the organization, and exercise all duties incident to
the office of secretary. The Secretary shall serve a one-year term with election to be conducted at
the Fall Meeting to be held in October, November, or December of each and every year. A
Secretary may serve one or more consecutive terms so long as he/she is duly elected by a two thirds
(2/3) majority vote of the Fall Meeting. The Secretary shall have the authority to execute
checks, which must also be executed by the Treasurer.
4. Treasurer: The Treasurer shall have charge of all monies received of SSL and shall keep a
specific, detailed, and accurate accounting of income and expenditures. The Treasurer shall
submit a statement of the financial status of SSL at each and every Board of Directors meeting
and as the Administrative Director may direct. The Treasurer must sign any and all checks
distributed by SSL. The Treasurer shall serve a one-year term with election to be conducted at
the Fall Meeting to be held in October, November, or December of each and every year. A
Treasurer may serve one or more consecutive terms so long as he/she is duly elected by a two
thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Fall Meeting. No officer or director shall for reason of the office
be entitled to receive any salary or compensation, but nothing herein shall be construed to
prevent an officer or director from receiving any compensation from the organization for duties
other than as a director or officer.
6. Executive Committee: The Executive Committee shall be responsible for executing the
policies set by the Board of Directors and for carrying out the functions of the Board between
meetings of the Board. It shall normally carry out its duties by telephone, correspondence, or
meetings as determined by the President All Executive Committee votes shall be by voice. The
Executive Committee shall report all of its decisions to the next meeting of the Board of
Directors for their review and ratification. The Executive Committee shall be charged with the
determination of Rules and Regulations violations including Rules violations, eligibility
violations, flagrant violations of the Bylaws, and other such violations that may occur. Except as
provided for under Paragraph 5 of this Article and under Article Twelve, the Executive
Committee shall be empowered to make a binding decision regarding
any and all violations. Upon a showing of good cause, the Executive Committee shall be
authorized to order and direct the replaying of any league game. Upon a showing of good cause,
the Executive Committee shall be authorized to recommend suspension of any member
organization for flagrant violations of the Bylaws, Rules, or Regulations of SSL. The Executive
Committee shall fulfill its duties under Article Twelve – Grievance
& Disciplinary Proceedings. An Executive Committee decision or action may not be challenged
or otherwise overruled except by a seventy-five (75%) percent majority vote of the Board of
Directors, exclusive of Executive Committee members, sitting in a properly constituted meeting.
In the event the decision or action is vacated by a seventy five (75%) percent vote of the Board of
Directors, exclusive of Executive Committee members, then the Board of Directors shall be
entitled to vote on the issues so overruled and vacated. The Board of Directors shall conduct a
vote to determine the issues previously determined by the Executive Committee. Only a seventy five
(75%) percent majority vote of the Board of Directors shall be effective to render a final
decision on said issues. In the event the Board of Directors is unable after two votes to have a
seventy-five (75%) percent majority vote a final decision on the issues overruled and vacated,
then the initial decision or action of the Executive Committee shall be reinstated and be final.

Article Ten—GRIEVANCE & DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS
1. Grievance Statements: Any person or organization alleging that he, she, or it has been
aggrieved in any matter within the jurisdiction of SSL may, within four (4) days of the
occurrence of the incident or of obtaining knowledge of the incident on which such alleged
grievance is based, submit to the Administrative Director of SSL a written grievance statement.
This statement shall specify the person or organization responsible for the alleged grievance, the
nature of the grievance, and the relief desired. An extension of the time to file such statement
may be granted by the President in his/her sole discretion. In the event the
President is a party to a grievance, the Secretary shall fulfill the President’s responsibilities as
described herein. If the Secretary and President are both parties to the grievance, it shall be
considered by the whole Board of Directors, which shall appoint a Review Board as provided for
in Paragraph 2 of this Article. In such event, the Review Board shall report directly to the entire
Board of Directors.
2. Referral to a Review Board: The President shall commence a proceeding by appointing,
within three (3) days of receiving the statement of grievance, a Review Board of at least three
persons to whom the matter shall be referred.
3. Preliminary Action by Review Board: If the Review Board determines that no reasonable
grounds for a grievance exist, it shall within three (3) days make a written decision stating the
grounds for its decision and shall deliver copies to the President and the party alleging the
grievance.
4. Delivery of the Statement of Grievance – Right to Reply: If the Review Board
determines that there are reasonable grounds for such grievance, it shall deliver a copy of the
statement of such grievance to the person or organization allegedly responsible for such
grievance. Such person or organization shall have seven (7) days in which to reply. An extension
of the time to file such statement may be granted by the Review Board in its sole discretion. The
reply shall be in writing and shall be delivered to the Review Board at the address specified by it
and to the party alleging the grievance.
5. Mediation by Review Board – Setting Time and Place for Hearing: The
Review Board shall then attempt to settle the grievance by mediation, If the attempt to mediate is
unsuccessful, the Review Board shall set a place, date, and time for a hearing that is reasonably
convenient for all parties. The hearing must be conducted as provided in Paragraph 6 of this
Article.
6. Hearing by Review Board – Findings & Decisions: At the hearing, each party
and the Review Board shall be entitled to call witnesses, whose testimony may be taken under
oath as determined by the Review Board, produce evidence, and submit memoranda supporting
his, her, or its position and shall be entitled to be represented by counsel. Stenographic minutes
may be taken, the cost of which shall be borne equally by the party alleging the grievance and
the party alleged to have committed the grievance, and otherwise, as assessed by the Review
Board. Within five days after the conclusion of the hearing, any party wishing to do so may
deliver a further written statement to the Review Board. The Review Board shall then make
written findings of fact that shall be final and make a written decision that shall include grounds
for the decision and recommended relief or disciplinary action, if any. It shall deliver a copy of
its findings of fact and decision to the Administrative Director and to each party.
Bylaws of the South Sound Lacrosse League
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7. Disciplinary Action: In the event relief or disciplinary action is recommended by the Review
Board, the President shall make copies of the written findings and decision of the Review Board
and distribute them to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall either affirm,
amend, or remand the recommended relief or disciplinary action to the Review Board for further
consideration and shall make a written decision which shall state the grounds for the decision.
Copies of its decision shall be delivered to the parties and the Review Board. In the event relief
or disciplinary action is to be taken, copies of the findings of fact and decision of the Review
Board and the decision of the Executive Committee will be distributed to all members of the
Board of Directors and other parties affected by the relief or disciplinary action. Decisions of the
Review Board will be treated as Executive Committee decisions by the Board of Directors as
provided for under Article Eleven. Paragraph 5.

Article Eleven—SALARIES
The Executive Committee shall hire and fix the compensation of any and all employees who they
in their discretion may determine to be necessary in the conduct of the business of the
organization.

Article Twelve—COMMITTEES AND DELEGATES
All committees and delegates of SSL shall be appointed by the President, except as otherwise
provided herein. Their term of office shall be for a period of one year, or less if sooner
terminated by the action of the Board of Directors.

Article Thirteen—NOMINATIONS
The Board of Directors shall nominate officers for the coming season at the June meeting at a
general meeting.

Article Fourteen—ANNUAL DUES
Each member organization shall be required to pay annual dues in advance of the first game of
each particular season. The amount of the dues may be increased or decreased by a two thirds
(2/3) majority vote of the Board of Directors sitting in a properly constituted meeting.

Article Fifteen—RULES AND REGULATIONS
The Board of Directors shall adopt such Rules and Regulations covering policy, organization,
procedural, and competitive matters as it deems appropriate by a majority vote.

Article Sixteen—AMENDMENTS
1. These Bylaws may be altered, amended, repealed, or added to by an affirmative vote of not less
than seventy-five (75%) percent of the Board of Directors sitting in a properly constituted
meeting.
2. Any member may propose an Amendment to the Bylaws at any time by presenting it in writing
to the Secretary. The Secretary shall distribute the proposed amendment to the Executive
Committee which shall make a written recommendation, including the grounds for the
recommendation, for or against the proposed change of the Bylaws.
3. The Secretary shall distribute the proposed amendment and the recommendation of the
Executive Committee to all members at least seven (7) days prior to the
next regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors at which the amendment shall be
considered. If the amendment is not approved, it shall not be tabled again for consideration by
the Executive Committee or the Board of Directors for a period of one year
Bylaws of the South Sound Lacrosse League