The meeting was called to order at 7:30 PM.

 

Roll call shows a quorum.  Clubs not present: Baltimore Bays, Potomac , Washington Soccer Club.

 

Motion to accept the minutes from the last meeting.

Motion made by Arlington.

Motion passes.

 

For the information of all the new club representatives, if we have a roll call vote, your club has one vote per team per season.  If you have 6 teams in the fall and had 7 teams in the spring, your vote counts for 13.

 

Ray Greenberg-Vice-President- There are a large number of clubs in the NCSL with 5 or less teams.  We would like to encourage clubs to merge with other clubs when you have so few teams.  Ray would like to present a motion for the next meeting.  Please e-mail him with any thoughts or comments.  His e-mail is: raygreenberg@comcast.net.

 

Ray Greenberg-R&D- All club reps have been sent an e-mail asking them to check sit-out lists.  The sit-out lists are on the website as well as all decisions from Spring ’03.  the Rules and Procedures manual has been revised.  Please have your teams download it from the website.  Every season the R&D committee meets to hear disputes.  The committee has lost some members, we like to have around 10 so that everyone does not have to go each time.  Needed are club reps and team managers, they have lots of referees and coaches.  If you would be willing to serve on this committee, contact Ray.  It helps you see the issues that the league deals with.  Sign up for one meeting, if  you hate it, don’t do it again.

 

 

Commissioners- our commissioners are a communication conduit and advocate between players and coaches and the league.  They are the first place for teams to go.  Please remember that they are there to enforce the rules, sometimes the answer is “no”.  Our Virginia commissioner is Jim Fraize, he prefers phone call-703-494-1610.  The Maryland commissioner is Claire Filemyr, the best way to reach her is through e-mail Clairedon@erols.com.  Remember, they do talk to each other before they make decisions.  This fall, the commissioners will be looking into how we do field allocation.  The number of hours that the field is open is just as critical as the fields you submit.  If anyone is willing to help, please get in touch.  They would hope to have a recommendation by the November meeting.

 

Kathleen Sessions-Administrator-The scheduling requests numbered 516 with 102 teams submitting dual coaching requests.  She did what she could but sometimes it was impossible.  If your teams are playing at Bull Run, Occoquan or Soccerplex, be sure that you copy those rules and give a copy to the teams.  It is important that we pay attention to those rules.  All world cup conflicts were honored.  Requests must be in at least one week before the game, more time is appreciated.

 

Jeff Skigan-President’s Report-There have  been questions about small-sided games and what is happening.  There is no change for ’03-’04.  The USYSF has put out recommended sizes and acceptable sizes.  We are fine because we play 7v7 in the U9’s and U10’s.  Region 1 meets in October and there seems to be no plan to change anything this year.  If there is a decision to change U12, we will know later.

Our NCSL tournament, the Capital Cup, was changed this year from November to August.  We had fewer teams and had fewer college coaches.  The quality of play was about equal.  Comments and feedback were positive.  We plan to keep it in August next year but will start earlier and advertise more.

 

The U9-U10 meeting agenda was great, we modified it to make it more coach specific.  The feedback was excellent.  We had a number of no-shows, most were weather related.   If they don’t come, 85% of the parents of the team must come to the next years meeting.  There is also a fine.  Jeff has asked the commissioners to research the no-shows, and make the decision on whether or not they had a valid reason.  If they determine the reason is valid, we will excuse them.  If they determine that the reason is not valid, they will determine that the team is subject to the penalty.  There was a presentation on the care and feeding of players.  We have the handout here tonight.  We encourage you to take a copy.  It will be posted on the web site.

 

We have scheduled another NCSL day at DC United.  It will be Saturday, October 25 at 7;30PM.  In each packet there will be a handout for the team.

 

New Business:

There was a motion to reconsider the application of  the Northere County Soccer Alliance.  Tony Falcone, did not send the motion therefore the motion was not submitted by a member of the Board of Directors of the NCSL and therefore the motion is ruled out of order,

 

Motion: To ban this club from applying not from one year but from two due to the fabrication of this motion.

Amendment to the motion: The extra year ban on this club for re-submitting the application is contigent on the individual who fabricated the motion being the executive director.  President Jeff Skigan rules that the amendment is out of order stating that the NCSL does not go into the management of a club.

Amendment is withdrawn.

Motion fails.

 

Motion:  To add an additional division at the U11, U12, and U13 age levels to reduce the wait list effective Spring ’04.  This would be a 7^th division of 10 teams each.

Motion made by CSA.

Seconded by Freedom.

Amendment: Instead of having a 7^th division, had 1-4 divisions of 10 teams, then have a 5^th division broken into 3 geographical groups with 10 teams in each division.  The bottom two teams in each group will be disqualified each season using the same tie breakers we have now, and the winner of each division will move up to division 4.  The three teams coming down from division 4 will be spread out geographically.  Teams on the wait list will come into the three 5^th divisions.

Amendment made by Bethesda.

Seconded by Freedom.

Amendment defeated.

Amendment: Pending review by structure committee and a report that the league can handle this expansion, we table this motion.

Amendment ruled out of order.

Motion to table motion.

Motion made by Stafford.

Seconded by Arlington.

Motion is tabled.

 

The officers and commissioners will get together in a session and come back with

a recommendation.

 

Meeting adjourned at 9:06PM.