BY-LAWS
OF THE
ARTICLE I
Section 1. The name of the
organization shall be
After certification, the name of the association shall not be changed without approval of the American Dart Organization and the Internal Revenue Service.
Section 2. The principal address/office of the Ventura
County Dart Association shall be: VCDA,
DEFINITIONS
Section 1. Whenever the initials "VCDA" are used in these by-laws, this shall mean the Ventura County Dart Association.
Section 2. Whenever the initials "
Section 3. Whenever the word "board" is used in these by-laws, this shall mean the described body in Article V, section 1 of these by-laws.
Section 4. Whenever the word "member" is used in these
by-laws, this shall mean the entire body of the VCDA.
Section 5. Whenever the term "individual member" is used in these by-laws, it shall mean an individual who has obtained membership in the VCDA.
Section 6. As used in these By-Laws, the masculine shall be deemed to include feminine or neuter and the singular and plural number whenever the context so indicates or implies.
Section 7. The VCDA Fiscal Year is January 1st through December 31st.
ARTICLE III
PURPOSE
Section 1. The purpose of the VCDA shall be to:
A.
Promote the sport of darts throughout the
B. Promote and support darting activities, tournaments, functions and assist other dart organizations or dart clubs in their darting activities in as much as a conflict of interest does not arise. (conflict of interest: a VCDA member shall not be responsible for promoting, directing and/or running any other dart organizations functions that are determined to be detrimental to the overall welfare of the VCDA).
C. Maintain and increase interest in the sport of darts for members and non-members alike.
D.
Establish friendly relations with similar organizations
and best represent
Section 2. The VCDA shall be a non-profit, non-racist, non-sexist, non-political and non-sectarian organization.
Section 3. The VCDA stands firmly against the illegal use of drugs and maintains a strict drug-free policy.
Section 4. The VCDA does not promote the use of alcohol and stands firmly against the abuse of alcoholic beverages.
ARTICLE IV
MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Membership shall be open to any individual who evidences interest in darts. An individual member shall be properly registered when membership fees have been received by an authorized board member.
Section 2. The board shall set membership fees annually.
Section 3. Membership fees are applicable for the period beginning January 1 and ending December 31.
Section 4. The board under appropriate circumstances may issue non-voting associate memberships and honorary memberships.
Section 5. Members shall comply with applicable laws as
relates to minors and alcoholic beverage control as set by local government in
the area of play and the state of
Section 6. Membership is non-transferable.
ARTICLE V
THE BOARD
Section 1. The voting board shall be comprised of the
president, vice president, treasurer, secretary, and statistician.
Section 2. When any board
vacancy occurs, (i.e. resignation, removal, etc.) with the exception of the position of
President, it shall be filled according to article VI section 1-3, of these by-laws.
Such replacements shall be made no later than thirty (30) days following
the creation of the vacancy. An emergency
general membership meeting shall be called for election
of a new officer. Any one individual shall hold no joint offices.
Section 3. Each board member shall be elected for a period of one year.
Section 4. Should the president's office be vacated for any reason other than end of term, Article VII, Duties of the Vice President, of these by-laws shall prevail.
Section 5. Repeated failure to perform his assigned duties, the duties of his elected office and any other behavior and/or actions detrimental to the VCDA shall be good cause for dismissal of any board member from his office. The president shall issue warning to the board member; the board shall issue warning to the president. The warning shall be verbal on the first infraction and written on the second infraction. Infractions occurring after said verbal and written warnings shall be cause for immediate dismissal of said board member.
Section 6. An individual holding active office on the VCDA board shall not hold any office in any other dart club/organization at the expense of his VCDA responsibilities.
Section 7. Board members in good standing may be elected to the same office for subsequent terms provided that the requirements set forth in article VI sections 1 through 3 are met.
Section 1. Elections for VCDA board members shall take place two (2) times per year with a staggered system as follows:
POSITION
ELECTION TERM
1 year
PRESIDENT
PRIOR TO AUGUST
SECRETARY FALL/WINTER AUGUST
TREASURER LEAGUE AUGUST
VICE PRESIDENT PRIOR TO JANUARY
STATISTICIAN SPRING/SUMMER JANUARY
Section 2. Nominations shall be taken from the floor on the day of the general membership meeting. Nominees must be present to accept or decline nominations on that day. A member who wishes to be nominated by the chair, shall turn in a letter of intent for any office of his choice to the VCDA board of directors fourteen (14) days prior to the general meeting. When a letter is mailed, a confirming phone call must be made to any board member.
Section 3. Immediately after all nominations for an
office are completed and accepted, the President will call for a vote from the
floor. Each nominee will be voted on in
order of nominations. The nominee receiving the majority vote of members
present is elected to office.
DUTIES OF THE BOARD
President: The president shall preside at all meetings unless excused by virtue of the no vote proviso. He may vote only to break a tie. His signature will be one of the four valid signatures on the checking account.
Vice-president:
The
vice-president shall assist the president in maintaining the efficiency of the
operation, and in the absence,
resignation or removal of the president he shall assume the duties normally
performed by the president. He is also responsible for maintaining records of
active, non-participating and honorary members of the VCDA, and for the
organization and function of all VCDA sponsored tournaments and
Treasurer:
The financial
secretary will have custody of all VCDA funds and shall promptly deposit all
monies received into a VCDA account. He
shall be responsible for the collection of fees. He will be required to submit
monthly an itemized cash statement to the board and prepare summarized
semi-annual and annual financial statements for the membership. His signature shall be one of the four valid
signatures on
the checking account.
Secretary:
The recording secretary will record the minutes of all meetings, handle correspondence and distribute all meeting minutes. His signature shall be one of the four valid signatures on the checking account.
Statistician:
The Statistician will be responsible for collecting rosters prior to the start of league play, creating division schedules and maintaining weekly standings.
GENERAL
Section 1. The board shall have no power to make, alter, amend and/or appeal any or all articles pertaining to the by-laws without a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the individual members present at a general meeting or an emergency membership meeting.
Section 2. The board shall have the right to propose amendments to the membership.
Section 3. Any provisions not covered in these by-laws shall be subject to “Robert’s Rules of Order revised”, insofar as such rules are not inconsistent or in conflict with these by-laws.
Section 4. No board member and/or individual member of the VCDA shall be personally liable for the debts, liabilities and/or obligations of the Ventura County Dart Association.
DISSOLUTION
Upon
dissolution of the VCDA, all of the assets after payment of its debts shall be
transferred or distributed to an organization or organizations as shall at that
time qualify as an exempt organization under section 501c of the internal
revenue code of 1954.
SEAL
The
VCDA seal shall be as depicted on the cover of these by-laws. The VCDA seal shall be used on official
correspondences, letterheads, notices and bulletins. This seal may not be used by any individual
or organization, without the express written consent of the VCDA board of
directors.
Any
member may be suspended for good cause as an individual from active
participation in any affairs with the VCDA, provided that he is given notice of
the proceedings against him and given the opportunity to be heard in his own
defense. “Good cause” means any action
and/or inaction detrimental to the VCDA.
Any member may be suspended and/or dismissed from league play for
reasons stated in the VCDA rules and regulations for league play. Dismissal and/or suspension from sanctioned
tournaments shall be governed by
MEETINGS
Section 1. Board meetings: participation in such meetings shall be obligatory on board members, subject to the provisions set forth in article V section 5, of these by-laws.
A. Open board meetings: any non-board member or individual may attend. He may join in discussion with the board with no power to vote. The President or vice-President reserves the right to expel any observer at their discretion.
Section 2. General membership meetings:
A. General meetings: a minimum of two per year will be mandatory, one per Season. General meetings must be announced by direct mail to all sponsoring establishments and members at least 14 days prior to said meeting date. A copy of the treasurer’s financial report to be presented for acceptance at the general meeting is to be included in the direct mail announcement. A notification of each office up for election at said meeting must also be included with mailer along with the date, the time, location and general nature of business to be transacted.
B. Captain’s meetings: such meetings shall be comprised of a committee from the Board and the captain or an authorized member from each registered team. Such meetings will be held prior to the first night of play for each season and attendance is mandatory. Additional meetings may be scheduled as needed.
C. Emergency meetings: emergency meetings shall be called by the president or in his absence or inability to act, the vice-president and shall be held at such time and place as may be ordered by the board.
D. Quorum: a quorum shall be simple majority of members present.
E. Those members not on the board present at a general membership and/or emergency meeting shall constitute a quorum of the general membership.
Section 3. Meetings shall be presided over by the President or in his absence, by the vice- President and shall be governed by “Roberts Rules of Order, revised”, insofar as such rules not be inconsistent or in conflict with the VCDA by-laws.
GENERAL
Section 1. The by-laws shall be reviewed/updated by the President and the board of directors (subject to a quorum of the board) on an annual basis. The amendments proposed by the President and the board shall be presented to the general membership for a majority vote of the members present for final approval, as per article VIII section 1 of these by-laws.
Section 2. The VCDA shall assume no responsibility for any accidents and/or injuries on premises during any and all VCDA sponsored events held at any establishment.
Section 3. Any member may petition the board concerning any event or incident not specifically governed by these by-laws or the rules and regulations for league play. The member has the right to be heard on his own behalf, however, the decision is final and binding.
FINANCIAL RULES
Section 1. Type of account: the type of bank account used by the VCDA will be with an FDIC insured institution having multiple branches.
Section 2. Authorized signatures: the checking account will require the signatures of any two of the following: president, vice-president, treasurer and secretary.
Section 3. Budget: the board shall annually forecast and adopt a budget. This budget will be reviewed and adjusted accordingly on a semi-annual basis.
Section 4. Payment authorization: it is the financial secretary’s responsibility to disburse moneys owed and maintain payment records. The financial secretary is authorized to pay, without board approval, expenses incurred up to $50.00.
Section 5. Contracts: the board shall have the authority to enter into contracts and agreements in the name of the VCDA
Section 6. Reports: the financial secretary shall provide a financial statement at the monthly board meetings as well as the regular general membership meetings as per article XII, section 2 of these by-laws.
Section 7. Audit: an audit shall be performed following the end of each fiscal year. A committee to consist of two members-at-large along with one of the account signatories (other than the financial secretary), shall audit the financial records of the VCDA and report the results to the board at the February board meeting.
Section 8. Tax reporting: it shall be the responsibility of the
recording and financial secretaries to determine and prepare any and all
applicable tax forms. The necessary forms shall be submitted to the appropriate
tax agency following board approval.
STANDING RULES
League rules: League play shall be governed by the most resent version of the VCDA “rules and regulations for league play”.
Tournament rules: Tournament rules shall be determined on an
individual tournament basis by the director of tournament play and/or any
applicable sanctioning body.
Updated by
General membership meeting
Board of
Directors revision July 2005
Approved and adopted by the Board of Directors ____________________________________________
RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR LEAGUE PLAY
SECTION I APPLICABILITY
1.
These rules and regulations shall apply to all
individuals who participate in, or administer to, league play sanctioned by the
Ventura County Dart Association.
2.
The following terms/meanings shall apply when used in
the body of these rules and regulations:
VCDA
BOARD Indicates standard 18” English
dartboard
MATCH The total number of games for which two
teams are competing
GAME The total number of legs for which
two players/teams are competing
LEG One contest between two
players/teams
SCORER Scorekeeper, marker or chalker
ENTRY REQUEST Team Roster
MASCULINE Masculine gender nouns or
pronouns shall include the feminine
SINGULAR Singular terms shall, where
necessary, include the plural
SCORESHEET/MATCH
RESULTS SHEET: Both denote the
multi-part league scoresheet.
1.
The VCDA shall conduct league play throughout the year,
subject to the discretion of the Board of Directors.
2. STRUCTURE: Each league may consist of one or more
divisions of teams. Teams shall be
placed in divisions according to their caliber, with the highest caliber teams
being placed in “A” division, the next highest in “B” division, and so on in
descending order of caliber.
A.
The Board of Directors shall place each team with due
consideration given to the following factors:
past performance, Caliber of players, availability of flights, and team
request.
(1) Under normal circumstances, the first place
team in each division will be required to move to the next higher division, where
applicable
(2) The last team of each division will be required to move to the next lower division where applicable.
(3) A review of
team composition by the Board of Directors may result in a team placement at
variance with the team's request.
B.
Player Placement – The placement of the
following types of players must have the approval of the Board of Directors:
(1) New players
– New players in the league shall be placed in the highest caliber division in
which the member is competitive.
(2) Transient –
League members with approval of the
board may switch to another division/team in accordance with the following:
(a) May
move up or down division.
(b) If
listed in the top one-third of the final standings may move up two divisions.
(c) If
listed in the bottom one-third of the final standings, may move down two
divisions.
(d) The
Board of Directors may place any player in a more competitive division
(e) Any
player may petition the Board of Directors for placement at variance with the above.
(3) Former/Inactive
Player – Players who have sat out the entire previous season may return to play
in any division subject to the approval of the President/Board of Directors.
(4) Appeal –
All appeals of placement shall be made to the Board of Directors as soon as
possible, but no later than the first match of the season.
C.
Team Captains' Duties and Responsibilities – The
Team Captain (or alternate) shall represent his team in all matters Pertaining to league play.
Specifically he shall individually, or through an appointed team member:
(1) Attend all meetings called by the VCDA officials for the purpose of league play. A one game win-point
will be assessed if
Captain or alternate is not present.
(2) Submit his
team’s Entry Request and league fees to the VCDA in accordance with Section
III.
(3) Ensure that
his team’s matches are played in accordance with the rules and regulations
herein.
(4) Review
match reports and sign for their correctness.
(5) When the
“Home” team, ensure match results are mailed within 24 hours of completion of
the match.
(6) When the
“Winning” team, ensure match results are called in to the Statistician.
(7) Notify the Statistician of League Play of changes in the schedule or failure of a team to adhere to
postponement procedures in accordance with section IV, E1-6.
(8) Lodge
complaints with the Board of Directors if noncompliance with the rules
contained herein by
a Team Captain is
suspected.
1.
VCDA league play is open to all teams composed of VCDA
members who meet the entry requirements as specified in The VCDA by-laws and as
specified in these rules and regulations sections II 2a & II 2b.
2.
Entry Request – Teams desiring to participate in
league play shall submit a written request to the Board of Directors in care of
the league mailing address. This request
shall be mailed by the announced deadline, with all fees, and contain the
following:
A.
Team sponsor’s name and the home pub.
B.
Desired division placement.
C.
Full name, current phone numbers, mailing address,
e-mail address (if applicable) of each member.
3.
League Fees – Cash, checks or money orders will
be accepted for all fees. Checks or
money orders should be made payable to the VCDA. Checks returned for non-sufficient funds may
result in automatic team/player removal in addition to a monetary service
charge to be determined by the Board of Directors. Each individual/team
participating in league play shall be assessed the following fees:
A.
Competition Fees – The current fee is to be determined
by the Board of Directors and shall be assessed each player. Competition fees
must be submitted with the team’s Entry Request (roster).
B.
Sponsor’s Fee – Sponsors’ fees are set at $25.00 per
team. Fees are due no later than four
(4) weeks after the start of league play. Continued delinquencies shall result in
removal of the team from league play and refusal to allow further team entry from that sponsor.
4.
Roster Changes – Teams may make changes to their
rosters subject to the following conditions:
A.
Add Player(s) – Players may be added to a team roster
subject to the following provisions:
(1) The player
must pay all fees and provide full name, phone number, e-mail address (if
applicable) and address on the reverse of match report or MVP score sheet.
(2) The player
may not have played for another VCDA team during the current season.
(3) Players may
not be added the last two matches of the season.
B.
Roster Limits – The total of active and inactive
players may not exceed six (6) players plus one alternate.
(1) Active Players – An active player is one who is carried on a team’s roster and is available to play in scheduled matches.
a.
If an active player has not played in a scheduled match
and wishes to change teams during the current season, he may play with a new
team without Board of Directors approval.
If the player has played any scheduled matches, changing to a new
team requires the approval of the Board of Directors.
b. If
an active player’s team is dropped, the player may join another team without
securing approval from the Board of Directors, so long as the new team is in
his own division or higher.
(2) Inactive
Player – An inactive player is one who is carried on a team’s roster, but is
unable to play in scheduled matches for a predetermined period of time. For example:
a player on active military duty (TDY/TAD), a hospitalized player, or
one vacationing out of town.
(3) Request for
exemption will be submitted to the President.
(4) Alternates may only be used in a match where at least one of the regular team members has not played in that match. Captains may only list six (6) players on their scoresheet for any scheduled match. An alternate may not finish a match for a regular player forced to leave before completion of that match.
C. Roving substitutes - A "roving"
substitute is a player not assigned to any one team, who may be called upon to
fill in for an absent regular player. A roving
substitute may only play three times for any given team in a season. If they
play for a team a fourth time, they become a regular team member. CAUTION:
captains must ensure that this does not result in too many people on their
rosters (see limits in section B(4) above). Roving substitutes must also comply with the
rules applying to "adding members" in that they must give all
information to the league along with applicable membership fee. The Vice
President will maintain the list of roving substitutes. Team captains must
contact the Vice President who will contact a substitute and confirm with the
captain. Please call at the earliest possible time if you need a sub.
5.
Team/Player Withdrawal –
A.
Voluntary – Team/Players desiring to withdraw will notify
a member of the board as soon as possible.
B. Involuntary – Teams/Players can be
involuntarily withdrawn from the league for failure to comply with the rules and regulations of the VCDA, its By-Laws, and:
(1) Although
not specifically cited herein, fighting, throwing darts in anger, throwing of
any objects, obscene language, or any other acts of un-sportsmanlike conduct
may be considered by the Board of Directors as cause. In addition, any abuse of
these rules can result in involuntary withdrawal.
(2) Initial
notification of withdrawal possibility shall be made in writing to the Team
Captain and player, citing the specific reason.
(3) Further
abuses of rules: The Team Captain shall
be notified in writing of the proceedings against his team or player. The
player be afforded the opportunity to be heard in his
defense before the Board of Directors.
After this appeal, the Board of Directors shall meet in closed session
to consider the withdrawal. Notification
of the decision will be forwarded in writing to the Team Captain and the Team
Sponsor.
(4) All
matches played against a withdrawn team in any uncompleted round of the
schedule shall be null and void. Match results for completed rounds will
stand. The following individual
accomplishments shall be allowed to stand, for award/trophy purposes, for VCDA
members whose team has withdrawn:
Ton-80, round of nine (dead-eye), low dart game, high on/off.
1.
FORMAT – The number and type of games is
specified on the scoresheet for each season issued with the Captain’s Kit; however
the sequence by which the types of games are played is at the sole discretion
of the HOME TEAM CAPTAIN, with the exception of the “Team Game”, which must be
played last. The “Team Game” shall be
1001, unless BOTH Captains agree to play 701 instead.
2.
PRE-MATCH PREPARATION – The Home Team Captain
shall designate those boards on which the match will be played. Said boards
shall be for warm-up during the half-hour preceding the match. The visiting team has the choice of which of
these boards he wishes to use for each individual game. Practice on adjacent boards while a match is
in progress is not allowed.
3.
STARTING THE MATCH
A. Starting time for all league matches is
B An additional 15 minutes “grace period” is allotted to preclude postponement/forfeiture of the match.
C Start: The match shall be considered
started when both Team Captains have completed listing the contestants for the first game of the match.
(1) The match
must be started by the end of the grace period.
(2) A minimum of four (4) players must be present
for the match to be played, unless the short team elects to shoot using a
“blind” player or players. See Section
F, below.
D. Pre-playing of Matches – Matches may be played before the scheduled date with the concurrence of both Team Captains without notifying the Board of Directors. Results must be turned in within 24 hours. There will be no penalty assessment.
E Match Postponement – The VCDA allows for
the postponement of league matches, provided the following:
(1) Any intent to postpone a league match must be
conveyed to the opposing Team Captain no later than 36 hours prior to the scheduled
start of the match. In any situation
where it is not possible to give the required amount of notice, the
postponement can only proceed with the approval of the Board of Directors.
(2) Both Team Captains must agree to the
postponement. Provided they agree, a
member of the Board of Directors Must be notified
before the time that the match was originally scheduled to take place.
(3) Any postponed matches must be played before
the next regularly scheduled match in that division. Any attempt to further postpone a match
requires the approval of the Board of Directors.
(4) Teams are allowed a maximum of two (2)
postponements per season. Any team
having cause for additional postponements must receive approval from the Board
of Directors. All postponed matches must
be played before the last regularly scheduled match in that division for the
season. NO EXCEPTIONS.
(5) The date and time for a proposed postponed
match must be agreed to by the Captains before the postponement is allowable. Once the date and time are set and agreed
upon, the postponed match is then treated as a “league match” with all rules
applicable.
(6) The VCDA realizes that extreme circumstances may exist that, for one reason or another, are not fully covered in the Rules as stated above. In these situations, the Board of Directors reserves the right to exercise its authority to resolve such matters as amicably as possible.
F. Minimum Players – A team must have a minimum of two (2) players present to begin match play. Having less than two players present, at the end of the grace period, will constitute a forfeit.
G “Blinds” - A "Blind" may be played at the election of a Team Captain who has less than four (4) players present in lieu of a postponement or forfeit. “Blind” is entered on the scoresheet wherever the missing player’s name would have been written and is treated in the following manner:
1. Each
singles game marked with “Blind” is treated as a forfeit.
2. For a Doubles game, the game is played with one player against two players, with the one-player team skipping a turn. (This represents the team member named “Blind” scoring zero.)
3. For the team games, the total number of players, including “Blinds”, are marked for shooting order to total four players. Each player named “Blind” scores zero (0) for each turn. The number of players on the opposing team is of no consequence. Once the short team’s shots and “zero” scores total four players’ turns, the player that shot first for the short team is up again.
4. No
MVP points are scored for a forfeit or a blind.
4.
SCORESHEETS – The Home Team Captain shall record
the results of each match on the scoresheet.
A.
Preparation – Prior to the start of each game, the
opposing Team Captains shall enter the names of the players participating in
the game. The entry of names shall be
“in the blind” with the Home Team entry first.
Once both teams have filled out the names, NO CHANGES in the lineup will
be allowed. NOTE: The entire sheet does not have to be
completed at one time. It may be
completed by “type” of game, e.g. Cricket Doubles, then 501 Doubles, and then
Singles.
B.
Completion – At the end of the final game of the match,
the team captains shall sign the original (top page) scoresheet. The Home Team Captain is responsible for mailing
the original scoresheet to the Director of League Play. It must be postmarked
no later than 72 hours after the match, or a one game win-point penalty will be
assessed and a Match point will be assessed for second offense. This assessment will be separate from all
other penalty points Referred to in Section VIII of
these Rules and Regulations. The Winning Team Captain must call in score within
24 hours after match, or one game win-point will be assessed.
A match may be played under protest
or, in extreme circumstances, halted if, in
the opinion of either Team Captain, an error was made in a rule
interpretation. No consideration,
however, will be given any protest unless the protesting Captain adheres to the
following:
1.
Immediately notify the opposing Team Captain when the
protested conditions arise. If possible,
the situation should be resolved by negotiation.
2.
If the protest condition is corrected to the
satisfaction of both Team Captains, proceed no further with the protest.
3.
If not corrected, complete the match and annotate the
scoresheet as follows:
A.
Indicate the protested condition and the point from
which the match is played under protest.
B.
Both Team Captains shall initial the protest
annotations.
C.
If either Team Captain refuses to follow this
procedure, cease the match and immediately contact the Director of League
Play. If the Director of League Play is
unavailable, the Team Captain should contact another Board Member.
4.
Within 24 hours after the completion of the match, the
team lodging the protest shall notify a Board Member. The Board of Directors shall render a
decision before the next scheduled match in that division.
5.
Final appeal on the protest must be in writing to the
Board of Directors. The decision of the
Board is final.
6. If
match play is halted because of intolerable conditions or other circumstances
at the playing site, the remainder of
the match shall be played at a neutral site under the supervision of a Board Member who is not a member
of either team.
7. A protest by an individual, not concurred with by the Team
Captain, will be processed in accordance with Article XIII Section 3 of the
By-Laws and will not result in replay.
1.
PRE-GAME WARM-UP – Once the board has been declared
open and the names of the players have been announced, each player of the game
shall limit his warm-up darts to 9 darts.
This does not apply to adjoining boards prior to the start of the match. After the match is started and scorekeeping
begun, practice darts shall not be thrown on the game board or any other board. A player throwing practice darts during a
match on adjoining boards shall forfeit his next turn.
2.
STARTING THE GAME – The game shall be considered
started commencing with the first throw for