Region I Club Soccer League and Tournament Constitution I.

Name: The name of this organization shall be the Region I Club Soccer League and Tournament.

II. Mission: The Mission of the Region 1 Club Soccer League and Tournament is to provide opportunities for participation in quality athletic sporting events, which foster the physical, emotional, social and psychological growth of its participants. The Region 1 Club Soccer League and Tournament strives to provide a high level of competition within an equitable environment, while maintaining the structures of an organized recreational setting. III. Purpose: The Region I Club Soccer League and Tournament is comprised of club soccer programs as determined by NIRSA geographic determination. The Region I Club Soccer League and Tournament is not for profit. The purposes for which this League and Tournament has been established are listed below: A. To provide an organizational structure for clubs who choose to join the league a. To provide a transparent organizational structure to all clubs B. To establish league and tournament rules and recommend safety and risk management practices a. To publicize the options a club has if opponents do not adhere to league rules and recommended safety and risk management guidelines C. To organize a regional tournament which will act as the culmination and championships for the Region I Club Soccer League. Organization will include: a. Securing a location b. Providing a tournament structure c. Selecting clubs to participate in the tournament d. Securing officials to work the tournament e. Making sure the tournament has appropriate insurance and medical staffing for the event f. Recording the results of the tournament g. Mitigating disputes from the tournament D. To collect dues from clubs for league entry and the regional tournament to cover administrative costs, costs of the regional tournament, and trophies for the tournament champions. a. League will work on an annual basis to make sure the fees required of the clubs are appropriate for the expenses of the league. E. To ensure all clubs are in good standing by participating in required games, paying their dues, and adhering to League rules. F. To provide a qualifying structure and recommend Region I Club Soccer League teams for entry to the NIRSA National Soccer Championship Tournament. a. The Region I Club Soccer League Regional Tournament will serve as a qualifying tournament for the NIRSA National Soccer Championship Tournament, Championship Division. b. The Men’s and Women’s League Regional Coordinators will make recommendations for at large bids for the National Championship Tournament based on league and regional tournament play. IV. Member Clubs: Any institution of higher education’s soccer club may participate in the Region I Club Soccer League so long as they have paid their dues on time, have meet minimum roster requirements, and are in good league standing with university. There is no limit on the number of teams or clubs that may participate from a single institution as long as they are all recognized by the university. A. A roster is constituted by the following: a. A minimum of 15 players and max of 25 per game b. All players must be eligible and registered on the Region 1 IM Leagues page B. Players may only participate on one club team per season. C. Players and teams abide by NIRSA Eligibility requirements a. http://play.nirsa.net/nirsa-championship-series/player-eligibility-requirements/ V. League Calendar: The Region I Club Soccer League will adhere to an annual calendar which will provide the league with consistency in practices and allow its member clubs to organize around the known calendar. A. Announcement of fall league, announcement will include: a. The league fee, league registration form, invoice, and W-9 b. Date, location, and entry fee of the regional tournament c. League registration and fee deadline (Last day of March) B. League structure and schedule will be announced by the last day of April C. Clubs should contact their opponents to begin setting up scheduled matches by the end of May

Any club contacted by an opponent should respond in 3 days’ time acknowledging the opponents email and letting the opponent know when the club will have more information b. Any club that reaches out to an opponent and does not hear back within a week should email their divisional coordinator know i. Any club that does not follow this protocol will not have their complaints of unresponsive opponents upheld. Clubs should report their proposed divisional schedule to the league by August 1st a. Any club with a partial schedule at this time should submit it and include an update on the matches not yet scheduled and where they are in the process of getting the match scheduled b. If a team wants a non-Divisional game to be considered for forfeit considerations those non-divisional games must also be reported prior to making a forfeit claim a minimum of 2 weeks prior to the match. League play may begin the week following the start of classes League play will conclude by the date specified by the Regional Coordinator typically on/about Columbus Day a. No matches played following the conclusion of league play will count towards the power rankings used to select regional tournament teams unless previously acknowledged via by Regional Coordinator Regional Tournament invitations will be extended the week of the conclusion of league season Regional Tournament schedule will be finalized the Wednesday prior to the tournament The Regional Tournament will be held typically be held the last weekend in October If a club is not contacted they may assume they are not in consideration for the Regional/National Tournament a.

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G. H. I. J.

VI. Governance A. Officers: The Officers of the Region I Club Soccer League shall include the following: a. Regional Tournament Director: The Regional Tournament Director shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Region I Club Soccer League and direct the affairs of the League, attend and coordinate the Regional Tournament. I. The Regional Tournament Director may delegate tasks to other Region I Club Soccer regional coordinators. b. Men’s and Women’s Regional Coordinators: The Regional Coordinators shall oversee the coordination of league games and standings. The Regional Coordinators will act as a liaison to the NIRSA National Office. I. The Regional Coordinator will also be in charge of mitigating disputes and responding to complaints related to league play. II. The Men’s and Women’s Regional Coordinators shall work in conjunction with one another and divisional coordinators to assure consistent application of league rules and policies on both the Men’s and Women’s side of the league. B. Qualifications for Office: Regional Coordinators may be recommended by the NIRSA National Office and will be ratified by the other two Region I Club Soccer League Officers. A newly appointed league officer shall have previously participated in club soccer, ran a club sports program, or be or have been a member of the NIRSA. After the time of appointment a new officer will have a 1 year probationary period, after which time the other officers and the NIRSA National office may decide if the new officer shall retain their position. C. Authority and Responsibility: The officers will serve at the pleasure of the members. The officers shall have supervision, control and direction of the affairs of the league, shall determine its policies within the limits of the constitution, and shall have discretion in the disbursement of the league’s funds to conduct the business of the league. D. Indemnification: Any person (and their heirs, executors, or administrators of such person) made or threatened to be made a party to any action, suit or proceeding by reason of the fact that he/she is or was an officer of the League shall be indemnified by the League against any and all reasonable expenses including attorney fees incurred in the defense of such action, suit or proceeding; except in relation to matters as to which it shall be adjudged in such action, suit or proceeding that the officer is liable for intentional or gross negligence as determined by a court of law or arbitrator. E. No Conflict of Interest: There shall be no undisclosed conflict of interest between any officer, divisional coordinator, or volunteer of the league and tournament, nor any undisclosed interest of any kind in anything in which an officer must make any decision. And, no officer may vote or otherwise participate in the consideration of any motion in which they have an interest. F. Removal from Office, removal from membership and filling vacancies: officers or members may be removed from office/membership, when their actions are deemed harmful to the league, by an act of the participating clubs, which requires a vote of impeachment by a minimum of two-thirds (2/3) of the current clubs in good standing with the league. In the event that an officer leaves or is removed from office by an act of the participating clubs, vacancies would be filled as follows:

If the Regional Tournament Director leaves or is removed from office, the Regional Coordinators will divide the responsibilities until a replacement is recommended by the NIRSA National Office. If either of the Regional Coordinators leaves or is removed from office, the remaining Regional Coordinator will assume their responsibilities until a replacement is recommended by the NIRSA National Office. VII. League Terms Defined A. Probationary Status: A one season disciplinary standing. If a club violates any league rules while on probationary status may be suspended the following season. B. Suspension: A one season disciplinary standing. A club that has been suspended cannot participate for that season and have to pay the equivalent of a league entry fee as a penalty prior to being reinstated to the league. C. Divisional Match: A match against an opponent in a club’s division that was scheduled by the League prior to the start of the season. D. Non-Divisional Match: A match against a league opponent not in their division that is a member of Region 1 Club Soccer League or another NIRSA affiliated regional league. E. Power Ranking: A scoring system based on club performance for all league member that will determine the non-division champion regional tournament participants and the seeding of the regional tournament. VIII. League Rules A. Clubs failing to pay league dues by the deadline may be put on probationary status. B. The Region I Club Soccer League regular season schedule will consist of playing all divisional opponents and then up to a total of 10 games for the season to count towards power rankings. a. Divisional matches always take priority over non-divisional matches for scheduling b. The league will make home and away designations for each divisional match i. All clubs will be expected to travel ii. Designated home clubs may turn down their assignment to host c. Non-divisional matches will not count toward divisional standings, but will count toward a club’s power rankings i. Any non-divisional match that is not reported to the Regional Coordinator two weeks prior to the date it is to be played will not be considered for forfeit purposes C. Clubs not abiding by the suggested league calendar (see Section V) will not be given preference in any scheduling disputes D. Any divisional match that is not played and where both clubs followed the scheduling protocol will be considered a no contest and no power points will be awarded. A club may appeal for consideration to have the match considered a 0-0 tie. E. Forfeits may be assessed when: a. A club does not show up for a match that was on a schedule submitted to the league office 2 weeks prior to the match b. Cancel a match within 1 week of the scheduled date c. A club late to a match that the match cannot be completed in its entirety based on field availability d. A host school does not supply 3 certified officials for a match e. A divisional match where either club failed to follow the league recommended scheduling protocol F. A club can waive their right to a forfeit win if they are able to secure a time and date to play the match and both clubs agree to the schedule change G. Forfeit scores will be updated at season’s end based on the league average of goals scored to 0 H. Any extenuating circumstances regarding scheduling matches may be brought to the regional coordinator for review I. Any forfeiting club will be required to reimburse the home team for the referees fees a. Forfeiting clubs failing to reimburse home team for the officials fees may be suspended for the following season J. Any club forfeiting a divisional or non-divisional match may be placed on probation the following season. K. Any club forfeiting more than one match may be suspended the following season. L. Any club choosing to protest a match must follow the below guidelines: a. The club captain must email the regional coordinator prior to the match starting. The email should state the reason for the protest. i. The opponent for the match must be copied on this email b. The club captain should also notify the game officials as well as the captain of the opposing team on site prior to the start of the contest M. Any club forfeiting a tournament game may be suspended from future league seasons and tournaments

IX. Standards of Conduct A. The Standards of Conduct shall serve as a guideline for how individuals are expected to behave when participating in National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) sponsored or endorsed activities. Students enrolled in an institution of higher learning assume an obligation to conduct themselves in a manner compatible with the college/university's function as an educational institution. When sport club members participate in an event sponsored or endorsed by the NIRSA, the participant indicates, by their registration in the event, they agree to represent their club and college/university in a way that does not detract from the reputation of the institution they are representing, and to act morally and display sportsmanship-like behavior, before, during and after any competition. Guidelines of conduct include, but are not limited to the examples outlined below. a.

b.

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Participants Shall Not: i. Use drugs (except for medical purposes) ii. Consume alcohol while traveling, competing, or spectating iii. Strike, attempt to strike or otherwise physically abuse an official, opposing player, spectator or coach iv. Intentionally engage in or incite participants and/or spectators to engage in abusive or violent action v. Use obscene gestures, profanity or disrespectful language vi. Violate any NIRSA policy, host university, hotel, or local laws Violation of the Standards of Conduct may result in: i. Suspension from the game/match ii. Suspension from future league or postseason play iii. Forfeiture of any individual or team awards iv. Forfeiture of the match v. Team elimination from current and future Region I Club Soccer League and/or Tournament All red cards will be accompanied with an automatic 1 game suspension i. Failing to honor the one game suspension may result in disqualification from any post season play

X. Officials A. 3 Certified Officials are required for each Region I Club Soccer League match. B. Home clubs are responsible for paying official’s fees for each match. a. Clubs may agree prior to the match to another financial arrangement, but the league will always defer to the home club paying for the cost of officials. b. If a club is hosting a round robin, the host club is responsible to pay for the officials. i. It may be negotiated when setting up a round robin that visiting teams will pay for matches not involving the host club XI. Safety Requirements A. Home teams are recommended to provide a certified athletic trainer for all contests to respond to injuries and provide preventative care as able pre- and post-game. a. Providing a certified athletic trainer is viewed as a best practice by the league. B. Home teams are required to supply a First Aid Kit including a minimum of the following: a. 6 Packets of burn cream b. 6 Packets of triple antibiotic ointment c. 10 Antiseptic wipes d. 2" x 3" Woven patch e. 1/2"W Adhesive tape roll f. 5" x 9" Wound pad g. 1 Triangular bandage h. 2 Pairs of exam gloves i. (4) 3" x 3" Sterile gauze pads j. 32 Adhesive strips k. 1 First Aid guide C. The home team must also supply ice and bags for the treatment of injuries D. The home team’s insurance covers the match. a. Teams will work with their club sport coordinator or administrator to make sure they are meeting all insurance requirements for their school. b. At a minimum home teams MUST supply ice bags and water for use by both teams and directions to the nearest hospital prior to the start of the match.

XII. Divisional Standings A. Division champions will receive an automatic bid to the Regional Tournament B. Division champions will be based solely on the Divisional Games i. In the case of a tie the first tie breaker will be head-to-head matchup ii. In the case of a tie the second tie breaker will be goal differential (cap of 3 for a match) 5 to 1 = 3 iii. In the case of a tie the third tie breaker will be goals against iv. In the case of a tie the fourth tie breaker will be most shut outs v. In the case of a tie the fifth tie breaker will be coin flip XIII. Power Rankings A. Power Rankings will be determined on the following basis: a. Win – 6 points b. Tie – 2 points c. Forfeit Win – 6 points d. Forfeit Loss – minus 5 points e. Division Winners – Receive 10 bonus points at season’s end (This is for Regional Tournament determination and seeding only) i. In the case of a tie, the 10 points will be split equally amongst all teams that tied for the top of the division B. The highest ranked clubs in the final power rankings will secure the at large bid to the Regional Tournament on the men’s and women’s side a. In the case of a tie, the divisional tie breaking method will be used C. Tournament seeding will be based upon power rankings with adjustments made to seeding to minimize 2 divisional teams from facing each other in the round robin competition. D. If a tournament quarterfinal or semifinal goes to penalty kicks both teams will be awarded 2 points for a tie. XIV. Finances A. Dues and Other Revenues: The league officers are responsible for determining the League fee. Fees will be collected by the last day of March. Teams qualifying for the Regional Tournament will have to pay a separate tournament entry fee. The Regional Tournament Director is responsible for the collection of fees, the accounting of the league, and can provide participating clubs a league expense report upon request. B. Deposit of Funds: Funds shall be deposited with an institution that is federally insured. Any officer or their designee may authorize expenditures on behalf of the League in accordance to the approved budget. C. The Region I Club Soccer League is a not for profit Organization. XV. Ratification: The Constitution of the Region I Club Soccer League will become the official operating document of the Region I Club Soccer League, following a review by the participating clubs and approval by an official vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the participating clubs at the time of the vote. XVI. Amendments: Any amendments to this Constitution after its ratification will be approved by a vote of the league officers. Region I Club Soccer League and Tournament Officer Signatures and Date:

Jeffrey Gontarek Regional Tournament Director

Max Miller Men’s Regional Coordinator

Catherine Todd Women’s Regional Coordinator

Updated 11/16/2017