Central Illinois Youth Soccer League
Board of Directors Meeting
November 21, 1999 

Present:  Lou Basso,  Dave Hicks,  Tom Kulavic,  Jerry Bordenkircher, Jay Ray,  Mike Cotner, Bill Hall, Charlie Smyth,  Bill Christophel

Absent: Steve Berry,  Mel Koch,  Alex Ferguson,  Steve Hutton, Yomi John,  Robert McGuire 

Called to order in Champaign@ 1:05 PM

Minutes of the last meeting were approved as given.

Reports

Financial:

- David Hicks reported that:

 Account 1362 -- income YTD was $9,657.50, and expenses YTD $9,190.00 for a surplus balance of $467.50.

Account 7977, has a YTD balance of $31,985.98  (of which $9750.00 is bond money) leaving a net of $22,235.98. Money owed to IYSA is $15,465.00. We also have an obligation for Spring awards (last Spring awards cost $1,691.25), and there are various clubs that owe about $10.000 for fall registration. Invoices were delivered to the various club representatives for their fall fees.

Appeals:

- Nothing new to report.

- Dave Hicks has three or four team no-show assessments that need to be completed and will mail them to the League Secretary for processing.

ODP:

- Nothing new to report.

Officials:

- Clinics that have been approved are available in the IYSA WEB site.

- Assignors have to be at a December 11 meeting at the Springfield YMCA-- 9:00 to 12:00.

- There will be a "D" License Clinic at the Sporting FC facilities in the Spring.

- Mike Cotner encouraged the Board to sponsor an "E" License Clinic this summer.

Scheduling & Format:

- Jay Ray reported that he got papers from clubs without Team Notification forms-- must have the forms.

- Clubs and Independent teams MUST inform the scheduler of available fields and any restrictions associated with those fields-- such as age group size, non-availability dates, and club vs. independent team restrictions, etc.

- District Representatives need to take an active role in field identification and availability for both club and independent teams.

- Jay said that the call for teams to be mailed for next Fall (Summer of 2000) be mailed by June 15 would help the scheduler a lot.

- Discussed eliminating the scheduling around various tournaments and State Cup. Coaches with a conflict for tournaments and State Cup will need to contact the opponent and reschedule. Trying to adjust for tournaments and State Cup leaves few weekends to schedule play and affects ALL teams in an age group where only one or two may be involved in State Cup or a specific tournament. The massive number of conflicts submitted has made scheduling around them impossible. The League's position of re-scheduling due to tournaments, State Cup and inclement weather still apply-- it's just that the individual teams will be responsible to do it, not the league scheduler. We agreed that we would avoid specific holiday weekends-- such as Easter, Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Columbus Day. Teams could count a tournament game as a league game.  If the teams cannot agree on a re-scheduled date, the board will set a date. Any no-show at the field of a Board re-scheduled game will pay all fees .

- Charlie Smyth suggested that the schedule be distributed via E-Mail. With the independents not being represented via E-Mail, it was the general feeling of the board that we should distribute via E-Mail, regular mail, and post on the WEB site.

- Discussed requiring the entire fee ($245.00) up front. This will not be available as an option until the Fall season (most teams have paid for the entire year- only a few teams will register anew for the Spring season). The board will vote on this at the Annual board meeting next February.  Some concern was expressed that the fee was too high.  The $50.00 fee with the Team-Notification form does not appear to be solving the problem. Bill Christophel suggested we just do a one time attempt at a full fee. It was recommend that the representatives canvass their areas and be prepared to address this issue at the February board meeting. Several members felt that the $50.00 was not significant enough to ensure commitment and that the full fee may be necessary. It was mentioned that the independent teams were more prompt and up front with the fee than the clubs.

- Some teams in classic were dominating the other teams and may be moved to premier even if they request classic.

WEB Report:

- There are now 5630 hits-- 1871 since August 15, 1999.

- Spring Standings are posted (Dave reported that there was two changes-- he will send them to the Secretary for posting.

Old Business

-  Steve Hutton and Bill Christophel prepared a survey that the board reviewed. Bill felt that there should be a stamped self-addressed envelope delivered with the survey. Dave Hicks will arrange distribution and the forms will be returned to his office. It will be distributed to the coaches, managers, referees, and board members of CIYSL clubs. Concern was expressed over who would tabulate/summarize the results-- hopefully we have enough responses to need tabulation. It was agreed that Steve Hutton would gather results. We would like to have them back by January 1st. for our January board meeting. CIYSL board members need to make sure that the club board members, and referees get a copy because we do not have a mailing list.

New Business

- Nominations for February Annual Meeting--

1999 openings:  David Hicks, Mike Cotner, and Mel Koch.

Note: Mike Cotner has indicated that he will not continue on the board.

Slate of Officers:  A slate will be needed for the Annual board meeting. The current officers and positions are:

Jay Ray as President;
Lou Basso as Vice President;
Tom Kulavic as 2nd Vice President;
Steve Hutton as Treasurer; and,
Mike Cotner as Secretary.

- A nominating committee of the first and second vice president was suggested.

- Mike Stone, DEA and Director of Development for the Danville Area Soccer Association has indicated some interest in becoming a board member.  It was also mentioned that it may be in the best interest of soccer to have a Danville and Decatur representative due to their growing soccer activity.

- Mike Cotner indicated that he would continue to report to the board as the WEB site representative.

- Teams not playing their league games were discussed.  The league can schedule games not agreed upon. Dave Hicks needs to be made aware of any team that are not playing their league games.  The IYSA can be notified and they will not be eligible for State Cup participation. To be eligible for State Cup, a team must be scheduled for and play in four league games.

- Charlie Smyth felt that we need to make it clearer in our material that there is a procedure when teams cannot agree on a reschedule date, the board will set a date and location. A team that does not show will be declared a forfeiture.

- Playing up concern: Too many teams playing up an age level leaving too few teams for a competitive true age group.  Suggestion: Only the team that wins the true age group can move up the next season-- Classic moves up to Premier and Premier moves up to the next higher age group.  

- The next meeting will be on Friday, January 7, 2000 at 7:00 PM and hosted by Sporting FC at their facilities.  The February board will be February 13 in Bloomington at 1:00 PM. 

Meeting was adjourned at 2:57 P.M.

Respectfully Submitted 
Mike Cotner
Secretary