New Jersey Soccer Association

Taking care of soccer since 1913

  1. PARLIAMENTARY RULES

The Roberts’s Rules of Order shall serve as the parliamentary authority of this Association for all rules and procedures not covered in this constitution, By-Laws or Procedural Rules.

2302. CURRENT SEASON

The period of time from September 1st to August 31st of the following year shall be considered the current season of the NJSA

  1. GENERAL COUNCIL MEETINGS
  1. Frequency

There will be two types of General Council Meetings

  1. Annual General Council Meetings
  2. Special General Council Meetings

The Annual meeting shall be held During the Summer of each year.

A Special General Council Meeting shall be held when called for:

  1. By the President of the NJSA, or
  2. By ½ (half) of the voting members of the General Council 
  1. Quorum

Quorum shall be established when 2/3 (two-thirds) of the voting power at any General Council Meeting is present.

Lacking such quorum, another meeting shall be called within 30 days and no quorum shall be required. 

  1. Voting Power

Each NJSA Affiliated Premier League shall be allowed to cast one (1) vote for each of its affiliated Premier teams that qualify as per these rules.

Each NJSA Affiliated Recreation League shall be allowed to cast one (1) vote for each 10 teams or fraction of 10 affiliated with such Recreation League and that qualifies per rule 2105(d).

NJSA Associate Leagues, or NJSA Registered USASA Leagues or NJSA Registered Other Soccer Organizations shall NOT be allowed to cast ANY vote in any General Council meeting

Each Elected Officer, as described in 2201(a), with the exception of the chairperson of the meeting, shall be allowed to cast one (1) vote, EXCEPT for the election of officers.

Junior Past Presidents shall be allowed to cast one (1) vote for any matter INCLUDING election of officers.

Life Members shall be allowed to cast one (1) vote for any matter INCLUDING  election of officers.

The chairperson of the General Council meeting shall be allowed to cast the deciding vote in the event of a tied vote for any matter except for the election of officers.

  1. Representation

The President of each NJSA Affiliated Premier or Recreation League shall be the official Representative for their League unless such President notifies in writing the name of a person who shall represent the league (see rule 2104(h) and (i)).

Each NJSA Affiliated Premier or Recreation League total votes may be exercised by a maximum number of representatives, as specified below:

No. of Teams Max. Number of Representatives

up to 30 teams 2

30 or more teams 3  

In the case where a league decides to be represented by more than one representative, but within the limits above, the League’s President shall notify in writing to the General Secretary/Executive Director before the meeting starts, the names of the voting representatives.

  1. Notification

The General Secretary/Executive Director shall give 15 days notice to each voting member of the General Council meeting, complete with an agenda of items to be acted upon.

  1. Record

A record shall be kept of the attendance of the members at each General Council meeting, as well as the business of transaction.

  1. Order of Business

The following order of business shall be followed for the Annual General Council meeting:

  1. Roll call and voting strength
  2. Minutes of previous Annual meeting
  3. Approval of actions of the Board of Directors, Executive Committee and other Officers
  4. President’s report
  5. General Secretary/Executive Director’s report
  6. State Treasurer’s report
  7. Vice President’s reports
  8. State Registrar’s report
  9. Leagues reports
  10. Unfinished business
  11. Amendments to Constitution, By-Laws and Procedural Rules
  12. Release of officers whose term expires
  13. Election of officers 
  14. New business
  15. Adjournment 

The following order of business shall be followed for Special General Council meetings:

  1. Roll call and voting strength
  2. Presentation of Special meeting matter
  3. Communications related to Special Meeting
  4. Discussion of Special Meeting matter
  5. Vote on Special Meeting matter
  6. Good of Soccer
  7. Adjournment
  1. Decisions of the General Council

Resolutions, decisions and amendments to the Constitution, By-Laws and Procedural Rules, voted by the General Council, shall be binding upon all NJSA Affiliated Premier, Recreation or Associate Leagues or NJSA Registered USASA Leagues or Other Soccer Organizations, all their NJSA Affiliated or NJSA Registered Teams and all their NJSA Registered Individuals (Players, Coaches, Managers, Referees and/or Officers) thereof, until they are rescinded, reconsidered or varied by a vote taken at another General Council meeting.

  1. Proxy Vote

No proxy vote is allowed at any General Council meeting.

2304. BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETINGS

  1. Function and Frequency

The Board of Directors shall regulate all activities of the NJSA by setting polices and procedures to be applied to all affiliated members of the NJSA.

Board of Directors meetings shall be held quarterly in January, April, July and October of each year, or as otherwise called for by the President of the NJSA.

Emergency Board of Directors meeting may be held via telephone conference and/or e-mail conference.

  1. Quorum

Quorum shall be established when at least ½ (half) of the voting power of the Board of Directors is present at the meeting.

Lacking such quorum, another meeting shall be called within seven (7) days and quorum shall be established regardless of the voting power present.

  1. Voting Power

Each member of the Board of Directors, shall be allowed to cast one (1) vote except for the chairperson.

Each NJSA Affiliated Premier League that qualifies as per rules 2104 shall be allowed to cast two (2) votes independently from the number of teams registered.

Each NJSA Affiliated Recreation League that qualifies as per rules 2104 shall be able to cast one (1) vote only independently from the number of teams registered.

NJSA Associate Leagues, or NJSA Registered USASA Leagues or NJSA Registered Other Soccer Organizations shall NOT be allowed to cast ANY vote in any Board of Directors meeting.

Junior Past Presidents shall be allowed to cast one (1) vote during the Board of Directors meetings.

  1. Notification

The General Secretary/Executive Director shall give at least seven (7) days notification to each member of the Board of Directors, of each meeting.

  1. Record

A record shall be kept of the attendance of the member at each Board of Directors meeting as well as business transacted.

  1. Order of Business

The following order of business shall be followed for all Board of Directors meetings:

  1. Roll call and voting strength
  2. Minutes of previous Board of Directors meeting
  3. Communication
  4. President’s Report
  5. General Secretary/Executive Director’s report
  6. State Treasurer’s report
  7. Vice Presidents’ reports
  8. State Registrar’s report
  9. Leagues reports
  10. Unfinished business
  11. New business
  12. Adjournment
  1. Decisions

Resolutions or decisions of the Board of Directors shall be binding upon all NJSA Affiliated Premier, Recreation or Associate Leagues or NJSA Registered USASA Leagues or Other Soccer Organizations, all their NJSA Affiliated or NJSA Registered Teams and all their NJSA Registered Individuals (Players, Coaches, Managers, Referees and/or Officers) thereof, until they are rescinded, reconsidered or varied by another Board of Directors decision or by a General Council decision.

Appeal decisions made by the Board of Directors may be appealed only to the USASA.

  1. Appeal Power

The Board of Directors has the power to entertain Appeals to decisions made by the NJSA appeals committee. 

  1. Proxy Vote

No proxy vote is allowed at any Board of Directors meeting.

2305. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

  1. Function

The Executive Committee shall perform the day-by-day activities necessary to maintain the NJSA in operation within the financial limits set by the current budget.

The Executive Committee shall represent the NJSA in matters demanding immediate attention when it is impractical or impossible to call a Board of Directors meeting.

The President shall be Chairperson of this committee and shall supervise all activities of the Committee members.

  1. Approval of Actions

The actions of the Executive Committee or of the Gen. Secretary/Exec. Director, 

shall be approved at the next Board of Directors meeting,

Those actions can be appealed only to the Board of Directors by following the proper appeal procedure.

  1. Members

The Executive Committee shall be formed by all Elected Officers as specified in rule 2201(a) and by the General Secretary/Exec. Director.

  1. Powers

The members of the Executive Committee shall have the power to apply and enforce the rules and policies of the NJSA including the power to issue fines if necessary to properly execute the NJSA programs.

  1. STANDING COMMITTEES
  1. Types and Duties

The following committees shall exist during each soccer season and shall handle all matters pertaining to themselves as specified below:

  1. Youth Relations Committee

It shall handle all matters pertaining to the relationship between youth and adult amateur soccer in New Jersey. This committee shall enforce all matters concerning youth soccer. This committee shall report directly to the NJSA President.

  1. Hall of Fame Committee

It shall handle all matters pertaining to the organization of an annual Banquet to honor those individuals that have dedicated many years of their life to support of the NJSA. This committee shall set the policies and shall choose annually a number of individuals to be inducted in the NJSA soccer Hall of Fame. This committee shall report directly to the NJSA President.

  1. Finance Committee

It shall handle all matters pertaining to the preparation of the NJSA operating budget, the approval of the budgetary expenses and the control of the operating budget. This committee shall enforce all the rules of the 6100 series. This committee shall be chaired by the General Secretary/Exec. Director. This committee shall report to the President. 

  1. Adult Referees Committee

It shall handle all matters regarding education, assessing, investigating and licensing of Referees that have accepted to officiate Adult games under the jurisdiction of the NJSA. The State Adult Referee’s Administrator (SARA) shall be the chairperson of this committee. This committee shall enforce all the rules dictated by the USSF in addition to the rules of the 4400 series. This committee shall repot to the Vice President of Administrative Operations.

  1. Referee’s Assigning Committee

It shall handle all matters regarding the assignment of the registered referees to games of affiliated members of the NJSA. This committee shall be chaired by the State Referee Assignor. This committee will operate under the direction and supervision of the Vice President of Administrative Operations and will follow suggestions and requests of the affiliated leagues and of the State Adult Referee Administrator, in addition to enforcing the rules of the 4400 series where appropriate. 

  1. Referee Ethics Committee

It shall verify all claims stated by referees regarding affiliated members, as well as claims of affiliated members regarding referees. This committee shall report to the Vice President of Administrative Operations.

  1. Cups Committee

It shall handle all matters pertaining to organizing, arbitrating and publicizing the State and National cup competitions under the jurisdiction of the NJSA. This committee shall be chaired by the Vice President of Games Operations and will include the various Cups Coordinators, the State Arbiter, and the Executive Director. This committee shall enforce all rules of the 4300 series. This committee shall report to the Vice President of Games Operations.

  1. Arbitration Committee

It shall handle all matters related to suspension and fine of players and teams guilty of misconduct during a game under the jurisdiction of the NJSA. This committee shall be formed by the NJSA State Arbiter. 

This committee shall enforce all the rules of the 4500 series as well as those of the USSF.

 He shall report to the Vice President of Games Operations.

  1. Coaching Education Committee

It shall handle all matters regarding the scheduling, organizing, running and licensing through coaches clinics under jurisdiction of the NJSA. The State Coach Administrator shall be the chairperson of this committee. This committee shall report to the Vice President of Development Operations.

  1. Select Team Committee

It shall handle all matters pertaining to scheduling and organizing soccer camps, all-star and Olympic teams, and any other program with the ultimate purpose of developing and expanding the game of soccer in New Jersey. This committee shall be chaired by the Select-Team Administrator. This committee shall report to the Vice President of Development Operations. 

  1. U20/U23 Development Committee

It shall handle the day-by-day operations of the U20U23 program as specified in the 4200 series rules. This committee shall report to the Vice President of Development Operations.

  1. Appeals Committee

It shall handle all appeals filed with the NJSA.

The Vice President of Technical  Operations shall be the chairperson of this committee. Each NJSA Affiliated Premier and Recreation league shall appoint one representative to be a member of this committee, and the State Adult Referee Administrator or his appointed representative shall also be a member.

For each separate case, the Chairperson of the Committee shall call upon any 3 of those selections so that the committee members are not part of the League where the player or teams involved in the case, is registered.

This committee shall enforce all rules of the 5100 series.

  1. Rules Committee

It shall handle all matters pertaining to rules, amendments, rules interpretation and rules education. This committee shall enforce all rules of the 2400 series. This committee shall report to the Vice President of Technical Operations.

  1. Marketing Committee

It shall handle all matters pertaining to marketing the NJSA activities for the benefits of the public or other sponsors. This committee shall report to the Vice President of Marketing Operations.

  1. Public Relations Committee

It shall handle all matters pertaining to publicity in newspapers, radio, television and other media, of the game of soccer in New Jersey and of the NJSA. This committee shall report to the Vice President of Marketing  Operations.

  1. Player Registration Committee

It shall handle all matters pertaining to player registration. It shall be composed of the State Registrar and as many Assistant Registrars as there are NJSA Affiliated Leagues that register players of their own. Upon approval by the State Registrar, each NJSA Affiliated League could choose its own Assistant Registrar. A league not wanting to have its own Assistant registrar may make use of the State Registrar or use another league’s Assistant Registrar upon approval of the State Registrar.

NJSA Associate Leagues must register their players directly with the NJSA State Registrar. 

NJSA Registered USASA Leagues must register their players directly with the NJSA State Registrar. 

Independent teams of a NJSA Registered Other Soccer Organization must register their players directly with the NJSA State Registrar. 

This committee shall enforce all the rules of the 3100 series. The State Registrar shall supervise and control the work of all Assistant Registrars and shall make sure that all rules are properly enforced.

The State Registrar shall report directly to the General Secretary/Executive Director who in turn shall report to the President.

  1. Chairpersons

All Chairpersons of the above standing committees, unless otherwise specified in these rules, shall be nominated by the Vice President to whom such committee reports.

All Standing Committee Chairpersons must be approved by the Board of Directors.

  1. Membership

Each chairperson shall nominate the members of the committee of which he/she is in charge, unless such membership is specified in these rules.

Each Elected Officer responsible for the committee shall have the power to approve the nominations of the committee members made by the chairperson of the committee of which he is responsible.

Each Standing committee chairperson may recommend the expulsion of any member of the committee being chaired by him, to the elected Officer responsible for the committee. If approved by the Elected Officer responsible, such expulsion may not be appealed.

  1. Authority of Standing Committees

Each committee shall be allowed to enforce all and only the rules pertaining to its task. Any decision made by a Committee is final as far as the committee work is concerned, but may be appealed, by use of the proper procedure to the NJSA Appeals Committee.

  1. Removal of Committee Chairperson

Removal of a Standing Committee Chairperson may be requested either by the Elected officer supervising such committee, or by 1/3 (one-third) of the votes of the Board of Directors. Such removal has to be approved by the simple majority of the votes of the Board of Directors. 

  1. NJSA DELEGATES

The President, the General Secretary/Executive Director, the Vice President of Administrative Operations and the Vice President of Technical Operations shall be the official Delegates of this Associations to all USASA and USSF meetings, together with as many Alternate Delegates as are deemed necessary by the Board of Directors. All Alternate Delegates shall be chosen by the Board of Directors among all officers on a “as available’ basis.  

  1. OTHER APPOINTMENTS

The President, with approval of the Board of Directors, may, from time to time, appoint a chairperson and the members of special “AD HOC” committees, which will exist for the duration of the task they have been appointed for.

  1. VOTING MAJORTY

Unless otherwise specified in these rules, a simple majority (½ half + 1) of the votes CAST shall be required to pass a motion duly seconded during any meeting.

Amendments to the Constitution or By-Laws of the NJSA shall require 2/3 majority.

  1. QUORUM AT MEETINGS

Unless otherwise specified in these rules, a meeting shall be considered to have a quorum when at least ½ of the voting power is present during any meeting.

  1. MINUTES AT MEETINGS

Copies of the minutes of all Board of Directors or General Council meetings, including decisions, resolutions, amendments and proposals, shall be mailed to all leagues and members of the Board of Directors not later than thirty (30) days from the date of such meeting.

  1. DISSOLUTIONS
  1. Dissolution of the NJSA

In case of dissolution of this Association, all its assets and liabilities shall be turned over to the USSF in trust for submission to any State Association which, properly constituted, organized and affiliated with the USSF, replaces this Association.

  1. Dissolution of League

In case of proposed dissolution of an NJSA Affiliated League, for any reason whatsoever, the following rules shall govern:

  1. This NJSA must be notified of such dissolution and be represented at the meeting of the organization, at which time the dissolution is voted open.

2) No dissolution shall become effective until approved by the Board of Directors and all obligations, financial and otherwise, to this Association or to any other affiliated organization, are properly settled. 

  1. RELATIONS TO OTHER STATE ASSOCIATIONS
  1. NJ Teams Wishing to play in other non-NJSA affiliated League.

Any New Jersey domiciled team wishing to play its games in New Jersey 

must register with a NJSA Registered USASA League or a NJSA Registered Other Soccer Organization (see rule 2104).

  1. Jurisdiction

This Association maintains disciplinary jurisdiction over all games played inside its territory at all times.

  1. Teams Affiliated with Other State Associations wishing to Play in NJ

A Team that is an affiliated member of a USASA League AND wishes to play in the state of New Jersey, must register with the NJSA as a USASA League Team.

A Team that is an affiliated member of a non-NJSA Affiliated League AND that wishes to play its home games in the state of New Jersey AND has its Club/Team headquarters in the State of New Jersey, must register as a INDEPENDENT TEAM with a NJSA Registered Other Soccer Organization League.

These Registered Independent Teams shall have the right to participate to any NJSA approved activity. 

A Team that is an affiliated member of a non-NJSA Affiliated League AND  that wishes to play its home games in the state of New Jersey BUT DOES NOT HAVE  its Club/Team headquarters in the State of New Jersey, must register as a VISITING TEAM with a NJSA Registered Other League.

These Registered Visiting teams are not allowed to participate in any NJSA approved activity.

A Team that is an affiliated member of a non-NJSA Affiliated League AND  that wishes to PLAY AGAINST an NJSA Registered Independent Team or a NJSA Registered Visiting team (members of a NJSA Registered Other Soccer Organization),  must register as OUT-OF-STATE TEAM with a NJSA Registered Other Soccer Organization..

These Registered Out-Of-State teams are not allowed to participate in any NJSA approved activity.

  1. Teams of Other non-affiliated organizations wishing to Affiliate With the NJSA

This Association reserves the right to accept the affiliation of any Team or League operating/playing in adjoining districts/State where no State or District Association is recognized by the USSF. Such affiliation, however, must receive the approval of the USSF.

  1. Games With Teams of Other State Associations

No game shall be played in any part of the territory of this Association with teams affiliated with other State Associations unless the consent of this Association shall have been secured in writing by the team promoting such game.

NJ teams participating in National Cups competitions do not need to secure such permission.

NJ teams registered with a NJSA Registered USASA league do not need to secure such permission.

  1. INSURANCE COVERAGE

Every member affiliated with a Premier, or Recreation or Associate League shall receive the following types of Insurance Coverage as part of their affiliation fees.

  1. Liability Insurance
  2. Directors and Officers Insurance
  3. Players Accidental Medical Insurance

USASA Leagues and Other Soccer Organizations, shall receive Insurance Coverage to all their Teams and Individuals from the USASA or from the State Association they are Affiliated members of.

  1. EXPENSES REFUNDS
  1. Recipients

Expenses refunds shall be allowed to any Officer to cover documented expenses that are incurred for the purpose of completing the task assigned.

b)  Allocation

Each expense refund shall be part of the budget of the committee for which the recipients perform their task therefore the amount to be allocated must be approved as part of the operating budget of the NJSA.

  1. NJSA OPERATING BUDGET

The Finances Committee, together with the General Secretary/Executive Director, shall prepare an annual operating budget which must be approved by the first Board of Directors meeting in each new season before it becomes effective. All matter pertaining to the content and its amendments shall be detailed in the rules of the 6100 series.

  1. FISCAL YEAR

The fiscal year of the NJSA shall be from September 1st to August 31st of the following year, and the operating budget shall reflect such period.


NEW JERSEY SOCCER ASSOCIATION.
P.O. Box 9765
Trenton, NJ 08650
e-mail: office@njsasoccer.com
In case of emergency, please call
609-587-9107
New Jersey Soccer Association

NEW JERSEY SOCCER ASSOCIATION.
P.O. Box 9765
Trenton, NJ 08650
e-mail: office@njsasoccer.com
In case of emergency, please call
609-587-9107
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