Rules of The Sudbury Hockey Club
(Current 1 August 2011)
1. Name: The Club shall be known as the Sudbury Hockey Club and affiliated to the Suffolk County Hockey Association.
2 Colours and Dress: The dress for all teams shall consist of a shirt coloured red and white in halves, with black shorts for men and black skirts for ladies. Stockings will be red, white and black horizontally striped. The Indoor Team shall wear Club colours.
3 Membership: Application to membership to the club can be made by the completion of a membership form and the payment of the relevant subscription. Membership is to be renewed annually. New membership forms will be presented to each monthly committee meeting and all memberships will need to be approved by the committee. A minimum period of two days must expire before any submitted application for membership is considered by the committee. Only approval by the committee provides the privileges of membership. Any member or potential member has the right to make a written representation to the committee about the suitability of a potential member, should they have just reason to do so. The committee holds the ultimate responsibility of ensuring that only suitable members are allowed to join the club.
4 Management: The direction and management of The Club shall be vested in a Committee consisting of the Club Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, House, Social, Junior Coaching Co-Ordinator , Men's Club Captain, Ladies Club Captain. The House officer should also be automatically elected to sit as one of the Club's representatives on the Friars Street committee. Five members or their elected representative to form a quorum. The Club shall be established and conducted in 'good faith' for the benefit of its members, associate members and guests.
5 Meetings: · The elected Committee shall meet once a month.
· Selection Meetings: Both Sub Committee's comprising Men and Ladies Club Captains (CC) and Team Captains (TC) and/or/Vice Captain (VC) to meet on a weekly basis. Any Club members with issues or grievances should make these known to the Committee via their respective Club Captains.
6 Presidents: The Club President shall be elected by the members at the AGM from the list of Life Members. If no nomination is forthcoming from the list of Life Members then any club member may stand. He/she shall hold office for three years, after which period he/she must stand for re-election.
(a) Life Members shall be elected for life by the members at an AGM in recognition of services rendered to the Club.Nominations to be given in writing to the club committee for approval eight weeks prior to the AGM.
(b) Other Life Members to be elected by the Committee on an annual basis who shall be fee paying.
(c) Associate Members shall be non-playing members who retain an ongoing participation in the Club. They will pay a nominal subscription and have voting rights at the AGM.
7 Subscriptions: The annual subscription, as agreed at the AGM, shall be due at the start of the Club's playing season. All subscriptions must be paid before 1st November. Fully paid-up members after that date will be given priority for team selection over non-payers. New members joining on or before 31st December shall pay the full subscription. Those joining after 1st January shall pay half the normal subscription.
8 Accounts: The funds of the Club shall be deposited in an approved bank in the name of the Club. Accounts, duly audited, shall be submitted to the AGM. An Auditor for the year shall be elected at the AGM.
9 General Meetings: Thirty days notice thereof shall be given in writing to each member. At this meeting, a report of the previous year's working shall be presented. The officers specified in Rule 3 shall be elected and any other business transacted. Any member wishing to propose changes to The Club's rules, which they wish to be voted on at the AGM, must detail his/her proposals, in writing to the Club Secretary 14 days before the date of the AGM. Any rule changes not notified in writing to these timescales may not be voted on at the AGM. Extraordinary General Meetings may be called at any time by the Committee or may be requisitioned by a notice in writing addressed to the Secretary of the Club and signed by not less than six members stating the object of the meeting. Fourteen days notice shall be given to members. Twelve members to form a quorum at General Meetings.
10 Disciplinary Procedure: The disciplinary rules of the Hockey Association apply to all games. Any player who receives a red card during a league match may be suspended for at least 16 days, in addition any player who receives 3 yellow cards during league matches is automatically suspended for the next league match and a further league match for each subsequent yellow card given. All red card and match day misconduct offences, or any other offence committed by a Club Member, which brings the club into disrepute, will be reviewed by a Disciplinary Sub-committee consisting of Chairman, Secretary, Men's and Ladies' Club Captains. This Sub-committee will be able to impose a penalty deemed necessary.
11 Alteration of Rules: These rules shall be binding upon all members of the Club and shall not be modified or altered in any way except at an Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting. As detailed in Section 9.
12 Voting Powers: All Honorary Vice Presidents, Officers, Members and Associate Members shall be entitled to vote on all matters at Annual and Extraordinary General Meetings At all meetings the Chairman shall have a casting vote.
13 Sports Equity: The committee of the club will monitor on a regular basis the club's commitment to 'Sports Equity' as outlined in its objectives. The objects of the club, which opposes all forms of discrimination, shall be to actively encourage, promote and develop hockey amongst all sections of the community it serves and in doing so the Club undertakes to ensure that 'Sports Equity' (i.e. "Fairness") is practised in the club. This includes ensuring that opportunities are provided for young people, black and ethnic minority groups, and people with disabilities at a level appropriate to their needs and aspirations.
13a Membership: Applicants applying for membership apply to the secretary for a membership form, which upon completion is ratified by the committee. Membership of the Club shall be open to all members of the local community who have an interest in hockey at whatever level. The club will actively encourage membership from: i) young people between the ages of 9 and 18. ii) local black and ethnic minority groups, iii) local disability organisations and people with disabilities.
13b Management: Sudbury Hockey Club is a non-profit making organisation. Any surplus or gains are reinvested into the club for the benefit of all playing and associate members. In the event of the dissolution of Sudbury Hockey Club the assets of the Club will be gifted to another registered Community Amateur Sports Club/s (CASC). The decision on which CASC will receive the gift (s) will be made by the committee of the Club at the time of dissolution.
13c Election of Officers: The process of electing officers will take account of the diverse membership of the Club i.e. every effort will be made to ensure that nominations reflect the gender, race and disability mix of the Club and the community it serves. No member of the Club shall be denied voting rights on the grounds of race, gender or disability.
13d Coaching: The Club is committed to providing activities and coaching opportunities appropriate to all sections of the membership regardless of playing standards and to promoting awareness of these opportunities amongst all members.
13e Policies: The Club, its officers, officials and its members maintain the highest possible standards for the benefits of the Club. These are detailed in (but are not limited to) Club Policies & Procedures and Codes of Conduct for Officers, Coaches, Team Managers. In particular, the Club takes very seriously the welfare of Juniors within the Club and has a series of policies and procedures for all involved with Juniors. The Child Welfare Officer is, by default, the Junior Coaching Co-Ordinator. The Club Welfare Officer is, by default, the Chairman of the Club.
14 General: All matters arising, not provided for in these rules, shall be dealt with by the Committee, whose decision shall be binding.
15 Clubhouse Bar: The hours during which alcoholic liquors may be supplied to members and their guests in the club, shall be the same as those identified in the Club Premises Certificate issued by Babergh District Council. Visitors from other sporting clubs shall be entitled to purchase intoxicating liquor. The bar management will be incorporated within the roles and responsibilities of the 'House' committee member, which is a position that must be held by a person over 18 years of age. This position assumes full responsibility for compliance with the conditions upon which the Clubs Premises Certificate is issued. The club acknowledges the legal requirement to maintain 25 members at all times, to be considered as a qualifying club for the purposes of it's Club Premises Certificate. Should membership fall below this number, the Club must immediately inform Babergh District Council that it no longer fulfils the conditions to hold said certificate. The purchase of alcohol shall be managed by the club in general meeting or by a committee of members elected by the club who are over 18 years of age. No commission shall be payable to any person with regard to the supply of alcohol by the club. No pecuniary or other benefit shall be obtained by the club.