LCIHA General Membership Meeting Minutes

 

Time/Place:  1/13/03, 7:00 P.M., Jett Hall Rm. 283, NMSU

 

Present: Eli Best, Eric Best, Holly Chamberlin, Chris Christeson, Cynthia Clark, Pat Coughlin, Dennis Downey, Wendy Hamilton, John Jacobs, Collin King, Tom King, Joyce F. Martin, Paco Martin, Britton McNelis, Kevin McNelis, Jake Miles, Nancy Peckham, Jonathan Powers, Tom Powers, David Rockstraw, J.P. Rodriguez, Hugo Vilchis, Hugo Vilchis Jr., Patty Walters, Derrik Wootton, Philip Zakahi

 

Minutes:

v    Derrik presented a brief summary of rule changes:

o       8 game suspension for fighting or instigating a fight. Can appeal this through the traditional appeals process if so desired.

o       USAHI has mandated a criminal background check on all adults working with our youth (coaches, refs).

o       Teams will receive a bench minor for unauthorized people on the bench side. Parents will be allowed to help their kids to the bench with their gear then must clear the area. The benches have been moved to the north side of the pad, anyone needing to enter Meerscheidt must pass quietly and quickly behind the benches en route to the door.

o       Profanity – 1^st offense will be game misconduct.

o       Anyone with 3 penalties must sit out the rest of the game.

o       If scheduled refs (or age appropriate subs) are not available at game time, both teams will forfeit game.

o       Inappropriate conduct toward any member can and should be reported to the infractions committee if it is not seen or called by refs (PAYS agreement gives us authority to ask anyone not behaving appropriately to leave the premises).

v    Nominations Committee:

o       Wendy Hamilton to chair. Contact her to nominate someone for any position being vacated. Ballots will be mailed out in July, new positions will be filled before the Fall season.

o       We currently have 9 Board members – 3 were just appointed and will continue in their positions throughout this election to provide continuity. The “original 6” Board members can run against the nominees for election to another term if they so desire.

o       All Officers’ positions to be re-elected.

v    Pat Coughlin is the new point-of-contact from the BOD to the membership. Pat is also working on getting the Sun-News to print our game stats weekly.

v    Pete Kane has offered to Chair the BOD when Dennis Downey is not available to do so.

v    Nancy Peckham has agree to be the Registrar for the Spring 2003 season. Registration will be on January 18^th and 25^th from 9 am to 5 pm at Meerscheidt Rec Center.

v    New Age Divisions for Spring Season:

o       U10

o       U12

o       U14

o       U17

o       O17

           These are the same divisions USAHI uses and we are making                 

            the change to be in line with them for tournaments, etc.

             Playing age is determined for the year based on the player’s

            age on January 1^st of each year (essentially their age in

            between Fall and Spring seasons).

v    Playing up AND down (for females) will be scrutinized more carefully than before. BOD will look at every request for playing up and down and make a decision based on input from coaches, refs etc.

v    U17 will have 2 adult refs per game, O17 will have 1 adult ref per game, although this could change at the discretion of the BOD.

v    PAYS training for new members is available Tue. And Thurs. evenings or Saturdays at 1 pm at Club Fusion.

v    NMSSU Hockey Club  will be assisting in the Spring by coaching new teams or serving as “alternate” Coaches when regular coaches cannot be available. They may also be able to practice teams on-campus at the Activity Center, which will help relieve some of the congestion at our other facilities (particularly when we lose our Tue/Thurs practice times at Meershceidt later in the Spring).

v    Discussion on How To Improve Communications Between the BOD and the LCIHA Membership:

o       BOD has committed to meeting 4 times this year with the full membership. Anyone wanting any particular issues addressed can contact a Board member or Officer to have it placed on the agenda for the next meeting.

o       Put the onus back on the coaches be more of a communication liaison between the BOD and the team members & parents.

o       Possibly place a cork board at the slab every Saturday to post announcements, stats, etc. Have a suggestion box available.

o       Get our display board inside Meerscheidt back to post ongoing news, stats, standings etc.

o       Produce a monthly newsletter to hand out at games or practices.

v    How to accomplish team formation for the spring was discussed  at length. It was decided that the BOD, Officers and coaches would meet and hash out teams based on their knowledge of the individual players and the goals and mission of the league. The team formation meeting will be set approximately two weeks from today on a day agreed upon by the majority of the interested parties.

v    Dave Rockstraw has been researching fundraising options for the league. He recommended that we sell “scratch-off” cards with coupons for local businesses, with each donation being from $0 to $2.50 for each circle the donator scratches off. Cost of the cards is $20 each, if member sells entire card they will take in $100 per card. He recommended that we buy 100 cards (will get 10 free with a purchase of 100) at a cost of $2000 to the league; we can make up to $11,000 if all of the cards are sold. Motion was made, seconded and passed to allocate funds to this venture.

v    Respectfully Submitted: Patty Walters, Secretary, LCIHA