VSA Board Meeting

10/18/2009

 

Officers in attendance:  Dave Milne, Allison Guth, Dave Fitz, Kevin Driscoll, Alice Riley, Shannon Howard, Bill Strachan, Gus Donolo and DeAnna Lindonnguyen

 

Others in attendance:  John Wagoner and JD Daunt

 

Meeting was called to order at 6:40pm.

Motion was made to approve minutes from Board meeting held on 9/13/2009.  Meeting minutes were approved.

 

President:

 

• The cost of the new turf field and renovation of the current artificial turf fields were discussed.
• There was a good showing at the public meetings.  VSA has the support of most of the Board of Supervisors for lights at Long Park.  Now we need to make sure that language is in the master plan for lights at the new park.  For the new park, VSA wants to keep in front of the Board of Supervisors that it is to be used for sports fields and not all passive recreation.
• Dave M. and Lynn have been working with the accountant on the balance sheet and income statement.  They should have these by the beginning of the week.
• The accounting firm has agreed to provide VSA with a monthly balance sheet and income statement.  This will provide VSA with more current monthly information.  They will also file all taxes, prepare 1099’s and checkbook reconciliation.  These services will be provided for a reasonable fee.

 New Business:

 

• John Wagoner presented his proposal for the Director of Fundraising to the board.  This position will start as part time and transition to full time.
• John presented several Fundraiser duties and sponsorship package options.
• VSA would need to approve the initiatives for fundraising and the strategic plan.  After these approvals, the position will be given the go ahead.
• It was discussed that the incentive package for this position should be voted on by the board, but individual changes to fundraisers do not need to come in front of the board.
• John was asked if he had any fundraising experience.  He said, not per se but he has a lot of sales experience.
• It was determined that the next step would be a vote by the board to create the position and then it needs to be decided if this would be a board position.
• Shannon stated that he was in favor of John for the position, but that for the 1^st year it should not be a board position and Kevin agreed with this statement.  It was stated that the board should look at the position and not the person when deciding whether it should be a board position.  This position not being a board member would prevent any issues with conflict of interest.
• A motion was made by Shannon to create a non-board position of a Fundraising Director.  This motion was seconded by Kevin.  The motion was approved by unanimous vote.
•  A second motion was made by Shannon to hire John Wagoner as a contractor.  This motion was seconded by Bill.  The motion was approved by unanimous vote.

 

Director of Coaching and Technical Director:

 

• Gus reported to the board that academy team meetings were recently held.  Comments from the meetings were that the parents would like a coach for each team and would like each team to train separately.
• The majority of the parents were happy with the program and the coaches.  There was a concern expressed about making up missing time.
• The academy team coaches have done player evaluations.
• Gus said that there would be another meeting with the parents after the season.
• Bill stated that the coaching and developmental clinics went very well.  Since so many children showed up the first time, a limit has now been put on the developmental clinic. 
• For the upcoming SFL clinic, they are having a good response for participation.
• Bill and Gus will work on the administrative side over the winter.
• For the spring, options were discussed for the developmental clinics.  One option is to maybe cancel recreational practices for one week and have the clinics then.  An option would be having the U8’s on Monday, U10’s on Tuesday, etc.  Another option would be to have 2 trainers assigned only to the recreational teams and they would float around to different team practices.
• Gus was asked to walk around the fields on a Saturday for recreational games.  The purpose would be for parents to see who he is, meet the Technical Director and to be able to ask any questions.
• There have been very good comments on the licensing course.  Bill will be looking into offering an “E” licensing course in the spring. 

 

Registrar:

 

• The next season is coming together. 
• The spring season recreational practices will begin on April 5 and games starting on April 17.
• No games would be held on May 29.
• The eighth game would be on June 12 and make up games would be June 19.  This would make it after school lets out.  Again we may need to say no make up of the first canceled game, but the second canceled game will be made up.

 

Travel Commissioner:

 

• There will be a travel team meeting on December 2.
• Dave F asked for travel team practices to be scheduled for an hour and a half in the spring.  This is because most hire paid trainers and the sessions they pay for are for an hour and a half.  Allison stated that until we get lights it is not possible for this to happen. 
• There was concern during the academy team meeting about a conflict of interest.  It was expressed by parents that they did not know if Gus was speaking as the Technical Director or as the owner of Soccer the Brazilian Way.  Dave F asked if in the contract with Gus do the coaches have to be approved by the Technical Director or if they would have to be provided only by STBW.  The members could not unanimously recall and will look into the question. 
• It was brought up that the Technical Director’s contract auto renews and that the board should put something out before it does.

 

Director of Referees:

 

• An email needs to be sent to coaches reminding them of the turf rules.  These rules include nothing but water on the turf and no mud on the turf.  Away teams also need to be reminded of these rules. 
• Kevin will not be here this weekend, Nov.7 and Nov. 14 and needs board members to take shifts to be at the field.  He will send out an email for members to sign up for time slots.

 

Director of Fields:   

 

• Shannon is having trouble with the teams assigned to line the fields.  One team has only 4 people, another team has only 1 person and a third team never responded.  He needs two more teams to line fields.
• The lock is missing from the new POD.
• Some of the small sided goal nets need to be changed.

 

Equipment:

 

• The new POD was to have limited access with a different combination. 
• Have the new POD to store equipment and maybe put another one back by the maintenance area.
• The PUGG goals are getting damaged, because coaches do not know how to put them away.  At the coaches meeting show them how to properly put them away.

 

 

Meeting was adjourned at 9:00pm.