Minutes
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Call to order at 7:00pm
ATTENDANCE: John Veentjer; Chris Garrod (VP & Five Star); Beckey Ranstrom (VP); Shawn O’Brien (At Large); Billie Hartline (Scheduler and Inglemoor); Bob Goldberg (Officials); Chuck Nichols (At Large); Courtney Brown (Bellevue B&G Club); Greg Richardson (Bears); Jim Brenden (Knights); Greg Pardee (Wolverines); Wayne Houston (Bainbridge Island); Louis Lee (Cedarcrest); Bob Woods (Eastlake); Chris Garrod (Five Star); Billie Hartline and Duane Ranstrom (Inglemoor); Dave Ciszewski and Bob Dondoyano (Issaquah); Dave Redemann (Mt Si); Doug Evanson (Redmond); Steve Cox (Skyline); Michael Burrus (Woodinville)
Systems not represented: Bothell; Mercer Island; Univac
Call to order
John reminded everyone to update their web sites. Also provide any changes in email addresses for distributions.
Minutes of the last meeting (February 7, 2006) were distributed by email; there were no comments and they have been posted to the web site.
John quickly went over the upcoming important dates on the GEJFA calendar review: The following significant events were mentioned: NFL/NFF Coaching Academy; Breakout preparation meeting; Roster Review; Coaches Meeting; System fees due date; Qwest Field Jamboree -- October 8
Registration update. Took a preliminary team count to see how each System is doing. John asked if anyone, other than the Systems already using online registration, was interested in revisiting GEJFA wide online registration. Those who do online registration use different vendors. No one is interested in GEJFA wide online registration.
The following information is all available on the web site: Age/Weight Chart; Player transfers & waivers; Rosters - Master & Game ; and Camps (also provided handout regarding Seahawk camps. John reminded everyone who is working with their local High School to do some form of camp that the camps must be in a format that does not put the kids together by team; no practice until August 15.
John reminded everyone that they need to provide final team count by July 1. Billie will begin working on the schedule. It was also mentioned that the conferences and divisions will experience some slight change based on a plan developed by Shawn and Billie. Due to the growth in our program some adjustments to that plan will be necessary. The purpose of the changes is to give teams a slightly different set of opponents each year. System Reps were asked to help address any rumors that the conferences and divisions are rigged to someone’s benefit – whatever it is that coaches think the see, there is no attempt by anyone to rig the schedule.
We did much work in the off-season on the rules – some clarification and some proposed changes. We will vote on the proposed changes tonight (see below). Billie also did some significant improvements on the GEJFA web site, in particular the game schedule options and the game report format. We are fairly certain to get a Seahawks pre-game and Woodinville needs to work on getting a Huskies pre-game.
The following rule changes were formally proposed and voted on at this meeting. All these changes have been discussed at some length in two prior meetings – the special rules meeting in January and the February Council meeting. Prior to going through these changes one by one, John addressed what the rules say about the voting membership of the Council. There are a total of 20 votes possible; each of the 17 Systems have a vote, and each of the Boys and Girls Club Athletic Directors have a vote, except that the Athletic Directors may not vote also for their System(s). For example, Neil is an Athletic Director, but also the only Kirkland System representative present, thus he gets one vote. However, Courtney gets a vote as Athletic Director and since each of the Bellevue Systems is represented, each of them also get a vote. Based on those absent for this meeting, we should have 15 votes. The GEJFA President only votes in the case of ties. None of the other elected officers have a vote.
1. Change senior format into two divisions was approved in February so that registrations could accommodate; one division will be 9th grade and under division, and one will be 8th grade and under division. Some 9th graders may be on the 8th grade team; this will be worked out in roster review and as needed in the senior jamboree. It would appear that we will have four teams in each division. 8th grade and under teams will not play 9th grade and under teams. Shawn will be working to get teams from outside our program to play our senior teams.
2. Allow both teams clock stopping timeouts under the 32 point rule when clock is running. Bainbridge made motion, Redmond seconded. Vote: 10 for, 4 opposed, 1 not voting. Passed
3. Allow Championship Game tie breakers. These tie breakers will be only two rounds, one from the 10 and, if necessary, one from the 5. Thereafter, if the game remains a tie, it comes to an end and teams will be co-champions. Inglemoor made motion, Bellevue Wolverines seconded. Vote: 15 for. Passed
4. Provide a team trophy to each of the Championship teams. This will be a one-time presented trophy vs a perpetual trophy. A budget of $300 was suggested. Woodinville made motion; Five Star seconded. Vote: 9 for; 6 against. Passed
5. Allow scouting by video recorder. Although no one at first would make the motion, Skyline did so for the purposes of calling for a vote. Issaquah seconded. Vote: 15 against. Failed
6. Require designation of home and away jersey color (vs primary and secondary as the rule currently reads). Two tone jerseys may satisfy the need to have two jerseys provided there is no conflict with other two tone jerseys. Two tone jersey need to have the body in one color and the shoulders another. Bellevue Wolverines made motion; Eastlake seconded. Vote: 15 for. Passed
7. Substitution rule:
a. Eliminate the substitution rule and increase minimum plays from 8 to 12. Woodinville made motion; Mt Si seconded. Failed
b. Increase minimum plays under current rule from 8 to 12. Bellevue Wolverines made motion; Redmond seconded. Passed
c. Protest game at first detection of substitution rule vs seek correction first. Wolverines made motion; Skyline seconded. Failed
d. Change rule to require different 11 players on the field for kickoff than were on the field for score (change out as many players as roster permits). Mt Si made motion, 5 star seconded. Failed.
In summary, the only change to the substitution rule is that the minimum number of plays in a game will be increase from 8 to 12.
8. Decrease the length of the season by one week, from 8 regular games to 7 regular games. This was a late addition so there was some discussion. High school coaches are prohibited from having contact with middle school/junior high football players for more than 12 weeks. Our season from beginning of practice to Championships is 13 weeks. Also, concern was raised about losing daylight at the end of October, so it would be better to end the regular season by end of October so that only playoff teams would need to find lighted practice fields. Some suggested that their preference would be for a longer season. Bellevue Wolverines made motion; Bellevue Club Athletic Director seconded. Vote: 1 for, 14 against. Failed
The rules will also be clarified to ensure all suspensions of a coach mean the same thing, except that the Grievance Committee in establishing punishment may further specify the details of a suspension.
Handed out the proposal for mandatory coach training and asked everyone to consider for further discussion at the next meeting. In the meantime, all Systems are encouraged to arrange for training for their coaches. We will have NYSCA Clinics available, the NFF/NFL Coaching Academy available, a Coach4Kids clinic like last year available, and likely at least one ASEP clinic.
Coaches -- Choose them wisely. Continue to weed out the bad coaches.
Volunteers – We need better accounting of all volunteers (master roster list, timely and proper completion of coaching application and 100% submission for background checks). We need this to ensure back ground checks are performed on all the adults who work with the players and we need to ensure all volunteers are registered with the Club for insurance reasons.
Officials – Still need Systems to recruit officials. The officials registration form was handed out. We have a deal with PNFOA this year to train our officials. Some will be encouraged to join PNFOA.
Other Business – We need to have 100% System attendance at Council meetings and will have a proposal at the next Council meeting for encouraging full representation. Every System representative needs to have a backup.
Next meeting: Monday, August 14, 6:00 pm @ Bellevue Community College; THIS HAS BEEN CHANGED TO TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 7:00pm, AT THE BELLEVUE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB.
Adjourned at about 9:45 (long meeting, but an important one)