GEJFA Council Meeting

August 7, 2007

Minutes

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Call to order at 7:00pm

ATTENDANCE:  John Veentjer; Joe Morgan (VP); Billie Hartline (Scheduler and Inglemoor); Shawn O’Brien (Senior Coordinator); Andy Main (Bellevue B&G Club); Rick Schroeder (Bears); Tom Louis (Knights); Greg Pardee (Wolverines); Brad Brigham (Bainbridge); Ron Walker (Bothell); Bob Woods (Eastlake); Billie Hartline and Duane Ranstrom (Inglemoor); Robert Reeves (Five Star); Dave Ciszewski (Issaquah); Stephanie Davis and Craig Peterson (Kirkland); Cheryl Rawlings and Sean Marshall (Mercer Island); Bob VanLiew (Mt Si); AH???? (Skyline); Michael Burrus (Woodinville)

Systems not represented:   Cedarcrest; Redmond

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Call to order  --  Introductions

Minutes of the last meeting (May 29, 2007) – email distribution and in handout

Quick reminders about keeping web site current.  Billie has done more good work on the game schedule and game reporting features of the web site.  Still have issues at the beginning of the season regarding team count and we have to try to hold earlier registration – need to educate community regarding need to register early.

Emphasized importance of good communications through 100% Council attendance, passing the word on to others in the System who might have responsibilities for which the communication is intended.  Systems have a responsibility for enforcement of GEJFA administration and need to be able to correctly answer questions from their coaches, players and parents.

Calendar Review

• All Coaches Meeting on August 13 at Bellevue Community College
• First Practice on August 14
• Master rosters and birth certificates due at August 21 Council Meeting; considering an alternative roster review date since the preliminary roster review was poorly attended
• Each System needs to send split policies to John V
• Each System needs to send coach training verification to John V
• Boys and Girls Club outreach membership fees due at or before August 21 Council Meeting
• Admin and referee fees due at meeting at or before September 4 meeting

Scheduling matters:

Double checked final team count/home fields; still need confirmation on some fields. 

We have a Huskies pre-game on our championship day which will include Woodinville and the Bellevue Wolverines.  John will work on Seahawk pre-games directly with the Seahawks (post meeting note – we have two dates, August 30 and September 9 which will include Seniors from Redmond & Bainbridge on August 30 and Seniors from Inglemoor & Eastlake 0n September 9). 

We have four 9^th grade Senior teams and five 8^th grade Senior teams; 8^th graders have match-ups with outside programs.  However, no other program has 9^th grade level willing to interleague with our 9^th graders, consequently, the 9^th graders will play each other in round robin, likely three times.  If someone can find outside 9^th grade opponents, let us know.

Jamborees

Who, when --        August 25:   Woodinville, Bellevue Wolverines, Mount Si, Five Star

                              September 1:  Redmond, Eastlake, Seniors

                              September 3:  Bothell

      Note:  For purposes of counting practice per week, consider that the Bothell jamboree is on Saturday, so if a practice must be forfeited because this would be a team’s second jamboree, then that must occur in the previous week.

Officials:  We will try to get officials to the jamborees, however, they are all there without pay.  Some are there because it is part of requirement to get extra $2 per game during season.  Others are there to train officials.  The primary reason for officials to be at jamborees is training for officials.  Jamborees are practices and for the most part correction of player problems is the coach’s responsibility and not the officials’ responsibility – don’t be surprised if not all fouls are called or penalties assessed.  Officials may briefly break away from the immediate play to do training.

Rules

• Revisions necessary after discussion at the last Council meeting were emailed.  Having received no comment, the revised rules were posted to the web site. 
• Shawn proposed that for the levels with 24 or more team that we change the format to include four conferences, no divisions, and that the top four teams in each conference will advance to the playoffs.  The Council will decide which two conferences will meet and playoff to a conference pairing winner; then the two conference pairing winners play in the GEJFA Championship.  Bellevue Wolverines moved that we adopt this proposal, Eastlake seconded and the vote of Council was 14 to 0 (passed).  The rules will be reworded to address this change.
• After some discussion regarding Player weight management, a proposal was made to require that a player who misses weight in two consecutive weigh-ins move up to the next level.  Bellevue Wolverines moved, Inglemoor seconded and Council vote was 12 to 2 (passed).   Discussion also indicated that the any attempt to beat the rule by holding a player out for a game following a missed weight must be addressed by the rule; essentially in such a case, a player will be considered to have missed weight unless a good excuse is provided for having missed the game.  The rules will be changed to cover this matter.  Further discussion emphasized the importance of player weight management – no player should ever miss weight; if they do, why weren’t they at the higher level in the first place.
• Rule reminders: no scouting practice; no video for scouting; no video taping games other than own; no video tape sharing; no electronic communication; substitution rule; 32 point rule; weigh-ins; no removal cleats.

Coaches

• Reminder regarding importance of good coach selection.  Coach selection is a System responsibility subject to background check by the Club.
• There are various coach training opportunities; clinics such as USA Football Coaching School, Glazier Clinic, NYSCA and ASEP Online Courses, etc).  Training of coaches is important for the benefit of the players.
• Because we could not reach consensus and receive no formal proposal at the last Council meeting, coach training was not made mandatory by GEJFA.  However, the Bellevue Boys and Girls Club is requiring coach training for the three Systems directly under their auspices.  Inglemoor is also requiring coach training.  However, as a result of Council discussion at the last meeting, all Systems are required to provide a written description/verification of whatever coach training their coaches may have received.
• Noted that all Coaching Application forms (for background check purposes) should have already been turned in.
• The Coaching Application form also can serve to meet the requirement for each coach to sign a Code of Conduct.

• Briefly discussed the All Coaches Meeting based on provide draft agenda.  Need experienced coaches to lead/assist with the Breakouts: Kusulos – Seniors; Brendel – Varsity; JV and Sophomore; Nichols -- Cubs; open (later filled by Barnett) -- Rookies

Officials

• Officials meet for the first time on – August 13 at Bellevue Community College.
• We still need each System to recruit new officials.
• Need to emphasize “Zero Tolerance” for poor sportsmanship and improper conduct
• Also encourage each System to hold parent meetings at System or team level and require Parent Code of Conduct be signed.

Other business

·         Received consensus that we want to continue with filming Championship games.

·         Also mentioned that I was meeting with KJR Radio regarding GEJFA participation in a fund raising opportunity that might net GEJFA as much as $25K.  Money will have to be donated to the Bellevue Boys and Girls Club, earmarked for the football program and will likely be distributed based on number of players per System.  Donations is considered to cover scholarships.

Adjourn                                                                           

NEXT MEETING AUGUST 21, 8:00pm, B&G Club