Minutes
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Call to order at 8:00pm
ATTENDANCE: John Veentjer; Chris Garrod (VP & Five Star); Beckey Ranstrom (Secretary & Inglemoor); Shawn O’Brien (At Large); Billie Hartline (Scheduler); Bob Goldberg (Officials); Courtney Brown (Bellevue B&G Club); Wayne Houston (Bainbridge Island); Greg Pardee (Wolverines); Ron Walker (Bothell); Chris Garrod (Five Star); Beckey and Duane Ranstrom (Inglemoor); Dave Ciszewski (Issaquah); Neil Aguiling (Kirkland); Doug Evanson (Redmond); Steve Cox (Skyline); Louis Lee (SnoValley Redwolves); Matt Deichman (SnoValley Wildcats); Michael Burrus (Woodinville)
Systems not represented: Bears, Knights, Eastlake; Mercer Island.
Others not present: Sham Austin (Webmaster)
Call to order
Minutes of last meeting (September 27 – distributed by email; all previous minutes posted to web site)
Financial Report –
· Field use adjustments. Host Systems pay for the fields and they are then reimbursed by any other System whose teams are assigned a home game on their field). Systems need not bill each other; an adjustment sheet will be handed out in Nov or Dec showing the details of which teams owe monies and which ones will receive a credit/monies from other systems. Look for more information at the December meeting.
· Official Fees – The fees that each system paid for were estimates and it will be worked out at the end of the season. You may owe more money or you may have a credit depending on the number and level of officials that were present for your games; generally 4 were assigned, sometimes only 3, but we are aware that some did not show. We voted last year to raise the officials fees per team this year. For example Rookies was raised from $330 to $360. All levels were raised by $30 per team.
· Qwest Field Jamboree receipts: Share of gate from Jamboree at Qwest Field – We made $2,200.00 as our share from this event. Some discussion was ongoing to refund each system or leave it on the account for next year. More discussion on this at a future meeting.
Game reports –
· Billie is working harder than he should have to because some coaches are still not submitting game reports. If coaches are still having issues they need to contact Billie directly at billiehartline@hotmail.com.
· Please pass to the coaches that they must keep the comments in the Game Reports short and to the point (no more than 255 characters). If they need to expand upon something please put it in a separate email and send to your system director. System Directors can modify, add comment and send the details to John.
· For Game #8, Game Reports MUST be in SATURDAY EVENING without exception. As a back up, Field Managers need to send Billie Hartline the scores of all games played on their fields by 9 pm on Saturday night. Dummy reports will be entered by Billie Hartline, if needed, so that score board and standings are updated Saturday evening so that shoot-out can be determined and the schedule for the next week completed.
· FYI. The comments on the Game Reports are read and acted upon. Bob Goldberg talks with the officials. John shares some comments with System Represents for appropriate action. Please continue to send feedback. Remember that you do not need to report a player that is out sick, injured, etc. on the game report. These are not exceptions that need reporting.
Schedule Review
· Interrupted games – we will discuss this in more detail in the off season. Officials should work to keep the games going. Need to wait out lightening sometimes and then resume play when it is safe. There is a 30-30 “rule of thumb” in the High School rules. It says that a less than 30 seconds count from flash to bang, play should be suspended; wait 30 minutes and try to resume play. This is just a guideline. Again, more discussion on this in the off season.
· Game score reporting – Need to get those in and make sure that they are accurate. If there is a discrepancy between opponent teams reported scores, the score will not automatically until that discrepancy is resolved. Please make sure scores for Game 8 are in on Saturday night.
· Potential playoff line-up – We will have some shootouts depending on the outcome of games on Saturday. It appears that there is no way to avoid some ties. If there is a tie one of the teams can opt to drop into the lower position.
· Shoot-outs, only as necessary per the outline (only if it means in or out of the playoffs). Shoot outs will be Sunday afternoon at a field TBD. Other ties in the playoff seeding will be broken by head-to-head or by coin toss by John and Shawn. For Shoot-outs, bring the roster from Saturday’s game. Looking for a field.
· Quarter-finals and matchup games for all other teams on 11/5 - this is not an optional game.
· Semi-finals 11/12
Rookie/Cubs @ Eastlake
Soph/JV @ Inglemoor
Varsity @ Lake Washington
Seniors @ Interlake; Senior 9th Grade teams will play their Championship Game on 11/12
· Post season play for other than playoff teams
Ø 11/12 find their own matchup & field; if with outside program, need rosters & approval – coaches need to find a team and a field and report to John and Shawn so that they can arrange for officials.
· Championship 11/19 @ Pop Keeney (need a backup field) – Bellevue checking availability.
Ø Order of games – Soph first 9 am requested and approved, if necessary.
Ø Video – First Take; will also video Senior 9th Grade Championship Game on 11/12.
Violations of GEJFA Rules
· Grievance Committee report
Ø Ejections – 1 game suspension for two coaches. Reminder, zero tolerance for talking bad or yelling at the officials; officials may be too tolerant in most cases. Potential player ejection – not reported and is being looked into.
Ø Substitution violations – continue to report violations in your Game Reports, but remember the procedures in the Rules must also be followed.
· Protest procedures – videos are evidence, but can’t be the basis for complaint.
· Other reported violations
Ø “Chain of command” – game reports, system director/reps, system to system
Ø Sometimes we hear from officials, and act on these as appropriate.
Reminder about coach and player behavior – sportsmanship – encourage sportsmanship and zero tolerance for bad behavior.
Substitution Rule clarification – After kickoff – the substitution starts over again. This is how the rules reads, this is how it has been interpreted, and this is how it has been repeatedly explained.
Conduct at Fields – follow the Kingco Field Rules (attachment) -- field manager’s duties.
Game interruptions (due to weather) – to be addressed in the rules –High School rules apply, play resumes at the point of interruption. We will revisit this in the off season.
Blocking rules (just as an example) – many coaches don’t know rules – some coaches have questioned blocking in the back calls on defensive players – however, there is no blocking in the back by either offense or defense.
Meeting schedule during Season - we will be discussing meeting more often during the season; the suggestion is to meeting every two weeks during the season, and every two months in the off season.
Equipment – Cups are not required; Athletic Supporters are required. Next year, mouth guards must be colored per the High School rules. The mouth piece does not need to be molded but does have to cover all of the teeth. We will look into the special orthodontic mouth pieces to ensure that they will be ok even if they are clear, not colored.
Web Site (game highlights) - pictures….update your websites…people look at them and have commented on some of the sights.
Officials
· Comments from Game Reports are communicated to the officials by phone, by email and by meetings - Bob sees and talks to the officials. Your comments are passed onto the officials. Keep them coming. Good or bad in a constructive way. Officials will be reminded that we play by the new timing rules.
Winter meeting/committee work
· Rule updates/clarifications – address interrupted games, cups, mouth guards, etc – more on this at a meeting in the off season.
· Streamline the Administration – the paperwork review is the most difficult; coaches badges, should we have them?; the work load needs to be spread out more. The systems are growing and more teams are being added; the workload is increasing; may need another couple of board positions, e.g., treasurer, VPs north and south, etc.
· Some talk about ordering some rule books. Rule books can be ordered at www.nfhs.org; or we can try to get more of the previous year’s rule books from the WIAA at a discounted price.
Other Business
· Please remember there is NO video taping for scouting purposes. No sharing tapes of any kind. Only officials and rostered folks are allowed on the field.
· There was a motion to allow one player to be added to the Bainbridge Island Senior team. All in favor – none opposed.
· Nominations for GEJFA positions – ALL POSITIONS ARE OPEN…PLEASE COME AND GET INVOLVED. You can make nominations to John or at the next board meeting.
Adjourn
Next meeting: November 8th, 8:00 pm @ Bellevue Boys and Girls Club