Article 1. NAME OF ORGANIZATION
The name of the organization shall be known as the
“North American Fastpitch Association” commonly referred to as NAFA.
Article 2. MISSION STATEMENT AND PURPOSE
The purpose of the North American Fastpitch Association shall be to
promote and foster Fastpitch softball by providing a safe and fun
environment for all participants and to be a communications link in
the Fastpitch community.
Article 3. MEN’S OPERATING SEASON AND FISCAL
YEAR
The fiscal year shall commence on January 1st
and end December 31st, as well as all of the age criteria
for all age driven divisions. The playing season for practical
purposes shall be from September 1st to October 31st,
as well as all Annual Director terms of appointment. Playing rules
changes may take place at the National Meeting at the World Series
or may take play after September 1st by email and playing
rule changes may be experimented with at the Master’s World Series
with a 60% majority vote of the Executive Committee. Rule changes
for the upcoming season must be completed and posted publicly by
April 1st unless the Executive Committee initiates an
emergency rule change by 60% majority vote. All other changes can be
made at any time using the appropriate methods below.
Article 4. MEN’S EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Executive Committee shall be a maximum of 17
people and a minimum of 5 people. The Executive Director shall
appoint each member of the Executive Committee based on the annual
needs of the organization except the President who shall be voted on
by the Executive Committee and must be a State Director. The
Executive Committee term of office is one year starting September 1st
and ending August 31st each year except for the President
who has a two year term. No members of the Executive Committee may
hold a State Director Title except the President who must be a State
Director. The International Umpire Committee shall have at least one
representative appointed by the Executive Director on the Executive
Committee. The Executive Committee led by the President shall have
jurisdiction over issues that may arise during the World Series and
National Meeting which are not specifically covered by the bylaws or
organizational policies of NAFA.
Article 5. PRESIDENT
The President of NAFA must be a State Director.
The President of NAFA shall be elected by the Executive Committee at
the Annual Meeting held at the World Series in the year in which the
current President’s term expires. There is no term limit for the
President. The President shall preside over all Meetings of the
Association and represent the Association when the Executive
Director is unable to. The President has a vote on all issues. The
President serves as the Executive Committee Chairman and has
jurisdiction in all matters beginning with the first pitch of the
World Series and concluding with the final out of the World Series.
The President assists the Executive Director when requested with
appointments and decisions between each World Series. The President
has authority to waive the requirement of a team to participate in
one NAFA event prior to the World Series. If the President is unable
to function the Executive Director may appoint a President Proxy to
preside when called on.
Article 6. MEETINGS AND VOTING PROCEDURES
The Association shall hold its annual meeting
during the World Series at a time when the majority of Executive
Committee members, State Director and Classification Committee
members can be present. The bid presentations when needed for future
World Series events or Masters World Series events shall be held at
the World Series at a time when the most World Series Selection
Committee members can be present. The President shall preside over
all meetings of the Association when present. If not present the
Executive Director shall appoint a President-Proxy to preside. When
necessary, meetings shall be conducted under Robert’s Rules of
Order. When necessary an email, or phone vote may be taken on any
issue as determined by the Executive Director or President. A
committee member may submit a vote by proxy if not present if his
lack of attendance is excused by the Executive Director or President
and the Executive Director or President may appoint a proxy if the
lack of attendance is not excused. A quorum shall consist of a
majority of the eligible voters or their proxy. Any action including
bylaw changes shall require a majority vote except playing rule
changes which shall require a 60% vote. Special Meetings may be
called by the Executive Director or on behalf of the President by
the Executive Director but each Executive Committee member must be
notified of the meeting in advance. All Meetings of the Association
are open to the public accept when the President or Executive
Director request that the meeting be closed (by a majority vote) for
any operating committee meeting for the good of the organization or
the individual being discussed.
Article 7. OFFICERS AND CORPORATE BOARD OF
DIRECTORS
The officers and Board of Directors of the
corporation are the Executive Director, and the Treasurer/Business
Manager who is appointed by the Executive Director and the President
who is elected by the Executive Committee. Legal Liability shall be
limited to the Executive Director and the Treasurer regarding
official actions of the organization so that the President is
protected.
Article 8. DIRECTOR EMERITUS
The Executive Director in his sole discretion
determines Director Emeritus status for individuals who have served
NAFA well but seek retirement. The Executive Director shall
determine each year if a person holding a title of Director Emeritus
will have the rights of a State Director or if they shall be
appointed to the Executive Committee, Umpire Committee,
Classification Committee or other Committees solely on the basis of
their potential contribution for the upcoming season taking into
account what the person has done over time for the organization.
NAFA strives to reward service while not placing a burden on the
organization when an individual’s ability or willingness to perform
is in question.
Article 9. VICE PRESIDENTS
Each Vice President shall be appointed by the
Executive Director for a term of one year beginning September 1st
and ending August 31st, each year. Each Vice President
shall have jurisdiction over the geographic operations of his
assigned territory, directors and programs including State Director
appointments, tournaments and leagues. The Vice President and
Executive Director has the right to appoint and remove State
Directors at any time for any reason. The Vice Presidents shall
receive reimbursement and compensation determined annually at the
Annual Meeting at amounts derived by the Executive Director.
Article 10. SECRETARY/TREASURER/BUSINESS
MANAGER
The Treasurer/Business Manager shall appoint a
person to take Meeting minutes and distribute them to all committee
members and shall receive all monies, issue checks, and prepare
corporate filings.
Article 11. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The Executive Director shall have jurisdiction
over issues that arise that are not covered by the Bylaws or
Organizational Policy during the time between the last out being
made at the last World Series and the time of the first pitch being
thrown of the next World Series. The Executive Director shall make
each appointment to the Executive Committee. The Executive Director
makes appointments to the Classification Committee with the
assistance of the President and Vice Presidents who may select one
person annually to join the Classification Committee. The Executive
Director with assistance of the Vice Presidents makes State Director
appointments and removals. The Executive Director makes appointments
to the NAFA International Umpire Committee including determining the
Chair of the Umpire Committee. The Executive Director oversees all
preparation of the World Series. The Executive Director has a vote
on each committee that he participates on. The Executive Director
shall conduct all official business of the organization with the
assistance of the President, Vice Presidents, Executive Committee
and State Directors as needed. The Executive Director serves as the
General Manager of all NAFA operations including oversight of
committees, coordination of NAFA events, defining operating
guidelines each year not covered by the bylaws, sending bulletins to
the membership and committees, maintaining the corporate and
business office of NAFA, promoting NAFA annually, updating the
Website and overseeing its content and website administration,
preparing the World Series and Masters brochures, making special
appointments, and making decisions regarding staffing and all other
decisions relating to the business operation and corporate actions
of NAFA whenever possible with the assistance of the appropriate
persons or committees. The Executive Director has the right to
overrule a committee or Director when he sees it in the best
interest of the organization to do so. The Executive Director has
the authority to remove any person from any committee at his sole
discretion if it is in the best interest of the organization.
Article 12. INTERNATIONAL UMPIRE COMMITTEE AND
ITS CHAIRPERSON
The International Umpire Committee members are
appointed by the Executive Director including the Chairperson. The
Chairperson is in charge of the Umpire Committee including
delegating assignments to each member. The Chair is responsible to
assist State Directors in appointing State or Regional UIC’s as
needed. The Chair will oversee World Series Umpire selections with
assistance of the Committee and will develop or delegate the
development of forms and policies of NAFA Umpires including uniforms
and the distribution of the travel pay allotted by the Executive
Director for World Series Umpire Travel. The Chair will delegate
duties to the Umpire Committee including but not limited to:
Official Rules Interpreter, Training and Development, Evaluation
Process, Coordination of all details at the World Series including
housing and transportation of officials, Oversight of the Umpire
page on the website and its content. Making sure that the quality of
officials at the World Series improves each year and that a World
Series UIC is available at all times to handle protests and umpire
issues and coach communications when needed and especially at
satellite facilities. The Umpire Committee shall have a minimum of 3
people and a maximum of 7 people at any one time with specific areas
delegated to each member. They shall receive reimbursement for their
World Series work as determined by the Executive Director.
Article 13. STATE DIRECTORS
The Executive Director and Vice Presidents shall
appoint as needed a State Director for each state or group of
states. The term of office is one year from September 1st
to August 31st each year. The Executive Director and Vice
Presidents may remove a State Director for any reason. The State
Director will report jointly to the Executive Director and their
assigned Vice President. The State Director shall be active in the
sport. The State Director shall promote NAFA and the NAFA World
Series and Masters World Series annually. The State Director shall
hold or delegate someone to hold at his discretion State
Tournaments, World Series Qualifier Tournaments and NAFA Sanctioned
Leagues. The appropriate fees shall be charged for each type of
event and those amounts are set each year at the National Meeting by
the Executive Director. The State Director in assistance with his
Vice President, the International Classification Committee and the
touching State Directors shall classify teams and pitchers annually.
The State Director shall forward the email address, team name,
mailing address and class of each men’s Fastpitch team(not only NAFA
teams) in the state or states that he oversees to the Executive
Director each year so that our Database remains fresh and accurate
from year to year. Each State Director shall have the authority to
carry out the NAFA National rules and his state rules within his own
state with assistance of touching states Director’s input on
policies that may negatively affect each other. Each State Director
may designate Assistant State Directors to assist with leagues and
tournaments. Each State Director shall initiate contact with the
Executive Director and Vice President at least twice annually. Each
State Director shall assist in promoting the World Series by handing
out the World Series Brochure to players on teams at events he
attends and by emailing the brochure to his email contacts. The NAFA
Website will list all NAFA tournaments and leagues and it is the
responsibility of the State Director to forward the tournament and
league info to the Executive Director to put on the website by March
1st of each year or if an event is scheduled after that
no later than 5 days after it is scheduled so that we can promote
your local events. State Directors shall make every effort to
support NAFA by bringing their own team when associated with a team
to the NAFA World Series and will have the goal of bringing one team
in each class to the World Series each year from their state.
Article 14. ITEMS NOT COVERED IN BYLAWS
For items not covered in the bylaws the Executive
Director shall resolve issues whenever possible with the assistance
of the President, Vice Presidents, Executive Committee, Umpire
Committee, and Classification Committee at the Executive Director’s
sole discretion.
NAFA Operating Policies