Chapter 1       Constitution

Article 1.1ÝÝÝÝÝ Name

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ This body shall be known as the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL).

Article 1.2ÝÝÝÝÝ Purpose

1)      Promotion and development of Independent Women's Soccer at the highest level.

2)      Provide a playing opportunity for the elite women soccer players to play.

3)      Make every effort to bring quality soccer to all levels of the community and to youth programs, while promoting the stature of female athletes as role models for the youth.

4)      Provide an environment where soccer as a sport can expand into a viable choice in sports entertainment.

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Article 1.3ÝÝÝÝÝ League Structure

The Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) may include the following divisions:

1)      Premier First Division with the addition of other regions in a National League. Regions determine their own methods of operation.

2)      Second Division or a Regional Division.

3)      Other premier soccer leagues may be formed as a separate entity within the WPSL. These leagues will have independent laws and accounting procedures. They will operate of a separate entity with approval of the WPSL.

Article 1.4ÝÝÝÝÝ Affiliation

The WPSL is affiliated with the United States Soccer Federation and sanctioned by the United States Adult Soccer Association.

 

The United States Adult Soccer Association recognizes the WPSL as a National Amateur League.

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Chapter 2       Governing Bodies & Committees

Article 2.1ÝÝÝÝ League Governing Board

The League Governing Board will be a representative from each team of the WPSL. The Board will have an open agenda and all teams will be able to submit items for the agenda at all Board Meetings. Meeting minutes will be available to all teams. The Board will also have the power to: 

1)      Prepare the schedule for league play and Championship series.

2)      Propose and interpret the rules.

3)      Be the final appeal in protested games.

4)      Exercise disciplinary powers conferred upon them by these By-laws.

5)      Make known and enforce the provisions of these By-laws and the Laws of the WPSL.

6)      They shall have charge of and be responsible for all funds and securities of the League; shall receive all duties, assessments and other revenues paid to the League. They shall deposit all such revenues in the name of the League in such depositories as may be selected. They shall keep an accurate account of all monies of the League for the payment of accounts, fees and dues and shall make such payments as shall be due by the League. All of which will be public and available upon request.

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Article 2.2ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ League Governing Board Power Appoint

The League Governing Board will be one representative from each First Division Team. Each representative will be designated a Commissioner. The League Governing Board has the power to appoint by election at the fall annual meeting or at any board meeting to fill a vacancy and to be elected by majority of the League Governing Board:

1)      League Commissioner

2)      Regional Commissioners

3)      League Treasurer

4)      Recording Secretary

5)      Referee Coordinator

6)      Marketing and Fundraising Commissioner

The Commissioner will have the power to assign different duties to different Commissioners.

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Article 2.3ÝÝÝ Operation of League

The officers of the league will be selected from team representatives.

1)      A League Commissioner will be in charge of calling meetings and Conference calls, decide meeting agenda's, and chair the conference calls and meetings.

2)      A Treasurer to produce a League budget and a once a year detailed financial report, collecting and paying all monies.

3)      A Referee Commissioner to coordinate all referees for the League.

4)      A Recording Secretary to take the minutes of all meetings.

5)      A Marketing and Fund Raising Commissioner to promote the League.

6)      Other Commissioners may be appointed for duties as needed.

Article 2.4ÝÝÝ League Administrator or Staff

Serve at the pleasure of the League. The League prior to any decisions or financial spending must give approval.

Article 2.5ÝÝÝÝ Committees

Committees will be established as seen needed including but not limited to finance (treasurer) or marketing.

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Chapter 3    Meetings

Article 3.1ÝÝ League Meetings

The League Commissioner will chair and designate the site and date of League meeting(s). The League Governing Board will meet a minimum of once a year.Ý The League will have an open agenda and all teams will be able to submit items for the agenda at all League meetings. Meeting minutes will be available to all teams.

ÝArticle 3.2ÝÝÝ Annual League Meeting (ALM)

The League Governing Board will designate the site and date of the Annual League Meeting.  Election of officers will take place at that meeting.

ÝÝÝ Article 3.3ÝÝ Other Meetings

League committees will meet at the pleasure of the Chairperson or Commissioner. 

    Article 3.4   Ratification of Minutes

Once distributed, discrepancies within the minutes need to be addressed within one week. After one week, the minutes will be automatically ratified.

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Chapter 4    Membership

Article 4.1ÝÝ Membership Conditions for New Teams

Membership conditions will be made available at the time of affiliation with the WPSL in the Membership Agreement, signed by the entering team.Ý The treasurer will notify all teams after the nonrefundable membership funds have been deposited. Conditions of membership are posted on the www.wpsl.info website.

Article 4.2ÝÝ Condition for Termination of Membership

Team affiliation and membership may be terminated by violation of any of the conditions set forth by the Membership Agreement and any blatant disregard for the League By-laws. Membership may also be terminated if a team is not in good financial standing with the League.

Article 4.3ÝÝ Reference to Member Agreement

Information concerning team specific membership conditions shall be found in the Membership Agreement signed by the team at the time of admission into the League.

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Article 4.4ÝÝÝÝ Leave of Absence

Teams may suspend operations with a leave of absence for up to 2 years. A letter requesting a Leave of Absence must be submitted to the league.

If the team taking the leave of absence agrees, a new team may take over their charter and will not be required to pay the $2500 new team fee. However, if the original team decides to come back into the league within the 2 years, the team that took over the charter will be required to pay the $2500 new team fee in order to remain a league member team.

Article 4.5ÝÝÝÝ Performance/Payment Guarantee

The amount of the bond, letter of credit or cash deposit will regress over 4 years depending on the status of the team. The following will be the guideline:

1^st year - $5000 for all new teams and existing teams not in good standing.

2^nd year - $3000 for all 2^nd year teams in good standing.

3^rd year - $2000 for all 3^rd year teams in good standing.

4^th year ñ no bond required for all 4^th year teams in good standing.

Teams not in good standings are those that owe over $500 and/or have forfeited games.

Article 4.6     New Team Entry

All new team entries will be voted upon and approved or disapproved by the league after reviewing their business plan.

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Chapter 5    Misconduct, Protest, Appeals & Discipline

Article 5.1ÝÝ Protest and Appeals

Filing game protest must be submitted in writing for review, to the Director of Operations who will present it to the League Governing Board, within 10 days of the protested game and must include $100, refundable if the protest is awarded. A special League Governing Board conference call will be called as soon as possible.

Any matter is a valid subject for an appeal, except matters of fact that occur on a playing field during a sanctioned match, where the referee is the sole determinant of fact.

The League Governing Board will conduct a hearing, allowing both sides to express their positions. The WPSL has the right to seek witness and testimony and to interrogate individuals on matters pertaining to the issue. Such hearing process must commence within 30 days of the notification to the WPSL Director of Operations.

When its deliberations are complete. The League Governing Board will render a judgment to the parties in the appeal. The judgment can be in favor of either side or can be to direct the involved parties to reconsider the issue. The Director of Operations will then prepare a written report to be included in the minutes of the next regular meeting.

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Article 5.2ÝÝ Disciplinary Powers

The League will have the disciplinary power to act on any breach of the By-laws or Laws of the Game. It is the policy of the WPSL to not permit the appeal process to hinder the efficient functioning of the League and therefore will not entertain trivial or nuisance appeals.

Article 5.3ÝÝÝÝ Further Appeal

Beyond this appeal, either party may appeal directly to USSF according to their rules and regulations. A lawyer shall not represent the person or organization requesting an appeal, and no league, official, team coach, referee, or player (or their representative) may invoke the aid of the Courts of any state or of the United States, without first exhausting all available remedies within the appropriate soccer organizations.

Ý Article 5.4ÝÝÝ Referee Assault

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ The referee will immediately report any situation where a player, coach, official or spectator physically assaults a referee to the WPSL Director of Operations. A physical assault is defined as any physical contact with the intent to do harm. It is the responsibility of the WPSL to determine if assault has occurred, and incidents of presumed or suspected assault will be reported as well as situations where there is direct physical evidence of assault.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Any act in which physical contact is made with, or is attempted to be made with, the person of the official, which contact is intended to cause physical harm, or is reasonable perceived by the official to be intended to cause physical harm, or places of the official in fear of imminent physical harm, including but not limited to: a) striking or attempting to strike; b) kicking or attempting to kick; c) tripping or attempting to trip; d) holding or restraining, or attempting to hold or restrain; e) intentionally running into or at; f) poking or poking at; g) spitting at or on; h) throwing or propelling in any way any object (including the ball) capable of injuring the official or damaging property, or degrading the official; I) taking, knocking, or dislodging from the official any item in his possession; or j) any other act which could cause or result injury to an official or his property if contact was made or the official resisted.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Any act in which serious physical contact is made on an officialís person, which causes bodily harm or injury to the official, or damage or loss of personal property belonging to the official, or the property in the custody or control of the official.

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Ý Article 5.5ÝÝÝ Penalties

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Assault: A minimum suspension of (6) six months to a maximum of (5) five years.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Violent Assault:Ý A minimum suspension of (2) years to a maximum of (20) twenty years.

Ý Article 5.6ÝÝÝ Reporting

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ It shall be the responsibility of the referee in any match in which a referee assault occurs to report that incident to both the WPSL and the League Referee Assignor. Such report shall be in writing and shall contain a detailed statement on the conduct constituting the assault. Such report shall be mailed within (48) forty-eight hours of the incident. The player card of the offending player shall be included with the report mailed to the WPSL.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝ ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝThe WPSL Director of Operations shall immediately upon receipt forward the report to the Full League Governing Board. The Commissioner Pro-tem shall conduct a hearing among the WPSL League Board only to determine if the report in fact describes an incident constituting a referee assault justifying further Board action. If no such action is justified the player card shall be immediately returned to the player. If no threshold determination is made within (21) twenty-one days of the incident the player card must be immediately returned to the player and no further action taken against the player. If a majority of the members determine that further action is justified then a hearing shall be scheduled as set forth below. The threshold hearing may be conducted by telephone or in any manner deemed reasonable by WPSL Board.

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Ý Article 5.7ÝÝ Disciplinary Hearing

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Should the WPSL Board determine that a disciplinary hearing is necessary then a hearing shall be scheduled within (45) forty-five days of the incident alleged. The hearing must be held within the geographic area served by the affiliate conducting the match in which the incident occurs. The officials involved and the player shall be notified of the time, place, and purpose of the hearing. Either may bring to the hearing such witnesses as they fell might be relevant. The hearing may be conducted in any manner deemed reasonable by the chairman. Both the official and the player shall be allowed to present their versions of the events allegedly constituting the assault. The committee shall first determine whether an assault occurred, and if so, what level of assault. If the committee determines that an assault occurred, the committee shall then assess such penalties within the guidelines set forth herein, as the committee deems appropriate.

ÝÝ Article 5.8ÝÝ Team Suspension & Expulsion

                       The League Governing Board has the power to suspend or expel teams.

Article 5.9   Team Disputes

                       Disputing teams may take part in the League Governing Board discussion, but may not vote on the resolution.

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Chapter 6       Miscellaneous

Article 6.1ÝÝÝÝ Rules and Regulations

Refer to Laws of the WPSL and Minimum Standards.

ÝÝ Article 6.2ÝÝÝÝ Player Exchange

A team may pick up reserve players from another WPSL team, but not active players.

   Article 6.3     Travel Requirements

If a team travels by air, they must make flight reservations that will have them arrive four hours before kickoff. If they do not make such an arrangement, and the home team declares a forfeit due to their late arrival, the visiting team will be responsible for paying the forfeiture fee.