Bylaws – Updated in October 2005

I – NAME:

This not for profit organization is called, Metro Junior Wrestling League (MJWL).

II – MISSION STATEMENT:

MJWL commits itself with providing a wrestling league for male or female youth between the ages of 4 and 14 years old. The objectives MJWL strives is to provide it’s member clubs/teams are wrestling programs that are a safe and a fun environment where youth wrestlers can learn the fundamentals of wrestling, leadership and sportsmanship. The MJWL wrestling season shall run from September through March. This league is to conduct meetings, meets, tournaments, clinics and other wrestling events that promote the sport of wrestling. MJWL does not condone any weight-control program that would encourage severe weight reduction and or any wide variation in weight by any wrestler on any of the member clubs/teams.

III – POWER OF THE MJWL ORGANIZATION:

A – To make and enforce rules and regulations to govern MJWL.
B – To solicit contributions as necessary for the conduct of the league season and wrestling tournaments.
C – To make all necessary disbursements of the funds for the operation of the league.
D – To see that all interested youth have an opportunity to participate in the league regardless of race, color, creed, sex or national origin.
E – To own all property necessary to meet the objectives of the league.

IV – LEAGUE MEMBERSHIP:

A – Team membership shall be accepted for wrestling in MJWL on a club/team basis. Any club/team may petition to become a member of MJWL.
B – Any club/team meeting the requirements as prescribed by MJWL bylaws may become a member upon approval (3/4 majority vote). Plus having payment of any dues and insurance fees as established annually by the league are required for participation in the league functions.
C – Each new club/team will serve a one (1) year probationary period starting from the exact date said club/team was accepted into the league. New club/team will be a rider team that travels and attend meets as it sponsoring club/team.

V – OFFICERS:

A – Executive Officers:
1 – President
2 – Vice President
3 – Secretary
4 - Treasurer
The executive board is comprised of the above officers.
B – There should be two (2) club/team representatives from each of the MJWL club/team.

VI – OFFICERS DUTIES AND TERM OF OFFICE:

A – President
1 – Will serve a two (2) year term, will be elected on the odd numbered calendar years.
2 – Will serve as the chief administrative officer and legal head of the MJWL.
3 – Represents the MJWL at all events requiring league participation.
4 – Will be the presiding officer at all the regular season meetings, special executive board meetings and any meeting pertinent to league business.
5 – Appoints special committee
I – The president shall appoint a person to furnish each club/team or individual member one (1) copy of the current National Federation of State High School Wrestling rulebook prior to the first dual meet. The NFHS wrestling rulebooks will be paid for at the league expense.
II – The president shall appoint a person to serve as league representative of the Colorado State Youth Wrestling Championships (CSYWC) also know as the All-State Tournament.
6 – Fill any executive officer vacancies by appointment.
7 – Votes only in the event of a tie vote.
8 – Has the power of veto for regular meeting purpose. A 2/3 majority of membership present may override the veto vote of the president.

B – Vice President
1 – Will serve a two (2) year term, will be elected on the even numbered calendar years.
2 – Shall become the president of MJWL upon vacancy of that office during the league’s season.
3 – Assumes the duties of the president upon his absence at any league meeting or function during the league’s season.

C – Secretary
1 – Will serve a two (2) year term, will be elected on the odd numbered calendar years.
2 – Is responsible for the recording of the minutes at all regular meetings during the league’s season and then providing a copy of the minutes to every member club/team.
3 – Assumes the duties of the president of MJWL upon the absence of both the president and the vice president at any league meeting or function during the league’s season.
4 – Is responsible for contacting each club/team’s representative prior to any league’s emergency or unscheduled meeting.
5 – Shall provide one (1) complete copy of the league’s bylaws to each club/team.
6 – Shall email recorded minutes to our website administer so they can be posted on the league’s website. (www.metrowrestlingleague.com)

D - Treasurer
1 – Will serve a two- (2) year term, will be elected on the even numbered calendar years.
2 – Responsible for maintaining the leagues financial records in an order consistent with standard accounting practices.
3 – Responsible for the collecting of the league’s dues, fines or fees and any revenues associated with the MJWL.
4 – Responsible for the disbursement of funds for any of the league’s debts or bills incurred during the league’s season.
5 – Shall provide a complete finical report of the league’s income and expenditures at the regular meetings during the league’s season.
6 – Any checks written in excess of $150.00 shall require two signatures. The signatures shall be that of the treasure and the president.
7 – Any and all league payments made in cash, such as those used to pay referees at post season tournaments, be documented and signed by two executive officers of MJWL, with one of the officer being the treasurer of the league. 8 – Have a copy of the bank statement be mailed to the vice president and treasurer of the league during the off season of each year.
9 – Have the MJWL general ledger be audited annually by a certified accountant.

VII – CLUB/TEAM REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES

A – Responsible for accumulating all pertinent leagues information and relaying said info back to their club/team membership.
B – Responsible to have two (2) representatives per club/team that are either appointed or elected by their members. The names of these representative shall be submitted to the league secretary at the first regular meeting (annual meeting) of the season, with the following info - name, address, email, and phone numbers . SEE ATTACHMENT/FORM A
C – Voting on all matters that may come before the league’s general membership. Only one (1) vote per club/team, either club/team’s representative may vote.
D – Have a team contact person for dual format events. Host team shall contact visiting teams no latter than Tuesday prior to any league meet. The host team’s contact will notify the visiting teams of the location and time of the event. Plus notify visiting teams of any vacant weight classes. Each visiting team shall in turn contact by fax, email or phone the hosting team contact person, by Tuesday prior to any league meet. The fax or email shall contain a roster of wrestlers, including their weight and age classes that are expecting to attend the upcoming event. PENALTIES for infractions of above contact bylaw are a $50.00 fine for the HOSTING TEAM for not contacting visiting teams by Tuesday prior to league’s meeting, fine will be paid to the league. PENALTY for a VISITING TEAM not contacting host team by Tuesday prior to league meet is a $50.00 fine paid to the league.
E – Make sure each club/team provide an adequate first-aid kit for its wrestling club/team.
F – It shall be the responsibility of each member club/team to provide the following at each league event: 1 – One (1) non-biased referee
2 – One (1) set of table help, consisting of a minimum of three (3) people.
3 – One (1) set of equipment, consisting of a score chart, stop watch and a set of leg bands.
PENALTY of a $25.00 fine for each of the above infraction will imposed to the club/team that does not provide them at the league’s meet. The hosting team will report the infraction to the executive board and the fine or fines will be paid to the league, then half of the fine or fines will be returned to the hosting team of that league’s event.
G – The current fee a member club/team may charge for admission to a league’s meet shall not exceed $3.00 for adults, $2.00 for students and children 5 and under are free.
H – Admission fee to the league’s district, regional and league championship shall be voted on a yearly basis. The current fees are $4.00 for adults, $2.00 for students and children under 5 free for district and regional. The current fees for the league championship are $5.00 for adults, $3.00 for students and children under 5 are free.

VIII – MEETINGS:

A - Two or more executive officers must be present to provide a quorum.
B – Annual meeting - This is the first scheduled fall meeting of the season.
1 – Date to be determined by MJWL president.
C – Member Eligibility
1 – Open to all members
2 – Voting will be done by the club/team representative
D – Site Location
1 – Determined by MJWL president.
2 – A fifteen- (15) day notice of the site location and time must be given to all executive board members and all club/team representatives.
E – Order of Business
1 – Minutes of the last meeting
2 – Treasurer’s Report
3 – Roll Call
4 – President’s agenda – to include any proposed changes in the bylaws or standing rules.
F – Regular Meetings
1 – Dates – Monthly meetings will be held when necessary or as frequently as necessary during the MJWL season.
2 – Eligibility – Open to any member of any MJWL club/team, plus any invited guest of the league.
3 – Voting – will be by the club/team representatives.
4 – Site Location – determined by MJWL president.
5 – Meeting Notice – fifteen (15)days notice of site location and time must be given to all executive board members and club/team representatives.
6 – Order of Business – all meetings will follow Roberts Rule of Order and will conducted in the following manner.
A – Minutes of the last meeting will be read.
B – Treasurer’s Report
C – Roll Call of Clubs/Teams or Individual
D – President’s Agenda
E – Old Business
F – New Business
7 – Protection of Absentee Representative
A – Any executive officer, if contacted prior to the schedule meeting date, may vote in accordance with the expressed wishes of an absentee club/team representative.
B – The executive officer shall announce the vote as an absentee vote for the absentee club/team representative.

IX – ELECTIONS:

A – Nominating Procedure
1 – Executive Officers – Nominations and elections shall be held at the first regular league meeting (annual fall meeting) of the current year/season. Elected officers shall take over their duties at the close of that said meeting and will be responsible to be ready for the next meeting.
B – Voting Requirements for Elections
1 – In all elections, the nominee/candidate with the most votes wins.
2 – An unopposed nominee/candidate will be declared elected without a vote at the close of nominations.
3 – The league president may vote only in the case of a tie vote, with the exception of the office of President, in which case the Vice President will vote.

X – VOTING: LEAGUE MEETINGS & SPECIAL MEETINGS,

A – There shall be only one vote per club/team
B – Must be a club/team representative, club/team president or a person appointed by said club /team.
C – Simple majority of teams present will be a legitimate vote, except when by-laws call for other guidelines.

XI – ORGANZIATIONAL OFFENSES AND PENATIES

A – Nonpayment or late payment of league dues, insurance fees and missed meetings.
1 – League dues shall be determined at the first meeting of the season (annual meeting). The current dues are as follows; $100.00 per club/team.
2 – Payments, of league dues, postmarked after the deadline will be assessed a fine of $50.00. Teams not having league dues paid by the November 1st deadline will also not be allowed to host or be involved with any league event in November of that year/season.
3 – Clubs/Teams that have not paid insurance fee by the December 1st deadline are subject to a fine of $50.00 and will be required to pay a late fee of $5.00 per day up to the Monday prior to the district tournament. The $5.00 per day late fee will be assessed up to the day the club/team makes their payment. Any club/team failing to pay the insurance fee cost prior to the district deadline will be ineligible to participate in all of the remaining MJWL functions, this will include district, J.V. tournament, regional and the league championship. Extra wrestlers may be added to the club/team insurance list up to January 1st of the current season. The current insurance fee is as follows; $4.50 per coach and $4.50 per wrestler.
4 – Any member club/team without representation at a league meeting or league committee meeting shall be fined $25.00. If the fine is not paid by the next league meeting said fine shall be doubled. The only exception would be if a club/team member contacted one of the executive board members to proxy.
5 – Two proxy limit. Third proxy is a $50.00 fine. Fourth proxy is a $100.00 fine. Fifth proxy is elimination from the MJWL (teams may be re-admitted the following year as a rider team). Rider teams will not be allowed to proxy during their one year probationary period. Rider teams who do proxy or are a no show will be put on another year probation. Absences due to weather or other extenuating circumstances, will only be allowed at the discretion of the Executive Board.
B – Other reasons for discipline of league member.
1 – Any serious misconduct at any league’s function to include but not limited to wrestling matches, wrestling meets, meetings and wrestling tournaments.
A – MJWL abides by the standard code of ethics defined in the National Federation of State High School (NFHS) Wrestling rulebook. SEE ATTACHMENT B
2 – Any action(s) deemed detrimental to the league or league members as determined by the hosting club/team director, executive officers or club/team representatives.
3 – Any form of physical or mental abuse, displayed by any member of the league or club/team member, as determined by the hosting team, executive officers or the club/team representatives.
4 – Ejection from a league event, this would include any meet or tournament that the league sanctions.
EJECTION: A wrestler, coach, parent or spectator who acts in an unsportsmanlike manner may be ejected from a tournament or meet and removed from the premises in accordance with the current NFHS wrestling rule book. If a wrestler, coach, parent or spectator is ejected, the individual will not be permitted to attend the next league event and will be placed on immediate probation. The name(s) of the individual(s) ejected must be reported to the next league event director, the team representative from which that individual is associated with and an executive officer. In addition, the ejection must be documented on an Ejection/Disciplinary Action Reporting Form, which will be reviewed at the next schedule league meeting. Ejection for a second time during the course of the same season will result in immediate suspension from attendance at all league events for the balance of that season. The MJWL reserves the right to address any/all ejected individuals on a case by case basis. SEE ATTACHMENT C
5 – All disciplinary actions will be conducted at a regular scheduled league meeting or if necessary a special league meeting.

XII – PENALTIES PERTAING TO OFFENSES

A – Penalties may include fines, probation and could also include expulsion from the league.
B – Fines may range from $25.00 to $250.00 per each infraction, solely at the league discretion.
C – Ejection from a league event will results in the following:
1 – Ejection infraction will include the person involve from attending the next MJWL event, it is the team’s responsibility that the person is connected with to enforce this suspension.
2 – The immediate probation of the person ejected of no less than one (1) year in length.
3 – Any next ejection that incurred during the probation period will results in immediate suspension from the league and result in the banishment from the league’s events for the remainder of the season.
D – Probation, no less then one (1) year, may be more at the league’s discretion. The person involved in the probation will be reviewed at the end of the probation period.
E – MJWL reserves the right to address any /all ejected individuals on a case by case basis. Such review could results in expulsion from MJWL.
F – Provisions of probation may be required of a team involved in any infraction of the bylaws or standing rules. Such as banishment of a coach, league representative, parent, wrestler, referee, any member of said club/team from any and all league functions, temporarily or indefinitely.
G – Any of the above penalties or combination of penalties may be invoked on the individual or club/team.
H – Voting pertaining to the offenses and penalties will be a simple majority of the league representatives present at a league meeting in accordance with the bylaws, with the exception of expulsion which will require ¾ majority of the league representatives present.

XIII – COMPETION - TERMS AND CONDITIONS

A – Skin Check: Medical personal and /or a certified individual will be responsible for the skin check of each wrestler registered for a league tournament. The skin check will be conducted during the weigh-in process. Separate medical personal and /or a certified individual must be provided for the female wrestlers. The signature and the printed name of the individual who conducts the skin check must be written in the designated area on the registration form before it is delivered to the bracket room. For examples of skin diseases SEE ATTACHMENT D
B – Ring worm: In the event a wrestler contracts ring worm or any skin infection that said wrestler will be ineligible to wrestle in any MJWL event without written consent from a medical doctor. Written consent must be presented to the tournament director and a copy must be keep by the parent or the wrestler’s coach. The only form that will be accepted is the form provided by MJWL, there are no exceptions made. The form should be dated no later than seven (7) days old from the date of the league event to be in effect. FOR FORM - SEE ATTACHMENT E
C – The Metro Junior Wrestling League shall be governed by the most recent addition of the National Federation of State High School (NFHS) Wrestling Rules Book, with the following exceptions:

Rule 1-2-1 Wrestlers are allowed to wrestle more than once in a dual meet competition.

Rule 1-2-2 Wrestlers are allowed to represent a team in more than one weight class in a dual meet and are allowed to wrestle only 6 matches in any one day

Rule 1-2-3 Rest time for wrestlers in consecutive matches shall be no less than 30 minutes in league tournaments

Rule 2-1-2 Wrestling area may be smaller than minimum

Rule 2-2-1 Not used – no restricted area used for team personal

Rule 3-1-1 Required uniform for officials are only required when certified referee are used at the districts, regional and league championship.

Rule 4-1-1 A wrestler may wear shorts and a tee-shirt as his /her uniform.

Rule 4-1-3 Laces shall be taped or secured in a acceptable manner for the following age groups: 14 and under, 12 and under

Rule 4-1-4 Headgear is not required, but is strongly recommended.

Rule 4-4-1 Weight classes as per adopted by league, SEE ATTACHMENT F

Rule 4-5-5 Weight growth allowance not used or given for any age group in this league.

Rule 4-5-4 For consecutive days of competition the weight allowance is not used, only one weigh-in is required.

Rule 4-6-6 A singlet, worn properly, is required for weigh-in, no weight allowance is given for the weight of the singlet.

Rule 6-1-1 The length of match time for the age group used in MJWL shall be as follows:

6 & under 3 60 second periods
8 & under 3 60 second periods
10 & under 3 90 second periods
12 & under 3 90 second periods
14 & under 3 90 second periods

Rule 9-2-1 Team scoring is not used in dual meets.

Rule 9-2-2 Team scoring is not used in tournaments.

Rule 10-1-2 No video taping or cameras at mat side, all taping should be done from designated seating areas at all league events.

XIV – AMENDMENTS TO BYLAWS:

A – Amendments can be presented in writing or verbally at the annual meeting (1st fall meeting of the season).

B – The executive board must present amendments to the club/team representatives for action at the annual fall meeting.

C – Amendments in the bylaws shall require approval by majority vote of club/team representatives present at league meeting.

D – Vote on any amendment will take place one (1) month after annual meeting at the next MJWL general meeting.

XV - The MJWL shall give out, on an annual basis, a MJWL scholarship or scholarships to a graduating senior wrestler/s. The actual amount of the scholarship can change from year to year with a minimum amount of $250.00 being disbursed annually. The MJWL will provide an actual scholarship application with criteria listed on this form. Scholarship should be given to those wrestlers in good standing with CHSA and who are enrolled in a two or four year university, college, trade, or technical school. Scholarship recipients will be decided upon by an unbiased scholarship committee or the MJWL Executive Board. Criteria for the scholarship/s will be discussed and voted on by the MJWL members on an annual basis or as needed.