WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
SCHOLASTIC LACROSSE ASSOCIATION

 CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
ARTICLE I - NAME
        The name of this organization is the Western Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association (hereinafter referred to as "WPSLA").
ARTICLE II - ORGANIZATION AS NON-PROFIT CORPORATION
          WPSLA is incorporated as a Pennsylvania non-profit corporation pursuant to Articles of Incorporation dated April 26, 1996.
ARTICLE III - PURPOSE
          As more fully set forth in the Articles of Incorporation, the purpose of the WPSLA is to foster the growth of amateur lacrosse among the youth of Western Pennsylvania and to organize, develop, operate and administer interscholastic lacrosse programs, which shall protect the safety, health and well-being of all participants, provide education, training and instruction in lacrosse fundamentals, instill the principles and ideals of good sportsmanship, and maintain uniform standards of competition.
ARTICLE IV - MEMBERSHIP
  1.        Membership in the WPSLA shall be open to all scholastic lacrosse programs that are sponsored, approved, or recognized as an interscholastic team or club by, or are otherwise affiliated with, any public or private school, or that represent students attending any public or private school, located in or near Western Pennsylvania, provided that any team must be comprised only of players who attend the same school.
  2.        Membership in WPSLA shall be subject to, and conditioned on, acceptance of and adherence to the WPSLA Constitution and By-Laws, as well as all rules, regulations and decisions of the WPSLA Board of Directors, and payment of all dues, fees, or charges assessed by the WPSLA Board of Directors.
  3.        The following boy's lacrosse teams are Charter members of the WPSLA:
    Baldwin
    		 North Allegheny
    		 Shady Side Academy
    Bethel Park
    		 North Catholic
    		 Shaler
    Central Catholic
    		 North Hills
    		 Trinity
    Fox Chapel
    		 Peters Township
    		 Upper St. Clair
    Franklin Regional
    		 Quaker Valley
    Mt. Lebanon
    		 Sewickley Academy
  4.        Applications for membership in WPSLA must be submitted to the WPSLA Secretary in writing in such form as the WPSLA Board of Directors may prescribe, signed by an authorized representative and confirming the applicant's agreement to comply with all conditions of membership. Applications for membership must be approved by a majority vote of the WPSLA Board of Directors and by a two-thirds vote of the membership at any duly convened meeting of the membership.
  5.        The WPSLA Board of Directors may, at its discretion, recommend "associate" membership for an applicant which is unable to field a team comprised only of players who attend the same school. Associate members must be approved each year by a majority vote of the WPSLA Board of Directors and by a two-thirds vote of the membership, provided, however, that no "associate" membership may exceed two years. Associate members will not be permitted to draw players from any WPSLA member. Associate members will not participate in the WPSLA post-season tournament, will not have voting privileges, will not be eligible to have a representative elected to any office, and will not have players or coaches recognized for post-season honors. Except for the requirement that all players on each team attend the same school, and except for payment of fees or charges assessed for the post-season tournament play, associate members shall be required  to accept and adhere to the WPSLA Constitution and By-Laws, as well as all rules, regulations and decisions of the WPSLA Board of Directors, and pay all dues, fees or charges assessed by the WPSLA Board of Directors.
  6.        Members may vote by absentee ballot on the admission of new members or associate members, provided that such ballot is signed by the member's duly authorized representative and is delivered to the Secretary prior to the meeting where the vote is to be taken.
ARTICLE V - BOARD OF DIRECTORS, OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES
  1.        Management and control of the affairs of the WPSLA shall be vested in a Board of Directors comprised of an odd number of persons, no less than five (5) nor more than seven (7), including the following:
  1. a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer elected annually by a majority vote of the membership at the Annual Meeting;
  2. the immediate past-President, if not otherwise elected to the Board of Directors;
  3. depending on the number needed to constitute an odd-numbered Board, one (1) to three (3) at-large members elected for a one-year term by a majority vote of the membership at the Annual Meeting.
  1.        Each member in good standing shall be eligible to have a coach or other authorized representative nominated for election to the Board of Directors. Each member in good standing shall be entitled to one vote for each position on the Board of Directors, but cumulative voting shall be prohibited.  Members may be permitted to vote for officers and directors by absentee ballot, provided that such ballot is delivered to the Secretary prior to the Annual Meeting.
  2.        The Board of Directors shall have plenary power and authority: to manage and conduct the affairs of the WPSLA; to exercise general control over all athletic relations, contests, and matters involving WPSLA members; to interpret and enforce the Constitution and By-Laws and such other rules and regulations as the Board of Directors may from time to time adopt; to establish procedures for the nomination and election of the officers and Board of Directors of the WPSLA; to establish its own rules of procedure; to manage and control the finances and any property of the WPSLA; to decide matters in dispute between or among members;  to determine and enforce any discipline or penalties for any violation of the Constitution and By-Laws, rules or regulations, or for conduct which is unsportsmanlike, detrimental to the safety, health and well-being of any person or to the public welfare, or contrary to the purpose of the WPSLA; and to perform all acts not inconsistent with the Articles of Incorporation, the Constitution and By-Laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
  3.        The presence of a majority of the members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business of the Board of Directors.
  4.        The President shall preside at all meetings of the membership or the Board of Directors, shall have all authority and responsibility necessary to direct the operation of the WPSLA, and shall perform such duties as are ordinarily incident to the office of the President, subject to the authority and direction of the Board of Directors.  The President shall be responsible for implimenting all decisions and policies adopted by the Board of Directors.  As authorized by the Board of Directors, the President shall execute on behalf of the WPSLA and may affix, or cause to be affixed, the corporate seal to all instruments requiring such execution.
  5.        The Vice-President shall assume the duties of the President, in the President's absence, and shall perform such other duties as are ordinarily incident to the office of Vice-President or as may be prescribed by the President and the Board of Directors.
  6.        The Secretary shall be the custodian of the records and the seal of the WPSLA, and shall keep the minutes or other record of all meetings or other actions of the organization and the Board of Directors, receive and distribute to the Board all applications for membership, maintain the current membership directory, prepare and supervise all notices and mailings, record all nominations and tally the votes for election at the Annual Meeting, tally all votes for admission of new or associate members, or for amendments to the Articles of Incorporation or the Constitution and By-Laws, establish and supervise the procedures for voting on the Coach of the Year award, and perform such other duties as are ordinarily incident to the office of Secretary or as may be prescribed by the President and the Borad of Directors.
  7.        The Treasurer shall be the principle officer responsible for the financial affairs of the WPSLA and shall be the custodian of the funds of the organization.  The Treasurer shall prepare an annual report for approval by the Board of Directors, receive funds on behalf of the WPSLA, disburse funds as may be authorized by the President or the Board of Directors, keep true and accurate accounts of all receipts and disbursements, make financial reports to the President and the Board of Directors, prepare and file all reports, statements, tax returns and other documents required by law, and perform such other duties as are ordinarily incident to the office of Treasurer or as may be prescribed by the President and the Board of Directors.
  8.        Any vacancy occurring in the position of any officer or on the Board of Directors shall be filled by a majority vote of the remaining mambers of the Board of Directors.
  9.        The President shall, with the approval of the Board of Directors, appoint such committees as the President or the Board of Directors may deem necessary to carry on the activities and effectuate the purposes of the WPSLA and to perform such duties as the President of the Borad of Directors may direct.  The size of such committee and the identity of the members and the chair of each committee shall be determined by the President.
ARTICLE VI - DUES
       Each member and associate member shall pay annual dues in an amount and by a date established each year by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may, in its discretion, authorize a discount for early payment.
ARTICLE VII - MEETINGS
              The Annual Meeting of the members of the WPSLA shall be held on such a date in September, October, or November, and at such time and place as the Board of Directors shall designate. Additionally, the WPSLA shall hold such other general meetings of the membership as the Board of Directors may determine to be necessary.
ARTICLE VIII - AMENDMENTS
    1.        Amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the membership at any duly convened meeting of the membership, provided that members have been given at least fourteen (14) days' written notice of the meeting and the proposed amendment.
    2.        Members may vote by absentee ballot on amendments to the Constitution or By-Laws, provided that such ballot is signed by the member's duly authorized representative and is delivered to the Secretary prior to the meeting where the vote is to be taken.
Changes to the By-Laws and Rules & Regulations
Voted upon at the November 3, 2003 meeting

By-Laws

Where the by-laws reference the “NCAA Rules” it will be changed to “Federation Rules”.

Article V-Board of Directors, Officers and Committees

1.    Management and control of the affairs of the WPSLA shall be vested in a Board of Directors comprised of seven (7) persons, which will include the following:

a.    President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer elected annually by a majority vote of the membership at the Annual Meeting;
b.    One at large member per Division elected for a one-year term by a majority vote of each Division at the Annual Meeting.

2.    Each member in good standing shall be eligible to have a Head Coach or Team Parent or Athletic Director nominated for election to the Board of Directors. In any event no team shall have more than one representative on the Board of Directors at any one time. Each member…
RULES AND REGULATIONS