THE VETERANS ENGLISH BILLIARDS LEAGUE

Constitution and by-laws July 1990

(herein after referred to as the league)

Teams are sponsored by the Veterans organizations in this area.  Other organizations may be admitted by majority vote of the Executive.  Team members must be members in good standing of a Veterans organization.

Membership and Duties of the Executive

Past President

Attend all meetings and make his experience available to the President and the Executive.

President

1. Call meetings as required.
2. Act as chairman of the meetings.
3. Approve agenda of meetings.
4. Co-sign league cheques.
5. Appoint members to audit the financial statement.

Secretary Treasurer

1. Keep minutes of league meetings.
2. Keep records of all financial proceedings.
3. Furnish a financial report for audit at the end of each season.
4. Co-sign league cheques.
5. Collect moneys owed to the league and deposit it in the league bank account.
6. Issue cheques to pay bills owed by the league.
7. Contact team captains at the beginning of each season and determine the number of teams which will enter the league that year.
8. Prepare a league schedule.
9. Obtain a roster of players and their handicaps from each team.
10. Furnish each team captain with a copy of the schedule, and score cards with return addressed envelopes.
11. Keep a record of team and individual players standings each week, along with changes in players handicaps.
12. Furnish results of each weeks play to the media.
13. Arrange for league play-offs at the end of each season.
14. Arrange schedule for individual play and trophies.
15. Arrange for the return, engraving, and presentation of the trophies at the end of the season.
16. Arrange for the end of season wind up of the league.
17. Present a brief report at each meeting of the league.

Vice President

1. Attend all league meetings.
2. Make himself familiar with the ongoing affairs of the league.
3. Serve as President- Protem, in the absence of the President.

Team Captains

1. Arrange with his club for the entry of his team into the league.
2. Undertake to either attend all league meetings, or arrange for the attendance of an alternate.
3. Notify the secretary treasurer of team roster, along with their updated and/or recommended handicaps by the first week of September.
4. Forward match results and any moneys to the secretary treasurer PROMPTLY.
5. Arrange for distribution of wind up tickets to his team, and report results and forward ticket money to secretary treasurer by due date.
6. Encourage his players to improve their skill and knowledge of the game and its rules.
7. Post an up to date copy of the team and players record and players handicaps.

Players

1. Attend team practices and improve your skill.
2. Attend the Annual General Meeting.
3. Cooperate in the success of the play in any individual trophy competition you may enter by communicating with your opponent and playing your matches before the cut off date.

Election of Team Captains

A team meeting shall be called annually, with an election for team captain.

Election of Officers

To take place at the Annual General Meeting each spring.

Nominations may be made and seconded from the floor.  After an adequate time period, the chairman will call for the vote.

Election is confirmed by a simple majority vote.

Meetings

A.  of the executive;

1.  Fall meeting;

present schedule, make changes in fee structure, preliminary discussion of trophies, banquet etc.

2.  December break;

finalize trophies, banquet, etc.

B.  Annual General Meeting;

Secretary treasurers report.

Audit of secretary treasurers report.

Election of Officers.

Presentation of the secretary treasurers honorarium.

Changes in the constitution and by laws.

Secretary Treasurers Honorarium

The secretary treasurer will be awarded an annual honorarium based on $50.00 per team at the number of teams in the league at the Christmas break.

Rules

League play will conform to the Rules of English Billiards as put forth by The Billiards and Snooker Control Council.

Any changes made in the above rules will be adopted at the beginning of league play each fall.

Each home team captain is to post the names of four players with their handicaps by 7:00 p.m.

The visiting team captain is to post his players by 7:15 p.m.

First named players play first.

Visiting team has choice of tables, which is to say that first and third players have the table of their choice.

Handicaps

A handicap committee shall be formed consisting of the president, secretary treasurer, and the past president.  This committee is empowered to make changes in players handicaps, which in their judgment see valid.

Challenges to the decisions made by the committee may be made to the executive.

New players entering the league shall be assessed a handicap of +20 or lower at the discretion of the team captain and/or the handicap committee.

If any old players return to the league, they shall also be handicapped by the team captain and/or the handicap committee.

The handicap of the players mentioned above will increase by ten for each win, and decrease by ten for each loss, until the player has competed in ten matches, after which his handicap will rise or fall by five subsequent to any wins or losses.

A players handicap my not pass +30 unless by majority vote at the Annual General Meeting.

League Play Offs

Players handicaps as of end of regular season play.

Each play off is best of nine.

Four games to be played on the first night.  Play off completed on the second night.

Home and away series.  Higher ranking teams have choice of home or away for first four games.

Choice of play off dates to be mutually agreed upon by team captains.

Secretary treasurer to be notified of play off dates.

A player on the ten point handicap system may not participate in the play offs if there are six or more players on his team, unless granted leave to do so by the executive.

First and second place teams have BYE in the first round of the play offs.

Teams finishing 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th  will play off with 3rd playing 6th and 4th playing 5th.  The winners of this series then play off with the 1st and 2nd place teams with the 1st place team playing the lowest ranked team.  The winners of this series will then play for the league championship.

All play off rounds are best of nine games.

Tie Breakers

Should two teams be tied at the end of the regular season, the tie will be broken by;

1.  The team winning the majority of games against one another during the regular season.

2.  The winner of the most games in the last two rounds.

3.  The winner of the most games in the last round.

4.  The team with the most points in the final round.      

5.  A one game play off.

Should three teams tie, use the following procedure.  Find one winner as follows and then revert to above.

1.  Team winning majority of games against both teams during the regular season.

2.  Team winning the majority of games in the last two rounds.

3.  Team winning the majority of games in the final round.

4.  High total score in the final round against both teams.

5.  Coin toss. 

Note:  This will give you one winner.  The other two teams revert to above tie breaker.

Should four or five teams tie, follow a similar procedure as in above.

Individual Trophy Play

Four trophies at present are available for competition by individual players.

Player handicaps are taken as of the December break.

Players who are on the ten point system are not eligible.

A player may enter a maximum of two trophy competitions.

Team captains are to recommend players for the trophy competition before a set date.

Teams are requested to not enter the names of players who are unable or unwilling to follow the rules of the competition.

Players may not enter any trophy play if they are barred entry to any member club.

To qualify for trophy play, a player must have played three regular league games before the December break, and undertake to play three more before the end of the regular season.

Lockwood Trophy

The trophy chairman will select, from the lists submitted by team captains, sixteen players with the highest handicaps.  These players will be seeded into a straight knockout draw.  Each match is 500 points from scratch.  The top named player is to contact his opponent and arrange a time to play that is convenient to both.  First named player has choice of home or away.  The responsibility of arranging the game is placed on the player at home.  Should he have any difficulty in arranging the game within the date provided, he is to contact the trophy chairman.  If the game is not completed within the date set, without a good reason, the trophy chairman can disqualify on or both players, and go on to the next round.  The winner is to notify the trophy chairman as soon as possible.

McLean and Bardal Trophies

These are handicap tournaments.  Match is a home and away series of 200 points each for a total of 400 points.  The number of points a player loses by in the first round, is added to his handicap for the second game.  All of the other rules as applied the the Lockwood trophy are in effect.

The place, date, and time of the finals in each event will be arranged by the trophy chairman, in consultation with the players concerned.

Novice Trophy

Trophies

The league will take care of all trophies, regarding engraving, repairs, etc. with the exception of the Bardal, which will be the responsibility of Neil Bardal Incorporated.

 League Meetings

The league president shall call the meetings.  The secretary treasurer shall prepare an agenda, approved by the president, and inform the members of the time and place of the meeting.

The league president is the chairman of the meeting.

The chairman;

calls the meeting to order.

insures that all members have an opportunity to speak.

decides who may speak.

limits discussion to the matter under debate.

calls for vote after sufficient debate.

declares the result of vote.

Members

arrive on time.

be courteous and not speak while others have the floor.

address the chair.

word motions carefully (prepare motions beforehand if possible).

Agenda

Read and accept minutes of last meeting.

Secretary treasurers report.

Presidents report.

Discussion arising from reports.

Old business.

List any new business.

New business from the floor.

Set date of next meeting.

Adjourn.

Motions

Presented by a member.

Must be seconded or dropped.

Must be accepted by the chair.

Presenter and seconder are first to speak.

Members mus speak to th motion when recognized by the chair, and may speak only once until all have had their turn.

No personalities.

Chairman may speak to motion by delegating chair.

Amendments

Same rules as motions.

Cannot reverse a motion.

Should be an attempt to improve the motion.

The last amendment is voted on first, and if carried, thereby defeats the motion.

Only one amendment on the floor at a time.

Tabling; postpone a vote to another specific date.

Should clarification of these rules be necessary, Roberts Rules of Order shall be the final arbiter.

NOTE:

Failure to comply with any  terms of this constitution could result in suspension for the remainder of the season.