BY-LAWS OF COLUMBIA RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
Mission Statement
The Mission of Columbia Rugby Football Club is; to
foster and promote the growth and development of
the game of Rugby Union (“Rugby”) in the Mid-
Missouri area; to increase the awareness of Rugby;
both adult and youth; at local, national, and
international levels.
In addition, the Columbia Rugby Football Club is
focused on introducing, educating, promoting, and
encouraging the understanding of the sport of Rugby
in all its facets within the community.
Columbia Rugby Football Club and its members are
committed to ensuring that participation in the sport
of Rugby is carried out with honor, integrity, respect,
in the spirit of fair play and in accordance with the
laws of the game.
Preamble
The club is organized under the authority of Mid-
America Rugby Football Union (or “MARFU”) and
USA Rugby, and is operated exclusively to
promote and foster the growth of Rugby and to
educate the players and the public in the game of
Rugby as played under the laws of the
International Rugby Board.
Article I: Name
The name of the club shall be the Columbia Rugby
Football Club ( herein referred to as “CRFC” or “the
Club.”)
Article II: Members
Section 2.01. Qualification of Members.
The membership of the Club shall be composed
principally of people interested in participating in
the activities of Rugby. Members will be
designated as associate members, playing
members, and social members. The Club may
designate lifetime Honorary membership to people
who have given special services to the Club.
Associate member: any person who has paid CRFC
dues and is otherwise in good standing with the
Club and MARFU.
Playing member: any person who has paid CRFC
dues and is otherwise in good standing with the
Club and MARFU.
Social member: any person who has paid CRFC
social dues and is otherwise in good standing with
the Club.
Honorary member: any person who has received a
two-thirds vote of the voting membership of the
Club to be designated as such.
Section 2.02. Representation.
Each playing, associate, and Honorary member
shall be entitled to attend any meeting of the
members and shall have one vote. Social members
may attend meetings, but they are not entitled to
vote.
Section 2.03 Non-Discrimination.
There shall be no discrimination on the basis of
race, color, religion, age, gender, sexual
orientation, national origin, or physical handicap in
decisions concerning the eligibility for membership,
officer positions, or concerning any other business
or activity of the Club. The Club does not condone
acts of discrimination by its members on the basis
of race, color, religion, age, gender, sexual
orientation, national origin, or physical handicap.
Section 2.04 Waiver of Membership Requirements.
The Executive Committee may waive any or all
membership requirement(s) for up to 12 months
by a two/thirds (2/3rds) vote of the Executive
Committee.
Article III: Meetings of Members
Section 3.01. Regular Meetings.
A Regular Meeting shall be held at the beginning
and/or end of the fall and spring seasons. The
exact date of these meetings shall be set by the
President, and called by the President.
Section 3.02. Special Meetings.
A Special Meeting of the members may be called
at any time and for any purpose by the President
or by the Executive Committee (as defined in
section 4.02) and shall be called by the President
upon the request of at least one-third of the
members entitled to vote. Every such request
shall state the purpose of such meeting.
Section 3.03. Place of meetings.
All regular meetings of the members shall be held
at such time and at such place as may be fixed
by the membership entitled to vote.
Section 3.04. Notice of meetings.
Notice of the place, date, hour and purposes of the
regular and special meetings shall be given
personally, posted to the Club’s website,
www.columbiarugbyfootballclub.com , e-mail, or via
the Club’s social media accounts to each member,
not less than 7 days prior to the meeting.
Section 3.05. Quorum and Adjournment.
At all meetings of members, a simple majority of
the voting members present or by proxy shall be
requisite for and shall constitute a quorum for the
transaction of the affairs of the Club.
Section 3.06. Vote of Members.
Whenever any action is to be taken by vote of the
members, it shall be authorized by a majority of
the votes cast by the members entitled to vote
who are present or by proxy at a duly constituted
meeting of the members.
Article IV: Officers
Section 4.01. Election of Officers.
Officers shall be elected by majority vote of the
members entitled to vote. Elections shall be by
ballot; however, elections may be conducted in
any manner approved by members which can
include voting by counting a show of hands
present at a Regular Meeting as defined in Section
3.01.
Section 4.02. Number, Qualifications and Term of Office.
The Officers are the President, Vice-President,
Treasurer, Social Chair, Recruitment Chair,
Sponsorship and Fundraising Chair, Secretary, and
Match Secretary. The Officers as a group shall be
referred to as the “Executive Committee”. Officers
must be members of the club and shall be elected
to hold office for a term of one year. Any Officer
can serve for one or more terms. All Officers shall
be at least 18 years old.
Section 4.03. Annual Meeting of the Executive Committee.
An annual meeting of the Executive Committee
shall be held each year prior to the beginning of
the Fall season. Notice of this meeting must be
given not less than 7 days prior to the date of said
meeting in accordance with Section 3.04. Waiver
of notice may be made if all members of the
Executive Committee agree. Any Field Officer may
participate in any meeting of the Executive
Committee. However, a Field Officer cannot vote
on matters under the authority of the Executive
Committee.
Section 4.04. Special Meetings of the Executive
Committee.
Special Meetings of the Executive Committee shall
be held whenever called by the President, or by
any two officers. Notice of any Special Meeting,
stating the purpose, place and date of the
meeting, shall be given to each officer and Field
Officer at least three days prior to the meeting,
personally, in writing, by social media, text, or e-
mail.
Section 4.05. Place of Meetings
Regular or Special Meetings of the Executive
Committee shall be held at any place as may be
determined by the Executive Committee.
Section 4.06. Quorum and Manner of Acting.
Five of the members of the Executive Committee
must be present in person to constitute a quorum
for the transaction of Club affairs. Each Officer
shall be entitled to one vote. The vote of a
majority of the Officers shall be the act of the
Executive Committee. However, if only five
officers are present to constitute the quorum, a
unanimous vote of all five members shall be the
act of the Executive Committee. A simple majority
of officers present, may adjourn any meeting to
another time and place.
Section 4.07. Resignations.
Any Officer may resign at any time by given
written notice to the Executive Committee or the
President of the Club. Such resignation shall take
effect at the time specified therein. And the
acceptance of such resignation shall not be
necessary to make it effective.
Section 4.08. Vacancies.
Any vacancy occurring in the Executive Committee by
reason of death, resignation, retirement or
disqualification shall be filled by vote of a majority of
the remaining Officers within 2 weeks of such
vacancy. Any Officer filling a vacancy will serve
only the remaining term of the departed Officer.
Section 4.09. Time of Elections.
Officers of the Executive Committee shall be
elected by the voting membership prior to the
beginning of the Fall season at a Regular Meeting.
Their terms shall be for one full year, starting on
January 1st of the following year.
Section 4.10. Removal of Officers.
Any Officer may be removed at any time with or
without cause by a two-thirds vote of the
members entitled to vote at any meeting. The
Executive Committee can remove an officer for
cause with a two-thirds vote of the Executive
Committee. For purposes of this section cause
consists of any felony offense or act that in the
opinion of the Executive Committee is morally
reprehensible.
Section 4.11. General Powers of the Executive
Committee.
The Executive Committee shall administer all
affairs of the Club. It may make or cause to be
made for the Club, in its name, any description of
contract with the Club may lawfully enter into,
and it may generally exercise all such powers
which the Club, by the Articles of Incorporation or
otherwise, is authorized to exercise, except such
powers as are reserved to the members.
No purchase of real property nor sale, mortgage,
or lease of its real property shall be made by the
Club unless authorized by a vote of at least two-
thirds of the whole number of members voting in
person or by written proxy at a duly constituted
meeting.
Any action of the Executive Committee at an Annual
or Special Meeting (as defined in sections 4.04 and
4.05) may be over-ruled by a majority of the
members. The option of overruling by majority vote
of the members shall be declared as proper notice
by an Officer at the meeting.
Any decision made at an Annual or Special Meeting
(as defined in sections 4.04 and 4.05) shall be
conveyed personally, by social media, by e-mail or
posted to the Clubs web-site
www.columbiarugbyfootbalclub.com to members of
the Club as proper notice of said decision. If at least
one-third of members object to a decision at said
Special Meeting, a Regular Meeting (as defined in
section 3.01) shall then be held wherein a majority
vote will overturn or approve said decision.
The Executive Committee may appoint an Executive
Administrator at its discretion to carry out the day-
to-day operations of the club. Such day-to-day
operations of the club may include, but are not
limited to: duties of USA Rugby Administrator for all
CRFC teams, Schedule trainer for all CRFC home
matches, File all federal and state tax documents,
maintain fictitious name filing with the Secretary of
State’s Office, maintain website domain, serve as
liaison with Columbia Visitors Bureau, maintain all
CRFC official documents, and maintain CRFC
equipment. The Executive Administrator may vote
on Executive Board matters in the event of a tie.
Article V: Powers and Duties of Officers
Section 5.01. Office of President.
The President shall be active in all aspects of club
activities, and should be highly visible to Club
members. It will be the duty of the President to
preside over meetings of the members and to act
as Chairperson of the Executive Committee, to
supervise Club officers and Committees in the
performance of their duties, to act as liaison to the
MARFU, and to supervise other Club functions and
responsibilities, which are
carried out within the Club’s jurisdiction.
Specifically, the President should:
- Organize, oversee and encourage participation in
volunteer and philanthropic opportunities for
the Club. - Hear member ideas and concerns and bring
before the Executive Committee or address
with appropriate officers. - Organize quarterly meetings for Officers during
the season or as needed. - Organize general membership meetings at
the beginning of the Fall and Spring
season. - Appoint a liaison to the MARFU, with the
consent of the Executive Committee. - Organize annual meetings for theExecutive
Committee and the generalmembership. - Authorize payments and reimbursements.
Section 5.02. Office of Vice-President.
The Vice-President will succeed the President in
the event of his death, resignation or removal
from office. The Vice-President will serve in that
capacity until a new President is elected. The
Vice- President will assist the President in the
exercise of his duties and fulfillment of his
responsibilities, and shall act in his place when the
President cannot attend meetings. Specifically,
the Vice- President should:
- Arrange for transportation to Away Games,
if deemed necessary.
•
- Arrange the design and sale of all team
merchandise with the advice and consent of the
Executive Committee. - Develop new team jerseys for the Outlaws every
other year and for youth teams every four
years.
These duties may be delegated to respective
committees as the Executive Committee sees fit.
The Vice-President will be responsible for
evaluating
effectiveness of said committees.
Section 5.03. Office of Sponsorship and Fundraising Chair
Specifically, the Sponsorship and Fundraising Chair
should:
•
•
- Handle all dealings with Sponsors both existing and
proposed. Including working with Club Social
Chair on maintaining website to reflect active
and inactive Sponsors. - Schedule updates, billing, collection of sponsorships
and any reciprocal activities on behalf of the
Club with Sponsors.
Section 5.04. Office of the Treasurer.
It will be the duty of the Treasurer to maintain and
report all current financial conditions, to have overall
responsibility for the legitimacy and
accuracy of moneys paid and collected and
disbursed by the Club. Specifically, the Treasurer
should: - Publish a full financial report Semi-annually,
wherein at least one report is available
to members attending a Regular
Meeting. - Collect all dues from members at the beginning of
each season, and prepare reports for Field
Officers. - Monitor the USA Rugby CIPP registration as part
of the dues collection process. - Organize donation presentations for all
Philanthropic projects. - Keep an up to date ledger
- Report current finances to members upon request
- Maintain credit card validity and keep track of card
possession - Maintain possession of check books
- Manage online payment accounts (e.g. Venmo &
PayPal) - Coordinate with officers and field officers to
handle money at events - In cooperation with the President, maintain player
scholarship fund and appropriate scholarship
funds as necessary - Keep receipts on file for records
- Collect information for a club roster, and distribute
this data appropriately. - Forward all reimbursement requests to President.
Section 5.05. Office of the Match Secretary.
It will be the duty of the Match-Secretary to
coordinate communication between opponents and
referees to effectuate well-scheduled play.
Specifically, the Match-Secretary should:
- Set the playing schedule for the upcoming year.
- Verify Referees for all Home matches.
- Verify upcoming matches at least one week
from the scheduled date. - Provide directions to opposition sides and referees
for the fields of play and post-match social
locations. - Report stats including: rosters, substitutions, cards,
and scores to USA Rugby in CMS system. - Make all field reservations with Columbia Parks and
Rec.
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Section 5.07. Social Chair
● Lead organizer of all Club socials, including;
times, locations, determine amount of food and
refreshments for Club purchase when necessary,
and provide all receipts to Treasurer.
● Lead organizer of annual Club awards banquet,
including; time, location, caterer, awards, and
decorations.
● Primary administer of all social media accounts.
● Promote official Club events, including with
appropriate sponsors and the public.
● Maintain the Club website including preparing
club news for the web page, and distribute club-
sensitive communications via email as necessary.
Section 5.08. Recruitment Chair
The Recruitment Chair shall:
● Attend and organize volunteers and promo items
for recruitment events.
● Be the lead contact person for all club interest
requests.
● Respond to all inquiries from potential club
members (via email, website, social media, and
events)
● Develop marketing items to promote club interest
● Assist in website management to keep updated
info for Club’s recruiting efforts.
Section 5.09. Club Secretary
It shall be the duty of the Club Secretary to:
● Record and distribute minutes of the meetings to
all Officers and post minutes for Club members.
● After a regular or special meeting of the
Executive Committee or General membership is
noticed, to request items to be added to the
meeting agenda from all Officers.
● Distribute a copy of the meeting agenda to all
officers 24 hours in advance of any scheduled
Executive Committee meeting.
● administering the annual election of officers and
any other items needing to be voted on by the
Club membership as determined by the Executive
Committee.
● maintaining a directory of active and former
members contact information to be used for Club
purposes.
● maintaining a list of past Club officers and annual
award recipients.
Article VI: Field Officers
Section 6.01. Field Officers.
The positions of Coach, Assistant Coach,
Captain, Forwards-Captain and Backs-Captian
constitute the “Field Officers”. and “Selection
Committee” with each member known as a
“Selector”. The Executive Committee may fill the
position of Coach for any CRFC team by a two-
thirds vote, or choose at their discretion to allow
the members of the respective CRFC team to
elect the position of Coach. The Coach may
appoint the Assistant Coach, Captain, Forwards-
Captain, and Backs-Captain, or at his/her
discretion allow the members of the respective
CRFC team to elect any combination of these
field officers.
Section 6.02. Terms of Office.
Field Officers shall be appointed or elected by the
beginning of the Fall Season, and shall hold office
for one full year.
Section 6.03. Removal.
Any Field Officer may be removed at any time with
or without cause by a two-thirds vote of the
members entitled to vote.
Section 6.04. Vacancies.
If any vacancy on the Executive
Committee shall occur the remaining
members of the Executive Committee may
temporarily appoint a successor to fill such
vacancy, or a special election may be held
to fill the vacancy. If any vacancy, other than
Coach, shall occur in any Field Officer position, the
Coach may appoint a successor to fill such vacancy,
or a special election may be held to fill the vacancy.
Article VII: Powers and Duties of Field Officers
Section 7.01. General Powers and Duties of Field Officers.
The Field officers as a group shall determine the
method and time of practice, method of play to be
emphasized, and shall make all selections to all
sides. If necessary, selections shall be determined
by a majority vote of the Selection Committee; in
the case of a tie, the Coach will make the
selection. All Field Officers should make every
effort to attend all practices and games.
Section 7.02. Position of Coach.
The individual duties and responsibilities of the
Coach are as follows:
- Final responsibility for methods of training
and practicing. - Ultimate authority for method of decision-making
on the field of play. - Selector.
Section 7.03. Position of Assistant Coach.
The duties and responsibilities of the Assistant
Coach are as follows:
- Assist the Coach in any way asked at practice or
on game days. - Selector.
Section 7.04. Position of Team Captain.
The duties and responsibilities of the Team Captain
are as follows:
- First XV Captain, who is responsible for decisions on
the field of play for the first XV. - Assist the Coach in any way asked, at practice
or on game days. - Selector
Section 7.05. Position of Forward and Back Captains.
The duties and responsibilities of the Forward
and Back Captain(s) are as follows:
- Assist the Captain and Coach as asked.
- In absence of Captain, Forward and/or Back
Captain will act on his behalf. - Selector.
Article VIII: Committees
Section 8.01. Adoption of Committees.
The Executive Committee shall have the power to
appoint committees and committee chairpersons
to assume responsibilities conferred to said
committees.
Article IX: Remuneration of Officers
Section 9.01.
No Officer of the Club shall receive, directly or
indirectly, any salary, compensation or emolument
from the Club, either as such officer or in any
other capacity.
Article X: Finances
Section 10.01. Dues.
Each member will pay season dues as specified
by the Executive Committee. All net proceeds
from events sponsored and approved solely by the
Club shall be retained by the Club. Dues for
associate and playing members shall be identical.
Section 10.02. Contracts and Checks.
All deeds, documents, transfers, contracts, bonds,
checks, and bills requiring execution by the Club
shall be signed only under the appropriate authority
given by the Executive Committee, which shall be
evidenced by appropriate resolutions of the
Members.
Article XI: Fiscal Year
Section 11.01.
The Fiscal year will end on the last day of the
calendar year.
Article XII: Colors
Section 12.01.
The colors of the Club shall be Black and Columbia
Blue
Article XIII: Repeal and Adoption
Section 13.01.
The By-Laws may be amended, repealed, or adopted
by vote of two-thirds of the Members present or by
proxy at a duly constituted meeting. A copy of any
proposed amendments must be included in the
notice of the meeting and be available to members
at a duly constituted meeting. A copy of the adopted
by-laws shall be available on the club website at all
times.