Richmond Cross Association League Mission Statement:

The Richmond Cross Association is focused on creating and maintaining an environment that allows the best opportunity for youth players to develop their soccer skills. The League is based is based on inclusion and strives to provide players in the metro area with a safe, fun and rewarding soccer environment.

If at any time there are issues that are not directly addressed in these by-laws, then decisions must be based on this Mission Statement.

By-Laws

Rules and Procedures:

The RVA Cross Association is set up to ensure player involvement at both the recreation and travel divisions. The league is based on a club system where clubs vote on any governing issue. The Directors of Coaching or a similar person should be considered for this position.

The RMSL shall be sanctioned thru the VYSL. All coaches must be Safesport and Background check compliant. Player passes for teams will be generated thru US Club when applicable.

Each club must have a representative at each meeting. (If a club is not represented, they can phone in their vote via a proxy. Clubs are encouraged to have proper representation at all meetings.

Each club in the league gets at least one vote as long as each club has a minimum of 3 team. Founding clubs will get 2 votes (FC Richmond, Dynamo Soccer Club, Powhatan Soccer Club and First Touch). All clubs will be represented on each Board created by the RMSL.The majority rules in all instances.

By-Laws
Votes per number of teams Majority Rules

● Terms of Office: Two years, beginning on July 1 and ending on June 30

●  All officers cannot serve more than two consecutive terms.

●  Club Reps are elected to a position and each Club must pick their person for the position in question. If a Club chooses to change their representative, a written announcement will be provided by that clubs director.

Officers & Duties:

President:

● Call and hold regular meetings

● Shall hold communication sessions during the season, including meetings, calls and via internet to update all members on current events and happenings. Guidelines of every other week during the season.

● Will hear all grievances that occur off the field of play. Examples: facilities, recruiting.

● Shall be bonded.

Vice-President:

● Shall preside over any meeting(s) that the President is unable to attend.

Secretary:

●  Record the minutes, all minutes of all meetings and distribute them to members.
●  Be responsible for all correspondence.
●  Shall be bonded.

Treasurer:

●  Shall handle all fiduciary matters for the Cross Association.

●  Shall present a written financial statement at all meetings.

●  Shall have the authority to access the Cross Association bank account(s) including the
distribution of any monies owed.

●  Shall be bonded.

Other Members:
● Scheduler

Scheduler:
●  Shall set the timetable for preparing schedules. All schedules must be completed no later than one month before the first game, if possible.
●  Shall complete the master schedule with input from all clubs.

Level of Competition:
Depending on the number of clubs and the number of teams from each, the Board of Directors will meet to determine the proper ranking of teams and the ability of teams to have competitive games. With a final goal of holding competitive games, the Board of Directors has the ability to set divisions of play so that teams will play similar type teams as often as possible, with the additional goal of not having any lopsided games.

Facilities/Fields:

●  Each Club must provide sufficient fields to play on. The fields must be in the best condition possible.

●  For U9 and U10 age groups the fields must be 50 by 70 yards.

●  For U11 & U12 age group the fields must be 55 by 80 yards

●  Goals must be medium-sized, 6’ x 18’ for U9/10 and 7’ x 21’ for U11/12

● U10 - U12 matches will be played with 25 minute halves.

●  For U9-U12 balls will be size 4

● U13-14 matches shall be played with 30 minute halves

● U15-U19 matches shall be played with 40 minute halves

● U13-U19 balls will be size 5

        
Player Equipment:

●  All players must wear shin guards.

●  No jewelry of any kind may be worn.

●  As a safety precaution, referees will use their own discretion as to whether to allow any player wearing any type of cast to play.

●  Glasses are allowed to be used at the discretion of the referee.

Spectators:

● Spectators will remain on the opposite side of the field as players and coaches.

Referees:

●  The referee has the final say on whether to suspend, delay or terminate the match due to weather conditions.

●  When thunder is heard or lightning is seen, all matches must be suspended.

●  All games should have a referee/coach pre-game check to answer questions and confirm specific rules (for ex.: headers, offside rule, build out line and game length).

●  All U9 & U10 games will use a one-man referee system.

●  All U11 & U12 games will use a one-man referee system

● All U13 and up games will use a 3-man referee system

●  Offside will be called beginning in U9

●  Club linesman will be used if an assigned official is not present at the match

Weather:

●  All efforts must be made by the Home team’s Director to determine field closures due to weather/field conditions before the Visiting team leaves their area for the games. The Home team’s Director must contact the visiting team’s Director to confirm closures.

●  In addition, each Home Club will contact the Visiting Club’s main point of contact if the games are to be canceled. This will also be done with as much advance notice as possible.

●  When it is necessary to close a field, that fields’ club rep must call the designated referee assignor. ●  If guest players are used in any match, this must be discussed/confirmed between Directors before the match. Only similarly skilled players from the same level or below may be used unless there are no other options and is agreed upon by Directors before the match!

Codes of Conduct:

●  Any player receiving a red card must sit out the remainder of that game. That player must also sit out the next league game. If it happens that the next league game is in another year or in another league, the club will guarantee and ensure that the Player will still sit out the next league game of any kind.

●  Any coach receiving a red card must leave the premises for the rest of that game. The Coach will not be able to attend the next 2 league game as well. If it happens that the next league game is in another year or in another league, the Club will guarantee and ensure that the Coach will still sit out the next league game of any kind.

Substitutions:

● Substitutions will be allowed on:

1.      All throw ins

2.      Goal kicks

3.      After a goal is scored

4.      After an injury

5.      At half time

6.      When a player receives a yellow (caution) card

Other Areas:

Grievance Procedure:

●  All hearings should be decided within one month from the occurrence of the grievance.

●  The Club Representative of each Club shall determine any and all appropriate course of action.

Probation:

Probation can occur after a majority vote based on any serious issue; but, a vote must be taken on the following issues:

●  Not having fields set up more than once in a season. (Lines, goals, Field dimensions, field labeled correctly.)

●  Not having enough players more than once in a season

●  All new Clubs will be on probation during their two years in the league at the minimum AND until voted in to become a full member.

●  Games cancelled for ANY reason will require followup from Cross Association leadership and clubs may not be invited to register in the future.

Adding Clubs to the League:

Any club may apply to the league if they meet the basic requirement of being in good standings with VYSA.

Process:

At any formal meeting a new club may apply to the League if they meet the following basic requirements: There entry to the league would begin at the start of the following season.

●  Contacting the RMSL President to be put on the agenda prior to the meeting.

NOTE: All agendas shall be set at least three days prior to a meeting so as to
notify all Clubs.

●  Having one main contact to conduct all game day operations (Technical Director or DOC)

●  Having the required number and quality of fields.

●  Having the ability to add Board members if needed.

●  Having the ability to compete on an equal basis with the rest of the RMSL on the playing fields.

●  Having all the other basic necessities to operate in this League.
Once the basics are determined, the applying club will make a presentation at the next RMSL formal meeting. An outline of what is needed to be covered will be provided by the RMSL President. A majority vote of the current members of the League is required for entrance to the League. In addition, the current members can limit enrollment for any reasonable condition.

Termination from League:  

Clubs may be terminated from the based on a majority vote by the current clubs. A hearing can be held to ask a club to leave the League for any of the following reasons:

●  Not supplying quality fields

●  Not supplying quality teams

●  Not able to work with the other clubs in a positive and forthright manner

●  Not attending bi annual meetings

●  Not being able to field full teams

●  If a current member of the league feels that another Club and/or team should not continue in the RMSL, a meeting must be called. At such a meeting, all reasons should be heard by both/all sides. Each side will have no more than 30 minutes to present their arguments. At the end of such a meeting, the active voting clubs will vote, with a majority required to make a Club or a team leave.

●  Probation should be considered in all circumstances before a team or club is terminated. A probationary period shall last for one season. A team or club cannot be placed on probation for two consecutive seasons. If this happens, it constitutes a termination for that club or team.

APPENDIX 2024-25 season

Club members:

●  FC Richmond

●  Dynamo SC

●  Tri Cities

●  First Touch

●  Powhatan Fury FC

Voting

●  FC Richmond (2 votes)

●  Dynamo SC (2 votes)

●  Powhatan SC (2 votes)

President:

Vice President:

Treasurer:

Secretary: