Board Members Present: Tim Owen, Carson Taylor, Jack Dockery, Pam Ransom, Martie Stewart, Carol O’Neil, Phil Rotherham, Rick Sojda

Others in Attendance: Jen Gummer, Jeff McGuire, Bill Locke, Ric Plante, Pam Smith, Jeff Pearce, Steve Birrel, Marta Plante, Dick Prugh, Lisa Prugh came for part of the meeting

Meeting Called to Order - 7:00 p.m.  NOTE: MSP - Motion, Seconded, Passed

MSP - Approve December and January minutes as written

• President’s Report - Tim Owen

  • Tim gave a summary of the MYSA meeting and the 8v8 plan for U11. The 8v8 is a better way for both coaches and players to learn. Will be a two year implementation process. 2003 season will start U11 with the 8v8 environment instead of the 11v11. In 2004 will include the U12s.

  • Ric Plante reported that he had attended a meeting in Philadelphia with coaches from across the nation. Some regions have already adopted this plan. We are part of Region IV which includes California and will be probably one of the last to adopt. If we implement now in Montana we will be on the leading edge for a change. This is experimental and FC Bozeman volunteered. There will be more young players playing more often. This is an international approach. In many countries there are small side games through U14.

  • Biggest problem is appropriate goal size - are new goals required?

  • Will try to make the Montana Cup for U11 more like a jamboree, with everyone playing and winning trophies. Emphasis is on player development. Tournament style play will be introduced at U12, State Cup at U13, and Regionals at U14.

  • Housing for Snickers State Cup is a problem - competition with bowling tournament. Tim is encouraging the Competition Committee and the Team Liaison to work on the housing issue. Can contact Steve Baum, president of Magic City soccer for help - baumdoc@hotmail.com

  • Jeff McGuire reported to Tim that the 501c3 is current, and payment for the state corporate license will be made on time. Carson will get past reports information from Mark Bryan and take over.

• Treasurer’s Report - Jeff McGuire

  • Treasurer’s Report, Summary January through December 2001, submitted for the records. Everything is good to go to the accountants. On the Balance Sheet, Jeff is working on the Unrestricted Funds Club Account. He would like to take anything in this account and put it in a Money Market or an investment account. Also take the income from the end of the year and put into this account. Jeff would like to get our end of the year moved to the end of July. This would make the accounting much easier. It also fits well with the moving of the dates for registration and payment of dues.

  • For next meeting, Jeff and Pam R. are to identify the different endowment accounts and restricted funds. It will be nice to know their intended uses and restrictions.

  • Budget Committee can discuss how money is being invested. Maybe we can do better than Money Markets - increase return without increasing risks.

  • There was a bill submitted from a club coach for reimbursement for copying/mailing expenses to his team. There is not money budgeted for this. Turned over to the Competition Committee for review and decision on payment.

• Registrar’s Report - Jen Gummer

  • We have seven (7) girls’ teams and eight (8) boys’ teams. The schedule forms are going to the state tomorrow. There is now a U16 Girls’ Team. The U17 Boys have seven maybe ten registered. Everything must be turned in tomorrow for a team to happen.

• Manager’s Liaison - Pam Ransom

  • Jack Dockery brought up the issue that Richard Smith cannot put in as much time as he has in the past laying out the fields, moving goals. We will need two people per team to work on the fields. He asked the liaison to get this info out. Pam R. would like to know everything she needs to tell the teams - how many to work on fields, how many refs, etc.

  • She would like to only have to do this once. Phil Rotherham told Pam R. that if he had a list of the team managers and a list of the names for the different services needed, he would contact them when things needed to be done. Phil and Pam R. will get together on this.

  • Jeff has about 60-70 who have not paid and have not set up any kind of payment arrangement. How does he handle these players?

  • MSP - If fees have not been paid two weeks after payment deadline (this year, February 1, 2002) and arrangements have not been made to make payments, the names of the players will be given to the coach, and the player cannot practice until arrangements for payment have been made.

• Web-Site - Bill Locke

  • Micro information is up on the Web. Uniform Exchange info is also up. Deadline for ordering uniforms at the Soccer Shop is February 8. ODP info is on the Web. Bill is on Steve Boone’s mailing list for ODP info.

  • Discussion of board members’ e-mail addresses and how to handle for the Web-Site.

  • Motion - Seconded - Failed (3 for, 4 against) - Put e-mail address for each board member on the web page.

  • More discussion

  • MPS - Board member information will be posted on the Web on an individual basis. Each board member will notify Bill as to what is allowed to be posted.

  • Discussion on feedback to committees on the web-site, or how should feedback be presented to the board.

  • Motion - Feedback will be accepted by the chairman of the committees in writing and presented at the next board meeting.

  • Discussion - We need to be accessible.

  • Motion withdrawn.

  • MSP - All e-mails will be sent to Web Meister. He will forward to the committee chairs.

• Micro - No Report

• Policy Committee - Rick Sojda

  • Rick submitted an outline of responsibilities. He suggested the outline be taken home, reviewed and discussed at the next meeting.

• Referee Committee - Carson Taylor

  • We have a volunteer to be our assigner - Franco Bancroft. Steve Denney will be assisting him this summer. There are 3 clinics in March - they will go to one of these.

  • Referees’ Clinics - Coaches were made aware that they have to have two refs per team. Re-certification Clinic March 5 (7-10 pm) and 6 (7-9 pm) - Larry Pendleton

  • Full Certification, March 23-24 - All Day - either in Livingston or Bozeman

  • Two refs per team is the bottom line!

• Fund Raising - Jeff Pearce

  • Tim Owen and Jeff presented an idea - Pizza Hut Gold Card. The card is bought from Pizza Hut for $2 and sold for $10. Each card has twenty stickers - buy large, get medium free. Player will get $6 and club will get $2 for each card sold. First 10 tickets - $20 to Pizza Hut, $60 to player for tournaments, $20 to club for coaches continuing education. Any sold over the first 10, $20 goes to Pizza Hut and $80 goes to individual team.

  • Much discussion followed. Ric Plante stated that he would assure the club that all the girl’s teams would participate.

  • MSP - The Club will engage in the Pizza Hut fundraiser. The $80 profit will be split $60 to the team and $20 to the Club. All teams will be strongly encouraged to participate.

• Facilities, Equipment, Uniforms - Jack Dockery

  • MSU will not allow the Club to practice on their fields any longer. We may only use them for games. We can use them during the week for arranged scrimmages with out-of-town teams. The school district is willing to work with us using their fields. Belgrade will not allow us to use their fields this year. Three Forks willing to let us use their fields on Sunday as long as Jack calls. Can also use on Saturday until track starts. What about Manhattan?????

  • Discussion of goals. Kwik Goals for $1350 per goal and $125 for the nets plus about 10% shipping. The goals have to be painted.

  • The schools are now charging for the use of their fields - $5 per hour. Does that mean per field? Since we will not be using MSU for practice, it will all work out.

  • All equipment has been passed out.

• Program/Tournament Coordinator - Jeff Pearce

  • Passed out chart of soccer tournaments - submitted as part of the record. Also passed out a copy of an e-mail re: “pick up soccer.”

  • Summer Tournament and Summer Program/Camp - we need more input on these two items

  • Tim Owen said that we are due to step up to the plate and do either the Montana Cup or the State Cup.

• ODP - skip

• Risk Management - Martie Stewart

  • Martie had contacted AmeriClaim and several others for background checks on the coaches. Seemed that AmeriClaim fit what we were looking for - has soccer background, covers the whole US; costs $5 per person checked (good deal!). Covers only criminal convictions.

  • MSP - Martie proceed with AmeriClaim for background checks on the head team coaches only - not assistants - at this time..

  • We need to have a risk management policy for the coaches and assistant coaches. Must be mandatory that the coaches and assistant coaches come to a mandatory risk management meeting. We need a mandatory risk management course. Montana Youth Soccer has a video - responsibilities and situations. Risk management training should be an annual requirement or coach will not be on the field. Carson and Martie will have something for the Board to look at for the next meeting.

• Scholarship Committee - Jeff McGuire

  • Has received one more application, but it has not been discussed.

• Bronken Fields - Phil Rotherham

  • Presented a report for the record. Phil, Andy Epple (city planner), Phil Hjalmarsson and Steve Wheeler met as a committee.

  • Land was deeded to the city, August 2001. City will not put anymore money into the fields - all must come from private funds. City wants specs/plans for finishing the job. Mowing, fertilizer, the building and power to it remain. Dick Prugh offered to improve the basic building plan.

  • Ric Plante mentioned that US Youth Soccer has grant money for this type of project. We need to find someone to write the grant.

• Competition Committee

  • Who will chair? Rick Sojda pointed out that all the committees need to create job and duty descriptions to avoid duplications and voids.

• Election of Board Member to replace Kate Beck - Fill remaining one year term

  • Jeff Pearce and Bill Locke nominated.

  • Jeff Pearce elected.

  • Pam Ransom had considered resignation from the board. Since there is now a U16 Girls’ Team, she will remain on the board.

• Scheduling Meeting - March 2 & 3 in Butte. Martie Stewart is going. She had questions - How many games per weekend can Bozeman schedule? Tim will give her last year’s schedule. Steve Birrel thinks the most was 21 games on one weekend.

• Albertson’s Card - We need to start using. Will give the cards to each team equal to the number of parents per team. An easy way to earn $1800 for the Club.

• U17B - Carson Taylor and Jack Graham have been trying to get enough players together for a team. Team info has to be to the state by tomorrow, February 7. If not there tomorrow, it is too late. For those who have registered, same as for everyone else - no team or cut from the team will be refunded $25 of the $50 registration fee. They have maybe 7 - 10 players. Have to have 11 on the field to play. Club in the past has said there must be 14 players. Carson will have to talk to Tim Guenzler as Head of Men’s Coaches for number of players required to make a team.

• Good of the Game - Tim Owen

  • Tim gave Martie a response to her questions regarding Bronken Field. Brief History - Fields first discussed November 4, 1998. Brian Troth came to the club with a presentation. From 98 on, there have been numerous discussions with FC Bozeman - Joint meeting with AYSO. AYSO had funds available to commit $25,000 - We have field development funds of approximately $27,000 - In 2000 we committed $23,500 which was matched by AYSO at $20,000. We have bought sprinkler heads and developed an irrigation system. The coast to seed the fields was $6000 - we had funds available to do half. April 4, 2001, we donated $2500 for the seed, AYSO matched those funds.

  • Note: Tim Owen wants to set 9:00 as end time of the meeting - will have to have shorter reports. Possibly two meetings a month??? We have to figure this out - 10:30 much too late!

  • Dick Prugh - Questioned how to keep the younger kids from Micro involved. Rick Plante hopes the U11 8v8 will help this.

  • Rick Plante has several “friendly” matches set up for the U13, U 14, U15 girls in Utah.

• Old Business

  • Chairs of each committee to submit their duties before the next meeting.

Meeting Adjourned at 10:20 p.m.