SECTION 1: The name of this organization shall be Foothill Sports League (‘League’). 

SECTION 2: The purposes of the Foothill Sports League are: 

a. to cultivate and promote friendly and cordial relationships among small private schools by means of an organized supervised program of athletic contests; 

b. to promote adherence to good sporting behavior; 

c. to provide a platform for coaches and athletic officials of member schools to discuss ways and means of improving sports programs in their schools; 

d. to prepare students to participate in the field of competitive athletics at a higher level. 

SECTION 1: Membership in the League is open to private junior high and middle schools. 

SECTION 2: Admission to membership shall be by application in writing to the League. A school will send a representative to a meeting and acceptance is by simple majority vote of the member schools. 

SECTION 3: A school, which is accepted for probationary membership, shall serve a one‐year probationary period. At the end of this period, the league shall review their record and actions and vote to accept or reject the school for full membership. Rejection of membership of any school requires a full explanation of the reasons in writing. 

a. During the probationary period, the school will have a voice in discussions, but will not be eligible to vote on constitutional and by‐law motioned items. 

b. During the probationary the school will not be eligible for postseason play. 

SECTION 4:  The member schools of this League shall be listed in By–Laws #1. 

SECTION 5: Failure to send a representative to a league meeting will result in a fine as follows. 

a. $25 for not attending. (The League president will authorize the treasurer to bill for any missed meetings.) 

SECTION 1: The governance of the League rests with the administrators of the member schools. They may exercise their authority directly or delegate it to the athletic directors and/or other officials of the school. 

SECTION 2: Any and all constitutional changes by the League shall be determined by a vote of the member schools. A quorum is required to call for a vote. A quorum is defined as two‐thirds of the membership being present at the meeting. Each school is empowered to cast one vote through the votes, a minimum of a simple majority, 51% in favor of the motion, shall be sufficient to pass any measure. 

SECTION 1: The officers of the League shall consist of a president, secretary, treasurer, two league commissioners and three rules committee members. 

SECTION 2: The term of office shall be two years. Incumbent officers shall be eligible for re‐election at the final spring meeting of the school year. 

ARTICLE V: ELECTION OF OFFICERS 

SECTION 1: Officers for the next term shall be elected at the final meeting of the year prior to the new term. 

SECTION 2: Nominations and Elections: 

a. The President does not need to be employed by a member school. (Sept. 2013) 

b. Nominations may be made by any school representative in attendance at the nominating meeting. All nominations are to be made from the floor. 

c. In order to be eligible for nomination, the prospective nominee must be present at the nominating meeting, or have indicated his/her willingness in writing to accept an office in the League 

d. Each member school shall have one vote in the election to be cast by the administrator or delegated representative. A simple majority of votes cast shall determine the winner. 

e. The new officers shall assume office on the first day of July. 

SECTION 1: PRESIDENT The president shall: 

a. Preside at all League meetings; 

b. Appoint a time and place for holding of meetings; 

c. Notify member schools two weeks in advance of the date of meetings; 

d. Call emergency meetings upon the request from any three member Schools; 

e. Levy fines for absentee representatives at League meetings; 

f. Handle scheduling for each sport; 

g. Hire the assignor(s) and coordinate the referees with the assignor(s); 

h. Require and bill member schools to reimburse the Forfeit Fee Fund; 

i. After securing all pertinent information, the president along with league commissioners and/or rules committee, will work to determine whether to allow or disallow a protest and to decide what, if any, action shall be taken; 

j. Be responsible for collecting and tallying votes in such cases of a secret ballot. (See ARTICLE VII, SECTION 4) 

SECTION 2: LEAGUE DIVISION COMMISSIONERS The league commissioners shall: 

a. Preside at any league meeting the league president does not attend. 

b. Along with the president investigate and rule upon in-season protests. The league official shall recuse themselves if their school is involved in the protest. Remaining commissioner and rules committee will make a ruling on any protest. 

c. Receive all protests from perspective division. 

d. Vote on constitutional and sports rules and their votes shall be deemed legal under this constitution as reviewed by the designated voting member of all member schools. 

e. Serve on the Rules Committee.

SECTION 3: RULES COMMITTEE MEMBERS Rules committee members shall: 

a. Preside at any league meeting where the president and commissioners do not attend. 

b. Serve on the rules committee which meets at least once a year with a quorum of 5 members. 

c. Pass constitutional and sports rule changes with a simple majority vote. 

d. Break any ties with regard to a protest ruling in case of a commissioner or presidential recusal. 

SECTION 4: SECRETARY The League Secretary shall: 

a. Make provisions for the minutes to be recorded and delivered to all member Schools within two weeks of a meeting. 

SECTION 5: TREASURER The League Treasurer shall: 

a. Have charge of all League finances; 

b. Keep a detailed account of finances; 

c. Accept and deposit dues and fees from member schools ($500/ school year;) 

d. Balance account statements; 

e. Submit a written report of all financial transactions of the League at least once per year at the final spring meeting; 

f. Make only such expenditures from the treasury as are required for: 

i. Seasonal trophies and awards; 

ii. Postage, supplies for awards; refreshments; 

iii. Pay any other expenditure(s) authorized by a majority vote by Quorum at any officially called meeting. 

SECTION 1: Any three or more schools can petition ether league commissioner or the president for an emergency meeting. 

SECTION 2: Each member school shall send a representative to each League meeting. Each member school shall have one vote. 

SECTION 3: A quorum is reached when representatives from two‐thirds of the member schools are in attendance. A quorum is required to vote on a proposed measure. 

SECTION 4: Voting on all measures presented at a meeting shall be aye‐nay, unless any members present request a secret ballot, in which case, it must be allowed. The President shall be responsible for collecting and tallying votes when a secret ballot is called for. 

SECTION 1: By the approval of this constitution, the member schools shall be presumed to approve of the acquisition and disposition of all monies held by the League at the discretion of its officers. 

SECTION 2: No monies shall be disposed of by an officer without the expressed approval of the member schools. The only exception to this shall be the undertaking of small and necessary expenditures by the President. In such cases, these expenditures must appear on the financial report presented at the close of the year. 

SECTION 3: There shall be a fine levied against a school for failure to send a voting representative to any of the official meetings. 

SECTION 4: It is a league goal to complete all scheduled contests. Athletic directors and coaches will work together to make sure scheduled games happen. If a school cancels after 12:00 noon on the day of a game that school is responsible for all game fees including referee and gym rentals. 

SECTION 1: All constitutional and rule changes must first go through the Rules Committee. 

a. Can only be enacted by petitioning the rules committee. 

b. Students in fifth and sixth grades are eligible. 

c. Students in grades below 6th grade are eligible at the school’s discretion. (Nov. 2004) 

d. No boy is eligible to play on a girls’ team. 

e. A player must not turn 15 prior to October 1st. 

f. Homeschoolers must not turn 14 before October 1st. 

g. Girls may play on a boys’ team if a girls’ team of the same season or similar sport is not offered by the member school. 

h. Coed teams must play against boys’ teams of other member schools. 

g. Girls may not play on two different sports teams during one season. 

h. Players must play at least 50% of the regular season in order to play in the playoffs (unless excused by an injury). 

BY-LAW #4 OFFICIALS 

a. Officials shall be treated with respect by coaches, players and spectators. Officials can penalize coaches, fans and players. 

b. Payment of the officials is to be shared by the participating schools. 

c. In the case of one school canceling a game after 12:00 noon on game day the school canceling the contest will be responsible for the full fee to the official(s). 

d. Referees get full pay regardless of game completion. 

e. Officials shall not be a part of the staff of the same school unless by previous mutual agreement between the competing schools. 

f. Each official should be knowledgeable of our League rules. Yellow rule cards with rule highlights will be provided to the referees by ADs and/or coaches. 

g. When only one of two scheduled officials’ shows to officiate a game/match, the official shall be paid the full amount. 

BY-LAW #5: PROTESTS 

a. All protests must be made at the time of the action being protested. The game officials and the opposing coach must be notified (at the time of the incident) that the contest is being played under protest. 

b. All protests must be submitted in writing within 24 hours to the president and both commissioners. 

c. The game official or officials involved shall submit a report detailing the nature of the protest to: 

i. the president; 

ii. the assignor; and 

iii. the league commissioners. 

d. After securing all pertinent information, the President and both commissioners will determine whether to allow or disallow the protest and to decide what, if any, action shall be taken. 

BY‐LAW #6: SCHEDULING/SCORE REPORTING 

a. League seasons will be determined by the rules committee and released prior to the first league meeting of the year. Member schools may adjust their game schedule as necessary by mutual agreement. 

b. Season game scheduling will be done by ADs or their representative at the meeting prior to the season. The scheduling meeting is an important meeting that needs to be attended until the meeting is adjourned. Schools that miss the scheduling meeting are responsible for reaching out to opposing schools to schedule all season games within two weeks. Games unscheduled in that two week grace period are subject to forfeit by power of opposing school AD. 

c. Each team must schedule a game against every other participating school. A school’s required number of season games must be entered and submitted within two weeks of the ‘scheduling meeting’ in order to be an official season. 

d. Penalty for not scheduling all the required games within the above-mentioned time period will be that all remaining games for that school shall be forfeit. 

e. When unable to schedule the required number of games for a complete season, the member school shall be automatically disqualified from divisional playoffs for that season regardless of the W‐L standings 

f. One week before the first playoff game, all scores to date, must be entered into the league website or reported to the league president. Any results entered after that will not be part of the official record. It is best practices to report scores the evening of the game played. 

g. Each member of the school has five (5) school days in which to confirm that the season’s master schedule is accurate for their individual school’s game schedule or to make changes without penalty. 

h. ADs will confirm all games via text or email with the opposing AD 24 hours before. 

i. All fines and fees must be paid before participation in playoffs. 

j. Any game schedule changes due to schedule conflicts must be made (3) or more days before the originally scheduled contest’s date and time to avoid penalty (March 2003) 

k. Rescheduled games must be played during the regulation season calendar. 

l. ADs of both schools should reschedule contests by email with the league commissioners cc’d. ADs should then update the website and notify the officials. 

m. CANCELATION DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER: 

i. decision to play the game or not must be made by 12 noon 

ii. the AD of the home team or a school official must call the opponent’s coach 

n. Championship games will be scheduled at a neutral site. 

o. Semifinal games will be hosted by the higher seeded team. 

i. The host AD will secure the site.  

BY LAW #7: RULES 

a. All sports shall be played according to the rules established by the League in conjunction with CIF and NFS rules. 

BY LAW 8: FINANCES 

a. DUES: the League dues are established at the end of each year and each school must be current with their dues in order to qualify for postseason play. 

b. League dues are: $500. Each school must also maintain a $100 credit balance for the paying of penalty fees. 

c. FORFEIT FEE/NO ATTENDANCE FUND: Each member school must maintain credit balance for the paying of penalty fees. At the beginning of each year, member schools must have a full credit balance of $100 (Spring 2001). If the balance nears zero, the member school must bring the balance back up to $100.00 on demand. 

d. League President or Treasurer will inform a school when a fee has been withdrawn from the account: 

e. FINES are to be paid within the season that the offense occurred. 

i. The fine for missing a meeting is a $25.00. 

ii. Any referee fees incurred following a late game cancelation. 

f. LEAGUE OPERATING EXPENSES: 

i. Expenses will be reimbursed to the party who initially makes the payment at the end of the year meeting if receipts are submitted; 

ii. Stipends will be paid at the end of the year 

a. President: $650.00 

b. Secretary: $75.00 

c. Treasurer: $50.00 

d. Rules Committee: $100.00 

BY‐LAW #9: TIE BREAKERS 

a. When the overall record in the standings results in a tie between two or more teams, the following tie breaker protocol will be used: 

i. Head‐to‐head record; 

ii. Record against divisional opponents; 

iii. Possible play in game to be played at a site agreed upon by both ADs 

iv. Coin toss 

BY‐LAW # 10: FIELDS/COURTS

a. All courts and fields will be regulation size, appropriately marked, and safe for all participants. 

b. Volleyball and Basketball Semifinals and Championship games must be scheduled indoors. 

BY‐LAW #11 LEAGUE DIVISIONS (Spring 2002) 

a. The league will be divided into two divisions, the EAST and the WEST 

b. The WEST shall consist of the following schools: 

i. Waldorf

ii. Aveson Charter  

iii. New Horizon

iv. Glendale Academy 

c. The EAST shall consist of the following schools: 

i. Bethany Christian school 

ii. Barnhart School 

iii. La Canada Preparatory 

iv. Gooden School 

d. Each school plays every other school one time. 

e. Schools in opposite divisions will play each other during each season 

f. In even years (based on the fall season), member schools from the West will play at member schools from the East. 

g. In odd years (based on the fall season) member schools from the East will play at member schools from the West 

h. In the event that nine or fewer member schools provide a team in any one particular season, the divisions will be combined to form one conference. If there are 4 or less teams each team will play the other two times, once away and once at home to make a regulation season. 

i. With one conference the playoffs will be determined from the top four teams. 

BY‐LAW # 12 STANDINGS 

a. The reporting of a win is the responsibility of the home team. 

b. One week before the first playoff game, all scores to date, must be entered into the league website. Any results entered after that will not be part of the official record. It is best practices to report scores the evening of the game played. 

c. Season standings will be determined by: 

i. Overall record among full member schools; 

ii. Standings will determine the play‐off seeds; 

iii. Schools on probation are not eligible for post‐season play. 

BY‐LAW #13: PLAYOFFS AND CHAMPIONSHIPS 

a. Play‐in Round pairings will be: 

i. East 3rd‐Place Team at East 2nd‐Place Team 

ii. West 3rd‐Place Team at West 2nd‐Place Team 

b. Semi‐final (play‐off) pairings will be: 

i. Winner of East Play‐in Round at East 1st‐Place Team 

ii. Winner of West Play‐in Round at West 1st‐Place Team 

c. In the event of a combined division system, the top four teams based on the W‐L‐T standings will qualify to play in the semi‐finals with the following pairings: 

i. 4th‐Place Team at the 1st‐Place Team; 

ii. 3rd‐Place Team at the 2nd‐Place Team. 

d. No game for 3rd place will be played 

e. Semifinals and championship games will be officiated by at least one additional official than is usually used in the regular season. 

BY‐LAW# 14: END OF SEASON AWARDS 

a. The championship team will pick the finals MVP. 

b. $40.00 will be awarded to the school that finishes first in the division at the conclusion of the regular season. 

c. $25.00 will be awarded to the school with the season MVP voted upon by the ADs at the first league meeting following the championship game/match. 

d. Trophies will be paid for by the league, purchased by the division commissioners, and will be presented at championship games for 

i. Championship MVP 

ii. League Runner‐Up 

iii. League Champion