Bylaw


Article I: Name
Section 1This organization shall be known as the CENTRAL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION OF THE DEAF (CAAD). It is affiliated with the United States American Deaf Basketball (USADB) and National Softball Association of the Deaf (NSAD).
Article II: Objectives
Section 1To foster and improve athletic for the deaf throughout its region in accordance with the standards and under the rules and regulations prescribed by the USADB and NSAD.
Section 2To protect and promote the mutual interests of the member clubs of the deaf.
Section 3To institute and award the athletic championships of this Association.
Section 4To send the Championship team to represent this Association in all annual USADB and NSAD national athletic tournaments.
Article III: Region
Section 1The region under the jurisdiction of this Association shall be composed of the states of ILLINOIS, INDIANA, KENTUCKY, MICHIGAN, OHIO, WISCONSIN, and PENNSYLVANIA.
Article IV: Membership
Section 1The membership of this Association shall be limited to bona fide clubs of the deaf, affiliated with the USADB and/or NSAD.
Section 2A bona fide club of the deaf is defined as one that meets at regular intervals for the transaction of business, elects its own officers to administer its affairs, and has been in existence for at least one year. Its application for membership of this region must be ratified by the Board of Directors at one of its Board meetings.
Section 3Each member club of the deaf must be fully organized and assumes full responsibility for the athletic teams representing it.
Section 4Each member club shall send in to the Secretary-Treasurer of this Association its list of club officers, including the home address of its Secretary-Treasurer, after its annual election meeting.
Section 5Each member club shall also send a copy of its definite membership section, as it is read in its club's constitution and by-laws, to the Secretary-Treasurer of this Association.
Section 6Where as any member club of this Association may withdraw from this Association at any time it chooses, a full year must elapse before it may rejoin this Association.
Article V: Officers and Oath
Section 1The Officers of this Association shall be a President/Commissioner, a Vice-President/Deputy Commissioner, a Secretary-Treasurer, and a Sports Commissioner/Sports Information Director.
Section 2The President/Commissioner, Vice-President/Deputy Commissioner Secretary-Treasurer, and Sports Commissioner/Sports Information Director shall be elected by a majority vote at the meeting of this Association's Board of Directors, for a term of two (2) years beginning at odd numbered year during the annual regional basketball tournament session. The term starting as on May 1st and terminates on April 30th.
Section 3One of the Officers of this Association shall be a member of the Executive Committee of the USADB and NSAD.
Section 4No officers during his/her term in this Association shall be eligible to hold office in any national level sports organization that CAAD is affiliated with.
Section 5No hearing person shall be permitted to run for any office of this Association.
Section 6No past officer who is Hall of Famer (Leadership Category) shall be eligible to hold office in this Association after four (4) years elapse not holding office.
Section 7The newly-elected officers of this Association will take this oath at the installation ceremony:
"Do you solemnly swear to uphold the Rules and Regulations of this Association, to perform the duties of your office to the best of your Ability; to be firm, yet fair, to all; diligently at all times towards the betterment of this association?"
Article VI: Duties And Powers Of Officers
Section 1 The President/Commissioner of this Association shall:
  1. Preside at all of this Association's Board of Directors meetings.
  2. Conduct all business of this Association's Executive Board.
  3. Perform other such duties appertaining to the office of the President/Commissioner of this Association.
  4. Appoint a volunteer to assist the Secretary-Treasurer of this Association during all meetings of this Association.
  5. Announce the selection of the new Law Committee members at the intermission of the championship basketball game.
  6. Publish the activities of this Association.
  7. Report the activities to the Sports Information Director of USADB and NSAD.
  8. Serve as the Chairperson of the Publicity Committee of this Association.
Section 2 The Vice-President/Deputy Commissioner of this Association shall:
  1. Have the power to perform the duties of the President/Commissioner of this Association in the absence or inability of the latter to act.
  2. Serve as the Chairperson of the Law Committee of this Association.
  3. Call the meeting during volleyball tournament on voluntary basis when it is necessary.
  4. Law committee meeting be held twice a year during basketball and softball tournament.
  5. Serve as the Chairperson of the Hall of Fame Committee of this Association.
  6. Be held responsible for overseeing the elections and announcing the results for the Hall of Fame of this Association.
  7. Submit his/her proposal timetable with dates of Hall of Fame for the Executive Board's approval on a yearly basis. (see Standing Rules Hall of Fame Policy, SR IV 4)
  8. Provide the Host Club the Hall of Fame of fame honorees portfolio (pictures) for the Host Club's program book.
Section 3 The Secretary-Treasurer of this Association shall:
  1. Keep accurate records of all meetings of this Association's Board of Directors and the Executive Board.
  2. Conduct all official correspondences.
  3. Issue notices of all meeting dates of the Board of Directors and the Executive Board.
  4. Keep a complete and accurate record of all athletic events held under the jurisdiction of this Association.
  5. Perform other such duties as may be prescribed by the Rules and Regulations of this Association.
  6. Be bonded by this Association at a sum set by the Executive Board of this Association.
  7. Receive all monies of this Association.
  8. Pay bills approved by the President/Commissioner of this Association with the consent of the Executive Board of this Association.
  9. Deposit all monies to the credit of this Association in a savings bank of his/her residential city.
  10. Submit and turn over to this Association's Auditing Committee all the monies, books,accounts, papers, vouchers, receipts, and records, including bank books, appertaining to his/her office.
  11. Turn over the same to his/her successor, when elected.
  12. Include two (2) more authorized signatures to all Association's bank accounts. The two Additional authorized signatures will be the President/Commissioner and Vice-President/Deputy Commissioner.
  13. Keep the duplicate copies of all his/her correspondences for this Association.
  14. Send minutes of any meeting of the Board of Directors of this Association to all the member clubs and to all the members of the Board of Directors of this Association within sixty (60) days after said meetings of this Association.
  15. Send minutes of this Association's meetings of the Board of Directors to the newly elected and appointed officers, past president/Commissioner, and delegates-at-large of the USADB and NSAD within sixty (60) days after said meetings of this Association.
  16. Mail the official USADB basketball players registration forms to all member clubs having basketball teams in this Association immediately after receiving the member club's membership application and dues on and before December 1st.
  17. Print the registration forms for the tournament sessions of this Association which will be billed to the Host Club and send same to the tournament chairperson of the next Host Club prior to said host's tournament. The tournament chairperson of the Host Club is required to surrender to the Secretary-Treasurer of this Association all left-over forms and monies received from the sales of these items, directly after the completion of any CAAD regional tournament.
  18. Handle the applications for member club membership.
  19. Mail the official softball players' registration forms of this Association to all member clubs of this Association on or before June 1st of each year. Each member club must return the registration form, along with its entry, forfeit fees, and the score sheets between the member club teams to the Sport Commissioner of the Association on or before the deadline date of July 1st of each year. No period of grace shall be extended after July 1st date.
  20. Prepare on annual financial statement in order to satisfy the I.R.S. criteria.
  21. Be held responsible for handling the official players' list of the championship basketball team of this Association by turning said list and national basketball tournament instructions over to the athletic director/manager of the championship basketball team, immediately after the regional basketball championship game.
  22. Shall mail VB registration with basketball rosters, usually in February; basketball registration with the CAAD membership fees and softball minutes, usually in October pending USADB; Softball registration forms with basketball minutes, usually in March/April pending NSAD. The player's registration fees for all sports are due by the deadline stated on the entry forms. Fees are not refundable after the deadline unless it is a hardship situation, as approved by the Executive Board and host.
  23. Delegate Application Form shall be attached to all sports team registration form.
  24. Secretary/Treasurer shall submit the checks that are made out to himself/herself to the President /Commissioner for his/her approval before the secretary/treasurer can cash the check.
Section 4 The Sports Commissioner/Sports Information Director of this Association shall:
  1. Conduct any athletic tournament sanctioned by this Association.
  2. Keep accurate records of all the players and their playing records in all tournaments held by this Association.
  3. Furnish the tournament Host Club and tournament aides with clipboards, score sheets, and instructions for selecting the All-Star teams in all tournaments held by this Association.
  4. Provide all-time high statistics for public observation and for printing in the program books prior to all tournaments.
  5. Have two (2) scorekeepers to participate on All-Star committee for teams.
  6. Be responsible for settling any disputes in the tournaments that may occur, subject to the approval of the Executive Board of this Association.
  7. Handle the tournament players' registration forms (Men and Women) and prepare the rosters and mail them to the clubs.
  8. Perform the site inspection in the next year host club's town in one (1) year advance.
  9. Send to all member clubs of this Association a complete and official list of the eligible players for the Regional Softball, Basketball, and Volleyball Tournaments of this Association at least 2 weeks prior to such tournaments respectfully.
  10. Compile a complete statistics on all athletic tournament teams and mail complete statistics on men and women athletic tournaments to all clubs that participated in the tournament.
  11. Appoint two Law Committee members to assist the Sports Commissioner/Sports Information Director during the regional tournaments subject to the approval of the Executive Board.
  12. Each USADB/CAAD basketball entry form must be sent to the Sport Commissioner/Sports Information Director of this Association along with its team entry fee (See Appendix B10) postmarked on or before the deadline date of third (3rd) Tuesday of January of each year. The total forfeit fees (See Appendix A16) will go to Host Club if the team backs out of tournament. Teams that show up will get a full refund (See Appendix A15).
Article VII: Board of Directors
Section 1 The management of the affairs of this Association shall be delegated to a Board of Directors, composed of:
  1. The four (4) officers of this Association.
  2. One delegate from each member club of this Association.
  3. The current General Chairperson of the local tournament committee.
  4. The Law Committee of this Association.
  5. The Past Officers of this Association as Delegate-at-Large.
  6. Each such member of the Board of Directors of this Association shall have only (1) vote.
Section 2Each active member club of this Association shall at its December or January meeting, elect a delegate to attend all the Board of Directors' meetings of this Association. Such delegate shall be on call to respond for all meetings of this Association for a term of one year or until a successor has been elected or appointed to take his/her place.
Section 3The delegate from each active member club of this Association shall be a non-player, if possible.
Section 4Delegate's credential must sign by Club President and /or Secretary.
Section 5Each Past Secretary-Treasurer who has served at least four (4) years shall be given the title of "Delegate-at-Large" as a Past Secretary-Treasurer in order to attend the CAAD meetings.
Section 6Each of Past Officer except Past President/Commissioner and Past Secretary-Treasurer, serving at least six (6) years shall be given the title of "Delegate at Large" as an officer in order to attend the CAAD meetings.
Section 7Each Past President/Commissioner shall be given the title of "Delegate at Large" as an officer in order to attend the CAAD meetings.
Section 8In the event the officers of this Association are unable to attend the Annual meeting of the Board of Directors of the USADB and/or NSAD, any one of the Past Presidents/Commissioners of this Association shall be chosen by a single majority of the members of the Board of Directors of this Association.
Article VIII: Meetings Of The Board Of Directors/Order Of Business
Section 1The Board of Directors of this Association shall hold any meetings of its regional tournaments.
Section 2At least two (2) weeks notice of all Board of Directors meetings of this Association shall be mailed by the Sports Commissioner/Sports Information Director of this Association to all the member clubs of this Association and to all the members of the Board of Directors of this Association.
Section 3A quorum of at least thirty percent (30%) of all the members of the Board of Directors of this Association shall be necessary for the transaction of business at any meeting of the Board of Directors of this Association.
Section 4Only the President/Commissioner and Secretary-Treasurer of this Association shall sit at the head table (platform) during the Board of Director meeting. All other officers of this Association will be seated along with the club representatives, Law committee members, and past Presidents/Commissioners.
Section 5The drawing for Basketball and Volleyball tournament shall be conducted during the Sports Commissioner's report at the Board of Director meeting.
Section 6 At each regular board meeting of the Board of Directors of this Association, the following shall be the order of business:
  1. Pledge to the Flag
  2. Necrology
  3. Roll Call of all the Members of the Board of Directors
  4. Reading of the Minutes
  5. Reports of the Officers
  6. Reports of the Committees
  7. Unfinished Business
  8. Ratify New Clubs
  9. Appeals and Protests
  10. New Business
  11. Selection of CAAD Tournament City
  12. Election of Officers (during the Annual Basketball Tournament)
  13. Good of the Order
  14. Adjournment
Section 7The Robert Rules of Order shall govern the meeting of this Association. (The Secretary-Treasurer of this Association is not required to put the person who seconded the motion on the official minutes.)
Section 8Smoking shall be banned in all meetings.
Article IX: Duties And Powers Of The Executive Board
Section 1
  1. The Executive Board of this Association shall consist of four (4) officers of this Association: the President/Commissioner, the Vice-President/Deputy Commissioner, the Secretary-Treasurer, and the Sports Commissioner/Sports Information Director.
  2. The Executive Board of this Association shall have charge of the affairs of this Association during the interval of the regular board meetings of the Board of Directors of this Association.
  3. The Executive Board of this Association shall admit to membership any club of the deaf eligible under these rules and regulations applying therefore, if they deem proper. These new member clubs' membership shall be ratified by the Board of Directors of this Association at its next regular board meeting of this Association.
  4. The Executive Board of this Association shall reject any athletic team entries (if deemed objectionable) at any championship tournaments of this Association.
  5. The Executive Board of this Association shall fill any vacancies in this Association's Executive Board. If the Executive Board can not find suitable replacement from the Law Committee members or the past officers to fill the vacancy of the Executive Board, has right to appoint someone with proper background outside to fill the vacancy until next election.
  6. The Executive Board of this Association shall collect the dues and funds of this Association and to expend the same.
  7. The Executive Board of this Association shall explain, define and interpret any provisions of the Rules and Regulations of this Association upon request of a member club of this Association.
  8. The Executive Board of this Association shall remove from office, by a two-third (2/3) vote,any member of the Executive Board of this Association who, by neglect of duty, or by conduct tending to impair his/her usefulness as a member of such Board, shall be deemed to have forfeited his/her position as a member of the Executive Board of this Association.
  9. The Executive Board of this Association shall be integrated with the Law Committee as a whole during the Law Committee meetings.
  10. The Executive Board of this Association shall select one of its own officers or any one of the Law Committee members to visit the site one year in advance and only sites that are not familiar to CAAD that person shall make their written report to the Executive Board concerning site if the Sports Commissioner/Sports Information Director cannot make it.
  11. Power of seeding and drawing of softball teams for any Regional Softball Tournament of this Association to be invested in the hands of the Executive Board of this Association and such transaction shall be made public during the Board of Directors meeting. Should there be more than eight (8) participating teams, we shall recognize four (4) top seeded teams.
  12. Power of seeding and drawing of teams for any Regional Basketball tournament of this Association shall be invested in the hands of the Executive Board of this Association and such transaction shall be made public during the Board of Directors meeting. Where a bye is necessary, the defending champion shall be given the bye.
  13. Power of seeding and drawing of teams for any Regional Volleyball tournament of this Association shall be invested in the hands of the Executive Board of this Association and such transaction shall be made public during the Board of Directors meeting. Where a bye is necessary, the defending champion shall be given the bye.
  14. The Executive Board of this Association shall not allow any officer to be a chairperson of any regional tournament.
Article X: Dues And Expenses
Section 1Each active member club of the deaf shall pay annually its renewal membership dues (See Appendix B1) for the USADB and/or NSAD and the CAAD to the Secretary-Treasurer of this Association before December 1st to be eligible for regional basketball and/or softball tournament participation.
Section 2This Association shall pay annually to the USADB and NSAD its regional fee (See Appendix A1).
Section 3
  1. The Secretary-Treasurer of this Association shall collect all membership dues for the USADB and remit said dues to the Secretary-Treasurer of the USADB, postmarked on or before the first day of February. Each member club shall be fined (See Appendix B1) for failure to meet this deadline.
  2. The Secretary-Treasurer of this Association shall collect all membership dues for the NSAD and remit said dues to the Secretary-Treasurer of the NSAD, postmarked on or before the first day of July. Each member club shall be fined (See Appendix B1) for failure to meet this deadline.
Section 4The receipts from dues and all other sources shall be devoted to defraying the cost of the annual dues of this Association to the USADB and NSAD, and for printing and other necessary expenses incurred by the Executive Board of this Association.
Section 5Transportation expenses (airplane round trip lowest applicable fare) of the four (4) officers of this Association, to and from this Association's tournament city, shall be paid in full by the Host Club sponsoring such tournament. The Host Club and officers of this Association, who live within 100 miles of this Association's tournament city, shall receive an amount for gas expenses instead of round trip airfare. Transportation expenses (airplane one-way lowest applicable fare) and hotel expenses (two nights - hotel rate) of each member of the Law Committee of this Association shall be paid out of the funds of this Association. (Refer to Article XI, Section 2) (See Appendix A5 & A6)
Section 6Hotel bills of the four (4) officers of this Association by all tournament sites shall be paid in full by the Host Club sponsoring such tournament. Each officer shall be responsible for any incidental expenses. The hotel bills will share the 50-50% with the Host Club and this Association during the volleyball tournament. (See Appendix A3 & B6)
Section 7The four (4) officers of this Association shall be paid per diem per day for three (3) days (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) and the Law Committee members shall be paid per diem for one (1) day. This per diem will be paid out of the funds of this Association. (See Appendix A7 & A8)
Section 8The Secretary-Treasurer of this Association shall receive as compensation during his/her term of office, an amount (See Appendix A11), payable every April 30.
Section 9The Sports Commissioner/Sports Information Director of this Association shall receive as compensation during his/her term of office, an amount (See Appendix A12), and payable every April 30.
Section 10There shall be no compensation for lost time by the officers of this Association in attending any meetings of this Association.
Section 11The President/Commissioner of this Association shall be authorized up to the limit of amount (See Appendix A10) for expenses pertaining to the USADB and NSAD's business.
Section 12This Association shall not be held responsible for transportation, lodging, lost time compensation, and combination ticket expenses incurred by delegates attending the meetings of the Board of Directors of this Association.
Section 13The officers of this Association, the members of the Law Committee of this Association, and Hall of Famers shall be admitted to all tournament games and ballroom of this Association at a CAAD registration fee (See Appendix B13). The Past Presidents/Commissioners and Past Secretary-Treasurer of this Association, each Delegate of the active member club, Delegate at Large of this Association, and all eligible players and cheerleaders shall be admitted to all tournament games and ballroom of this Association at a special player's rate (See Appendix B14).
Section 14An individual registration fee (See Appendix B13) at all regional tournaments of this Association shall apply to all people attending any regional tournament. All registration fees and ballroom rates set by the Host Club shall be made in advance to the Secretary-Treasurer of this Association prior to any regional tournaments. The Host Club shall remit the net proceeds of the individual registration fees to the Secretary-Treasurer of this Association at the last day of its tournament after the Host Club closed the Admission and any adjustment remaining balance due within thirty (30) days following the tournament.
Section 15This Association shall purchase annually a full-page advertisement in the program booklet of the Host Club sponsoring a regional tournament of this Association and also a full-page advertisement in the program booklet of any CAAD Host Club sponsoring any National Tournaments for the USADB and NSAD.
Section 16This Association shall grant the championship basketball team and two slo-pitch softball teams (Champion and Runner-up) of this Association a sum (See Appendix A18) each annually to help with expenses to the National Basketball of the USADB and Softball Tournaments of the NSAD. The Executive Board shall be empowered to determine the amount to be given to championship teams without the approval of the Board of Directors. In order for women team to receive equal amount of championship money that the men may receive, there must be at least a such number of women teams playing in a tournament (See Appendix A18).
Section 17This Association shall allow the Vice President/Deputy Commissioner (Hall of Fame Director) of this Association a sum (See Appendix A14) for allowance as to expenses incurred by this committee. In additional, the award expense for the Hall of Fame will be paid up to the limited amount (See Appendix A14) from this Association Fund.
Section 18Any amount (See Appendix A19) for an expense should be approved by the Secretary-Treasurer for all officers and the Law Committee.
Section 19The players' registration fees paid for all sports are not refundable after the deadline unless it is a hardship situation, and then only with approval by both the Executive Board and the host.
Article XI: Committees
Section 1The Law Committee of this Association shall consist of the Vice-President/Deputy Commissioner of this Association, as Chairperson, and three (3) members from the member clubs of this Association, appointed by the Elected Executive Board of this Association. The Chairperson shall rule on all questions pertaining to the Rules and Regulations of this Association, subject to appeal to the Executive Board of this Association. This committee shall have authority to propose amendments of its own to the Rules and Regulations of this Association. The members of the Law Committee of this Association shall serve for a term of (2) two years and their names and home addresses shall be on the letterhead of this Association.
Section 2Should a member of the Law Committee deem it necessary to arrive a day early to attend the Law Committee meeting, then the CAAD shall be responsible for his/her lodging expense (hotel rate during CAAD tournament). (Refer to Article X, Section 6)
Section 3The members of the Law Committee of this Association shall have voice and vote privileges in the Board meeting of the Board of Directors.
Section 4The Executive Board, Law Committee members, and Member clubs shall have the privilege of making law proposals during the Law Committee meeting with no thirty (30) days restriction.
Section 5The President/Commissioner of this Association with the approval of the Executive Board of this Association shall appoint an Auditing Committee, which shall audit and examine the accounts of the Secretary-Treasurer of this Association, and shall make its report at the Board meetings of the Board of Directors of this Association. The Chairman of the Auditing Committee will be held responsible for submitting the report at said meeting of this Association.
Section 6The Auditing Committee of this Association shall also on order of the President/Commissioner of this Association, require the Secretary-Treasurer of this Association to turn over all monies, books, papers, vouchers, bank statements and other records, pertaining to his/her office, to his/her successor before May 1st, when elected by the members of the Board of Directors of this Association.
Section 7Other special committees as may be deemed necessary shall be appointed by the President/Commissioner of this Association with the approval of the Executive Board of this Association.
Section 8The Law Committee of this Association may observe the Executive Board's meeting except for the sensitive issues, which will be closed to everyone except for the Executive Board. The Law Committee member shall not have the privilege of having voice and vote in the Executive Board Meeting.
Section 9This Association shall have at least one (1) woman representing on Law Committee.
Section 10The Law Committee shall be balanced with age (good combination of young and old members.)
Article XII: Dissolution Clause
Section 1Upon the dissolution of the Association, the Association shall, after paying or making provisions for the payment of all the liabilities of the Association, transfer all assets of the Association to the Clubs equally under Section 501 (C) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law). In the event that USADB and/or NSAD no longer qualifies as an exempt organization, or that USADB and/or NSAD no longer exists, then the association shall dispose of all the assets of the Association exclusively for the purposes of the Association in such manner, or to such organization or organizations organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational, religious, or scientific purposes as shall at the time qualify as an exempt organization or organizations under Section 501 (C) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law), as the Board of Trustees shall determine. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by the Court of Common Pleas of the county in which the principal office of the Association is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.
Article XIII: Association Status
Section 1
Purpose:		The Association is organized exclusively for charitable, educational, religious, or scientific purposes within the meaning of Section 501 (C) (3) of the International Revenue Code.
Section 2
Inurement Of Income:		No part of the net earnings of the Association shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to, its members, trustees, officers or other private persons except that the Association shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for service rendered.
Section 3
Legislative Or Political Activities:		No substantial part of the activities of the Association shall be the carrying on of propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence legislation and the Association shall not participate in or intervene (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.
Section 4
Operational Limitations:		Notwithstanding any other provisions of these articles, the Association shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by an Association exempt from Federal Income Tax under Section 501 (C) (3) of the Internal Revenue code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law) (fb) by an Association, contributions to which are deductible under Section 170 (C) (2) of the Internal Revenue Code of the 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United State Internal Law).