Okanagan Mission Youth Soccer Association

Message From Your Chairman

 Dear Members

                    Over the past while you have been receiving information about the prospects of the five member clubs of COYSA (Rutland, Kelowna, Lake Country, Westside and the Mission) joining together and amalgamating into one society, or club. I would like to take this opportunity to explain how this has come about and also how your executive views this.

Structure of COYSA- The Reality

                  The Central Okanagan Youth Soccer Association (COYSA) is the umbrella organization for the five member clubs in our district. The COYSA board consists of :

                         Chair - tie breaking vote only

                         Vice-Chair- One vote

                         Treasurer- No vote

                         Administrator-No vote

                         Referee in Chief - No vote

                         Referee Scheduler- No vote

                         Kelowna club-2 reps, one vote each

                         Westside club- 2 reps, one vote each

                         Rutland club- 2 reps, one vote each

                         Lake Country club- 2 reps, one vote each

                         Mission club - 2 reps, one vote each

                         5 Director at Large positions- one vote each  

                      At a COYSA AGM or Special Meeting only the five member clubs having voting rights with 5 voting delegates each. Because it does not register players or members  COYSA itself is not its own entity and is an administrative body for the clubs. The Director at Large positions were created to "people" the board with workers who would carry out the various tasks required by youth soccer, but in actual fact these positions have tended to be filled by persons of "special interest". As your Chairman, I have made motions at the last two COYSA AGM's in order to remove these positions from the COYSA board, but each time it has failed to achieve the needed 75% majority to pass.   

                   The Kelowna United select program is a sub-committee of COYSA and serves the premier player needs for the clubs. (the Mission club has a large percentage of select players) The parents of select players have no vote when it comes to any AGM, with exception of the Mission club, and it is not clear what voice they have within the KU sub-committee board. We continue to have little impact on what happens in select soccer, even though it is a COYSA program. As the clubs are financially liable for any losses incurred by the program, budgetary and contractual  issues are still brought to us for approval, but beyond that we have no real power to direct what happens within KU. One recent example of this: the decision to add a third team at U-12 in both girls and boys and despite the fact that this directly affects the clubs, the members of COYSA were not informed.

One Club

                    You should also be aware that the idea to initiate a committee to research into a "one-club" was not officially endorsed by COYSA by way of a formal motion. It also was not spearheaded  by any of the member clubs, but came from a Director at Large. None of the clubs, including the Mission, either approved or disapproved of this committee but took a proactive approach to a different idea by seeing what the research would provide. To date, we have had an opportunity to experience the presentation by the "one-club" committee and have not found everything to our liking, although there are some good points to consider. To me, the most important question has not been answered and that is: how will the kids from our club, or any club, be accommodated in their recreational soccer pursuits? Although the suggestion was that it made sense to form teams geographically as before no one is sure how this will be attempted. The committee is only a research body yet they now are suggesting that each club take this back to their membership to be approved at our AGM's.

Amalgamation      

                  This can only happen at an AGM, or a  Special Meeting called for this  purpose, by the clubs and the members agreeing to the amalgamation by voting in favor by a 75% or greater majority margin. A copy of the new society's constitution and bylaws must be made available for viewing well in advance of the Meeting. Then, a  Special Meeting of COYSA would need needed to ratify this among the member clubs, again with a 75% majority vote. Essentially, this means four of the five clubs would need to vote favorably in order to pass.  Once the proceedings have reached this stage then the clubs and all their assets and lands transfer to the new society (one-club). After the new society has been registered and recognized by BC Societies, the former clubs are dissolved. The voting delegates from each club have no legal authority to vote contrary to what the membership decides at an AGM or  Special Meeting.

Our Position

                  As your elected representatives, your Mission executive has reached the conclusion that we will not take this to our membership unless we have a complete disclosure of facts and a valid plan for this whole thing coming together. We must ensure due process is followed in this matter and will not rush to decide this at our AGM. Unfortunately, we are being asked to accept this as a "future vision" now and decide how it is to be shaped later. This is not the due process we had anticipated.

                We will make the findings of this committee available to our membership as soon as reasonably possible. As we continue to be one of the more proactive and organized clubs in the District,  we remain unconvinced that we will benefit from this proposal. Until it is demonstrated that the "one-club" concept is in the best interests of the majority of children playing soccer in Kelowna then we will remain so.

Your Position

                One of the great things about club soccer is the fact that it allows for neighbour meeting neighbour and as a Mission club, a sense of neighbourhood and belonging. The OMYSA executive continues in this mold by having Mission residents from various backgrounds to serve the neighbourhood. We are proud of our accomplishments and wish to see it continue. Our membership is rising and the club remains financially strong, in part, due to its diligent executive. If you wish to see this club continue then I suggest you become involved. Come out and vote at our AGM. Tell us how you feel about your club and help where ever you can. Become informed, and talk to others. Let's keep our club a Mission club.

 Yours in Soccer

 Steve Guidi        

Last modified: November 02, 2005