Jr Maples Hockey  

Bylaws

TRITON-AMESBURY JR. MAPLES YOUTH HOCKEY LEAGUE BY-LAWS

(Established 2021, Revised 2025)


ARTICLE I: NAME

The name of the organization shall be TRITON AMESBURY JR. MAPLES YOUTH HOCKEY LEAGUE (hereinafter referred to as the “JR MAPLES" or “TAJM”).


ARTICLE II: OBJECTIVE

  1. The JR. MAPLES strive to be a high quality, competitive, community-focused non-profit, youth sports organization. The League seeks to develop in its players the values of sportsmanship, discipline, teamwork, and respect for all participants in a safe, growth-oriented environment. 
  2. The objective will be achieved by providing supervised skating and hockey instruction, adequate ice facilities, and competitive athletic hockey games. The volunteers of the League shall always bear in mind that winning is secondary to the members’ social-emotional well-being and the development of the values listed above. 
  3. It is the intent of the JR. MAPLES to provide at a minimum: an organization that will allow as many youths of the Lower Merrimack Valley, as can be accommodated, to participate in an organized competitive youth hockey program, with preparatory training sessions necessary for player growth, and entry of said player(s)/team(s) into a league program where the youth of Amesbury, Salisbury, Newbury, Rowley and surrounding communities will participate in competitive programs involving other cities and towns, representing the TRITON-AMESBURY JR. MAPLES in such leagues which are, or may be, established. The JR. MAPLES shall also, as necessary, establish and/or contract for any clinics necessary to facilitate the objectives set forth above. The competitive programs the JR MAPLES will enter will be selected in accordance with the provisions of these by-laws, and procedures and practices approved by the Board of Directors 
  4. Success of TRITON-AMESBURY JR. MAPLES will be measured by its ability to develop and retain local talent within a consistent, progressive instructional framework that follows players through each stage of their hockey experience.


ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP

  1. Membership Defined - Any person or family interested in having a child participate in the JR.MAPLES’ activities, and who desires to further its goals, is eligible to become a member upon completion of the prescribed application and payment of the dues established by the Board of Directors. Members shall be entitled to one vote at all meetings of members.
  2. All player members shall be any youth, aged 3-18, that is a registered member of the JR. MAPLES in good standing.
  3. The Board of Directors shall have the authority to suspend or revoke the membership of any member, including player members, whose conduct is considered detrimental to the objectives of the JR. MAPLES. Such dismissal shall be by two-thirds vote of the Board of Directors, at a duly constituted meeting following a recommendation from an Ad Hoc Disciplinary Committee as provided for in Section X of these bylaws. 
  4. With the approval of the Board of Directors, membership can be extended to individuals who do not have children participating in the TRITON-AMESBURY JR. MAPLES program. The individuals to whom this form of membership is accorded shall be known as “Associate Members.” To be considered for Association Membership, an individual must demonstrate to the Board of Directors their commitment to youth hockey and the principles espoused by the League.
  5. Associate Members may be appointed to the Board of Directors.


ARTICLE IV: GOVERNMENT

  1. Board of Directors - The members of the JR. MAPLES shall be governed by a Board of Directors, who may exercise all the powers of the League. Powers include the following:
  2. Membership and voting powers of the Board of Directors shall consist of not less than 60% of Board of Directors voting members who are current on their tuition payments and have children who are rostered on a current TRITON-AMESBURY JR.MAPLES team, including the Midget, Learn-to-Skate/Play and Mite Instructional Programs. 
  3. The Board of Directors shall determine all policy matters and make such reasonable decisions as may be necessary to carry out objectives and purposes of the League. 
  4. The Board of Directors shall have control and management of the property and management of the JR. MAPLES.
  5. Funds of the JR. MAPLES shall be withdrawn from a bank or banks which they are on deposit by the signature of the duly elected Treasurer, Vice President, and President.
  6. Directors - The members of the TRITON-AMESBURY JR. MAPLES at their annual meeting shall elect a Board of Directors. The Board shall consist of nine (9) Directors: six (6) general representatives, one (1) Registrar (who will also serve as the Valley Hockey League and Mass Hockey Representative), one (1) Director of Coaching, and one (1) Director of Fundraising and Community Outreach.
  7. Election - The President and Secretary of the Board of Directors will take self-nominations from the general membership for open seats thirty (30) days prior to the annual meeting of the League. Elections will be conducted by online ballot with each candidate’s self-nomination distributed to the general membership no less than five (5) days before the ballot opens. The online ballot will remain open for no less than 12 hours to ensure maximum participation. No candidate is allowed to campaign via social media platform or the candidate will be immediately disqualified. The votes will be tallied immediately following the close of the ballot by a member appointed by the Board President and results will be posted within 24 hours of the election.
  8. Tenure—The nine (9) general members of the Board of Directors shall be elected for two-year terms. The positions of Registrar, Coaching Director, Director of Fundraising and Community Outreach shall be sourced from the general members of the Board and voted on by the Board annually. Any Director may resign by delivering their written resignation to the President or Secretary of the Board. Such resignation shall be effective upon receipt.
  9. Removal – A Director may be removed from office by vote of ⅔ of the Directors then in office. 
  10. Vacancies – shall be filled by vote of the Board of Directors; such appointees will serve the duration of the term of the individual being replaced or until the next regular election, whichever occurs sooner.
  11. Officers – An Officer shall be defined as being a President, Vice President, Treasurer, or Secretary of the Board of Directors and together will comprise the Executive Board.
  12. Election, qualification, tenure—The officers shall be elected by the Board of Directors at the first meeting following the annual meeting from the 9 general board members. Each officer will be elected annually. All officers shall be members of the Jr. Maples. The Secretary shall be a resident of Massachusetts unless the Jr. MAPLES has a resident agent appointed for the purpose of service of process. No officer shall receive any compensation for the performance of their duties as such.
  13. Duties – 
  14. The President, as chief executive officer of the league, shall supervise league affairs and activities and shall make an annual report thereon to the members and shall be the Chair of the Board of Directors. They shall have voting privileges. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees and will stand up ad hoc committees as necessary. They have the right to appoint members of the league to represent the League before individuals and groups as necessary in their stead.
  15. The Vice-President shall preside at the membership and Board of Directors meeting in the absence of the President, shall also work with the President on such affairs as membership, finances, and public relations. The Vice President shall in the absence of the Treasurer maintain the books of the League to ensure consistent record keeping and will also serve as an audit point throughout the year to maintain a constant dual control of the financial records.
  16. The Secretary shall give notice of all regular and special meetings and shall keep a permanent record of the minutes of such meetings. The Secretary shall be the custodian of all official and non-financial records of the League and keep attendance of all board meetings and ensure a proper quorum attend all general membership meetings.
  17. The Treasurer shall issue notices of dues payable and be responsible for the collections thereof, submit notices of sponsors dues payable, keep the financial records of the organization, disburse funds at the direction of the Board of Directors, and shall report in detail at the annual meeting and such other times as directed on the financial condition of the League.
  18. Board Positions —to help facilitate the objectives of the League, the following board positions shall be established and preserved annually as necessary: an Equipment Manager and an Ice Scheduler. These positions are voted on through the majority vote of the Board of Directors.


ARTICLE V: MEETING

  1. The Annual meeting and the election of the Board of Directors shall be called on in May of each year. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors will be held monthly (date to be set by mutual agreement of the Board). The Secretary of the Board shall notify members three (3) days prior to meetings.
  2. Additional meetings may be called by the President at anytime or upon written request of at least three members of the board of directors or ten (10) general members of the League.
  3. A duly constituted meeting of the Board of Directors shall be one at which the majority members of the Board are present. 
  4. A majority of voting members at such meetings shall govern except when otherwise provided for by these by-laws.
  5. For Board of Directors meetings, a quorum of five voting members must exist to conduct board business. Each voting member present shall have one vote for each item presented to vote at each meeting.
  6. The monthly Board meetings shall be open to the general membership of the League. The Board of Directors shall go into executive session, at its discretion, to discuss matters which may contain confidential information such as a family’s financial status or matters surrounding a player’s skills, safety or medical condition


ARTICLE VI: FINANCIAL POLICY

  1. Except as from time to time otherwise determined by the Directors, the fiscal year of the League shall be the twelve months ending June 30.
  2. It shall be a permanent policy to place all income in a common League Treasury. The Board of Directors shall decide matters pertaining to the finances of the League directing the expenditure of the same in such a manner as will give no individual or team an advantage over the others as to equipment, ice facilities etc…
  3. The Treasurer, Vice President, and President of the League shall receive all the income of the League and shall be empowered to sign all checks for all payment of bills properly incurred by the Board of Directors or the League.
  4. The Board of Directors shall not permit the contribution of funds to individuals or teams without its authorization as shall solicit the same for the common treasury of the League. The above regulation is to discourage favoritism among teams and endeavor to equalize the benefits of the League.
  5. Bonding of the Treasurer, Vice President, and President may be designated by the Board of Directors. If so designated, the expense of said bond will be borne by the League.
  6. The registration and program fees of the League shall be voted on annually by the Board of Directors and encompassed in a document entitled “Fee Policy.” The Fee Policy will be made available to membership via the League website. To remain a member of good standing, fee payments to the League shall be current. Failure to remain current with the fee payment schedule can result in immediate suspension from League activities. The Board of Directors reserves the right to make special exemptions for fee timelines based on financial hardship.


ARTICLE VII: RULES

The Official Playing Rules and Regulations of USA Hockey and/or Massachusetts Hockey Inc. shall be binding on the League except where such rules conflict with any local rules sponsored by this League.


ARTICLE VIII: AMENDMENTS

These by-laws or any section thereof may be amended or repealed by ⅔ vote of the Board of Directors provided that notice of the amendments are made public to the general membership via email at least 10 days before the monthly meeting where the amendment or repeal will be voted. 


ARTICLE IX: STANDING COMMITTEES

The Board of Directors at their annual meeting shall appoint the following committees. All Board members must serve on at least one standing committee. General members who wish to join a committee after the annual meeting has taken place shall seek normal appointment at any duly constituted meeting of the board of directors. Committee Chairs shall provide updated status reports for their committees at the Board of Directors monthly meeting or by providing said report to an officer of the Board to report in their stead. All general members of the League are eligible to serve on a committee. All Committees shall remain active for a term of one year commencing at the first monthly meeting after the general election.

  1. Audit, Budget, and Finance Committee:
  2. The Auditing Committee shall be composed of at least one board of directors’ member and may include other general members of the league.
  3. The Treasurer of the League shall serve as chair of this committee.
  4. It shall be the duty of the Auditing, Budget and Finance Committee to present to the board of directors a written report of the financial condition of the League. Said report is to be presented to the Board of Directors at the first regular meeting following the appointment of the committee.
  5. The Fundraising and Community Outreach Committee:
  6. The Fundraising and Community Outreach Committee shall be composed of at least one Board of Directors member and may include other general members of the league.
  7. The duly elected Director of Fundraising and Community Outreach shall serve as chair of this committee.
  8. The board of directors shall appoint a co-chairperson to this committee by June 1st annually.
  9. It shall be the duty of this committee to raise funds for and promote the league, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors.
  10. Compliance Committee:
  11. The Compliance Committee shall consist of at least one member of the Board of Directors and may include other general members of the league. 
  12. The Registrar of the League will serve as the chairperson of the Compliance Committee.
  13. It shall be the duty of this committee to ensure that the following requirements are being met:
  14. Rosters
  15. Registration
  16. CORI/SafeSport compliance
  17. Coaching patches (Coaching Education Program)
  18. AMD Certification
  19. USA HOCKEY Registration
  20. Valley Hockey League Registration
  21. Coaches and Player Development Committee:
  22. This committee will include at least one member of the board of directors and may include other general members of the league. The duly elected Director of Coaching shall serve as chair of this committee. The Coaches and Player Development Committee:
  23. will create and maintain a repository of drills or access to drills based on the American Development Model (ADM)
  24. Have an initial meeting before the start of the season with all team managers, coaches, and assistant coaches to inform them of the League’s objectives.
  25. Will attend in person or virtually any games and/or practices as to survey the development status of any or all teams
  26. To investigate and address any and all conflicts which may occur regarding a coach before and if it needs to be presented to the Board of Directors.
  27. Communicate changes and new program initiatives to coaches of the League
  28. Ensure new skills and drills are being introduced and followed
  29. Player Placement Committee:
  30. The Player Placement Committee shall be composed of one member of the Board of Directors, the president, and vice president and chaired by the Director of Coaching. 
  31. It will be the duty of this committee to organize and coordinate tryouts and evaluation tools to ensure an equal opportunity to each player to qualify for a team next season. The committee shall use the following guidelines to aid them in the creation of competitive teams:
  32. The Player Placement Committee will organize, develop, and deploy a player evaluation for each coach to fill out prior to tryouts.
  33. The Player Placement Committee will develop and use an evaluation rubric to be used during the on-ice tryout to score each individual.
  34. The tryout score and player evaluation will be combined and reviewed in order to place individuals on teams for the following season.
  35. The Player Placement Committee shall hold meetings with each age division’s coaches following the conclusion of try-outs to review proposed rosters. This meeting will occur in a timely fashion based on availability of participants.      


ARTICLE X: AD HOC COMMITTEES

  1. The President of the Board may at any time create ad hoc committees to address specific concerns of the League.
  2. Disciplinary Committee: When issues related to inappropriate behavior or violations of the player, parent, or coach code of conduct are reported to the Board or Executive Board, the Board President will identify a Disciplinary committee.
  3. This committee should have no direct conflicts of interest, such as having a board member with a child on the team where the issue occurs. Each Disciplinary Committee will be both temporary and have different members. It is an Ad-Hoc committee.
  4. The committee will investigate the incident and either make recommendations to the board or, if so charged by the President of the Board, enact those recommendations. In either case, a report to the board as to the results of the investigation and the consequences enforced must be made.
  5. Bylaws Committee:
  6. The Bylaws Committee shall consist of at least one member of the Board of Directors and may include other general members of the league.
  7. 

ARTICLE XI: DISBANDING

In the event that this League should ever be dissolved, all of its assets will be given to an area non-profit organization. A ⅔ vote of the total Board of Directors will be necessary for the League to be dissolved.

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