MBA Overview
Belmont High School
Belmont, Massachusetts
Marauder Basketball Association, Inc.
General Information, Policies, and Procedures
Name
The name of this organization is the Marauder Basketball Association, Inc. It was incorporated as a non-profit corporation under Chapter 180 of the Massachusetts General Laws on September 30, 1987.
Purpose
The primary purpose of the Marauder Basketball Association (MBA) is to support equally the Belmont High School boys and girls basketball programs (varsity, junior varsity, and freshmen) with activities that improve the basketball experience for all players and coaches. At its core, the MBA is a “booster” and support organization, not an advocacy group or entity focused on a particular political agenda. The MBA organizes and conducts fund raising and other activities that assist the boys and girls basketball squads. The Association has an explicit commitment to function in ways that cooperate with and otherwise support and reinforce the efforts of school district administrators, coaches, and other high school personnel. The MBA is also committed to operating in a transparent fashion to ensure that the support and cooperation it provides does not interfere with school, coach or team policies, responsibilities, and roles.
Officers
The Officers of the MBA are President, Vice President, Treasurer, Boys Varsity Basketball Coach, and Girls Varsity Basketball Coach. Since most MBA activities are project- or event-specific with a focus on raising funds or completing specific activities, the number of standing officers is intentionally kept small. It is assumed that a core group of five officers will be sufficient to facilitate delegation of MBA activities and adequate to keep Association activities on track. All activities and financial expenditures must be approved by both Varsity Coaches.
Duties of Officers
MBA President:
Presides at all Association meetings, appoints the chairs of all committees and other working groups, serves as formal spokesperson for the presentation of any MBA awards and other official Association business, functions as primary liaison with the high school Athletic Office, and performs any other duties necessary to ensure the successful operation of the Association.
MBA Vice President:
Serves as an aide to the President and performs the duties of that office in the absence of the President, coordinates the work of all MBA standing committees and other work groups (e.g., Banquet, Senior Night, Yearbook), provides general support to other MBA officers as needed. Under normal circumstances, it is expected that the Vice President will be appointed MBA President upon the conclusion of the prior President’s term of office.
MBA Treasurer:
Receives and has custody of all monies of the Association, makes all necessary deposits and withdrawals from the Association’s bank account, maintains an accurate and current record of all receipts and disbursements of the Association, reports (at least annually) on the financial standing of the Association, and files all required MBA paperwork and forms, including an Annual Report to the Massachusetts Secretary of State’s Office (due by November 1 each year).
Boys Varsity Coach:
Presents the needs, interests, and plans of the boys high school basketball program to the Association, and represents the perspective of the boys coaching staff during Association meetings and in the planning of Association activities.
Girls Varsity Coach:
Presents the needs, interests, and plans of the girls high school basketball program to the Association, and represents the perspective of the girls coaching staff during Association meetings and in the planning of Association activities.
It is important to note that an explicit focus and responsibility of all MBA officers, through consultation with the Varsity Coaches is to identify promising candidates to assume future MBA officer positions, ensure the smooth and uneventful orientation and assimilation of new officers into the functioning of the Association, and to identify capable and committed volunteers to undertake the Association’s various projects and activities. Both Varsity Coaches must approve all new board members.
Kick Off Dinner
A “kick off” organizational meeting of all MBA officers will take place each fall (ideally, in mid-to-late October) to review the status of all MBA activities and prepare for the upcoming season. This meeting will include a Treasurer’s report summarizing the current financial standing of the MBA so that all interested parties are aware of the Association’s financial condition at the outset of the season.
Appointment of Officers
MBA officers are appointed on a self-perpetuating basis. New officers are appointed via a simple majority vote of existing officers. All new officers must be appointed by, and with, the approval of both the boys and girls coaches. The term of office for all MBA officers is one year and commences with the first pre-season meeting of MBA officers (typically sometime in October or November) and concludes as of October 31 each year.Though there are no formal term limits for any MBA officer position, to ensure reasonable leadership turnover and the introduction of “new blood” to the organization, it is expected that no one individual will hold one of the officer positions for more than two consecutive years.
Term Limits
Under normal and optimal circumstances, it is expected that the MBA President will have served as Vice President immediately prior to his/her appointment to the presidency.Should a vacancy occur in the office of President, the Vice President shall become President. In case of a vacancy in the office of Vice President or Treasurer, the MBA officers will fill the vacancy through a new appointment. If/when a boys or girls varsity head coaching vacancy occurs, that officer position will remain vacant until a new coaching appointment is confirmed by the Belmont school district administration. Whenever possible and feasible, it is expected that any MBA officer who is stepping down will meet with his/her successor to orient the new officer to all required duties of the office and review the status of all current projects for which the departing officer is responsible.
Association Meetings
MBA meetings can be called by any officer. As schedules and availability permit, every effort will be made to schedule meetings as promptly as possible. For the purposes of transacting official MBA business, the presence of four officers will constitute a quorum (whenever the boys and/or girls coaches are unable to attend a meeting, every effort will be made to ensure they are aware of the meeting agenda and any planned business items facing the Association). MBA meetings are “public” and open to anyone interested in attending. During a typical calendar year, the Association will meet five times – a “kick off” organizational meeting (ideally in mid-to-late October), monthly meetings in December, January, and February, and a wrap-up/end-of-season meeting in March. Additional meetings can be scheduled on an as-needed basis. Parents of current high school basketball players and other friends of the MBA for whom the Association has valid e-mail addresses will be notified of all scheduled meetings and invited to attend. From time to time, the MBA officers may need to meet in executive session to transact certain items of business. It is expected that the MBA officers will meet in executive session very infrequently, if at all.
Financial Policies and Procedures
The financial resources of the MBA will be used to support both the boys and girls basketball programs in as balanced and equitable a way as possible. Following appropriate consultation and review, the MBA officers will determine how funds raised by the Association will be disbursed. Though the MBA officers are responsible for determining how MBA financial resources are to be spent in any given year, it is likely that the Association will direct some portion of its resources to the following annual events and activities:
Fund raising activities designed to generate financial resources to support the boys and girls basketball programs
(e.g., Marauder Yearbook, Country Store, Youth Clinics, sponsorships).
Basketball-related expenses that are not covered by the school system
(e.g., travel expense for scrimmages, referees for scrimmages).
Boys and Girls Alumni games.
Field House name boards for boys and girls varsity players.
“Senior Night” recognition for graduating boys and girls basketball players and their parents.
An end-of-season boys and girls basketball banquet.
Scholarships for graduating boys and girls basketball players.
Other non-recurring and/or “special” expenses approved by the MBA officers (e.g., support of freshmen sports).
Requests for funding and/or expense reimbursement that are not part of a pre-budgeted MBA event or activity can be initiated with the President, Vice President, or Treasurer. It is expected that approval for such expenditures will be obtained prior to making any non-budgeted purchase or incurring any non-budgeted financial obligation. Before the Treasurer issues payment or reimbursement, appropriate consultation with at least one other officer will be completed to ensure adherence to MBA financial policies and procedures. To provide adequate time for this consultation process to occur, funding requests should be made 10-14 days before the monies are needed. The officers will do their best to accommodate requests requiring faster turnaround. Checks or reimbursements with a face value in excess of $500.00 require the signature of the Treasurer and either the President or Vice President on the required check request form. Checks or reimbursements with a face value of less than $500.00 require the signature of the Treasurer only on the required check request form.
Committees, Work Groups, and Individual Volunteers
Though the MBA officers are responsible for determining how Association activities are carried out each year, it is expected that a set of committees, work groups, and/or individual volunteers will support work in several areas:
· Youth Basketball Clinics
· Pot Luck Dinner
· Alumni Game
· Country Store
· Yearbook
· Senior Night
· End-of-Season Banquet
In instances when an explicit budget for an MBA activity can be determined in advance (e.g., Alumni Game, Senior Night, Banquet), the Vice President will coordinate a meeting with the Chair of the activity and any appropriate MBA officers to communicate the designated budget figure for the activity, review the desired outcomes of the activity, discuss past history/experience with the event (particularly if the current Chair has not been involved with the activity in the past), and respond to any questions or concerns the Chair may have about the activity and his/her responsibilities for carrying it out.
All committees, work groups, and individual volunteers conducting Association-related work must retain all receipts and keep a record of all disbursements made when carrying out their work. All those conducting Association-related work must adhere to MBA financial guidelines and expense reimbursement policies and procedures. To avoid any confusion or potential frustration, committees, work groups, and individual volunteers are encouraged to direct questions or concerns to any MBA officer at any point during their work. To help plan for and guide the timing and execution of MBA work, a calendar for a “typical” year of Association activities is provided on the following page.
Review and Renewal of this “General Information, Policies, and Procedures Document”
The general information, policies, and procedures described in this document that govern the work of the MBA will be reviewed periodically, and must be reauthorized and approved annually by vote of the MBA officers. Any amendments or other changes to this document can be proposed and voted on during any MBA meeting.
MARAUDER BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION -- TYPICAL ACTIVITIES, BY MONTH
October
“Kick-Off” MBA Organizational Meeting (to include financial report)
Appointments Confirmed for any Open Officer Positions
Youth Basketball Clinic Sessions
November
November 1 - Submission Deadline for MBA Annual Report to Massachusetts Secretary of State Office by Treasurer
First Week After Rosters Finalized
Team Photos Completed
Season Kick-Off Pot Luck Dinner
Preliminary Country Store Sign Ups Completed
Online Registration Form Completed by all Players Attending Tryouts
All Committee Chair Appointments Confirmed
December
MBA Open Meeting
Yearbook Ad Drive Completed
January
Early January Banquet Planning Begins
Mid-January MBA Open Meeting
Yearbook Completed and Ready for Distribution
MBA Officer Meeting with Banquet Committee Chair(s)
MBA Officer Meeting with Senior Night Committee Chair(s)
February
MBA Open Meeting
Senior Night Ceremonies
March
Wrap Up/End of Season MBA Open Meeting
Basketball Banquet Completed
Belmont High School
Belmont, Massachusetts
Marauder Basketball Association, Inc.
General Information, Policies, and Procedures
Name
The name of this organization is the Marauder Basketball Association, Inc. It was incorporated as a non-profit corporation under Chapter 180 of the Massachusetts General Laws on September 30, 1987.
Purpose
The primary purpose of the Marauder Basketball Association (MBA) is to support equally the Belmont High School boys and girls basketball programs (varsity, junior varsity, and freshmen) with activities that improve the basketball experience for all players and coaches. At its core, the MBA is a “booster” and support organization, not an advocacy group or entity focused on a particular political agenda. The MBA organizes and conducts fund raising and other activities that assist the boys and girls basketball squads. The Association has an explicit commitment to function in ways that cooperate with and otherwise support and reinforce the efforts of school district administrators, coaches, and other high school personnel. The MBA is also committed to operating in a transparent fashion to ensure that the support and cooperation it provides does not interfere with school, coach or team policies, responsibilities, and roles.
Officers
The Officers of the MBA are President, Vice President, Treasurer, Boys Varsity Basketball Coach, and Girls Varsity Basketball Coach. Since most MBA activities are project- or event-specific with a focus on raising funds or completing specific activities, the number of standing officers is intentionally kept small. It is assumed that a core group of five officers will be sufficient to facilitate delegation of MBA activities and adequate to keep Association activities on track. All activities and financial expenditures must be approved by both Varsity Coaches.
Duties of Officers
MBA President:
Presides at all Association meetings, appoints the chairs of all committees and other working groups, serves as formal spokesperson for the presentation of any MBA awards and other official Association business, functions as primary liaison with the high school Athletic Office, and performs any other duties necessary to ensure the successful operation of the Association.
MBA Vice President:
Serves as an aide to the President and performs the duties of that office in the absence of the President, coordinates the work of all MBA standing committees and other work groups (e.g., Banquet, Senior Night, Yearbook), provides general support to other MBA officers as needed. Under normal circumstances, it is expected that the Vice President will be appointed MBA President upon the conclusion of the prior President’s term of office.
MBA Treasurer:
Receives and has custody of all monies of the Association, makes all necessary deposits and withdrawals from the Association’s bank account, maintains an accurate and current record of all receipts and disbursements of the Association, reports (at least annually) on the financial standing of the Association, and files all required MBA paperwork and forms, including an Annual Report to the Massachusetts Secretary of State’s Office (due by November 1 each year).
Boys Varsity Coach:
Presents the needs, interests, and plans of the boys high school basketball program to the Association, and represents the perspective of the boys coaching staff during Association meetings and in the planning of Association activities.
Girls Varsity Coach:
Presents the needs, interests, and plans of the girls high school basketball program to the Association, and represents the perspective of the girls coaching staff during Association meetings and in the planning of Association activities.
It is important to note that an explicit focus and responsibility of all MBA officers, through consultation with the Varsity Coaches is to identify promising candidates to assume future MBA officer positions, ensure the smooth and uneventful orientation and assimilation of new officers into the functioning of the Association, and to identify capable and committed volunteers to undertake the Association’s various projects and activities. Both Varsity Coaches must approve all new board members.
Kick Off Dinner
A “kick off” organizational meeting of all MBA officers will take place each fall (ideally, in mid-to-late October) to review the status of all MBA activities and prepare for the upcoming season. This meeting will include a Treasurer’s report summarizing the current financial standing of the MBA so that all interested parties are aware of the Association’s financial condition at the outset of the season.
Appointment of Officers
MBA officers are appointed on a self-perpetuating basis. New officers are appointed via a simple majority vote of existing officers. All new officers must be appointed by, and with, the approval of both the boys and girls coaches. The term of office for all MBA officers is one year and commences with the first pre-season meeting of MBA officers (typically sometime in October or November) and concludes as of October 31 each year.Though there are no formal term limits for any MBA officer position, to ensure reasonable leadership turnover and the introduction of “new blood” to the organization, it is expected that no one individual will hold one of the officer positions for more than two consecutive years.
Term Limits
Under normal and optimal circumstances, it is expected that the MBA President will have served as Vice President immediately prior to his/her appointment to the presidency.Should a vacancy occur in the office of President, the Vice President shall become President. In case of a vacancy in the office of Vice President or Treasurer, the MBA officers will fill the vacancy through a new appointment. If/when a boys or girls varsity head coaching vacancy occurs, that officer position will remain vacant until a new coaching appointment is confirmed by the Belmont school district administration. Whenever possible and feasible, it is expected that any MBA officer who is stepping down will meet with his/her successor to orient the new officer to all required duties of the office and review the status of all current projects for which the departing officer is responsible.
Association Meetings
MBA meetings can be called by any officer. As schedules and availability permit, every effort will be made to schedule meetings as promptly as possible. For the purposes of transacting official MBA business, the presence of four officers will constitute a quorum (whenever the boys and/or girls coaches are unable to attend a meeting, every effort will be made to ensure they are aware of the meeting agenda and any planned business items facing the Association). MBA meetings are “public” and open to anyone interested in attending. During a typical calendar year, the Association will meet five times – a “kick off” organizational meeting (ideally in mid-to-late October), monthly meetings in December, January, and February, and a wrap-up/end-of-season meeting in March. Additional meetings can be scheduled on an as-needed basis. Parents of current high school basketball players and other friends of the MBA for whom the Association has valid e-mail addresses will be notified of all scheduled meetings and invited to attend. From time to time, the MBA officers may need to meet in executive session to transact certain items of business. It is expected that the MBA officers will meet in executive session very infrequently, if at all.
Financial Policies and Procedures
The financial resources of the MBA will be used to support both the boys and girls basketball programs in as balanced and equitable a way as possible. Following appropriate consultation and review, the MBA officers will determine how funds raised by the Association will be disbursed. Though the MBA officers are responsible for determining how MBA financial resources are to be spent in any given year, it is likely that the Association will direct some portion of its resources to the following annual events and activities:
Fund raising activities designed to generate financial resources to support the boys and girls basketball programs
(e.g., Marauder Yearbook, Country Store, Youth Clinics, sponsorships).
Basketball-related expenses that are not covered by the school system
(e.g., travel expense for scrimmages, referees for scrimmages).
Boys and Girls Alumni games.
Field House name boards for boys and girls varsity players.
“Senior Night” recognition for graduating boys and girls basketball players and their parents.
An end-of-season boys and girls basketball banquet.
Scholarships for graduating boys and girls basketball players.
Other non-recurring and/or “special” expenses approved by the MBA officers (e.g., support of freshmen sports).
Requests for funding and/or expense reimbursement that are not part of a pre-budgeted MBA event or activity can be initiated with the President, Vice President, or Treasurer. It is expected that approval for such expenditures will be obtained prior to making any non-budgeted purchase or incurring any non-budgeted financial obligation. Before the Treasurer issues payment or reimbursement, appropriate consultation with at least one other officer will be completed to ensure adherence to MBA financial policies and procedures. To provide adequate time for this consultation process to occur, funding requests should be made 10-14 days before the monies are needed. The officers will do their best to accommodate requests requiring faster turnaround. Checks or reimbursements with a face value in excess of $500.00 require the signature of the Treasurer and either the President or Vice President on the required check request form. Checks or reimbursements with a face value of less than $500.00 require the signature of the Treasurer only on the required check request form.
Committees, Work Groups, and Individual Volunteers
Though the MBA officers are responsible for determining how Association activities are carried out each year, it is expected that a set of committees, work groups, and/or individual volunteers will support work in several areas:
· Youth Basketball Clinics
· Pot Luck Dinner
· Alumni Game
· Country Store
· Yearbook
· Senior Night
· End-of-Season Banquet
In instances when an explicit budget for an MBA activity can be determined in advance (e.g., Alumni Game, Senior Night, Banquet), the Vice President will coordinate a meeting with the Chair of the activity and any appropriate MBA officers to communicate the designated budget figure for the activity, review the desired outcomes of the activity, discuss past history/experience with the event (particularly if the current Chair has not been involved with the activity in the past), and respond to any questions or concerns the Chair may have about the activity and his/her responsibilities for carrying it out.
All committees, work groups, and individual volunteers conducting Association-related work must retain all receipts and keep a record of all disbursements made when carrying out their work. All those conducting Association-related work must adhere to MBA financial guidelines and expense reimbursement policies and procedures. To avoid any confusion or potential frustration, committees, work groups, and individual volunteers are encouraged to direct questions or concerns to any MBA officer at any point during their work. To help plan for and guide the timing and execution of MBA work, a calendar for a “typical” year of Association activities is provided on the following page.
Review and Renewal of this “General Information, Policies, and Procedures Document”
The general information, policies, and procedures described in this document that govern the work of the MBA will be reviewed periodically, and must be reauthorized and approved annually by vote of the MBA officers. Any amendments or other changes to this document can be proposed and voted on during any MBA meeting.
MARAUDER BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION -- TYPICAL ACTIVITIES, BY MONTH
October
“Kick-Off” MBA Organizational Meeting (to include financial report)
Appointments Confirmed for any Open Officer Positions
Youth Basketball Clinic Sessions
November
November 1 - Submission Deadline for MBA Annual Report to Massachusetts Secretary of State Office by Treasurer
First Week After Rosters Finalized
Team Photos Completed
Season Kick-Off Pot Luck Dinner
Preliminary Country Store Sign Ups Completed
Online Registration Form Completed by all Players Attending Tryouts
All Committee Chair Appointments Confirmed
December
MBA Open Meeting
Yearbook Ad Drive Completed
January
Early January Banquet Planning Begins
Mid-January MBA Open Meeting
Yearbook Completed and Ready for Distribution
MBA Officer Meeting with Banquet Committee Chair(s)
MBA Officer Meeting with Senior Night Committee Chair(s)
February
MBA Open Meeting
Senior Night Ceremonies
March
Wrap Up/End of Season MBA Open Meeting
Basketball Banquet Completed