THE BY LAWS OF THE NORTHAMPTON ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION(REVISED 1988, 1999, 2001, 2012, 2014,2018) 

ARTICLE NO. 1  NAMEthe name of the organization shall be known as the Northampton Athletic Association, in accordance with the charter of 1912, (renewed in 1946). 

ARTICLE NO. 2  OBJECTThe purpose of the Organization shall be the maintenance and encouragement of athletic sports in the Northampton School District. 

ARTICLE NO. 3  MEMBERSHIP  (revised 1999)All persons shall be eligible for active membership and voting rights in the organization who pay their annual dues of any said year, attend a minimum of six (6) meetings per year for a one (1) year period.  Every application for membership must be accompanied by payment for dues for the year.  The amount of said dues shall be determined at the January meeting of each year.  All Honory Members have the same rights as active members, except for the right to vote.  There is one set membership fee (SIGN UP FEE), whether you are a girl or boy participating in the NAA program.  Any one holding an Office in the NAA for that year are exempt from paying Membership Fee, but are members in good standing.  Any one holding a Coaching Position in any activity in the NAA, must be a member, if he does not have a Son or Daughter in the program.  Ladies Auxiliary is allowed to have 2 members acquire voting rights.  Only 2 members of there board are allowed this privilege. 

ARTICLE NO. 4  MEETINGSOne meeting of the Organization shall be held the second week of each month, to be announced by the President.  A quorum of five (5) voting members shall be sufficient to call a special meeting.  Special meetings could be anytime.  

ARTICLE NO. 5  OFFICERSA.      Qualifications:  A person wanting to be an officer in the Northampton Athletic Association must first be an active member in good standing and must meet the requirements in ARTICLE NO. 3.B.      There shall be five (5) elected officers in the Organization.  They are as follows:1.       PRESIDENT2.       VICE PRESIDENT3.       SECRETARY4.       TREASURER AND FINANCIAL SECRETARY5.       CORRESPONDING SECRETARY(Player Agent) 

ARTICLE NO. 6  DUTIES OF THE OFFICERSSection 1  The president shall be the Executive Head of the Organization and shall preside at all meetings of the Organization.  In the absence of the President, the Vice President shall preside.  IN the absence of the President and the Vice President, the Secretary and Treasurer shall preside.  The President shall enforce the Provisions of the BY LAWS herein set forth, as stated above in NO. 5B, according to the slate of officers.Section 2  The secretary shall give notice of all meetings of the Organization and shall keep minutes of all meetings.Section 3  The Treasurer shall receive membership dues.  He shall be treasurer of all Committees and Executive Officer of all auditing committees enabling him year to year to comprehensively ascertain the exact financial status of the Organization thus making available in office one  who is acquainted with the financial matter of the Organization.  He shall keep the Organization bank account and pay there from in the name of the Organization bank account and pay there from in the name of the Organization all bills as are authorized.  He shall report a monthly statement of receipts and disbursements including the balance on hand at each meeting of the Organization.  He shall submit monthly reports to the United Way.  Section 4  The Corresponding Secretary shall keep the records of the Organization and conduct its correspondence.  He shall also take care of all insurance claims.Section 5  A minimum of five (5) active members of the Organization are required to vote on any issue.  The President shall preside at all meetings but shall only vote to break a tie if one should arise.    

ARTICLE NO. 7  COMMITTEESThe Financial Committee shall consist of a minimum of 3 members of the organization.  They shall be the duty of this committee to count all receipts at all affairs involving cash intake .  They shall then turn the money over to the treasurer of a designated responsible individual for the deposit in the account of the Organization. 

ARTICLE NO. 8  ORDER OF BUSINESSAll meetings of the Organization shall be conducted in the following way:1.       Call to order2.       Reading of the minutes3.       Financial report4.       Committee reports5.       Old business6.       New business7.       Adjournment 

ARTICLE NO. 9  SELECTION OF COACHES ( Revised 2014)When a head coaching position of a traveling team is vacated, the position will be filled by a majority vote of the body, also any new  coach coming into the organization to fill a head-coaching job on a traveling team has to have a meeting with the officers of the Organization.

Any and all coaches (head coach, assistant coaches, trainers, team parent, etc.) of The Northampton Athletic Association must comply with the PA State Mandated Background Clearance guidelines . All coaches as set forth above must perform a PA State Criminal background check, a PA Child Abuse clearance and an FBI Fingerprint(or a Volunteer Disclosure if they have resided in the State of PA for the past 10 consecutive years.) prior to beginning any coaching duties  . The background clearances must be completed at least once every five years. The Officers of the Northampton Athletic Association reserve the right to request that any coach/volunteer perform a criminal background check at any time. Refusal to perform the criminal background check will prohibit that person from participation in any Northampton Athletic Association sponsored event involving youth member/athletes.  . The Officers of the Northampton Athletic Association reserve the right to revoke coaching privileges from any coach associated with the Northampton Athletic Association.

ARTICLE NO. 10  AMENDMENTSAmendments to be considered during the current year must be presented to the membership, in writing, by the January meeting. 

ARTICLE NO. 11  FUND RAISINGThere will be no fund raising drives by any coach or coaches for the purpose of raising money for the use of having a banquet or to buy trophies, jackets, shirts, etc. for any one team sponsored by this Organization. 

ARTICLE 12  FINESAny coach who is ejected from a game shall be responsible for any fines, which are assessed by the League against the NAA.  If he refuses to pay the fine, he shall be ejected from the program.    

ARTICLE NO. 13  TRAFFIC VIOLATIONSAny traffic violations committed by a member of the NAA, while driving the NAA Van, shall be the responsibility of the driver.  The driver shall pay all fines due.  Any refusal shall result in ejection from the program. 

ARTICLE NO. 14  ILLEGAL PLAYERSThe head coach of each traveling team shall be responsible for the roster of his team.  If it is discovered that he is intentionally using an illegal player, he shall be ejected from the program.  

ARTICLE NO. 15  LADIES AUXILIARY  (passed March 1999) (revised March 2001)The Ladies Auxiliary is formed as part of the NAA and as such is governed by its BY LAWS.  As being part of the organization, the ladies auxiliary must have any major decisions concerning this organization approved by the voting members of the NAA.  The ladies auxiliaries are allowed to keep their own treasury to benefit the entire organization.  All expenditures over one hundred dollars ($100.00)must be approved by the voting members of the NAA.  Once a month the ladies auxiliary will present to the officers a typed statement of their assets and disbursements.  If 2 or more officers of the Ladies Auxiliary change at the election of new officers, it is mandatory that a meeting is held between the Board of Directors, and The Ladies Auxiliary new board of officers.  The ladies are to help conduct fundraisers for this organization as a whole not just for one part of the organization.  In general, the ladies auxiliary will conduct various tasks for the overall benefit of the NAA and will exist at the discretion of the voting members of the organization.  

ARTICLE NO. 16  CONCESSION STANDSThe NAA is a nonprofit organization and as such count’s on the Baseball and Football Stands to make money, and as such when any of these stands are open for business, their will not be allowed any other facility of food stand on the NAA property, for the purpose of selling food.  The stands operation will be conducted by the President of Vice President and as such, they will make the decision what is to be sold in the stands. 

ARTICLE NO. 17  TOUNAMENTS OR CONTESTSIt is the sole responsibility of either Men or Women who are running Tournaments, or a Contest of any kind, to make sure that with running the Tournament or Contest, they will be responsible for all aspects of the Tournament or Contest on NAA property.  It is also the responsibility of such persons to make sure that the Concession Stand is in operation for the Tournament or Contest.  

ARTICLE NO. 18  LIGHTS AND FIELDSThe lights at the NAA are a Convenience for all Ball Teams.  The lights are to be used sparingly and only when necessary.  The President and Vice President have the right to Refusal of Lights.When scheduling games for Field No. 1 it has to be taken into consideration that Scheduled Games also have to be done on Saturday or Sunday afternoons, not always at night.  (THIS INCLUDES TRAVELING TEAMS, TOO).  If these rules are not followed, the President or Vice President has the right to Refusal of Lights.  Their will be no use of Lights during the school year except on Friday Nights.  GAMES MUST BE SCHEDULED SO THAT NO GAMES GO PAST 10:PM ON NIGHTS THAT THE FIELD IS BEING USED.  If these rules are not followed said coach would have to appear in front of the officers of this organization.

Article 19 passed March of 2001 
All athletes’ who participate on the flag and 80-pound football teams are required to play in at least 50% of the games.  (Passed March 1999)          THESE BY-LAWS WILL BE REVISED AT THE JANUARY, FEBRUARY AND MARCH             MEETINGS OF EACH YEAR.  ALL SUGGESTED CHANGES SHALL BE READ AND VOTED ON AT EACH MEETING AND VOTED ON AT MARCH MEETING.