Smith College Fencing Club Charter
Last ammended January 2003
Purpose:
The Fencing Club is committed to providing students with an opportunity to learn and practice the sport of fencing (Sport/Olympic Fencing, as different from Classical or SCA Fencing), as well as to compete in formal and informal tournaments. The Fencing Club is under the supervision of the Smith Athletic Association.
Membership:
The Fencing Club is open to all members of the Smith and 5-College communities, regardless of previous fencing experience. The Fencing Club welcomes and will gladly teach beginners. Dues will be required of all official members, but provisions will be made in cases of financial hardship. There is no limit on the number of members.
Duties of Members:
Members are expected to show up at all practices and meets possible. If they will not be there they should contact their squad leader and the coach beforehand. Members are expected to volunteer for tasks and generally help with the running of the club.
Eligibility for Competitive Slots:
To be eligible for a slot you must:
1. Attend the previous three practices
2. Work well with all members of the team
3. Accept the coach’s decisions concerning eligibility
The slot that you take is based on:
1. Competitive record first and foremost
2. In-club round robins
Slots are determined with a focus on competitive success. Substitutions will be made to further this goal, with the assumption that this is a viable strategic measure. In the event of equality of eligibility, it is assumed measures will be taken to allow the greatest number of people the opportunity to compete. The vice president will endeavor to secure informal meets at which those whose skill level is lower may have an opportunity to compete.
Coach’s discretion can override the explicit wording of the criteria for awarding slots, should extenuating circumstances arise.
If there are problems they must be brought to the coach.
Advisor:
The Fencing Club will have Reverend Kim H. Sung as its advisor.
Coach Job Description:
The coach is expected to show up for all practices and meets on time and to notify the top officers of any absence in advance. At practice the coach is expected to provide varied drills and to divide his time evenly between all squads and team members. This plan should be responsive to the needs of the team concerning pace and difficulty. This plan should modified as needed with feedback from the team and squad leaders, and modifications should be implemented immediately. The coach is expected to determine competitive slots and substitution during competition, based on the criteria detailed in this document. The coach should be constantly willing to improve his knowledge of fencing and sports medicine.
The coach should maintain an attitude that is inspirational to the team, generates respect from the team, and reciprocates that respect. The coach should be approachable for any team member, and should listen to the needs of the team. The coach will maintain a professional attitude at practice, and a professional distance from the team members. The coach shall not be romantically involved with any team member.
Elections:
The Fencing Club will hold annual elections for its offices in the first week of February. This will give the new officers time to learn their duties under the supervision of the old officers. Paper will be passed around for those wishing to nominate themselves or somebody else for any office. Votes will be taken at the next practice and tallied by the coach. All dues-paying members will have voting privileges.
Officers:
It is vital that people running for Office be able to carry out their duties. They must be committed to the team and to their work. If they are having trouble with their responsibilities then they should talk to the coach. These Officers should be seen as co-ordinators, and should not have to do everything related to their particular job. It is important that each officer leaves a clear paper trail for her successor.
The President is a liaison to the school and athletic administration. She is in charge of co-ordinating the other officers.
The Treasurer is in charge of all monetary transactions, including dues, budgeting, and all interactions with the student bank and college financial bodies.
The Fundraising Goddess is in charge of raising revenue for the team outside of the funding granted by the SGA. She will work in conjunction with the treasurer.
The Vice-President is in charge of contacting other schools and setting up meets.
Squad Captains lead practice for their squad and act as liaisons between squads and coaches. They should also generally keep track of where their squad is and how individuals on the squad are doing. Only members of that particular squad elect this Office.
Squad Armourers are in charge of making sure that all equipment will be functional at meets and that all competitors will have the proper equipment. They will co-ordinate weapons-fixing sessions and equipment orders.
The Historian/ Publicist writes news releases for Smith and community newspapers. She keeps track of scores at meets and organizes people to take photographs. She is in charge of maintaining the webpage.
The Transportation Co-ordinator reserves vans well in advance of meets. In the week before a meet she figures out who is going and how they will get there. She also distributes directions to all drivers.
The Food Co-ordinator organizes people to make sandwiches and buys snack foods for at meets. She also finds a restaurant at away meets to ensure the availability of dining.
The Gratefulness Co-ordinator figures out who has given the team unsolicited or notably large donations and makes thank-you cards for those donors. She also co-ordinates the taking of photographs, but with a mind to who needs to be thanked.
Decision-making Process
The president in consultation with the vice president and treasurer is responsible for decisions not directly relating to what happens in practice. This includes deciding practice times, cancellations, etc. There will be weekly meetings of these three people, and biweekly this meeting will include the squad leaders. Decisions from these meetings will be reported to the team at practice and through email. If the top 3 (president, vice president, treasurer) feel matters are of special importance, the whole team will be brought into the decision process. There will be at least one team meeting each semester, with one held at the beginning of second semester, which includes the elections for the following year.
Source of Income:
The Fencing Club will rely upon membership dues, fundraisers and/or donations for income. This money will be used to purchase equipment and to fund club activities. The Fencing Club applies for money from the Student Activities Fee.
Amendments to Charter:
If necessary, the Fencing Club will amend its charter by a majority vote. Amendments must also be approved by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the SGA Senate