Hello!

At long last, an update on where SAVA is at for the 2021/22 Season. This note is coming to you from Russell Lawrence, the Interim President of SAVA. 

This email is going to all registered players from the 2019/2020 AND 2020/2021 seasons. It is not going through TeamLinkt as this was the transition year and a number of members did not register for play last year so we need to send so everyone gets the same information.

Covid has been rough on volunteer leadership as it was extremely demanding to navigate all the changes that were thrown at us every other day last fall. A couple folks have asked who is currently representing SAVA members:

Exec Today

Vice President (Interim President) – Russell Lawrence

Secretary – Jaimie Piper

Treasurer – Brenton Darbyshire

Equipment – Bruce Pearson

Website – Brandon Mack (stepping down)

Stats – Jillian Greenwald

Social – Lori Mills (stepping down)

Referee – Sophia Gray

Member At Large – Carrie Sadler

Member At Large – Tara Weisgerber

 

How to get SAVA going for 2021/2022

Short Version (See below for long version)

1. We need to put out a call for people that are interested to be on the Exec. This is that call. Reply with interest to be on the Exec to this email by August 20, 2021 at 12 noon.

2. We need to have an AGM. It will be virtual. Package will go out August 23, responses need to be sent back by September 7. AGM date is to be set yet, but sometime week of Sep 13-17. This gives the current Exec about a week to tally all responses.

3. Exec is proposing to update the SAVA bylaws. The changes would shrink the current 11 pages of bylaws down to 2. They are here: One with all the proposed changes; one with what the final one would look like. 

The actual voting form for the Bylaws and Exec/Board will go out with the AGM package on August 23.

The fun part and it’s really important: Since we are a registered non-profit corporation, we need a 2/3 majority to say yes to approve the Bylaw changes. This vote will be via email in advance of AGM. We need 558 ‘yes’ votes as there are 836 members.

If you no longer intend to play in SAVA, we still need you to respond as you are still listed as a member: An abstention (no vote) effectively counts as a vote opposed, so we ask for you to make your vote either way so we can have it on the record.

4. We need to have a vote for the Executive/Board. Voting form will be in the AGM package on Aug 23.

5. If the Bylaw changes pass, we will then be able to post for 2 paid positions: Scheduler and Referee Assignor (job descriptions are ready to go, just need membership approval).

6. Look at starting play mid-October 2021.

 

Long Version

1. We need to have people to run the league. If you put your name forward, it will be for a spot on the Executive, it will not be for a particular role such as President, Secretary, Treasurer, etc. We’re putting out this call for interested parties to put their name forward if interested. If you say you are interested, then your name will be put on a list, along with all other people interested on a docket. When the AGM package goes out, the membership will be able to put up to 13 check marks beside the people that they want to vote for. The Exec then tallies the votes and the up to 14 people with the most check marks are the Executive/Board. Those folks will meet after the AGM to decide who will be President, Secretary, Treasurer, etc.

2. We need to have an AGM. We are listed as a Non-Profit Corporation and as of July 11, the order from the provincial government saying that an AGM was temporarily suspended ended, so we need to have one. Over the last year, enough of the Board has had experience with virtual AGMs that we feel confident we can do ours virtually as well.

The AGM will be a formality to have minutes to capture everything that has already taken place via email. The Exec/Board will be voted by email. The bylaw change proposal will be voted by email. The financials will be votes by email. Then the AGM will be attended by the Executive and everything gets captured and formalized.  

3. The Executive has proposed to update the SAVA bylaws so it runs with MUCH less administrative overhead. We also want to be able to make the positions of Game Scheduler and Referee Assignor PAID roles because their skillsets are unique and critical to league function. Software helps, but the Coed/Women’s mix requires a skilled person’s input to ensure everything jives.

The Executive supports a change to take out the many, many bylaws that govern rules of play and this proposal, if approved, would instead just look to Volleyball Canada to set the direction on Rules of Play. It will leave the Exec/Board with the ability to make tweaks as necessary and not need to consult the entire membership each and every time.

Lastly, the update would reduce the size of SAVA leadership required to operate so that it can function easier, but gives the Executive of the proposed Board the ability to scale up as needed.

Currently, the positions on the Executive are laid out explicitly as needing to be filled and it does not allow SAVA to be flexible to the changing needs of membership. For example, the Website role no longer exists as the TeamLinkt platform allows updates to be done by anyone with a phone, instead of a programming background.

Given time commitments of most folks nowadays, being able to allocate 2 hours on a weeknight to an Exec/Board meeting is a big ask when trying to balance work, caregiving, and/or general lift commitments. With a 14 person Exec as it is today, we need 8 people to even have a meeting and it is very difficult to get that. 

We see a need to make it easier for people to be able to help. Maybe in a few years there will be a larger pool of volunteers and these changes will allow the SAVA leadership to make those changes without needing to do a huge vote like this again.

4. See the first point.

5. We have job descriptions for the Scheduler and Referee Assignor written, but as of today, those are volunteer Exec positions. Pass the Bylaw updates and we can post the jobs and get a season underway in short order. The reason for making the positions paid is because they are the most work and require a specialized skillset. The Exec felt the best service to the membership was that these positions are not volunteers.  

6. :)