Club Rules

1. The Club shall be known as the NORWICH CITY HOCKEY CLUB.

2. The Aims and Objectives of the Club

These shall be free from all forms of discrimination and shall be :

To actively encourage, promote, develop hockey for all members alike throughout the region including indoor hockey and such other forms of hockey as may be decided by the Club, amongst all sections of the community. In doing so the Club undertakes to ensure that ‘Sports Equity' (i.e. fairness) is practised.

3. The Club shall be affiliated to the Norfolk Hockey Association.

4. The Colours shall be yellow/green shirts, yellow stockings and black shorts/green skirts. Alternative colours red shirts, black shorts/green skirts and red or black socks.

5a. MEMBERSHIP - Shall consist of the following classes of members:

(i) Full Members - these are other than Associate, Student or Junior Members. They shall be entitled to all amenities of the Club. They shall be eligible to take part in the management of the Club, serve on its committee and to vote on all matters appertaining to the Club.

(ii) Vice-Presidents - these shall be past or current Members who have been elected by the club in recognition of their services.

(iii) Associate Members - the Executive Committee may elect candidates as non-playing Members. These associate Members will have no voting rights at the General Meetings.

(iv) Student Members - aged 17 to 23 years inclusive, paying a reduced subscription because they are approved full-time students serving a period of articles or full-time apprenticeship. The Executive Committee may elect candidates between these ages as Student Members of the Club. They shall have all the privileges of full Members.

(v) Junior Members - under 17 years. The Executive Committee may elect candidates under 17 as Junior Members of the Club. They shall have all the privileges of Full Members but they shall not be entitled to vote on any matter affecting the club.

(vi) Family Membership - shall be available covering up to 2 adults and any number of children of the same family. Individual rights for each member covered by family membership will be as per the applicable individual membership class in sections (i) - (v).

(vii) Lottery Associate Members - these shall be non-playing members. These members will have no voting rights at the General Meetings.

5b. There shall be a General Meeting chaired by the President, with a quorum of 15 before the commencement of each playing season and before 31st May.

(a) to elect the officers for the ensuing season.

(b) to receive and if approved, adopt a statement of accounts of the preceding season as at the clubs financial period end, as published by the executive committee.

(c) any other business.

6. For the purpose of calling a General Meeting and for voting at such a meeting, a member shall be deemed to be any person who has paid the annual subscription, as defined in Rules 14 and 20, within the previous twelve calendar months. Each member shall be entitled to one vote but the Chairman however, shall have only a casting vote to be used at his discretion.

7a. The Executive Committee - the management of the Club shall be vested in an Executive Committee who shall have full authority to conduct the affairs of the Club and may raise money for the purposes of the Club in such a manner as they think fit as long as no personal liability be imposed upon the Members. They shall have the power to co-opt Members of the Club to form Sub-committees as they think fit. Members of the Sub-committees shall not be entitled to vote on the Executive Committee unless they are deputising for an Executive Committee member. The Executive Committee shall have the power to co-opt members of the Club on to the Executive Committee, and such co-opted Members are entitled to vote on the Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee shall be composed of the President, Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, Honorary Fixture Secretaries, Social Secretary, Ladies Club Captain, Mens Club Captain, Youth Development Secretary, TRF Representative, Membership Secretary, Welfare Officer plus two Members of the General Committee (or nominated deputies where appropriate). The Chairman shall be the Chairman of the Club or other Member elected in his absence. The Executive Committee shall have a quorum of five and meet as often as is considered necessary for the proper conduct of Club affairs.

7b. The General Committee - the playing side of the Club shall be managed by a General Committee who shall have full authority to deal with matters relating to the Club's participation in any fixture deemed appropriate. This shall include determining a strict selection policy for all teams and all coaching/training matters. They shall have the power
to co-opt Members of the Club to form Sub-committees as they think fit. The Chairman of each Sub-committee, or a deputy, shall be entitled to vote on the General Committee.

The General Committee shall be composed of the Club Captains, Honorary Fixture Secretaries, an official from each team (or nominated deputy) and the chairmen of any Sub-Committees. The Chairman shall be one of the Club Captains or other Member elected in their absence. The General Committee shall have a quorum of five and meet as often as is considered necessary to ensure the fulfilment of all fixtures.

8. The Election of Officers - the Officers of the Club, as defined in Rule 9, plus the President shall be elected for one year only by the Members attending the Annual General Meeting but shall be eligible for re-election. The mode of election shall be that any 2 Full Members of the Club may nominate as an Officer of the Club, another Full Members. Only those Members attending the AGM in person shall be entitled to vote. The Executive Committee shall have the power to appoint a Member to fill any casual vacancy until the next AGM.

9. The Chairman shall be responsible for seeing that the resolutions of meetings are carried out and that the complaints of members are dealt with.

The Honorary Secretary shall be responsible for the general administration of the Club and for keeping minutes of all meetings.

The Honorary Treasurer and Honorary Membership Secretary shall be responsible for the safe keeping of all Club monies and assets and for ensuring that an account of all income and expenditure is kept and for presenting a balance sheet at one General Meeting each year.

The Honorary Fixture Secretary and Honorary Assistant Fixture Secretary shall be responsible for arranging fixtures for all teams. One will be a representative of the Ladies section and one a representative of the Mens section.

The Social Secretary shall be responsible for organising social events for the Club, in particular that of the Annual Dinner and Dinner Dance.

The Club Captains shall be jointly responsible for the running of the General Committee and ensuring that team officials are appointed. The team officials will be responsible for the conduct of matches.

The Youth Development Secretary shall be responsible for organising coaching and training, vacational games for students and juniors, mini-hockey and any other activities which they or the Club feel would improve the playing strength of the Club.

The Publicity Officer and Sponsorship Secretary shall be responsible to the Executive Committee through the Honorary Secretary.

The mens League Liaison Officer and Umpire Liaison Officer shall be responsible to the Executive Committee through the Honorary Mens Fixture Secretary.

10. The Executive Committee shall have the right to refuse or terminate the membership of any person without necessarily giving reasons for such refusal or termination.

11. Trustees - any property of the Club shall be vested in three Trustees. New Trustees shall be appointed by the Executive Committee where necessary and the property of the Club shall be vested in them to be dealt with by them as the Executive Committee may from time to time direct by resolution (of which an entry in the Minute Book shall be conclusive evidence). The Trustees shall be indemnified against risk and expense out of the Club property. The Trustees shall hold office until death or resignation or until removal from office by the Executive Committee. Where by reason of such death, resignation or removal it is necessary that a new Trustee or Trustees be appointed, the Executive Committee shall nominate the person or persons to be appointed the Trustee or Trustees. For the purpose of giving effect to such nomination, the President for the time being of the Club is hereby nominated as the person to appoint new Trustees of the Club within the meaning of Section 36 of the Trustee Act 1925 and he shall by deed duly appoint the person or persons so nominated by the Executive Committee.

12. Any monies belonging to the Club shall be deposited with a clearing bank or building society. Withdrawals must be authorised by the Executive Committee and any two of the authorised signatories. Any monies surplus to the needs of the Club for the ensuing season shall be invested at the discretion of the Executive Committee.

13. If the Club shall pass in General Meeting, by a majority comprising two-thirds or more of the members present and entitled to vote, a resolution of intention to dissolve the Club, the Committee shall take immediate steps to convert all of the assets of the Club into money. After all debts have been settled, the proceeds together with any other Club monies shall be handed over to the Norfolk Hockey Association.

14. Each member shall be responsible for an annual subscription and match fees, the amounts to be fixed yearly at a General Meeting.

Annual subscriptions must be paid to the Honorary Membership Secretary by 30^th November in each year. Failure to do so will result in non-selection to play in matches.

New members subscriptions subject to rule 20.

15. Each member shall be responsible for providing their own hockey equipment, clothing and personal insurance.

16. Each member shall be issued with a copy of the Rules.

17. Any amendments to the Rules may only be made at a General Meeting of the Club and any such amendment must be carried by a two-thirds majority.

18. A General Meeting may be called at any time deemed necessary by the committee or on request to the Secretary by seven members and at least fourteen days notice shall be given to members of a General Meeting.

19. A Statement of Account shall be provided by the clearing bank/building society once a year as at the clubs financial period end, as published by the executive committee, and a non-Committee member elected as Auditor at the General Meeting.

20. Membership - New players to be offered games and membership considered at the next Committee Meeting. On acceptance the following scale of subscriptions shall apply :-

September/October: 100% subject to rule 14.

November: 100%
December: 80%
January: 60%
February: 40%
March: 20% of subscriptions as laid down at A.G.M.

21. The Disciplinary Committee shall comprise the President, Chairman and appropriate Club Captain.