Summer Meeting


MIDWEST RUGBY TERRITORIAL UNION SUMMER MEETING MINUTES Submitted and approved as Minutes on January 12th, 2008

Location: Ramada Plaza, 3333 Twenty-Eight Street South East, Kentwood, MI 49512
Date: July 22nd, 2007
9:45 AM - Welcome
	Called to Order at 10:25 AM by President Jeremiah Johnson
I.	Roll Call:					Total votes:
		Allegheny - 24 Members - Gary Lobaugh + No individual Club votes				22
		CARFU - 29 Members - Absent + No individual Club votes				0
		Illinois - 10 Members - Mike Schubach + No individual Club votes				10
		Indiana - 9 Members - Jim Mead + No individual Club votes				9
		Iowa - 26 Members - Steve Murra + 1 individual Club vote				23
			Pearl City - Roy Carver
		Michigan - 26 Members - Gina Kostoff + No individual voting Club				16
		Minnesota - 0 Members - Absent + No individual voting Club				0
		Ohio - 29 Members - Joe Otten + No individual voting Club				27
		Wisconsin - 29 Members - Stas Garbasz + No individual voting Club				24
		Total = 131 - Simple majority = 66 - 2/3’s majority = 88				131
	Treasurer – There were no restrictions of Club votes for failing to meet financial duty. Discipline - There were no restrictions of Club votes for discipline action.
	ATTENDEES: - Midwest Officers: Jeremiah Johnson, President; Graeme Leask, Vice President of Competition; Tom Rooney, Vice President of Collegiate Affairs; Tom Manion, Secretary; Tim Harn, Treasurer - Midwest Officials: Bob Cronquist, Youth Coordinator; Joe Otten, Referee Society Chairman; John Mullett, Discipline Chairman; Steve Murra, Women's U23 Coach - LAU Presidents: Mike Schubach , Illinois; Jim Mead, Indiana; Gina Kostoff, Michigan; Stas Garbasz, Wisconsin - Other Representatives: Gary Lobaugh, Allegheny; Roy Carver, Pearl City, Iowa Total attended = 15 Members
II.	Agenda:
	A.	Additions to the Agenda - entered under 'VI. New Business:'
		F.	Coaching Certification
		G.	Referee Certification
		H.	Mid-South Referee Society
		I.	USA Rugby Venue Dates Open for Bidding
	B.	Motion: To accept the changes/additions to the Agenda - Accepted unanimously [voice vote]
III.	Annual General Meeting Notes:
	A.	Motion: To accept the Annual General Meeting Notes, from January 13th, 2007, and enter as Minutes Accepted unanimously [voice vote]
IV.	Officer Reports:
	A.	President - Jeremiah Johnson - No written report submitted
		1.	Congratulations to Iowa State University Women
		2.	Congratulations to the Women's All Star Team on winning the National Championship
		3.	Note for USA Congress Report
			a.	Midwest Pool Play structure was under scrutiny
				i.	Contention about ‘loading-up’ of National D I & II thru our Pool Play
				ii.	Our intent is to raise the level of play for all of our Clubs
				iii.	We are the only TU to list the playing structure - Midwest lists rules and Clubs - MARFU filed complaint - MARFU does NOT list either promotion or relegation
				iv.	Website wording got us into trouble We will correct so we don’t handle any more complaints
		4.	Monthly TU President's Call Report
			a.	Bill Sexton, Western Territory President, is doing a report on how the TUs are managed - Determining if TU and LAU is ‘OK’ - Believes TU will be out and replaced by 4 professionally staffed geographic regions - Competition and Championships will be run by the professional staff - Looking for ways to get around the decision - Decision to be made in a meeting to be held in the August during the Munster Game in Chicago
			b.	Competition audit results will be made later probably August (maybe) - Midwest success on the field is working toward our benefit
			c.	J. Johnson hopes the TU Presidents will have a huge say in the process - He hopes the TU will have a say and will not fall apart
		5.	J. Johnson feels that G. Leask's experiment with bid for hosting versus central hosting is working
		6.	Question Answer session . . .
			Q:	From S. Murra: What will we do if the TU goes out of business?
			A:	J. Johnson: That is a little ahead of the decision . . . communication will be kept open.
	B.	Vice President of Competition - Graeme Leask - Written report submitted
		1.	Kristen S. Johnson was appointed Women’s Commissioner
		2.	Needs approval to develop multi-level play
			a.	Player dropping down must sit one (1) match
		3.	Men's All Star schedule available
		3.	Chicago Lion's won MW 7s yesterday (7-21-2007)
		3.	7s All Star Team preparing for ITT
		3.	Graeme will attend the USA Rugby Competition meeting in Austin, TX, on August 4th and 5th
			a.	Will review the promotion/relegation structure
		4.	Discussion about Club multi-level play . . .
			a.	John Mullett is on the National Eligibility Committee - Play permitted through multi-level (go up/down), but a player switching must sit 2 matches
	C.	Vice President of Collegiate and Youth - Tom Rooney - Written report submitted
		1.	Nothing new since January except Women's Division I & II - MARFU's challenge about our selection
			a.	Had conversation with Dave Pelton as to determine size of school and worthiness of Club at different levels
		2.	Are we a Division II TU compared to other TUs
		3.	Doesn’t expect changes this year
		4.	Advises that there is a push for Div III & IV playoffs (mostly MARFU and NERFU) - Not in favor of a Div III and IV National Championship - Too local and too costly
		5.	Ron Bower got old coaches involved - Has athletic players but they’re raw - They will need to learn to work under pressure - Ron will see how we can raise the Territory competition level
	D.	Secretary - Tom Manion – Written report submitted
		1.	Minutes from AGM presented
		2.	Calendar for ‘07/’08 presented - See 'E. Calendar - remainder of '07 and through June 1st. '08'
	E.	Treasurer - Tim Harn - Written report submitted
		1.	Dues collection are improving - Clubs are current but some colleges are late with dues
		2.	No change since January
			a.	Account balance looks good
			b.	Not much coming in or going out
		3.	Had good help from the LAUs
	F.	Disciplinarian - John Mullett - No written report submitted
		1.	No issues
			a.	Yellow and Red cards not challenged
	G.	USA Congress Report: Jeremiah Johnson - John Mullett - Tom Schmitt (Not present)
		1.	John Mullett
			a.	Very little happened
			b.	Eligibility begins in January and players must be registered and on Club roster by January 1st - Not certain how they plan to prove someone played for club prior to playoffs - Expect changes in eligibility
			c.	Fought to get information and what to do in the positions - May not know if we are powerless - T. Schmitt is on the Audit Committee
			d.	Colleges may have players from other schools without a Rugby Club, nearest campus, with as many as 7 players, and if more, they will have to form their own Club at their school if they want to play
		2.	Jeremiah Johnson
			a.	Eligibility changes coming - Looking for multi playing sides and unlimited Canadian players - Hard and fast dates for foreign players joining Clubs to be on the roster - Things are not set in stone but they are coming
		3.	Question Answer session . . .
			Q:	From T. Rooney: Are there changes in Collegiate eligibility – March grad and April/May Playoffs? And will the US extend play from 6 year to play 5 years?
			A:	JJ: Those were on of the table as proposed eligibility changes, but not adopted
V.	Committee and Other Reports:
	A.	Management Committee – No report submitted
	B.	Disciplinary Committee - John Mullett - No report submitted
	C.	Referee Society - Joe Otten – No written report submitted
		1.	Tammy Cowan issued Referee Society Treasury Report, with a balance of about $13,982.00 - She issued charges
		2.	Several Midwest Referees retired
		3.	Request invoice to school on Midwest letterhead - will request that Shawn McKinney put it on the website
		4.	Requested people, and Clubs, identify retiring and/or injured players to introduce to the Refereeing System - Looking for LAU Referee list - Looking for up and coming Referees
	D.	Men's Select Side – Paul Bergman – Not present - Written report submitted
		1.