The updated SSSAA By-Laws and Constitution updated for 2024-2025 can be downloaded and viewed here.
Surrey Secondary Schools Athletic Association
Rules and Regulations
**Updated for the 2024/2025 School Year**
Code of Conduct for Athletes, Spectators, and Coaches
Code for Athletes
The Surrey Secondary Schools Athletic Association your school considers it to be a privilege to represent your school in an athletic competition. Therefore, certain behavioural expectations come with this selection. Student athletes are expected to uphold the following standards:
- Treat all participants fairly regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, physical or mental abilities, political belief or economic status.
- Embrace the highest ideals of sportsmanship, ethical conduct and fair play. Be modest in victory and gracious in defeat.
- Show respect and give courtesy to opponents, officials, volunteers, teammates, spectators and coaches at all times.
- Uphold the rules of the sport, spirit of such rules and encourage other athletes to do the same.
- Represent yourself, your parents, your school and your community with proper conduct at all times on or off the playing field.
- Respect other athletes’ dignity and acknowledge that verbal or physical behaviour that constitutes harassment or abuse is unacceptable.
- Participate in a manner that ensures the safety of fans, athletes, coaches and officials.
- Accept decisions of officials without dispute.
- Shall not use the media, social media or networking forums to criticize or threaten other student-athletes, coaches, officials, school teams, spectators or SSSAA.
- Demonstrate that it is a privilege to represent your school.
Code for Spectators
The SSSAA is committed to ensuring that all student-athletes, coaches and other individuals involved in SSSAA activities have the opportunity to participate in a safe and enjoyable environment. Attendance at any SSSAA event entitles you to enjoy an exhibition of skills developed by athletes in an educational setting. Spectators are expected to conduct themselves in a manner which supports the values of SSSAA, and encourages the development of all student-athletes. Spectators are expected to uphold the following standards:
- Show respect to all individuals including, student-athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers and fellow spectators.
- Shall not use foul, profane, harassing or offensive language or gestures while in attendance at any SSSAA event.
- Abstain from consuming any unlicensed alcohol or illegal substances during any SSSAA events.
- Remain in designated spectators zones at event locations.
- Shall not use the media, social media or networking forums to criticize or threaten student-athletes, coaches, officials, school teams, other spectators or SSSAA.
Code for Coaches
The Surrey Secondary Schools Athletic Association seeks to ensure that all athletics related activities are fair, positive, and enjoyable experiences for all students and adults involved. All coaches should adhere to the following code of conduct.
COMMITMENT TO PLAYERS
Coaches shall:
- treat their own players and opponents with respect;
- Inspire a love of the game and a desire to compete fairly;
- put the welfare of their athletes above all else while maintaining a professional relationship with them;
- shall encourage athletes to exhibit sportsmanship at all times;
- treat all participants fairly regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, physical or mental abilities, political belief or economic status;
- not use physical force of any kind, and refrain from the use of profane, insulting, harassing or offensive language or gestures in the conduct of coaching duties;
- Not, under any circumstances, require, suggest, or imply that a student-athlete must be involved in any summer program or club program as part of their responsibilities as a school team member.
- Shall not, under any circumstances, endorse, recommend, or suggest the use of performance-enhancing drugs or supplements by student-athletes
COMMITMENT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY
Coaches shall:
- Recognize that school sports is an extension of the classroom, and shall conduct themselves accordingly when performing coaching duties;
- Recognize they are reflecting and representing their school community and behave in such a way that shall bring credit to their school and to themselves;
- Behaviour that shows integrity, respect, care and honesty;
- Not, under any circumstances, start pre-season tryouts or practices to the detriment of any in-season sports;
- Not, under any circumstances, require, suggest or imply that a student-athlete cannot or should not participate in any sport in the season preceding or following the coach’s season of play;
- Not, use tobacco, alcohol and or drug products while in the presence of student-athletes, and shall discourage their use, along with performance-enhancing drugs, by student-athletes.
DURING PRACTICE
Coaches shall:
- Treat everyone fairly within the context of the activity;
- Direct comments at the performance, rather than the person;
- Provide a safe playing situation for student-athletes by ensuring that the activity is suitable for the age, experience, ability and fitness level of the payers and by education players about responsibilities in contributing to a safe environment;
- Do their best to organize practices that are instructional, fun, challenging and growth focused to all players;
- Be knowledgeable in the rules of the game and teach these rules to the student-athletes.
DURING A GAME/TOURNAMENT/COMPETITION
Coaches shall:
- Lead by example in demonstrating and promoting fair play and sportsmanship to all participants;
- Place the emotional and physical well-being of players ahead of a personal desire to win;
- Refrain from public criticism of players, fellow coaches, managers, officials, scorekeepers and or table officials (includes social media);
- Accept responsibility for the sportsmanship and conduct of your players;
- Fulfill all competition, invitational, playoff and championship competitive and event obligations;
- Observe the rules of the sport, the spirit of the rules of the sport, and shall encourage student-athletes to do the same.
WITH OFFICIALS, SCOREKEEPERS AND TABLE OFFICIALS
Coaches shall:
- Respect the judgment, rulings and interpretation of the officials, scorekeeper and table officials without gesture, argument, foul, profane, harassing or offensive language, and shall require student-athletes to do the same;
- Demonstrate respect and support for officials, scorekeepers and table officials, and encourage student-athletes to do the same;
- Recognize that at most levels of play, officials, scorekeepers, and table officials are sometimes young and inexperienced and will require more patience and support.
All coaches of SSSAA member schools must read the Coaches Code of Conduct and sign the SSSAA Coaches Code of Conduct Agreement. This will be done annually. Athletic Directors will retain a copy of the signed Agreements for the current school year.
Out-of-Season Play
Consistent with the concept that interscholastic athletics are a part of the educational system, and consistent with the established goals of health, safety, sportsmanship and equality of competition, the following guidelines for out?of?season regulations are set forth:
- The basic responsibility of all administrators, teachers and coaches is to provide students, who are participating in interscholastic athletics, with a worthwhile, educational experience
- All sports have a defined season and no sport shall operate to the detriment of any other sport
- A student should have the opportunity to participate in as many interscholastic athletic experiences as reasonably possible, and anything that serves to prevent this opportunity is contrary to the philosophy of BC SCHOOL SPORTS and this association
Out-of-Season Opportunities for Students
If a school coach, athlete or combination group wishes to compete in a sport recognized by BC SCHOOL SPORTS outside the seasons?of?play as defined in the BCSS Handbook, the following steps must be taken and/or regulations followed:
- The individual or team desiring to compete must affiliate with the appropriate provincial sport organization
- The individual or team must not use the school name, stationery, accounting system or wear the school uniform during competition
- The individual, league or team is responsible for suitable and appropriate insurance coverage (medical, liability, etc.)
- The individual or team must book school facilities in accordance with school or district policy. These facility times must not be in conflict with in?season practices or league play.
- The Administrators of the school shall ensure that the out?of?season sport not operate to the detriment of any in?season sport
Recommendation:
The parents of the individuals competing must receive notification from the school and acknowledge in writing that the competitive experience being provided is not part of the regular interscholastic athletic program of the school.
Rules & Regulations of the SSSAA
Any discrepancies in SSSAA Rules and Regulations will be superseded by BCSS Rules and Regulations
Article I - Leagues & Championships
Organized sport carried out under the auspices of the association shall be organized by leagues. A league or any member of a team thereof shall only be entitled to participate in the activities of the association upon the adoption of the rules of competition practice hereinafter set out.
Section I ? League Executive Coordinator & Website Manager
- League Coordinator shall be elected by the SSSAA executive and announced at the Annual General Meeting. (Note: call for applicants will be made by the executive prior to the AGM should the existing League Coordinator vacate the position or the executive deem it necessary to look at other applicants
- The Executive Coordinator will have the following responsibilities for volleyball, boys’ soccer, basketball, and girls’ soccer:
- Call, organize and chair league meetings
- Circulate minutes for league meetings
- Create league schedules which will be posted on the SSSAA website www.sssaa.ca
- Update the website with information for the coaches
- Respond to SSSAA league inquiries via email
- Receive all league scores via email
- Update all league scores on the website daily
- Provide league stats and information for playoff coordinators
- Post playoff information (schedule, scores, etc.) provided by playoff coordinators
- Attend SSSAA Executive meeting to provide input
- Post schedules, scores, information, etc. (provided by league coordinators) for all other sanctioned sports
The Executive Coordinator will be selected by the SSSAA executive prior to the SSSAA AGM for the next year based on applications which must be received by May 1st. The position pays $225 per member school and the term is for one year. (e.g. 28 member schools = $6300)
The applicant must have the following qualifications:
- be an educator in Surrey District #36 (Surrey) or a retired educator from School District #36 (Surrey)
- have coordinated a SSSAA league or playoff in the past
- be proficient with computers, website management, data entry and email
- The Website Manager will be selected by the SSSAA executive prior to the SSSAA AGM for the next year based on applications, which must be received by May 1st. The position pays $20 per member school and the term is for one year. (e.g. 28 member schools = $560)
- The Website Manager will have the following responsibilities:
- Liaise with all of our sport coordinators to ensure accurate information is on the website
- Update, add and/or redesign portions of the website as necessary to keep information about our SSSAA leagues, executive and senior league links current.
- Maintain templates for our league coordinators to use for inputting standings on the website
The applicant must have the following qualifications:
- be an employee of Surrey District #36 (Surrey) or a retired employee from School District #36 (Surrey)
- be proficient with computers, website management and design and email
Section II – Leagues
Leagues may be organized in sports sanctioned by voting members at the Annual General Meeting.
Section III – League Organizational Meetings
Organization meetings for the various leagues shall be called as follows:
FALL SPORTS: before the third week of the fall term
WINTER SPORTS: before the last week of November
SPRING SPORTS: before the first week of March
These meetings shall be called by the League Executive Coordinator or by the President of the association.
Section IV – Voting at League Meetings
The voting members at the organization meetings of the league, and at subsequent meetings of the league that season shall consist of one member from each of the member schools entering a team or teams in the league.
Section V
Host schools may not charge admission for any league or championship play. The teachers of member schools shall not be charged admission.
Section VI
All league and playoff games must be played under the rules of the recognized authority for that sport, unless exceptions have been incorporated in the Rules of the League.
Article II - Rules of Competition & Practice
Section I – School Obligation to Participate
Schools are not committed to play in all sports or enter all divisions of a particular Local Association League. Where the SSSAA does not offer a specific sport, the SSSAA Executive may, upon application of a member school, permit participation in a league not under the SSSAA jurisdiction.
Section II – Organization of Leagues
- Local Association Leagues may be organized in more than one age division
- A second team from a school may compete in league play. Only the highest finishing team is able to proceed to Zone Playoffs. All teams are to be registered separately in STARS.
- Each recognized sport must have a League Coordinator in place at least one week before the start of exhibition play, or no league will be established
- A League Coordinator must be an employee or retired employee of the Surrey School District or current employee of a member school of the SSSAA
- League structures for Spring Sports must be presented to the SSSAA Executive 3 weeks prior to the season’s first play date for approval. Considerations regarding league structure include but may not be limited to:
- Divisions
- Format of games / hosting duties
- Regular season schedule
- Playoff berthing
- Playoff schedule
- Established sports must have at least four (4) schools participating to maintain sanctioning status. If a sanctioned sport does not run for two (2) years, or has less than four (4) teams two years in a row, it loses its status as a sanctioned sport and must re?apply as per part (e)
- A new league may be introduced in one of two ways. A sport with at least four (4) schools and be sanctioned by the membership at the Annual General Meeting for the following school year. Where there are less than four (4) schools wishing to participate in a sport, or if the request occurs mid year, the request may be made to the executive of the SSSAA for sanctioning as an exhibition sport. At the next AGM the sport will provide a report for possible full sanctioning the following school year.
- Member schools wishing to compete in a specific sport must register with the League Coordinators
- Only member schools may participate in SSSAA leagues and playoffs
Section III – Organization of Playoffs
- Organization of SSSAA schedules and playoffs is under the jurisdiction of the SSSAA.
- Playoff teams must pay for the cost of certified officials during the playoffs on a pay-as-you-go basis. Playoff Coordinators or host schools shall not make a profit hosting a SSSAA playoff.
- For volleyball, basketball, and soccer at the tier 2 level (grade 8, 9 and junior), the season will conclude with the Surrey Championships. The association will not send teams to participate in any South Fraser Championship, if proposed and organized.
Section IV – Game Rules
- All association games must be played under the rules of the recognized authority for the sport, unless exceptions have been incorporated in the Rules of the League
- Coaches must attend all games. No game is to be started unless a coach is in attendance
- The coach is responsible for the conduct of his/her players while they are participating in a SSSAA competition or representing a Surrey school
- Coaches are responsible for the behaviour of their players prior to and after practices and for the entire duration of team trips. Unsportsmanlike conduct, as well as the use of drugs and/or alcohol by students, shall be reported to both the association Executive and the school principal as soon as possible
- If a coach is ejected from a game by an official, the game must be discontinued unless a different coach from the same school takes over the responsibilities of the ejected coach. Discontinued games shall be awarded to the team of the non?offending coach
Section V – Seasonal Limits for Exhibition & League Play
- The SSSAA follows the BC School Sports guidelines for dates and seasons of play.
- In all cases, a student registered with a seasonal sport team which is still participating in SSSAA League schedule playoffs, in the SFAA playoffs or BC playoffs, shall not take part in exhibition games and practices of a sport of the following season, unless there is mutual consent between the two coaches of the sport concerned and it is within the published starting dates. If mutual consent between the two coaches is not reached, the school principal shall decide in the best interest of all concerned.
Section VI – Eligibility
For detailed rules regarding eligibility for BCSS sanctioned sports, please refer to the BC School Sports Handbook.
For Non BCSS Sanctioned sports the following rules are in place for eligibility.
- Students will play for their home school in all non-BCSS sanctioned sports.
- 5 years eligibility to a maximum age of 18
Section VII – Player Registration
- To be eligible for any competition (Gr 8, 9, Jr, Sr.) a list of team members with their birth dates shall be submitted to BC School Sports as per Section VI Eligibility
- Additions and changes in team registration lists must be submitted with the required information to BCSS
- Playing a player or players who are ineligible according to Article II, Section VI, results in forfeiture of game points to the other team
- The information required on the registration list must be obtained from the permanent record cards on file in the school office by a coach or member of the office staff. Forms must be signed by the School Administrator
- The BCSS STARS Registration forms will be used as official rosters in Surrey Leagues in all BCSS sanctioned sports. Players not on the STARS registration will be ineligible to participate and any games played with ineligible players will be declared a forfeit. Players deemed ineligible will be declared eligible when the coach provides an updated STARS registration form with the player in question added. Teams deemed ineligible will be ineligible to participate until they have registered with BCSS.
- For non BCSS sanctioned sports, coaches will submit their official roster to their respective League Coordinator by the second week of regular season play
Section VIII – Defaults, Postponements & Forfeitures
Default:
Forty?eight (48) hours notice must be given to the scheduled opponent by any team intending to
default a game. Full explanation of the details connected with the default must be sent to the
League Coordinator who shall decide the penalty for a default. The coordinator shall be notified
immediately if a default is anticipated.
Postponements:
Scheduled games may be postponed only for weather conditions or other reasons beyond the
control of the school and with the specific consent of the other school involved. The League
Coordinator must be notified within 48 hours. The game must be rescheduled at the earliest
convenience of both schools.
Forfeit:
If a school, for reasons beyond its control, cannot play a scheduled game, the League Coordinator may award the game to the other team involved. This shall be called a forfeit.
Withdrawals:
A school team withdrawing from a league, playoff, or championship competition may be placed
on probation or may face possible suspension from further competition in that sport. The
decision shall be made by the executive in consultation with the coordinator. The coach of a team or player withdrawing from playoff competition after qualifying shall notify the coordinator
immediately so that the next eligible team or player can participate.
For the purpose of this section, the Executive of the Local Association shall decide whether failure to play as scheduled shall be classed as "default", "postponement" or "double?forfeit", i.e. loss of points by both teams
Section IX – Protests
- Protests must be made in accordance with the rules of the sport notwithstanding local association rules
- The protest will not be considered unless it is in writing and received by the association President within two (2) school days of competition
- The following people shall receive a copy:
? Local Association President
? Student Activities Coordinator/Athletic Director, Principal and coach of opposing school
? Coordinator
? Coach's own principal
- The Local Association Executive shall form a protest committee. The protest committee's decision shall be binding
Section X – Coach Control
- For SSSAA league and exhibition play and the SF Athletic Association playoff competition, a coach must be in attendance. When a school fails to fulfill this requirement, it shall forfeit all rights to that game, even if the other school consents to play the game.
- Referees:
For SSSAA competition, competent officiating must be provided.A responsible adult is expected to maintain control of games officiated by students.
Section XI – Volunteer Community Coaches
A community coach is defined as any individual who is not a school district employee who coaches a school team. This applies to a head coach(es) or assistant coach(es) of a school team either with or without a school district employee sponsor.
- Community coaches must be determined by the Administration (in collaboration with the Athletic Director) to have the necessary ability to work with people, and the appropriate level of training required for the sport, and age level in question, especially in high risk sports such as gymnastics, rugby and wrestling. Community coaches must also undergo an annual criminal records check
- Volunteer Community coaches must complete the Surrey School District Volunteer Community Coach Agreement. Athletic Directors will retain copies of the completed Agreement for all Community Coaches.
- Where community coaches are in place, a “staff sponsor,” a teaching staff member or an Administrative Officer, will report to the Principal on a regular basis about the program and schedules of the team.
- Staff sponsors, where a community coach is in place, are expected to be in the building during practices or should arrange for a designated staff contact for those times when the sponsor is not present. “Staff sponsors” must be present at and visible to the organizers of all games, tournaments and travel events of that team. In a secondary school, the administrative officer administrators may choose to take responsibility for waiving this requirement with some community coaches at their discretion for games, tournaments and travel events not involving overnight travel. Parents should be advised of all travel and supervision arrangements.
- Student coaches and coaches under nineteen years of age must be under the direct supervision of a teacher sponsor at all times
- Student teachers operate, as in all other aspects of their placement, under the supervision of their “sponsor teacher”
Section XII – School Responsibility
- During a game, the coach and/or sponsor is responsible for the conduct of spectators that are readily identifiable as students or supporters from his/her school
- The proper conduct of the game demands the full cooperation of members of both teams including coaches and fans from the participating schools
- Any cost incurred as a result of a team not fulfilling a commitment to a contest where there are costs incurred will result in that school being responsible for payment of said costs upon notification to the SSSAA executive within 5 school days of the contest
Section XIII – Uniform Dress
Any member school participating in Surrey school sports competition must have appropriate uniform dress. Appropriate uniform dress shall include:
- school identification top;
- gym shorts (no cut?offs);
- appropriate footwear
Article III - Discipline
- Anyone may submit a Code of Conduct complaint to SSSAA within 21 days of the incident occurring
- All complaints alleging a violation of the Code of Conduct, informal and formal, must be submitted in written form via the Code of Conduct Complaint form found on the SSSAA website
- A complainant and respondent may wish to pursue informal resolution prior to the formal complaint being filed with the SSSAA. This process does not preclude a formal complaint submission
- If the alleged violation has occurred in any event prior to Zone Championships, the complaint will be investigated and acted upon by the SSSAA Executive and Discipline Committee.
- The Discipline Committee shall consist of:
- Current SSSAA President
- Current SSSAA Vice President
- Current SSSAA Past President
- Current SSSAA Admin Rep
- If the alleged violation has occurred in any event during Zone or Provincial Championships, the complaint will be processed by BCSS. The BCSS Code of Ethics Complaint form can be found on the BCSS website
- Both BCSS and the SSSAA are required to report any findings and rulings to one another after the investigation is concluded
Procedures for Dealing with an Athlete Ejection from Competition:
Anytime a student represents a member school, they are under the jurisdiction of the SSSAA
All incidents involving fighting, gross misconduct or an ejection MUST be reported to the League Coordinator or Executive Coordinators and the SSSAA President
Competitors ejected from competition for the following reasons are subject to a suggested minimum penalty of one league, exhibition, or playoff game suspension to a maximum penalty of suspension for the remainder of the competitor's current athletic season and one more complete athletic season:
- fighting
- gross misconduct
- use of alcohol or drugs
- violation of rules
- spitting
- swearing
- rough play
- disrespect to a coach or official
- unsportsmanlike conduct not listed above
Procedures for Dealing with a Coach Ejection from Competition:
For ALL game ejections, the offending coach is REQUIRED to submit, within 72 hours and in writing, an incident report to their Athletic Director and School Administrator. The Athletic Director or School Administrator will then inform the Athletic Association President. Any ejection will result in an automatic one game suspension, at minimum. The submitted report will be reviewed by the Discipline Committee.
Article IV – Suspension
Upon proof of the violation of the Constitution or bylaws of the association, the Executive may suspend the offending team coach, sponsor, or school from participation in activities of the association or its leagues, or impose such lesser punishments as it shall decide. Such suspension shall stand until it is raised by the association Executive or by a general meeting of the association.
Article V – Jury of Appeal
The Jury of Appeal shall consist of:
- The Current SSSAA President who will act as a chairperson;
- One SSSAA Executive member who is not already on the Discipline Committee (Past President, Vice President, Admin Rep)
- One Surrey Administrative Association delegate
The decision of the Jury of Appeal shall be considered final. The chairman will forward the decision in writing to the parties involved and the Executive within two weeks of the appeal being filed.
Article VI - Association Fees
The SSSAA will levy an annual fee:
- From the member schools a fee of $475.00
- From each parochial and private member school an additional $500.00 operating grant
- From the member schools, an Executive Coordinator fee of $225.00
- From the member schools, a Special Track Meet fee of $50.00
- From the public secondary extension programs, only a fee of $75. Extension programs do not pay Executive Coordinator or Special Track Meet fees.
- Payment Schedule as follows: (Deadline dates)
- SSSAA Member Fee October 1
- Volleyball Fee December 1
- Basketball Fee March 1
- SSSAA Banquet Costs First Wednesday of June
Surrey Secondary Schools Athletic Association
Constitution & Bylaws
Society Act Constitution
- The name of the Society is the "Surrey Secondary Schools' Athletic Association"
- The purposes of the Society are:
- To provide an opportunity for students enrolled in secondary schools to develop their athletic potential through participation in competitive sports within the secondary school systems in Surrey;
- To organize and coordinate interschool athletic competitions which will be open to competitors of all affiliate schools;
- To ensure that competitions are fair and equitable;
- To determine which interschool athletic competition for the Surrey championships will take place each year;
- To determine which teams and individuals will be eligible to compete for Surrey championships each year;
- To determine and recognize secondary school championships in Surrey;
- To determine which individuals and teams are qualified to represent Surrey in the South Fraser or other area championship competitions;
- To provide an ultimate authority within the secondary school athletic systems in Surrey to mediate disputes and protests;
- To foster high standards of courtesy and respect among athletes, coaches, spectators and competing teams and schools;
- To foster the development of high quality athletics, coaches, and officials
- The Society shall operate without purpose of gain or profit to its members and any profits or other accretions to the Society shall be used in promoting its objectives and this provision shall be unalterable
- On the winding up or dissolution of the Society, the assets of the Society shall not be distributed among the members, or any of them, unless such recipient member or members are charitable institutions in existence solely for charitable purposes. After all debts have been paid, or provision for their payment has been made, the assets remaining shall be paid, transferred and delivered to one or more charitable institutions in existence solely for charitable purposes, which shall be chosen by resolution of the members of the Society, or failing such resolution, by resolution of the Directors of the Society. This provision shall be unalterable
Society Act Bylaws
Part 1 - Interpretation
1.1 In these Bylaws unless the context otherwise requires:
- "Affiliate School" shall mean any secondary school which has applied for and to which
- membership in the Society has been granted and which has complied with the terms of
- Membership;
- "Association" means the Surrey Secondary Schools Athletic Association, the Society herein;
- "Directors" means the Directors of the Society for the time being;
- "Executive Committee" means the Directors as so defined;
- "Society Act" means the Society Act of the Province of British Columbia from time to time in force and amendments to it;
- "Registered Address" of the member means his address as recorded in the register of members.
1.2 The definitions in the Society Act on the date these bylaws become effective apply to these bylaws.
1.3 Words importing the singular include the plural and vice versa; and words importing the neutral include the masculine and the feminine gender and vice versa
Part 2 – Membership
2.1 There shall be two categories of membership in the association:
- Member schools, being
- Any public secondary school operated by School District No. 36, (Surrey), shall have membership so long as it is willing to accept and abide by the obligations of membership as set down in the Constitution and bylaws of the association;
- Any publicly or privately funded secondary school located within the boundaries of School District No. 36, (Surrey), but not operated by School District No. 36 (Surrey) which is willing to accept the obligations of membership as set down in the Constitution, and has had its membership application approved by a two?thirds majority of the voting
- Any public secondary extension program operated by School District No. 36 (Surrey), shall have membership so long as it is willing to accept and abide by the obligations of membership as set down in the Constitution and Bylaws of the association. Extension programs are limited to Learning Centres, Ed Services School, and SAIL.
- Any teacher who is a teacher in a member school in good standing may qualify as a member teacher
- Any student who is listed on a team registration list and meets the eligibility requirements of the association's rules and regulations may qualify as a "non?voting student member"
2.2 Every member shall uphold the Constitution and comply with these bylaws and the rules and
regulations of the Society passed pursuant thereto
2.3
- There shall be an annual fee for member schools which shall be a sum fixed from time to time by resolution of the membership in general meeting and which shall be payable on or before the 1st of October of each year
- Failure by a member school to pay the annual fee as prescribed by the said date shall render both that school and the school representatives there forth not in good standing
2.4
- A member school shall only cease to be a member upon:
- Cessation of the public or private secondary school, or;
- Receipt of notice by the Directors from the principal of that member school that the school no longer intends to remain a member of the association
- A school representative shall cease to be a member:
- At the year?end for the association, being June 30th in the year for which the representative was appointed;
- In the event that representative is transferred from or terminates his employment with the school from which he has been appointed, or;
- In the event the member school at which he is employed ceases to be a member of the association
- A member student automatically ceases to be a member of the association if:
- They cease to be a student in a member school;
- the team that had the student registered has completed its season play;
- the school at which the student attends ceases to exist or ceases to be a member school;
- the member school's Administration has removed the student’s name from the team’s registration list;
- the Executive of the association, after a disciplinary hearing, remove the student’s name from the team registration list for disciplinary reasons
2.5
- The Executive Committee shall have the power, by a majority resolution of those present, to suspend any member school of the association where there is deemed to have been conducted by, or on behalf of that school, or by any school representative or participant from that school, conduct which is considered improper, unbecoming or likely to endanger the interest or the reputation of the association, or where there has been willful breach of the Constitution, bylaws or rules and regulations of the association. Such suspension may be on such terms and upon such conditions as the Executive Committee shall deem fit and shall remain in force until discontinued by the majority resolution of the Executive Directors or by a general meeting of the association
- Notice of intention to suspend a member setting forth the reasons for such intended suspension and fixing a time and place for the meeting at which the resolution to suspend shall be heard by the Directors, shall be sent to such member not less than seven days prior to the Executive Committee's meeting
- Notice shall be conclusively deemed to have been properly given if mailed by ordinary mail to the last known address of such member seven days prior to the date of such meeting, or by notification being given to its Principal; and no suspension shall be deemed improper notwithstanding such notice has not in fact been received by such member
- Suspension of a member school shall be considered the suspension also of those school representatives from such member school
Part 3 ? Meetings of Members
3.1 General meetings of the Society shall be held at such time and place, in accordance with the Society Act, as the Executive Committee decides
3.2 Every general meeting, other than an Annual General Meeting, is an Extraordinary General Meeting
3.3 The President may, whenever she/he thinks fit, or within 21 days of the receipt by the Executive Committee of the written request from and on behalf of 10% of the affiliate schools, provided such a request be countersigned by the Principal of such schools, convene an Extraordinary General Meeting
3.4
- Notice of a general meeting shall be given at least 14 days in advance of that meeting and shall specify the place, the day and the hour of the meeting, and in case of special business, the general nature of that business
- Notice shall be deemed sufficiently given if sent by ordinary mail or via email to the Principal and/or Athletic Director of each affiliate school
- The accidental omission to give notice of a meeting to, or the non?receipt of a notice by any of the members entitled to receive notice, does not invalidate proceedings at that meeting
3.5 The first Annual General Meeting of the Society shall be held not more than 15 months after the date of incorporation and thereafter an Annual General Meeting shall be held at least once in the month of May or June of each calendar year and not more than 15 months after the holding of the last preceding general meeting.
Part 4 - Proceedings at General Meetings
4.1 Special business is:
- all business at an Extraordinary General Meeting except the adoption of rules of order, and;
- all business that is transacted at an Annual General Meeting, except,
- the adoption of rules of order,
- the consideration of the financial statements,
- the report of the Directors,
- the report of the Auditor, if any,
- the election of Directors,
- the appointment of the Auditor, if required, and
- such other business as, under these bylaws, ought to be transacted at an Annual General Meeting, or business which is brought under consideration by the report of the Directors issued with the notice convening the meeting
4.2
- No business, other than the election of a Chairperson and the adjournment or termination of the meeting, shall be conducted at a general meeting at a time when a quorum is not present;
- If at any time during a general meeting there ceases to be a quorum present, business then in progress shall be suspended until there is a quorum present or until the meeting is adjourned or terminated;
- A quorum is 15% of those entitled to vote on behalf of affiliate schools and extension programs, but not less than 10 or such greater number as the members may determine at a general meeting
4.3 If within 30 minutes from the time appointed for a general meeting a quorum is not present, the meeting shall be adjourned for one week or such other time not exceeding two weeks as the
Directors shall determine. Notice shall be sent to the affiliate schools that a quorum was not present at the general meeting, and that the meeting has been adjourned until the date fixed in such notice. On the date fixed by such notice, the quorum shall be those present who are entitled to vote on behalf of their affiliate schools providing there are a minimum of three such persons present.
4.4 Subject to By?law 4.5, the President of the association, the Vice?President, or in the absence of both, one of the other Directors present shall preside as Chairperson of a general meeting.
4.5 If at a general meeting:
- there is no President, Vice?President or other Director present within 15 minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting, or;
- the President and all the other Directors present are unwilling to act as Chairperson; the members present shall choose one of their number to be Chairperson.
4.6
- A general meeting may be adjourned from time to time and from place to place, but no business shall be transacted at an adjourned meeting other than the business left unfinished at the meeting from which the adjournment took place
- Where a meeting is adjourned for 10 days or more, notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given as in the case of the original meeting
- Except as provided in this bylaw, it is not necessary to give notice of an adjournment of the business to be transacted at an adjourned general meeting
4.7
- No resolution proposed at a meeting need be seconded and the Chairperson of a meeting may move or propose a resolution
- In case of an equality of votes, the Chairperson shall not have a casting or second vote in addition to the vote which he may be entitled as a member and the proposed resolution shall not pass
4.8
- Voting privileges shall be restricted to those members referred to herein as school representatives, to the Director of Instruction for Physical Education for the School District of Surrey, and to the Physical Education Helping Teacher responsible for liaison with secondary athletics, each of whom shall have one vote at any general meeting of the membership
- School representatives, of which each member school in good standing shall be entitled to three votes and who shall include an Administrator, being the Principal or a Vice Principal named by the Principal, together with two other votes as appointed by the Student Activities Coordinator of the member school with whom they are employed
- School representative of Extension Programs as defined by 2.1, who are in good standing shall be entitled to one vote
- Voting is by show of hands
- Voting by proxy is not permitted
4.9 Any teacher in a member school shall have the right to attend and speak at meetings of the
association, but such persons shall not be entitled to vote at any meetings of the association unless he is an authorized school representative member as provided herein. Coaches who are not on staff with any such school shall be entitled to the same privileges as teachers.
Part 5 ? Directors and Officers
5.1
- There shall be a Board of Directors, otherwise known herein as the Executive Committee, all of whose members shall be appointed school representatives of member schools and who shall be elected by secret ballot for a term of two (2) years at an Annual General Meeting.
- The Executive Committee shall consist of:
- the immediate Past President;
- the President;
- the Vice?President;
- the Secretary?Treasurer;
- the Administrators' Representative;
- the Member at Large;
- the Member at Large;
- the Member at Large;
- the Member at Large;
- Members at Large may include:
1 – Soccer Discipline Chair/Coordinator
2 – SSSAA Banner and Awards ordering and distribution
3 – SSSAA AGM Preparation (including certificate prep and awards framing)
4 – SSSAA Social Media Coordinator (Twitter and Instagram)
- The SSSAA will be divided into four geographic regions as follows. Members at Large will be elected, one from each geographic region, whenever possible. When the association expands with new member schools, the adjustment of schools in each region would occur to maintain balance.
East – Clayton Heights, Lord Tweedsmuir, Salish, Fleetwood Park, Enver Creek, Johnston Heights, Surrey Christian, Regent Christian (8)
North – Fraser Heights, North Surrey, Pacific Academy, Holy Cross, Guildford Park, Kwantlen Park, Khalsa (7)
West – LA Matheson, Queen Elizabeth, Tamanawis, Panorama Ridge, Sullivan Heights, Princess Margaret, Frank Hurt (7)
South – Earl Marriott, Elgin Park, Semiahmoo, Grandview Heights, Southridge, St. John Paul II, White Rock Christian (7)
5.2
- The Executive Committee of the association shall interpret the Constitution and bylaws and may, from time to time, make any provisional rules or regulations governing specific cases for occasions not provided for in these bylaws but which may be necessary for carrying out the objectives of the association. Such interpretations, rules or regulations shall be effective as if part of these bylaws, subject only to confirmation of approval by a majority of the voting membership present at the next general meeting of the association.
- No rule or regulation, made by the association in a general meeting invalidates a prior act of the Executive Committee that would have been valid if that rule had not been made.
5.3 No Director shall be entitled to vote at a general meeting of the association except in his capacity as an appointed school representative as specified herein for the purposes of that meeting.
5.4
- In Part 5, Bylaw 5.1 (b)(i), the Past President shall automatically be the person who last served as President, the 1st Vice President shall automatically become President.
- The remaining members of the Executive Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the association and shall hold office from July 1st of the year of election to June 30th of the second year.
5.5
- Separate elections for positions on the Executive Committee shall be held for each office to be filled;
- An election may be by acclamation, otherwise it shall be by ballot;
- If no successor is nominated the person previously elected or appointed continues to hold office
5.6
- The Executive Committee may at any time and from time to time appoint a member as a Director to fill a vacancy in the Executive Committee. The 1st Vice?President shall automatically become President;
- A member of the Executive Committee so appointed holds office only until the end of his predecessor's term, but is eligible for re?election at the appropriate Annual General Meeting
5.7
- A Director shall cease to hold office in the event he resigns
- The member schools, through their authorized voting representatives, may by special resolution remove a Director before the expiration of his term of office and may elect a successor to complete the term of office
5.8 Directors may be reimbursed for all expenses necessarily and reasonably incurred while engaged in the affairs of the association
5.9
- So long as the BCSS Governance Model is in operation, the South Fraser Athletic Association will have three members on the Legislative Assembly. Surrey will be responsible for selecting their representative, who shall be a Surrey School District employee, through appointment or election, on a two-year term at an Annual General Meeting. Selection will be based on the following rotation:
Term |
Surrey |
Richmond |
Delta |
2021-2023 |
Female Appointment |
No Restriction |
Administrator Appointment |
2023-2025 |
No Restriction |
Administrator Appointment |
Female Appointment |
2025-2027 |
Administrator Appointment |
Female Appointment |
No Restriction |
- Duties of the Legislative Assembly members shall include:
- To act as the rule makers of the organization (BCSS);
- Responsible for managing all BCSS Bylaws, Policies and Rules;
- Attend two annual meetings for 1.5-2 days each
- Fall Meeting: Annual Planning Meeting - Mid- November
- Spring Meeting: BCSS Annual General Meeting - End of April or early May
Part 6 ? Proceedings of the Executive Committee
6.1
- The Executive Committee may meet together at such places as they think fit for the dispatch of business, adjourn and otherwise regulate their meetings and proceedings, as they see fit;
- The Executive Committee may from time to time fix the quorum necessary for the transaction of business and unless so fixed the quorum shall be a majority of the Executive Committee then in office;
- The President shall be Chairperson of all meetings of the Executive Committee; but if at any meeting the President is not present within 30 minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting, the Vice?President shall act as Chairperson, but if neither is present the Executive Committee may choose one of their members to be Chairperson at the meeting;
- The Executive Committee may at any time, and the Secretary, on the request of the Executive Committee shall, convene a meeting of the Executive Committee
6.2
- The Executive Committee may delegate any, but not all, of its powers to committees consisting of such of the Directors as they think fit;
- A committee so formed in the exercise of the powers so delegated shall conform to any rules that may from time to time be imposed on it by the Executive Committee, and shall report every act or thing done in exercise of those powers to the earliest meeting of the Executive Committee to be held next after it has been done
6.3 A committee shall elect a Chairperson of its meetings; but if no Chairperson is elected or if at any meeting the Chairperson is not present within 30 minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting, the Executive Committee present, who are members of the committee, shall choose one of their number to be Chairperson of the meeting.
6.4 The members of a committee may meet and adjourn as they think proper.
6.5 For a first meeting of the Executive Committee held immediately following the appointment or election of a Director or Directors at an Annual or other general meeting of members, or for a
meeting of the Executive Committee at which a Director is appointed to fill a vacancy in the Executive Committee, it is not necessary to give notice of the meeting to the newly elected or appointed Director or Directors for the meeting to be duly constituted, if a quorum of the Executive Committee is present.
6.6
- Questions arising at any meeting of the Directors and committee of Directors shall be decided by a majority of votes
- In case of an equality of votes the Chairperson does not have a second or casting vote
6.7 No resolution proposed at a meeting of Directors and placed with the minutes of the Directors, need be seconded and the Chairperson of a meeting may move or propose a resolution.
6.8 A resolution in writing, signed by all the Directors and placed with the minutes of the Directors is as valid and effective as if regularly passed at a meeting of Directors.
Part 7 ? Duties of the Executive Committee
7.1 The immediate Past President shall assist the President and Vice?President in their duties and shall provide advice and counsel to the Executive Committee. The Past?President shall receive a $250.00 stipend to cover expenses.
7.2 The President shall be the presiding officer of the association, shall be the Chairperson of the Executive Committee, and shall preside at all executive and extraordinary meetings of the association. He shall also be a member, ex officio, of all committees appointed by the Executive Committee or by the association, and of the executive of all leagues of the association. The President shall receive a $500.00 stipend to cover expenses.
7.3 The Vice?President shall perform the duties of the President in his/her absence.
7.4 The Secretary?Treasurer shall:
- Keep the records of all the activities of the association and of the leagues of the association;
- Keep minutes of all the meetings of the Executive Committee and of the association;
- Conduct the correspondence of the association;
- Prepare an annual report on the activities of the association and present it at the Annual General Meeting;
- Prepare a budget for the ensuing year and present it at the Annual General Meeting;
- Have the custody of all monies of the association and deposit the same to the account of the association at a chartered bank;
- Record all receipts and disbursements of the association;
- Disburse monies only in accordance with the Director of the Executive Committee of the association;
- Perform such other duties as may be necessary for the purpose of complying with the Constitution and bylaws;
- The Secretary Treasurer will receive a $500 stipend to cover expenses.
7.5 The Administrators Representative shall represent the point of view of the Administrators
Association.
7.6 In the absence of the Secretary?Treasurer from a meeting, the Directors shall appoint another person to act as Secretary at that meeting.
Part 8 – Borrowing
8.1 There shall be no power on the part of the association or the Executive Committee of the association to borrow monies.
Part 9 ? By?laws
9.1 On being admitted to membership an affiliate school is entitled to and the Association shall provide, without charge, a copy of the Constitution and bylaws and rules and regulations of the association currently in force.
9.2 These bylaws shall not be altered or added to except by Special Resolution.