SOUTHWEST COAST DISTRICT
OPERATING RULES
Updated January 2023
1. Organization and Meetings
The Southwest Coast District (SWCD) Organization shall operate under the Constitution and Bylaws of the Florida Shuffleboard Association, Inc., Section 3, titled District Organizations and the Roberts Rules of Order. Rules pertinent to use only, and District Operating Rules shall help govern the District. These Rules may be changed, altered, or eliminated by a simple majority vote by members of the District Board with voting privileges.
All meetings of the SWCD will be open meetings to be held in November, January, and
March. Each Club President or designee shall represent that Club and vote along with the elected Executive Board only.
If a problem arises between scheduled meetings, the President, at his or her discretion, or a majority of the Executive Board may call and hold a closed or open meeting that is
necessary to continue a smooth running SWCD. Standing Rule with no Bylaw change.
(3/9/02)
2. Membership Rights
We hereby authorize the District Executive Board to enforce all practices hereto agreed
upon and to refuse membership to a new applicant or suspend or drop any Member Club
that fails or refuses to pursue established customs, or that discriminates against members of their own Club, or members of any other affiliated Club. It is hereby agreed that every member of any and all affiliated Clubs shall have the same rights and privileges including the right of a member of more than one Club in the State of Florida, to choose which of these Clubs he will represent in Tournaments.
3. Listing of Tournaments
Each club proposing to conduct any sanctioned tournament (State or National) during the active season (October-April) shall submit to the District President, a statement showing the title and date.
4. Listing Winners in PREVIEW
List all State Amateurs and Pros in the PREVIEW for five (5) years after the last point won. (11/2/19)
5. Eligibility Rules
The District shall operate under the eligibility rules of the FSA, and District rules that conflict with this rule is hereby rescinded. See FSA rules regarding eligibility and the penalty for playing in a lower division than is legal. (10/30/07)
6. Listing of Winners
Authorize that all District Tournament winners, both in the main event and consolation shall be listed in the PREVIEW, even if it requires buying additional space.
7. Returning to a Lower Division
All players wishing to return to a lower division must write a letter stating these wishes and send it to the President or Keeper of Records before April 15th so it can be recorded in the PREVIEW.
8. District Rules
– A. All District Tournaments shall be played in accordance with State and District shuffleboard rules as published in the PREVIEW.
– B. Opening ceremonies shall start at 8:45 am and be completed by 9:00 am. (3/17/07)
– C. No new games may start after 5:00 pm and everyone stops play at 5:30 pm, at the discretion of the Tournament Director. (1/07/06)
– D. Amateurs will play doubles and will play 16 frame games. Our District Amateur Tournaments include State Amateurs (which may play up in the Pro Division or down in the Amateur Division). In 2015-16, all District Amateur Tournaments become draw tournaments when the Pro schedule dictates a draw. A District Amateur Tournament that requires a partner may be any doubles. If there are not enough players to fill 8 teams, the Tournament Director may use a singles format or a mingle/mingle game format for that tournament. (1/05/08, 11/03/13, 11/5/16, 11/2/19)
1. State Amateur players who play in District Amateur Tournaments will earn Master points and will not accumulate move-up points. District Amateur players who play in District Tournaments will accumulate both move up points and master points. (11/2/19)
2. No Two State Amateur players who play in a District Amateur Tournament may play together (as partners).
3. District Amateur players do not earn ‘district master points’ unless the tournament is ‘labeled’ by a letter/number, such as A-1, A-2 etc. on the annual SWCD schedule (this clarity is for the NO 2 PROS and the PRO & 1 District Am tournaments).
4. District Amateur players who place when playing in District St. Am or Pro Tournament will earn master points. Amateur master points at Pro Tournaments are not credited toward District Hall of Fame points. (3/5/2022)
– E. A minimum of eight (8) teams required in an Amateur Tournament for move up points to be awarded. Amateur Tournaments consisting of eight (8) to eleven (11) teams, the points will be cut in half resulting in players in the main will get only ½ point; and
consolation will get ¼ point. Amateur Master points will be awarded. (11/1/08, 11/2/19)
– F. Southwest Coast Outstanding Achievement pins to be awarded to the top 16 men and ladies, 1-8 will receive gold pins, 9-16 will receive silver pins. (1/3/09)
– G. Draw Tournaments: If odd man and odd woman registers to play, they can play together in either tournament based on discretion of Tournament Director with the approval of the two players. If only 1 odd player, the last to register from the Host Club must relinquish play. If there is no player registered from host club, then last player to register cannot play unless we have a volunteer. (11/2/19)
– H. Starting in 2016, there will be three District Masters Tournaments. District Amateur, State Amateur & Pro Divisions. Tournament Directors for the Masters event will be paid $300.00 and host club will be paid current cost for beads. (3/5/2022)
– I. When 16 teams play in open tournament on Thursday in each division, fourth (4th) place in Consolation will receive a one (1) point effective January 1, 2023. (1/7/23)
9. Financial Report
All clubs hosting a district tournament must file a statement of receipts and expenditures for each tournament. Financial forms will be issued to each club prior to the tournament.
When the district tournament financial report is completed, it shall be given to the District President.
10. Payment of Expenses
– A. The District shall pay the expense of banquet tickets for the President and spouse, First Vice-President and spouse, State Delegate and spouse to attend the Annual State
Banquet.
– B. The District shall provide funds for one (1) night lodging for the President and spouse, and the State Delegate and spouse.
– C. When a person is inducted to the Florida Hall of Fame from our District, the District will provide the funds for one (1) night of lodging for that person and spouse and pay for the banquet ticket for the inductee(s).
– D. The President shall be paid $150.00 and the Secretary, Treasurer and Keeper of Records shall be paid $75.00 at the end of the season.
– E. State and District Tournament Directors will be paid a maximum of $150.00. Tournament entry fees to cover the $100 of Tournament Director fees and remainder monies paid from the $0.50 registration fee of each registered player. Any excess monies collected go to the District Treasury, and if there is a shortfall it shall be paid from District Treasury. (3/5/2022)
– F. Tournament entry fee is $8.00. (3/5/2022)
11. Nominations and Elections
– A. The elective offices of SWCD are President, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President, 3rd Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Keeper of Records, State Delegate, Alternate
State Delegate, National Delegate, and Alternate National Delegate. A representative of SWCD Tournament Directors will have voting privileges. (1/9/16)
– B. The office of President may not be held more than three (3) consecutive full years.
– C. Each Vice-President must be from a different club and different from the club of the President.
– D. Each Vice-President must be willing to move up to the office of President.
– E. The President, in cooperation with the Executive Board, shall name a three (3) to five (5) member committee on nomination, with the first person named being the chairperson. Members of this committee should understand the needs of the Districtand responsibilities of each office.
– F. The nominating committee shall name their members at the January meeting. The election should take place at the March meeting and the new officers installed at that time.
– G. A majority is required to elect. An election committee shall count the votes in secret. The vote will be reported to the presiding officer and destroyed, but only the winner will be announced publicly.
12. Hall of Fame (HOF); Plaque for President
– A. A SWCD Hall of Fame was established on January 3, 2015. Eligibility is as follows: 200 district points (points earned in District Amateur Tournaments do not count toward the needed 200), past presidents (3 years) and other special contributors. (1/9/16)
– B. A President who has served the District for at least one (1) full year shall be given a plaque at the end of his or her term.
13. Eligibility and Nominations:
– A. 200 points as a player in open or restricted district tournaments only.
– B. Special Contributor who has devoted five (5) or more years to SWCD shuffleboard in a way that denotes their contribution. A Special Contributor is one who contributes to the inner workings of the Board, or regularly volunteers his/her services to a club inthe SWCD. This person is also known for good sportsmanship and their general presence reflect positively upon District shuffleboard.
– C. Past Presidents of the SWCD serving three (3) years may be nominated for the HOF.
– D. A Hall of Fame committee will be established by the current SWCD President each year. The current President will ‘chair’ the committee to include past presidents, and choose up to three (3) or more district members with a strong history of players in the
SWCD. Other appointees cannot be from the same club.
– E. Nominations for the SWCD HOF will be accepted from current district club Presidents through February 1st of each year. Each nomination shall include a letter listing all achievements/resume of the candidate. A maximum of two special contributors can be admitted to the HOF annually.
– F. Discussion of special contributor candidates and voting by secret ballot shall be in closed session with SWCD Board Members and HOF committee (each qualified member of the board is entitled to vote for not more than two candidates). A candidate must receive a majority of the vote to be elected. If any member of the Board is a candidate, that person shall be excluded from that session. Results of
secret ballot shall not be numerically announced. The Committee Chairman (or assistant) will merely announce the names of those who have been elected.
– G. A special ceremony will be held in March each year to celebrate the new inductees.
President Cynthia R. Slaughterbeck Date February 25, 2023