CONSTITUTION FOR THE ESSEX FLAMES CHEERLEADING CLUB
NAME The club shall be called the Essex Flames Cheerleading Club.
1. AIMS
The Essex Flames Cheerleading Club aims to provide the opportunity to all students of all level, the opportunity to cheer at basketball game and offer multiple competition squads in stunt and dance for those who wish to compete within the club. Furthermore, we aim to contribute to the local community and the wider university community through fundraising and volunteering work. We aim to continually improve the playing standard of the Club and continually develop a high degree of amateur sportsmanship and discipline at competitions.
2. OBJECTIVES
● Achieve a highernumber of members in the club
● Place well at competitions
● Performour routinesata level we can be proud of
● Learn new skills
● Improve our flexibility, tumblingand stunting
● Continue to improve the level of the dance squad, and develop the understanding of technique and performance in dance.
3. MEMBERSHIP
1 Full membership of the club shall only be open to current University of Essex student and staff members. Alumni can also be a member and still compete for the club, providing they graduated from University of Essex within the last 4 years. Staff are associate members and therefore they cannot run clubs or vote in elections. Full membership to the club is subject to also being a member of the Essex Blades.
2 The club shall be open to all persons, and all members shall be treated fairly and equally in accordance with the Students’ Union Equal Opportunities Policy.
3 Associate Membership of the club shall be available to individuals upon receipt of the appropriate forms and fees in accordance with the relevant regulations agreed by both the club’s Executive Committee and the Essex Blades.
4 i. A General Meeting of the club shall be entitled to confer honorary membership to the Club in recognition of outstanding service or as a token of esteem. Such honorary members shall not be entitled to vote at any meeting nor be elected to any Executive office.
ii. Proposals for candidates to receive honorary memberships can be made by any full member of the club. A two-thirds majority at any General Meeting shall be required to confer honorary memberships. Any successful candidates shall be informed by the President of the club in writing.
5 THE COMMITTEE
1 a The Committee shall consist of:
(i) The President/Chair
(ii) The Vice-President
(iii) The Secretary
(iv) The Treasurer
(v) The Co-Social Secretary
(vi) The Co-Social Secretary
(vii) The Charity and Volunteering Officer
(viii) The Communications and Publicity Officer
(ix) The Fundraising Officer
(x) The Game Day Captain
(xi) The Welfare Officer
(xii) The Coaching Committee:
(xiii) The Head Coach
(xiv) The Assistant Coach
(xv) The Dance Coach
(xvi) The Assistant Dance Coach
2 The Committee shall be elected annually under the terms of appendix A to this constitution.
3. The Committee shall be responsible to the members of the Club and for the day to day running of the club.
4. This shall not be an exhaustive list of the committee and the ‘COMMITTEE’ shall have the power to create roles as necessary.
6 DUTIES OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS
1 All committee members have the responsibility to act in the best interests of the members of the club as their elected representatives.
2 The PRESIDENT shall be responsible for:
● The general day-to-day running of the club and shall be entitled to represent the Club at all times in matters affecting its interests. This includes scheduling regular meetings of the committee and the club and communicating with relevant organisations. S/he shall be entitled to take the Chair at all meetings of the Club at which s/he is present.
● Ensuring that all club good practice guidelines are followed.
● Ensuring that all club officials do their elected role to a high standard.
● Assisting the secretary with competition associated arrangements.
● Being the club’s main point of contact between the sports centre, Student’s Union, BCA, ICC, Future Cheer or any other official agency necessary.
● Liaising with the Sports Federation executive members to aid the running of Sports Fed and the club.
● Overseeing an annual inventory of club equipment put forward by the Game-Day Captain.
● Submitting any applications for the End of Season Sports Awards e.g. Club or Team of the Year.
● Processing Colours and ESS applications.
● Arranging the ‘Come and Try’ session for the beginning of the year.
● Deciding the level that the club or each squad will be entering for each competition after discussing it with the Head Coach and the level is to be agreed on by the executive committee.
● Organizing the try-outs for the competition squads and work with the Head Coach to analyse the skills of each member of the club in order to place them on the correct squad.
● Other duties as agreed by the committee.
3 The VICE PRESIDENT shall be responsible for:
• Providing a link between the members and their representatives, listen to any members’ grievances.
• Taking over any of the President’s responsibilities when he/she is absent.
• Drawing up and submitting to Sports Fed a thorough risk assessment that complies with the NGBs, including one for under 18 players;
• Making sure that pitches/playing areas are suitable to play on prior to matches and training;
• Ensuring that all members have the correct and suitable kit/equipment prior to matches and training
• Ordering competition uniform and any other competition kit needed.
• Assist the President with applications for the End of Season Sports Awards.
• Generally assist all committee with their roles.
• Other duties as agreed by the committee.
4 The SECRETARY shall be responsible for:
• Assisting the President in the calling of meetings, the preparation of agenda for such meetings, the keeping and preparing of minutes for such meetings, the conduct of correspondence on behalf of the Club and keeping the VP Student Activities informed of the names and contact details of Officers of the Club and of any amendments to this constitution.
• The maintenance of the website, ensure all information on the site is current and accurate.
• General communication within the club between the members and the committee.
• Writing up minutes at meetings.
• Maintaining an accurate and current list of all members and their details for example email addresses.
• Ensuring that target memberships are met/increased on previous years.
• Ensuring that all members involved in competing have the relevant registration.
• Arranging competition associated elements such as travel, lodging, and registration.
• Assisting the Co-social Secretary and Welfare Officer in writing a thorough disclaimer that will be presented to all newcomers on arrival, stating the risks involved in the sport.
• Other duties as agreed by the committee.
5 The TREASURER shall be responsible for:
● The thorough administration of the club’s finances in accordance with the Union’s procedures.
• Producing a financial plan for the academic year including producing the club’s annual budget proposal for the consideration of Sports Fed.
• Overseeing all fundraising events.
• The collection of session fees.
• Collecting all the funds associated with the club (i.e. competition fees).
• Working together with the Fundraising and Publicity Officer to aid the finances of the club (i.e. through sponsorship).
• Setting financial targets for the Fundraising and Publicity Officer.
• Keeping a thorough account of all money collected from members and what it is for.
• Having a comprehensive overview and understanding of the club’s finances at all times through the continued recording of all incomings and outgoings.
• All money associated with the club, as it must go through the Treasurer.
• Other duties as agreed by the committee.
6 The CHARITY AND VOLUNTEERING OFFICER shall be responsible for:
● Ensuring the club is associated with at least one Student Union’s charity event per academic year.
● Organising events to raise money for charity.
● Organising volunteering opportunities for the club.
● Ensuring members are aware of all charity and volunteering responsibilities and encourage participation.
● Being the main point of contact with the vTeam.
● Other duties as agreed by the committee.
7 The FUNDRAISING OFFICER shall be responsible for:
● Arranging all fundraising events.
● Be the main point of contact for any agency outside of the club concerning fundraising, either for charity or company promotion.
● Working with the Treasurer to obtain sponsorship.
● Maintaining a professional relationship with any and all sponsors (i.e. Jump Street) to encourage sponsorship renewal.
● Actively looking for ways to fundraise to help ease/eradicate financial strain on the club and its members.
● Actively looking for possible sponsors and building a relationship with them to help the club financially.
● Supplementing the costs of the club’s members as much as possible through fundraising events.
● Other duties as agreed by the committee.
8 The COMMUNICATIONS & PUBLICITY OFFICER shall be responsible for:
● Promoting the club throughout the year through our social media sites (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram).
● Where possible, publicise the club and its activities through any available forms of the media (e.g. The Rabbit).
● Keep our website updated and to a professional standard.
● Adequately and accurately advertising the club to new members through Fresher’s fair and any other appropriate event.
● Maintaining the notice board in the Sports Centre, updating posters and other promotional items.
● Organising the club’s involvement in internal events organised, for example, by the Sports Centre
9 The WELFARE OFFICER shall be responsible for:
● Ensuring the mental and physical wellbeing of all members
● Assisting the Vice-president in completing the Risk Assessment for the club.
● Completing accident reports.
● Writing a thorough disclaimer that will be presented to all newcomers on arrival, stating the risks involved in the sport.
● Ensuring all newcomers have signed the disclaimer saying that they understand the risks involved in the sport – this must be signed before they participate in any activities.
● Any other activities agreed by the committee
10 The CO SOCIAL SECRETARY shall be responsible for:
● Arranging all social activities within the club and its members including non-alcoholic activities.
● Arranging the Christmas, End of Year and Awards dinners.
● Liaising with the members of the club to ensure, where possible, that they are enjoying the social events provided and amending if necessary.
● Organising an annual tour.
● Organising joint socials with other clubs, namely the Essex Blades.
● Assist Vice-president with ordering of uniform and kit.
● Other duties as agreed by the committee.
11 The CO SOCIAL SECRETARY AND ALUMNI OFFICER shall be responsible for:
● Arranging all social activities within the club and its members including non-alcoholic activities.
● Arranging the Christmas, End of Year and Awards dinners.
● Liaising with the members of the club to ensure, where possible, that they are enjoying the social events provided and amending if necessary.
● Organising an annual tour.
● Organising joint socials with other clubs, namely the Essex Blades.
● Assist Vice-president with ordering of uniform and kit.
● Maintaining an accurate and up to date list of all former members of the club.
● Sending information to the alumni members of the club.
● Other duties as agreed by the committee.
The Coaching Committee:
12 The GAME DAY COACH AND JUST PLAY LIASON OFFICER shall be responsible for:
● Create the annual itinerary for the consideration of the Sports Federation.
● Ensure all members have the correct equipment and kit for each match.
● Ensure that all equipment is available when necessary, for example training sessions.
● Ensuring attendance levels are maintained for both training sessionsand matches.
● Choreograph a routine suitable to perform at matches.
● Teaching appropriate ‘cheers’ at matches and leading them when necessary within matches.
● Ensure all members are aware of the correct etiquette expected of members at games and competition.
● Liaise with other teams to ensure the squad is adequately catered for on away games and in turn that visiting squads receive the appropriate hospitality.
● Ensure appropriate transport for all away matches.
● Organise any mini-bus driving tests.
● Run weekly Just Play cheerleading sessions.
● Liaise with the Just Play co-coordinator oftheattendance and success of the programme.
● The maintenance and content of the cheer locker.
● Recording the location of all equipment in a logbook and ensuring that any loaned equipment is returned as a piece of club property
● Other duties as agreed by the committee.
13 The HEAD COACH shall be responsible for:
● Training the members of the club to the required level decided by the Executive committee.
● Choreographing the competition stunt routines.
● Discuss with the President the level the club/squads should enter.
● Deciding upon the music to be used for the competition routines and working with the relevant committee members (President, Treasurer, Fundraising and Publicity Officer) to either create the music themselves or raise the funds needed to have it done professionally.
● Work with the President in analysing the skill of each member of the club in order to place them on the correct squad.
● Deciding uniform, hair, and make-up for competitions.
● Other duties agreed by the committee.
14 The DANCE COACH shall be responsible for:
● Deciding which dance categories to enter in competitions.
● Holding try-outs for all dance teams
● Ensuring appropriate routines are taught and available when needed.
● Ordering appropriate costumes for all dance teams for competitions.
● Ensuring that training is organized, including extra trainings prior to competition.
● Maintaining communication amongst the dance squad.
● Coaching and choreographing the competition dance routines.