United Soccer Coaches seeks U.S. Soccer Board of Directors vote

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Via United Soccer Coaches) – United Soccer Coaches has submitted a proposed amendment to the U.S. Soccer bylaws that would ensure the national association for soccer coaches at all levels of the game has representation on the U.S. Soccer Board of Directors.

The proposed bylaw change would provide each Associate Member, a category of membership which includes United Soccer Coaches, a vote for the At-Large board member that represents those U.S. Soccer members that do not have an automatic seat on the Board.

“We believe this is an important bylaw change to ensure that all U.S. Soccer members have a voice at the Board level,” said United Soccer Coaches CEO Lynn Berling-Manuel.

The bylaw amendment will be voted on by the U.S. Soccer National Council at the Annual General Meeting, taking place Feb. 14-17 in Scottsdale, Ariz. The bylaw must receive a two-thirds vote to pass. Last year the total number of votes was 1,219, but that number can fluctuate from year to year.

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“Our Board of Directors is excited about this bylaw proposal,” said United Soccer Coaches Immediate Past President Lesle Gallimore. “We feel it serves to represent and advocate for our membership in a way that shows we truly believe in uniting all soccer stakeholders in the U.S. and making sure that United Soccer Coaches and all members are a part of the conversation.”

Associate Members are part of the “Other Affiliated Members” of U.S. Soccer also known as the at-large committee. It encompasses all member groups that do not have a direct seat on the board. Associate Members are able to vote for national officers and bylaws, but they do not currently have a vote for the at-large board member that actually represents them. Associate Members is a category of U.S. Soccer members that do not register players.

Associate Members had a full seat on the Board until the 2006 board restructuring that reduced the board from over 40 members to its current size of 14 voting members.

There are currently two Associate Members, United Soccer Coaches and the U.S. Armed Forces Sports Council. The “Other Affiliated Members” of U.S. Soccer are: American Amputee Soccer Association, American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO), SAY Soccer, USA Deaf Soccer, US Club Soccer, U.S. Futsal, United States Power Soccer, United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA-Soccer). There are 12 total votes for the At-Large board member accrued to the other eight organizations based on their size.

The proposed bylaw change would give each Associate Member one vote for the At-Large Board member.