RULES, BYLAWS, & SPONSORSHIPS

by Gary B. Roberts, 1st VP By-laws, Rules, Grievance Director

I am honored to serve as 1st Vice President of the NHPA. However, I feel obligated to make genuine contributions to our sport rather than just to occupy the position. I have been pleasantly surprised to see that our current NHPA Officers are a very dedicated and industrious. My major responsibilities include rules, bylaws, and developing sponsorship.

Bylaws proposals were acted upon at the 2017 NHPA Convention in St. George, Utah. The NHPA Bylaws can be amended at every third NHPA Convention but amendments must be published in advance and approved by a two-thirds vote of the delegates at the Convention. However, emergency amendments can be made at any NHPA Convention but require approval of three-fourths of the delegates. The 2020 Convention will be the next regularly scheduled time for amendments.

The 2018 NHPA Convention in Florence, South Carolina will entertain all new rules proposals. Any member can submit a proposal but it must be submitted to me no later than November 30, 2017. I would ask that each proposal be submitted by first quoting the current wording followed by the proposed wording along with the reason for the proposed change. The proposals can be submitted to me at gbroberts5542@yahoo.com  or by mail to 638 Salem Cave Road, Beaver, Ohio 45613. Once I receive the proposals, they will be reviewed by the Rules/Bylaws Committee to assure they are appropriate and properly worded. I have a very knowledgeable and experienced Committee consisting of Dan Sanders, Jerry Labrosse, Clarence Lassiter, Debby Michaud, Gail Sluys, and Richard Altis. Once all proposals are finalized, they will be made available to the NHPA Executive Committee at the Winter Meeting in January 2018. Once approved by the Executive Committee, all proposals will be published in the Newsline and will be included in all delegate packets to assure that all voting members will be familiar with the proposals. Some proposals that are being considered by NHPA members include a definition of what constitutes a sanctioned tournament, a minimum number of shoes for a league to be Natstats eligible, and a clarification of the forfeit rule. If you have any questions about this important process, feel free to contact me at 740-835-1925.

Sponsorship is a subject that all of us talk about on a regular basis. It frustrates many of us when we see the success of the American Cornhole Organization in getting sponsorship for their major tournaments, and we ask ourselves why we cannot be successful. Casey Sluys made many efforts in the past to get some major companies to get interested in sponsoring us, and he can attest that getting sponsors will not be an easy task. I do not claim to be an expert in this area, but I know that it must be a priority as we move forward. I am recruiting capable people to assist me in this process. I’ve had a few people volunteer to help. We must develop a formal strategy and procure the assistance of capable people. If you have experienced people in your Charter that are willing to lend their expertise, please have them contact me. I will keep the membership informed of progress in this area.

I look forward to continuing to work toward the long-term survival and improvement of our sport.