The Kids Executive Council met this past Sunday to consider a number of possible changes dealing with the Kids Division, but also with potential changes to our organization as a whole.
The most important topic of discussion was the consolidation of the Corporate Board and the Kids Executive Council. Currently the two boards, and many of the individuals on those two boards, have overlapping responsibilities. Mike Juby has prepared a document, a new set of By-Laws, to bring our statewide organization under one governing body. The Kids Executive Council voted unanimously to implement the consolidation of the two boards through the new By-Laws. In order for this consolidation to become final, the consolidation must be approved by the Corporate Board, and be approved by a 2/3 majority of our membership at the State Body Meeting in the Fall. Mike will provide further explanation and the new By-Laws by separate correspondence.
One change approved by the Kids Executive Council, which will take effect immediately, was a vote to change the District boundaries. This topic has been discussed a number of times by the Council over the last four years. The Council worked to balance the desire to equalize the membership in each District with the desire to change the District assignments as little as possible. The past district structure had the following statewide membership percentages: District 1 – 39%, District 2 – 20%, District 3 – 22%, and District 4 – 19%. A number of different options were reviewed. The final product does not completely even the number of members in each district, but does bring the membership numbers closer to an equal amount in each district. The new district structure has the following statewide membership percentages: District 1 – 28%, District 2 – 25%, District 3 – 24%, and District 4 – 23%.
The following counties were moved from their current District:
From District 1 to District 3 – Doniphan, Brown, Jackson, Osage, Coffey.
From District 1 to District 2 – Woodson, Allen, Bourbon, Neosho, Crawford, Labette, and Cherokee.
From District 3 to District 4 – Smith, Osborne, Russell, Rice, and Reno.
From District 2 to District 4 – Kingman and Harper.
Although no others decisions were made, the Council did discuss several other topics:
* The need for Sub-District Tournaments.
* Holding a high school only division state tournament the week after high school state.
* Moving the high school division out of the Kids state tournament and brining in the 6U division.
* Moving the Kids state tournament to an earlier date and starting the Olympic styles earlier.
* Requirement to have membership cards prior to entry into any tournament or prior to any seeding meeting.
* Altering entry deadlines for Sub-District or District Tournament
* Elimination of the state series waiver form.
Matt Treaster
Kids Director
