So what do I do if I need to bring this to the committee’s attention?

First, start at the most appropriate level.

The committee often times will not be your first stop.  

We want to be open, receptive, and respectful to the membership to hear issues that are present in our organization. 

But part of that openness and respect also extends to the Sports Commissioners the Board has voted on and appointed, and the Coaches the Commissioners have selected.

If you have an issue that is related to your team, you first need to bring it to your coach and give them a chance to address it.  If they do not respond in a reasonable amount of time (remember we are all volunteers), do not provide you with a resolution you feel is sufficient, or it directly involves the coach, then it is time to elevate the issue.

After the coach, you should next elevate the issue to that sport’s commissioner.  If that sport’s commissioner is not directly involved, and doesn’t reasonably get back to you, or doesn’t provide you with a suitable solution, then it may be time to involve the Ethics Committee.

Please understand that we want to be receptive to your concerns and do not want to place hurdles in your way to being able to give an avenue be heard, but the organization already has a structure in place of coaches—commissioner—committee in place, and we all need to respect and equally utilize this process.

But if all appropriate options you have explored have not given you a sufficient response, then that is what the Board established this Ethics Committee for.

Moving forward in the process is the online form.  This is not meant to be a hurdle, but it helps us categorize and organize the information being provided.  Follow the form’s prompts and provide us with the details we are requesting and as required, we can than reach back out to request follow up information.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND that while we know it may be frustrating and there may be growing pains, all members of the Board are no longer able to respond to or entertain ethics complaints without first confirming that a form is on file through this online ethics process.  This is to ensure that there is not preferential treatment and that there is sufficient visibility across all appropriate levels.

If you have questions or are interested in learning more, you may contact [email protected] or attend an NYSA Board meeting the 1st or 3rd Wednesday of the Month at the NYSA Conference room at 6:00PM in the main complex’s gymnasium.”