Call to Order: 11:00 am

Roll Call:

Officers present:
President (Reyn Kinzey),
Vice President (Dawn White),
Secretary (Carl Schmitt),
Treasurer (DJ Jefferis),
Director-at-Large (Nigel Willis).
LAU Reps present:
VRU (3): Kinzey, Kris Kabza, Dave Chapman.
PRU (3): Eric Pittelkau, Pat Costello, and Tom Walsh.
EPRU (3): Dana Bateman, Elaine Recchiuti, and Carl Ostermann.
Absent: Mark Koiwai (MARR).

Approval of Prior Meeting Minutes

Minutes of the 12/9/00 meeting were approved without revision

Treasurer's Report

Current Account Balance is $26,311.00. DJ Jefferis has just received the Quicken files containing the MARFU Accounts from 2000, and will review these files and prepare a report for the next Board Meeting. Dave Chapman requested a copy of the files so he can prepare and file the 2000 Federal Tax Forms.

Review of 2000 MARR Expenses for MARFU Events

Dave Chapman has received a report from Mark Koiwai for the MARR expenditures for 2000. No review was performed by the Board. In 2001, MARFU will pay MARR on a per event basis according to a Rate Schedule. (It was stated that this rate schedule had been distributed late last year). MARFU has budgeted $9000.00 for MARR services at MARFU events for 2001, and the Treasurer will review MARR invoices for consistency with the Rate Schedule and services provided prior to payment to MARR. The Secretary requested a copy of the MARR Rate Schedule be forwarded to him for the Board Files.

Men's Club Competition for Fall 2001 - Spring 2002

Eric Pittelkau presented a verbal report of the deliberations of the USA Committee charged with developing the USARFU Super League and USARFU Division I League. The Super League is formed and set. A questionnaire was sent to some 70 + clubs Territorial Division I and II clubs, of which 35 + responded. All but one were interested in competing in a voluntary USARFU Division I. In MARFU, NOVA, Maryland Exiles and Baltimore responded favorably. Eric reports that the Committee expects final boundaries and composition of this USARFU Division I to be complete by mid March. The MARFU Competitions Committee is already in discussions about MARFU League structure based on the preceding information, but final resolution must wait for USARFU to announce their plans. It was noted that clubs participating the USARFU Super League and Division I must be members in good standing of their Territories and LAU's.

Mandatory B-side Policy for Men's Championship Div. League Matches

A motion was presented by Pat Costello (seconded by Dave Chapman), stated as follows: "If a Championship Division Club does not play the mandatory B side match, upon complaint of the offended club the offending club will be fined $100, payable to the offended club, unless mutually agreed upon by both clubs prior to game day, contingent upon notification of the assigned B side referee and the proper Referees Society prior to game day. " The motion passed on a voice vote.

Multiple sides from one MARFU Club competing in different Divisions.

A motion was presented by Eric Pittlekau, (seconded by Dawn White), stated as follows: "MARFU adopts the USARFU Guidelines for clubs entering teams in multiple divisions."The motion passed unanimously on a voice vote.

Promotion/Relegation between the MARFU Territorial & Championship Divisions

A motion was presented by Eric Pittlekau (second was not recorded), stated as follows: " Method of promotion between the MARFU Territorial and Championship Divisions be changed from automatic promotion/relegation to a challenge match." Before a vote was called, Tom Walsh made a motion (seconded by Kinzey) to table this motion pending resolution of the USARFU Men's League Structure. This motion to table was passed by voice vote.

Adding MARFU Collegiate Men's Div. III Playoffs in 2002

This item was referred to the Collegiate Men's Committee for discussion.

Review of MARFU Committee Structure

Steve Cohen was recommended by Collegiate Men's Committee for ratification as Chair. No objections were presented and the recommendation is so ordered.

Dave Chapman was recommended by a majority of the Men's Club Committee for ratification as Chair. The appointment went to a Board vote, and a roll call vote was requested.
For: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Directors Ostermann, Recchiuti, Chapman, Kabza, and Kinzey.
Against: Directors Walsh and Costello
Abstentions: Director at Large Willis, Director Bateman
Director Pittlekau was not available for the vote.

MARFU Men's All-stars Coach: President Kinzey will approach Mitch Bernstein about continuing as Men's All-stars Coach for another two year term

All other Committee Chairs and appointed positions remain the same from 2000 to 2001.

MARFU policy for playoff matches on unplayable fields

A motion was presented by Kris Kabza (second by Tom Walsh), stated as follows: That if a field to be used for a first round (round of 8) Collegiate Championship match is declared unusable due to field conditions, the following options will be exercised, in this order of execution:

1) If the (home) Team A is unable to host on Saturday, then the match will be moved to the home field of Team B.
2) If Team B is unable to host on Saturday, the game is moved to the immediately following Sunday, and is held at the home field of Team A.
3) If Team A is unable to host on Sunday, the match is moved to the home field of Team B.
4) If Team B is unable to host on Sunday, the match will be moved to a time and date agreeable to both teams, to be played prior to the Saturday of the Final Four matches, and only if a certified, impartial referee is available for that time, date and venue.
5) If the above four options fail, the playoff match will be held on the morning of and at the venue of the Final Four matches, prior to the Final Four matches.

MARFU Collegiate Eligibility

The Event Director for any given MARFU event has the authority to declare any player ineligible to play if that player does not meet all MARFU and USARFU eligibility requirements.

Location of USA Men's Collegiate Finals

Dave Chapman, upon announcement by USARFU that the Collegiate Men's Final Four (May 5 & 6, 2001) will be held at the Virginia Beach Sports-Plex, contacted Buddy Wheeler of Sports-Plex to determine how the event was awarded without the knowledge of MARFU or the VRU. After discussion, it was decided that MARFU will not intercede, but will express two concerns to USARFU:
1) That the field at the Virginia Beach Sports-Plex will have small in-goal areas, that it may be narrower than 70 meters, and there is fencing in close proximity of the touch and dead ball lines.
2) That Sports-Plex is expecting a crowd of 5000, which the Board feels is a bit ambitious.

May 5, 2001 MARFU Board Meeting

The venue for this meeting is moved to Virginia Beach. The time, location and agenda for the meeting will be determined at a later date.

Major League Rugby

A motion was presented by Tom Walsh (seconded Pat Costello), stated as follows: That MARFU go on record with USARFU requesting that USARFU reverse its decision not to sanction ML Rugby matches. The motion did not carry on a voice vote.

MARFU Sevens Qualifiers

Approved qualifiers are:
Lehigh June 9
Norfolk July 14
Severn River date not yet available
MARFU Championships: Norfolk, July 28
There needs to be one more 7's qualifier. The 7's Committee will solicit bids.

New Business

The board is reminded that Agenda Items and Motions need to be submitted to the MARFU Secretary no later than 30 days before a scheduled meeting. Deadline for the May 5 meeting is April 5.

Motion to Adjourn: Schmitt Second: too many to record.

Meeting was adjourned at 14:30 hours