Michigan BASS Federation Nation Youth Club Project for the Kid’s of Michigan

 ARTICLE I: NAME AND PURPOSE

  A. Name

 ARTICLE II: AFFILIATION AND RE-AFFILIATION REQUIREMENTS

  A. To affiliate with the Michigan BASS Federation Nation Youth Division
program, a club shall:

1. Have a minimum of six (6) members the age of 18 and under by August 31 of said year.
2. Be sponsored by an affiliated Michigan BASS Federation Nation Bass Chapter member or club.
3. Submit to the Michigan BASS Federation Nation Youth Director a copy of the club’s roster with officers … President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer (including the complete address and telephone numbers); Senior Advisor’s name, address, telephone number and chapter name; by-laws and tournament rules. 
   a.) Upon approval by B.A.S.S. and Michigan BASS Federation Nation the chapter will receive their affiliation.

 B. To maintain affiliation with the Michigan BASS Federation Nation program a chapter shall:

1. Have a member in good standing of the Michigan BASS Federation Nation program and National Junior B.A.S.S. for the previous year (unless a new Club).
2. Have a permission slip from a parent or guardian to attend meetings, tournaments, cleanup events, and CastingKids events. (also stating on the slip that the child is in good health).
3. Have a minimum of six (6) members the age of 18 and under by August 31 of said year.
4. Be sponsored by an affiliated Michigan BASS Federation Nation member or club.
5. Submit to State Youth Director each year:
   a.) a complete roster of the chapter’s membership including 
        >address and telephone number
        >club officers including address and telephone number
        >senior advisor name, address, telephone number and chapter name
   b.) tournament results on forms provided by the State Youth Director
   c.) environmental and community projects are encouraged but not required. If conducted, please send project reports to State Youth Director
   d.) Insure the State Youth Director has a current complete listing of club officers including name, address, and telephone number.

 ARTICLE III: PROGRAM

 ARTICLE IV: PROCEDURES FOR DISAFFILIATION, MEMBERSHIP REVOCATION OR DISCIPLINARY ACTION

 A. CLUB: Voluntary Disaffiliation

1. A club may disaffiliate from the Michigan BASS Federation Nation program by notification to State Youth Director

 B. CLUB: Involuntary Disaffiliation

1. A chapter may be disaffiliated from Michigan BASS Federation Nation program for any misconduct in complete disregard of ethical sports person like behavior or failure to comply with the program requirements in ARTICLE II, Section B. The State Youth Director must present recommendations for disaffiliation to the board of directors for approval.

 C. INDIVIDUAL: Membership Revocation and/or Disciplinary Action

1. Whenever a member is placed on probation, suspended, or removed from a club roster as a result of disciplinary action for false information, cheating or other actions detrimental to the future of the Michigan BASS Federation Nation program, the club must report the incident to the State Youth Director. He will review the incident and file a report to the Board of Directors. Appropriate action approved by the board may then be taken. Also any parent permission slip not filed or parent rejection will also be a disaffiliation of the individual.

 ARTICLE V: ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR JUNIOR STATE TOURNAMENT PARTICIPATION

 A. Qualification to Participate

1. To participate in the Junior State Tournament, an individual must be a current member of the National Junior B.A.S.S. and a current member of an affiliated chapter of the Michigan BASS Federation Nation program.
   Local Youth Chapters are allowed to send all of their members to the State Championship as long as they are on the club rosters as of the date set forth by the Board of Directors at the December meeting.
2. Clubs must have conducted at least 2 tournaments as evidenced by the tournament result forms (unless a new club that year).
3. Each club must submit a roster of officers and members of the current year to the Federation Youth Director by the December President’s meeting, to be eligible for the next State Championship. This does not apply to new clubs.
4. The members name must appear on the roster.
5. The chapter is in good standing with B.A.S.S. Youth Club and the Michigan BASS Federation Nation program.
6. Revenues from the Junior State Championship, minus expenses, will be used to fund the Youth Federation programs. The first priority will be to fund the Michigan Youth team to the Divisional Tournament, with the minimum acceptable amount being sufficient to pay reasonable and customary expenses of each team member.
7. Entries must be received on an official entry form or the chapter is not eligible.
8. The three (3) members of the chapter who compete for the club award have to be designated on the entry form.
9. Junior State Championship team size is determined by the number of members on the club roster on record at the April President’s Meeting of the year of the State Championship.

 ARTICLE VI: JUNIOR BASSMASTERS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

 A. Qualifications

1. Each year the Michigan BASS Federation Nation program can send the designated number of contestants to the Junior BassMaster World Championship. An angler must be between the ages of 11 and 18 on the day of this tournament, only belong to a junior club, and be in good standing in the Michigan BASS Federation Nation program, to be eligible for participation. Competitors shall be selected as follows:
   a.) 100 % of the team shall come from the State Championship Tournament
   b.) No more than one (1) 15 to 18 year old competitor and (1) 11-14 year old competitor.
   

 ARTICLE VII: TOURNAMENT RULES

 A. Safety

1. All tournaments will be chaperoned by senior members of the Michigan BASS Federation Nation.
2. Each participant is required to wear a life jacket at all times when on the water

 B. Sportsmanship

1. Contestants are expected to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety, and conservation. Any infraction of these fundamental sporting principles may be deemed cause for disqualification. Horseplay by any competitor during tournament hours or at the weigh-in area will NOT BE TOLERATED and may be cause for disqualification.

 C. Tournament sites and Times

1. Dates, times and sites for the State Championship shall be determined by the State Youth Director.
2. State Championship shall be a minimum of five (5) hours.
3. All contestants must check in one (1) hour prior to tournament meeting.

 D. Tournament Pairing

1. Members from the Michigan BASS Federation Nation (clubs need to try to get as many as they can first) shall provide boats and serve as guides for the tournaments. It is the intent to have two (2) Junior Bass Masters per boat, chaperoned by their guides.
2. Starting position and boat selection will be a random drawing.
3. Attempts will be made for guides not to chaperon Junior Bass Masters from their sponsored chapters.

 E. Scoring

1. Legal species (smallmouth bass and largemouth bass) must be within state and federal size limits.
2. There will be five (5) Bass limit per contender.
3. Winners will be determined by most weight for that day’s catch.
4. In case of a tie, biggest fish wins. If still in tie, then Michigan BASS Federation Nation rules will be followed.

 F. Protests

1. All protests will be done fifteen (15) minutes after scales are closed and no later. All protests will be in writing from the juniors and boaters of the accused boat and the accuser boat. It will be brought in front of the Tournament Committee and then the Tournament Director will have the final say.

"NO CHILD WILL BE WITHOUT LIFE VEST (SNAPPED, ZIPPED, SECURED) WHILE GETTING ON OR OFF THE BOAT. NO KID WILL BE STANDING UP IN THE BOAT AT ANY TIME THE COMBUSTION ENGINE IS RUNNING. THE BREAKING OF EITHER OF THESE RULES WILL ALSO BE DISQUALIFICATION IMMEDIATELY."