Hello Members!

This year’s MZU AGM is just around the corner! During this meeting, the MZU Board of Directors will present key details and outcomes of this past years events. This is a great opportunity to learn more about how MZU supports the sport of Ultimate in St John’s, the state of the leagues that we provide, and a chance to engage with us in discussion and feedback on what you feel went well or could go better in the future.

Date and Time: Thursday, November 16th, 2023 @ 7:30pm (ical)

Location: Quidi Vidi Brewery

We also use this time to elect our new Board of Directors for 2024, giving committed members the opportunity to directly influence and impact the future of the sport we all love so much. Truth be told, we have a number of members of the board that will no longer be able to volunteer next year due to some major life changes. As excited as we are for them, we’ll miss them dearly and thank them so much for all they have done for MZU!

This does give us an opportunity to refresh and gain some new perspectives, but we need your help! Here is an overview of what we ask for members volunteering on the board:

What’s the time commitment? Board members serve a one-year term starting the first day of December. The full board meets 6 times per year, with sub-committees having one to two additional meetings. Meetings are usually virtual, with the main in person meeting being a longer planning session for the coming year. In addition to meetings, board members undertake various duties to ensure smooth running of MZU. The busiest times for the board are just before the start of different leagues.

Who should apply? People with a passion for making their Ultimate community a better place and want to see our membership and leagues grow. Players of all skill levels and with diverse expertise and lived experiences are welcome. Eligible nominees must have played in an MZU league in the past 18 months. 

How do I nominate? Individuals can self-nominate or nominate a friend or teammate by completing the online form or by self/nominating in person at the AGM.

Nomination Form

Nominated members will have the opportunity to accept or decline their nomination at the AGM (they must be present, or have a proxy). If more than one individual is nominated for a position, MZU members in attendance will vote to decide who will fill the role. There will also be an opportunity for members who cannot attend to assign their vote to a proxy. We’ll send details on proxies closer to the event!

If you feel you or someone you know would be a good fit, read ahead on the roles that support our organization. We hope to hear from you, and see you at the AGM!

Available Board Positions

MZU’s Board of Directors is formed by the following roles: President, VP League, VP Finance, VP Spirit, VP Communications, and 6 Members at Large (MAL). All of these roles collaborate across multiple sub committees to achieve the goals and objectives of MZU. Full details of these positions and how the operate can be found in our Bylaws.

President

Currently held by: Lesley Butler

The President is the conductor of the MZU orchestra, ensuring that everything is properly managed and accounted for across all the directives and objectives that the board sets for itself throughout the year. You provide guidance and critical thinking to all board actions and have MZU’s best interests in mind at all times. MZU’s President acts as our Executive Manager of operations, performing the following duties/roles:

• Chair of the Board;
• Chief Executive Officer of MZU;
• Presides over all meetings of members and Directors;
• Signing authority on the MZU bank account; and
• Any other duties as the Bylaws or Board of Directors may prescribe.

VP League

Currently held by: Kris Rogers

VP League is the foundation for planning and executing each of the many leagues MZU provides. In addition to assisting the president with the business of MZU, the VP League is also responsible for:

• Performing all President duties, should the President be absent or unable;
• Chairing the League Committee;
• Performing duties of League Commissioner (i.e., organization, planning and management of MZU leagues);
• Booking/Managing field spaces and corresponding with field owners;
• Signing authority on the MZU bank account; and
• Any duties as prescribed by the Bylaws or the Board of Directors.

VP Finance

Currently held by: Sarah McGuire

VP Finance is responsible for managing MZU’s accounts and bottom line, ensuring that our finances are properly maintained and accounted for.  In addition to assisting the president with the business of MZU, the VP Finance is responsible for:

• Chairing the Finance Committee;
• Keeping complete and current records of our accounts, showing the financial condition of MZU;
• Signing authority on the MZU bank account;
• Legal stewardship of monies, and other valuables that may come into the possession of MZU;
• Depositing MZU funds into the MZU bank account and liaising with our bank as needed;
• Keeping statements of MZU finances and providing reports at meetings of the Board of Directors, AGM, or as requested;
• Manage MZU records, including the membership and voting membership list;
• Transfer of required monies/payments to affiliated organizations; and
• Any other duties as the Bylaws or Board of Directors may prescribe.

VP Communications

Currently held by: Colin Martin

The voice and social media manager of MZU. VP Comms is responsible for managing how MZU presents itself to existing and potential members. In addition to assisting the President with the business of MZU, the VP Communications is responsible for: 

• Chairing the Communications Committee;
• Communicating all relevant league information to the membership and managing website and social media channels;
• Scheduling and attending all Board meetings;  keeping record of meeting proceedings, decisions, and action items;
• Coordinating all advertising for MZU events; and
• Any other duties as the Bylaws or the Board of Directors may prescribe.

VP Spirit

Currently held by: Sarah Dawe

Keeping spirit as the heart and soul of MZU, VP Spirit is a crucial role to our success. In addition to assisting the president with the business of MZU, the VP Spirit is responsible for:  

• Chairing the Spirit Committee;
• Formulating and executing strategies to work with MZU players, teams, and the leagues to promote Spirit of the Game;
• Distributing and managing spirit awards and prizes;
• Scheduling and organizing all non-sporting activities, such as our end of summer party;
• Maintaining a database of all volunteers who aid in the running of any MZU activities; and
• And other duties as the Bylaws or the Board of Directors may prescribe.

Members at Large

Currently held by: Lorne Dunford, Jack Fish, Charlotte Leese, Kris Penney, Andy Porter, and Michael Walsh

Members at Large (MALs) are a major part of our board of directors, ensuring that we are able to meet our goals and objectives throughout the year and assisting our VP’s meet their goals and objectives by serving on our various committees. MALs are asked to:

• Attend 4-6 Board of Directors meetings per year – assisting with the planning and running of leagues and events during these meetings.
• Serve on at least one committee, such as the League, Social, Communications, or Inclusion committees; and
• Help out as needed with any action items as the Bylaws or the Board of Directors may prescribe.

If you are interested in joining the board, you can fill out the Nomination Form, or self nominate in person during the meeting. We hope to hear from you!

Thank You!

We really appreciate all the support and effort that our current board members has provided for MZU this past year and look forward to what the future holds for the sport of Ultimate in St. John’s! We also want to acknowledge all of the great feedback and engagement that our community has provided this year, we truly appreciate it! We can’t do it without you!

Thank you, and see you on November 16th!