SBMSA

What is the Spring Branch Memorial Sports Association?

SBMSA is an independent, non-profit sports organization, incorporated within the state of Texas in May, 1961, for the purpose of providing an organized sports program for youth in the Spring Branch-Memorial area. It was started by local fathers with a few 11-12 year old baseball teams and has expanded to include baseball, ages 6-18; girls softball, ages 6-14; tackle football, ages 6-12; flag football ages 5-10; soccer, girls program ages 5-13 and boys' program ages 5-13; and basketball, girls' ages 6-13 and boys' ages 5-11 (12's if not in 7th grade).

What is the governing body of the SBMSA and who are they?

The SBMSA is governed by a sixteen member Board of Directors, all of whom are elected for three year rotating terms by the general membership at meetings held annually.

How are the six sports' programs organized?

The president appoints, with the approval of the Board, program directors for each sport. The program director in turn appoints commissioners as needed, for the administration of each program. These commissioners are subject to the approval of the board. In summary, the individual sports are directed by the program directors and commissioners.

Who constitutes the membership that elects the directors?

Each manager or head coach, one per team, commissioner, director and former director is a voting member. They are sent invitations about two weeks prior to the fall annual meeting and may vote in person or by proxy for the directors. Notification of the annual meeting is placed on our website approximately two weeks before the meeting. Voting members may vote for the Directors in person or by proxy.

Who are the officers of the Association?

The officers elected by the Board of Directors are the President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer.

What are the functions of the members of the Board of Directors?

The Board, representing the parents of the participants of each sport, meets monthly, usually on Sunday night. They are responsible for approving the budgets and expenditures of the Association, approving rules drawn up by each program and generally overseeing the administration of the six programs, including allocation, maintenance, and use of the playing fields. Every attempt is made to keep the membership on the Board balanced among the geographic divisions of the Spring Branch-Memorial area and among the six programs insofar as possible. Board membership should be held by people interested in directing programs, in being officers of the Association, and in working as active commissioners in multiple programs.

How is the Association financed?

For the most part SBMSA revenues come from player registration fees. We do have some receipts from our concession stands operated at most fields and there are also donations from individuals and corporate sponsors. Each of the sports has its separate budget, and for budgeting purposes receipts and expenses are allocated to each program. Certain items used in common by all six programs are allocated to those programs based on the percentage of their income as compared to the Association's total income. Any excess funds may be shared among all the programs for capital improvements. Sometimes for special financial needs, such as relighting a complex or building a new facility, a special fund raiser is held.

How are these receipts and expenditures reported?

The SBMSA office issues a financial statement monthly to the directors. This statement is a report by program receipts and disbursements, separated into categories such as equipment, printing, postage, officials, field work, mowing, etc. Anyone can obtain a copy of this financial report from the director representing his area or sport. In addition to this monthly report, a yearly report is handed out at the general annual membership meeting each year.

How are the players registration fees used?

The registration fee is an enrollment fee only. Registrants are assigned to a team determined by the SBMSA at its sole discretion. Registration fees pay for officials; fields workers; equipment; balls; utilities (electricity, water, telephone); grass mowing, dirt work; trash removal; electrical, bleacher, field and fence repairs; bookkeeping; office supplies; postage; printing, etc. Some spring sports which require more field maintenance must supplement their player registration fees with sponsor donations in order to have sufficient finances to supply uniforms and equipment. If parents are asked to contribute to photographs, trophies, team party, coach's gifts, etc. this would be entirely voluntary on the parents' part.

How can the budget be reduced?

In the past few years many previously volunteer duties are now being done with paid personnel. The only way to reduce the need for funds now collected through player registration fees and sponsor funds would be to return to parents and coaches volunteering to do the paid jobs.

What about team and individual sport photographs?

The Association takes bids from photographers for the calendar year and after the decision is made, several days for picture taking are set up each season. Every child is encouraged to be there to make the team picture complete, but no one is under any obligation to purchase anything. Even though the Association makes a small amount of income from the photographs, they are scheduled as an Association mostly for the convenience of coaches and parents.

What about playing fields for all the sports?

Although all of our fields are located on Spring Branch ISD property, the school district does not maintain or pay for the maintenance or utilities on them. The Association has paid for fences, backstops, bleachers, goals, sprinkler systems, light poles, fixtures and buildings on and around our playing fields. Presently we maintain twenty-two lighted fields located at Pine Shadows Elementary, Spring Woods Middle School, Spring Branch Elementary, Spring Branch Education Center, Memorial Middle School, Westchester Education Center and Spring Forest Middle School and numerous unlighted fields scattered across the Spring Branch Independent School District. In addition to the original construction of these fields, the Association maintains and pays the electric and water bills monthly. Because of the extent of our providing these facilities on school property we have school district exclusive permission to use them after school hours when we need them for games and practice; however, because they are on school grounds the schools use them during the day and other school district residents use them when Association teams are not practicing or playing games. This leaves the extensive upkeep and cleanup to SBMSA and is a great expense to the Association.

Who are the paid personnel of the Association?

• Office personnel are paid for maintaining records of the Association, handling the banking, financial reporting, registrations, mailings, paying game officials and overseeing other office duties.
• Field maintenance workers are paid to maintain the fields during the fall and spring sports by dragging, mowing, trimming and preparing the fields for play. Gym coordinators are paid to open and close gyms for basketball.
• From time to time, workers, such as carpenters, electricians, plumbers, painters, consultants for fertilizing and pest control, etc. are hired to do a specific job.
• All sports have paid officials.

No coach, manager, commissioner or director is paid for performing those duties.

Why is the birthday used to determine playing groups rather than school grade?

Chronological age is used in all SBMSA sports because it is the most fair. True, some children are a grade ahead or a grade behind but these are exceptions and the Association must use rules benefiting the majority of the players. If we played by grades, it could on occasion have players of three or four ages together. SBMSA would have no control of which grade a student is in, but our rules would allow for an age span of only twenty-four months for most leagues.

How is registration done?

Three times a year, near the first day of school, on about October 1 and again near the first day of school after the winter holidays, enough registration information flyers are taken to the elementary schools for each student, and additional copies are left in each school office. The Association does not have a "cut" policy. SBMSA accepts anyone who registers by the last day of registration in the spring sports or fall sports. Basketball registration is closed in each age group as the gym capacity is reached. Late registrations for all programs are accepted only if there is an opening on a team. The main source of coaches is the parents and on rare occasions when no one will step forward and coach a team, the team might have to be disbanded.

A Birth Certificate, or passport will be required, as proof of age, for all players participating in SBMSA activities. Proof of Age is not required to register but will be necessary prior to skill's assessment and/or team formation.

For specific instructions on how to register, click on the "Register" button on the home page.

What is the SBMSA Refund Policy?

Click here to see the refund policy.