dba Exiles Rugby Football Club

Effective Date: March 18, 2026

The organization shall be known as the Exiles Rugby Football Club (hereinafter referred to as the “Club”) and shall be located in the City of Alpharetta, Georgia.

The purpose of the Club shall be to foster and promote the growth and development of Rugby Union (“Rugby”) as a nonprofit corporation within the North Fulton County area, as well as at local, national, and international levels.

A Club Member is any individual who:
• Completes and submits the Club Membership Application Form
• Is formally accepted into membership
• Is current on required Club dues
• Agrees to abide by the Bylaws and Code of Conduct

Club Members may include:
• Senior Playing Members
• Social / Supporter Members
• Volunteers
• Team administrators
• Board members
• Section Directors

Only Club Members in good standing may vote or hold elected office, subject to Article IV eligibility requirements.

Club dues are mandatory and wholly separate from:
• Section participation fees
• Competition or tournament fees
• USA Rugby registration fees (CIPP)

Payment of section fees or USA Rugby registration does not substitute for Club Membership dues.

A Senior Playing Member is a Club Member rostered for participation in a senior rugby section.

Senior Playing Members must:
• Be accepted as Club Members
• Pay required Club dues
• Pay section fees as established
• Maintain required USA Rugby registration

Failure to maintain Club Membership renders a player ineligible regardless of section status.

Junior Playing Members participate in Minis through U19 programming.

Junior players:
• Are not voting members
• Are not required to complete the Club Membership Application Form
• Are granted Bylaw protections upon payment of required section fees
• Are subject to the Bylaws and Code of Conduct

Payment of section fees does not confer voting rights.

A Social / Supporter Member is a Club Member who does not participate as a rostered player.

Social Members:
• Must complete and be accepted under the Club Membership Application Form
• Must pay required Club dues
• Are eligible to vote
• May hold elected office subject to Article IV eligibility requirements

Honorary Membership may be conferred by majority vote of the Board upon individuals who have rendered distinguished service to the Club or to the game of rugby.

Honorary Members:
• Are not required to pay dues unless determined by the Board
• May attend meetings
• Shall not possess voting rights unless separately qualified
• Remain subject to the Bylaws and Code of Conduct

Honorary status may be revoked by Board vote.

The Associate Membership class is discontinued.
All references to Associate Member are removed.

The Board is the supreme governing authority of the Club.

The Board consists of:
• President
• Vice President
• Treasurer
• Secretary

The Board retains exclusive authority over:
• Strategic direction
• Financial oversight
• Policy adoption
• Bylaw amendments
• Discipline
• Appointment and removal of Section Directors
• Creation or discontinuation of sections

The President is a voting member of the Board and shall have one vote on all matters properly before the Board.

Board decisions shall be determined by majority vote.

To be eligible to serve in an elected Board position an individual must:
• Be a Senior Playing Member or Social Member in good standing
• Have maintained continuous good standing as a Club Member for at least two (2) full calendar years
• Be current on all dues and financial obligations
• Not be under disciplinary action or suspension

No more than two full-time active rostered players may serve simultaneously on the Board.

The President and Treasurer positions shall not be held by individuals serving as primary team captains.

No Head Coach may serve simultaneously as President or Vice President.

Active rostered players serving on the Board must recuse themselves from votes affecting:
• Team selection
• Player discipline
• Roster disputes
• Section leadership matters

At all times a majority of the Executive Council shall consist of individuals who are not active rostered players.

Members who have reached the age of thirty-five (35) years shall not be considered active rostered players for purposes of this section.

Board members must recuse themselves from votes where a direct personal playing interest exists.

The President serves as chief executive officer responsible for implementation of Board policy and direction of Club operations.

The President shall notify the Board and relevant Section Directors of significant decisions within forty-eight (48) hours.

The President may act unilaterally in emergencies affecting safety, finances, or legal standing.

Board vacancies may be filled by majority vote of the Board.

Eligibility requirements may be waived by a two-thirds vote of the Board if necessary to fill a vacancy.

Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern proceedings where applicable.

The Club operates unified rugby programs including:
• Men’s XVs
• Men’s Social XVs
• Men’s 7s
• Men’s Old Boys
• Women’s Rugby
• Juniors Rugby (Minis through U19)

Participation in matches is a privilege and not a right of membership.

Players may be declared ineligible for failure to maintain good standing or meet registration requirements.

Section Directors may be elected by eligible members of their respective sections.

All Section Directors serve at the pleasure of the Board and possess no independent governance authority.

The Board may remove a Section Director by majority vote.

The President may appoint an Interim Section Director where necessary.

Section Directors shall:
• Coordinate rugby activities within their section
• Work with coaching staff to support player participation and development
• Ensure players maintain eligibility and registration requirements
• Communicate section needs and issues to the President and Board
• Assist with recruitment and retention
• Promote adherence to Club bylaws and standards of conduct
• Support Club-wide initiatives

Section Directors shall not:
• Commit the Club to competitions without approval
• Enter into contracts
• Commit financial obligations
• Issue official public statements

The Executive Council consists of:
• Board Members
• Section Directors

The President serves as Chair but does not vote.

The Executive Council is advisory and does not supersede the Board.

1. Board
    
2. Executive Council
    
3. Section Directors
    
4. Members
    

The Vice President serves as Disciplinary Chair.

The Vice President may receive complaints, determine credibility, dismiss complaints without merit, or initiate formal disciplinary proceedings.

The President is recused from disciplinary committees.

The Club exists to promote, develop, and support the game of rugby and to foster fellowship, sportsmanship, and community among its members.

The Club shall not engage in political or ideological advocacy.

Club meetings, events, communications platforms, and official channels shall not be used for political campaigning or ideological promotion.

Nothing restricts individual members from personal views, but such views shall not be represented as those of the Club.

The Club may recognize individuals who have rendered exceptional service through induction into the Exiles Rugby Club Hall of Fame.

To be eligible for induction, a candidate must be at least forty-five (45) years of age at the time of nomination.

Candidates may be nominated by a member in good standing, the Board, or the Executive Council.

Induction requires a two-thirds vote of the Executive Council.

Hall of Fame status may be revoked by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Council for actions deemed detrimental to the mission, wellbeing, reputation, functionality, or membership of the Club.

Upon revocation, recognition may be withdrawn.

Hall of Fame status is honorary and conveys no governance authority.

No more than two individuals may be inducted in any calendar year.
The Executive Council is not required to elect any candidate in a given year.

The Bylaws may be amended by a majority vote of the Board. A quorum (50% of Board members) is required to vote.

Amendments may be proposed by petition from at least 25% of voting members. Proposals must be submitted at least 40 days prior to the called AGM (Annual General Meeting) and shared with the membership at least two weeks in advance.

Amendments to the Constitution require a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote at a General Meeting.

In the event of dissolution, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes as defined in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or to the federal, state, or local government.

Any Board member with a financial or personal interest in a matter before the Board must:
(a) Fully disclose the nature of the interest; and
(b) Abstain from discussion, lobbying, and voting on the matter.

Approval of such transactions requires a majority vote of disinterested Board members and must be recorded in the meeting minutes, including the disclosure and rationale for approval.