NORTH AMERICAN COUNTY BOARD 2005 REGULATIONS

At a meeting ar an Déardaoin, 12 Bealtaine, 2005 Fo-Choiste na bhFo-Dhlíthe approved of these Regulations as follows (Amendments, addenda, etc. in italics)

1. AFFILIATION AND REGISTRATIONS
   (i) CLUB
   
   (a) Each club shall register with the NACB Registrar, through the Divisional Committee Registrar, its players, officials and colors, no later than April 30th.
   
   (b) All club affiliations and/or registrations shall have reached the NACB Registrar's address, no later than May 15th.
   
   (c) No club affiliation and/or registration shall be accepted by the Divisional Committee or NACB unless the proper fees accompany it.
   
   (d) No registration of a player shall be accepted, unless the player is a resident of the Division from which he/she is registering.
   
   (e) Club or player registrations that are submitted to the Divisional Board past the appropriate deadline cannot be accepted. Divisions shall have two weeks past the appropriate deadline to forward all registration to the NACB. Penalty: Registrations that are forwarded to the NACB more than two weeks past the deadline will not be accepted unless accompanied by a fine of $100 per day late.
   
   (ii) PLAYER
   
   (a) DOCUMENTATION: Names submitted without proper documentation (completed Sanctions and transfers, etc.) or where the residence of the player is not known to the Divisional Committee, shall be struck off the registration sheets prior to forwarding to the NACB The clubs involved shall be notified in writing by the Divisional Committee about such players.
   
   (b) FIRST TIME REGISTRATION: A player applying for registration for the first time in a Division, must present himself/herself to 2 neutral Divisional Committee Officers, at least 3 days prior to a game.
   
   (c) REGISTERING PLAYERS: All players shall be individually registered by listing on the club registration sheet the player's name, plus the last 4 digits of the player's Driver's License # (e.g., either Irish or US) and/or Passport # (e.g., either Irish or US). American Born players must be clearly identified and all players’ grades listed.
   
   (d) Clubs must list on the Player Registration Form the name, place of birth, code and grade, and for ID purposes, the last 4 digits of each player’s Passport and/or Driver’s License #.
   
   (e) The Player Registration Form must be signed by the club registrar and submitted to the Divisional Registrar.
   
   (f) In addition to a signed paper copy of club and player registrations, clubs must also submit all Player Registrations via email to the Divisional Registrar.
   
   (g) Within 5 days of receipt of the Club Registration list, the Divisional Registrar will verify and email the entire list of Player Registrations to the NACB Registrar with a copy back to each club in the Division.
   
   (h) Once verified, the NACB Registrar will, within 10 days, print, sign and mail back to the Divisional Registrar a copy of the official Registration list received from the Divisions.
   
   (i) New player registrations can be added at any time, but a signed complete listing will be mailed back by the NACB Registrar each time a player is added to the Registration list
   
   (j) The four major cities (Boston, Chicago, Western and Philadelphia) must have a Divisional Registration Book that must be signed in person by each new player before that player's registration can be accepted.
   
   (k) The Divisional Registration Book must be brought to the NACB Playoffs by the Divisional Registrar to verify signatures.
   
   (l) AMERICAN-BORN: American-born players who have never previously registered with an adult GAA club may register with an NACB club on or before August 15.
   
   (m) REGISTRATION FORM: The NACB Registrar shall sign and date each club’s Player Registration Form. A
   signed copy shall be kept for NACB records, and a second signed copy shall be mailed to the Divisional
   Registrar. The verification of a player's identification and registration by the Committee in charge before a game
   will involve inspection of the Club Registration sheet signed by the NACB Registrar plus the player's listed ID. Only
   an ID that is listed on the club registration sheet is acceptable as proof of ID for any player.
   
   (n) REPEAT REGISTRATIONS: All players must be individually registered each year on the Player Registration Form.
   
   (o) REGISTRATION LISTS: As soon as possible after the conclusion of each Registration period each club's updated list of Player Registrations shall be made available upon request for inspection by all other NACB clubs, by providing via email the full name and club of each player.
   
   (p) QUESTIONING RESIDENCY: By May 7, the local Divisional Registrar will furnish all clubs within the Division with copies of all Divisional registrations as of April 30. Clubs will then have fourteen days to question in writing the residency or legality of any player on the list. Players questioned will have 48 hours to appear in front of the Divisional Committee. Should the player fail to appear, he/she will be ineligible to play until such time as the player’s status is determined by the Divisional Committee.
   
   (q) PLAYERS REGISTERED WITH AN NACB CLUB FOR LESS THAN 1 YEAR:
   
   1) Clubs may 3 times a year question in writing the residency or legality of any player who has been registered with their clubs for less than 1 year. When a club has questioned the residency or legality of a player, the player in question must appear in front of the Divisional Committee within 48 hours. A player who fails to appear will be ineligible to play until such time as he/she appears at a Divisional Committee hearing to determine their status. Divisional Committee Notification for a player to appear may be given via telephone.
   
   (r) LADIES FOOTBALL CLUBS: Ladies football clubs shall affiliate separately with the NACB and shall pay a separate affiliation/registration fee, whether or not they are affiliated with a men's football or hurling club, or with a Camogie club.
   
   (s) LADIES FOOTBALL: Ladies football players shall register in accordance with NACB By-Laws, 12, 13, 14 (Inter-County Transfers and/or Sanctions are required).
   
   (t) CAMOGIE CLUBS: Camogie clubs shall affiliate separately with the NACB and shall pay a separate affiliation/registration fee, whether or not they are affiliated with a hurling club or with a men's or women’s football club.
   
   (u) CAMOGIE: Camogie players shall register in accordance with NACB By-Law 12, 13, 14 (Inter-County Transfers and/or Sanctions are required).
   
   (v) CUMANN CAMÓGAÍOCHTA: The NACB will annually affiliate with the Camogie Association in Ireland and adopts the rules of Camogie as organized by Cumann Camógaíochta na nGael.
   
   (w) Player Registration and ID inspections will be conducted per By-Law 12 (a) and Regulation No.1(m)
   
2. COMPETITION
   
3. NAME: The name of the competition in areas under the jurisdiction of the NACB shall be known as the NACB Championships.
   
   (b) DIVISIONS: The NACB, consisting of affiliated Hurling, Football and Camogie clubs from the various cities, shall be divided into Divisions with each Division governed by a Divisional Committee.
   
   (c) MEDALS: The NACB shall provide a set of medals to the winner of each grade of competition in the NACB Championships (Consistency in the quality of the medals shall be maintained from year to year).
   
   (d) TROPHY: The trophy for the NACB Championship winners shall be perpetual. The trophy shall be handed back to the winning club's Divisional Committee, who in turn shall return it to the NACB at the following year’s pre-playoff meeting in time for repair if necessary and for presentation at the Playoffs.
   
   3. SANCTIONED PLAYERS
   i. Sanctions shall not be granted later than July 20th in any given year for football, ladies football, hurling and camogie.
   
   ii. A player on a sanction, once he or she returns to Ireland cannot afterwards in the same year return to the NACB area to play in NACB competition with the following exceptions:
   
   1) the death of a brother, sister or parent;
   
   2) J1 students can return home to repeat a failed exam. The request has to be submitted to the board in writing with original paperwork stating exam failed, date and place of repeat exam, and original documentation two weeks in advance. The stay in Ireland can be no longer than ten days.
   (This Regulation has been overtaken by Rule 41, as passed at Congress 2005….Special Circumstances under which a player is allowed to return and play in the USA)
   
   iii. SANCTION PLAYERS’ PASSPORTS: All Sanction players must provide their passports for inspection at the NACB Playoffs and at Divisional level games, if requested to do so by a Committee member in charge of the fixture. Passports, if requested, must be produced prior to the game and at any hearing thereafter as a result of an objection. Failure to provide a passport when requested will render the player ineligible to participate in that particular game until such time as the player's passport has been provided for inspection. NOTE: The number on the passport must correspond with that on the Sanction form. If the numbers do not correspond then the player is ineligible to play and may also be liable to disciplinary action. On Passport inspections, only Divisional Officers at Divisional games, or NACB Officers at the Playoffs, are allowed to handle Passports.
   
   iv. ID INSPECTION: Official Player Registration Forms shall be made available by the Divisional Registrar at all divisional games and pre-Playoffs final games, and by the NACB Registrar at the NACB Playoffs. Before all Playoff games, players will be required to produce for inspection by an NACB Officer the government-issued picture ID listed on the Player Registration Form submitted by their club, e.g., Driver's License or Passport. Failure to provide the listed ID will render the player ineligible to participate until such time as the listed ID has been provided for inspection by an NACB Officer. The referee shall note the requests and report any irregularities to the NACB.
   
   (a) MEN’S JUNIOR HURLING AND JUNIOR FOOTBALL
   In Men’s Junior Hurling and Junior Football, each team shall have no more than 3 SANCTIONED PLAYERS on the field at any one time.
   
   (b) SENIOR AND INTERMEDIATE FOOTBALL
   In Senior and Intermediate football each team shall have no less than 5 RESIDENT (non-sanction) PLAYERS on the field at any one time.
   
   (c) SENIOR HURLING
   In Senior Hurling, each team shall have no less than 5 RESIDENT (non-sanction) PLAYERS on the field at any one time.
   
   (d) LADIES FOOTBALL
   In both Ladies Senior and Junior football, each team shall be limited to no more than 5 SANCTIONED PLAYERS on the field at any one time.
   
   (e) CAMOGIE
   In both Senior and Junior Camogie, each team shall be limited to no more than 7 SANCTIONED PLAYERS on the field at any one time.
   
4. JUNIOR GRADES
   (a) ELIGIBILITY: All players must be Junior Grade.
   
   (b) EXCLUSIVELY JUNIOR DIVISIONS: Senior club sanctioned Senior players, residing in an exclusively Junior Division, may apply to the NACB for regrading no later than July 20th for Women's and men’s competitions.
   
   (c) All Divisions including major Divisions are eligible to compete at Junior "B" or “C” grade. To be eligible, the participation of teams from Boston, Chicago, San Francisco or Philadelphia must be recommended to the NACB by the Divisional Committee, and must be approved by the NACB.
   
   (d) Junior “C” teams from Boston, Chicago, San Francisco and Philadelphia are restricted to playing only American-born players.
   
   (e) All teams in the Women's Junior “B” Football competition must have at least three American-born players on the team at all times.
   
   
5. YOUTH GRADES
   (a) AGE LIMITS: Players must be under 18 years of age on January 1st of the current year (Birth certificate or passport to be used as proof of age).
   
   (b) RESIDENCY: Players must be residents on January 1st of the current year (Passports or official school ID to be used as proof of eligibility to play).
   
   (c) REGISTRATION: Teams must be registered on or before July 20th of each year.
   
   (d) REGISTRATION: Players must submit one green ID card, one filled out parental consent form, and one copy of the Birth Certificate to the Youth Committee Registrar.
   
   (e) TEAMS: Divisional teams may be entered in competitions, but in the case of individual cities within a Division, then the individual cities may enter a team.
   
   (f) INSURANCE: All players must be covered by team insurance irrespective of what personal insurance is held by players.
   
   (g) PLAYING RULES: Same playing rules as Senior Football, with the exception of Unlimited substitutions, 15 a-side teams, Games to be played with a size 5 ball.
   
   (h) YOUTH GRANTS: The NACB Treasurer shall allocate $100 for each adult club registered in a Division/City, to the Youth Committee in that Division/City. This $100 will be taken directly out of the registration fee of adult clubs in that Division/City. The Youth Committee must have an established program and be registered with the NACB. Those Divisions/Cities that do not have an established program will have this money held by the NACB until such time as a Youth program is established.
   
   (i) U-21 COMPETITIONS: Under-21 Football competitions for men and women may be established under Regulations to be determined by the NACB Youth Co. Board.
   
   
6. NACB PLAYOFF GAMES
   (a) CONTROL: The NACB Officers shall attend all Playoff games in an official capacity.
   
   (b) REGISTRATION RECORDS: The NACB shall have the relevant registration records available for all competing teams at the annual Playoffs and at all Playoff games.
   
   (c) DIVISIONAL WINNERS: The Divisional Committee must forward to the NACB Registrar a panel of 25 players for each Divisional Championship winner for each grade of competition at least 5 days prior to the NACB Playoffs, or earlier if Divisional finals have been played. Only those players listed on the panel will be eligible to play at the Playoffs. Any division where the Division Championship is still underway will have until the Wednesday prior to the Playoffs to provide the player panel.
   PENALTY: DIVISIONAL COMMITTEE $1000 FINE, CLUB FORFEIT OF GAME
   
   (d) TEAM LISTS: After each game is played during the season and at least 5 days prior to the NACB Playoffs, the Divisional Committee Registrar or Secretary must forward to the NACB Registrar the substitution and team sheets for all teams whose club also has a lower grade affiliated team. If the required team lists and other team documentation are not provided to the NACB, the team may be eliminated from the Playoffs.
   PENALTY: DIVISIONAL COMMITTEE $1,000 FINE, CLUB FORFEIT OF GAME.
   
   (e) KNOCK OUT SYSTEM: All Playoff games up to and including the North American Finals shall be on a knockout system.
   
   (f) NON-PARTICIPATION PENALTY: A qualifying team that pulls out of their NACB Playoffs competition after the schedule has been drawn, shall not be permitted compete at any level in any Playoffs competition, may be fined $500, and may be suspended for 48 weeks.
   
   (g) NON-PARTICIPATION PENALTY: A qualifying team that refuses to play in the NACB Playoffs finals may be fined $500 and may be suspended for 48 weeks.
   
   (h) DRAWS FOR PLAYOFFS: In the event that only 3 Divisions enter any specific NACB championship, a fourth team consisting of a defeated Divisional finalist in that grade of competition shall be entered. The Division from which this fourth team shall come will be drawn when needed at the Pre-Playoffs meeting.
   
   (i) At the NACB Playoffs, any player who lines up or deliberately attempts to play while he/she is illegal, as determined and agreed on the spot by at least three NACB officers, will be automatically debarred for the duration of the Playoffs pending an investigation.
   
   (j) (i) UMPIRES & LINESMEN Neutral linesmen and umpires shall be used in Championship games. If the Host City is playing in a game where appointed officials do not show up, for that game neutral officials will be found and used.
   (ii) All participating clubs will be required to provide umpires and linesmen for Playoff games, and clubs will be fined $100 if their assigned officials do not fulfill an officiating assignment.
   
   (k) If a team lines up a player or attempts to play a player in an NACB Playoffs game who is later determined to be an illegal player, the club shall be suspended for the remainder of the Playoffs and shall be fined $1,000.00 per illegal player.
   
   
7. Match
   TEAM ADMISSION TO GAMES Playoffs Host Divisions may charge reasonable admission charges to the games for players and spectators. TEAM OFFICIALS A total of three club officials will be allowed entry to the sideline. Team substitutes will be required to remain in the designated area during the game.
   PENALTY $200 FINE
   
   DRESS
   (a) Jerseys must be numbered in accordance with official team list, as submitted to the referee.
   (b) All players shall comply with proper dress code, i.e. uniform color of Jerseys, socks and shorts.
   PENALTY for (a) &(b) $200 FINE
   
   PUNCTUALITY Teams are instructed to take the field at least fifteen minutes prior to the starting time of their games for warm up and ID inspection. PENALTY: $200
   
   SUBSTITUTIONS
   a) A maximum of five substitutions shall be allowed. A substitution is not allowed in the case of a player ordered off (a player ordered off in regular time may be replaced in extra time).
   (b) A substitution may only be made during a stoppage in play. The player must present his/her substitution slip along with his/her registration ID to the referee.
   
   PENALTY FOR 7(a) AND 7(b) FORFEITURE OF GAME PARADE
   Where a parade is organized, players should be instructed to march properly, keeping in step with the band. Teams should march in numerical order after the captain. Track suits/training tops are not to be worn during the parade. PENALTY: $200 FINE
   
   CLASH OF COLORS
   Playoffs teams must inform the NACB of their team colors a minimum one week prior to the finals. In the event of a clash of colors between opposing teams, both teams may be instructed to change colors.
   PENALTY: $200 FINE
   
   TROPHY PRESENTATION
   (a) Clubs should instruct captains to have a short acceptance speech prepared, having regard for the dignity of the occasion.
   
   MVP AWARDS
   An MVP award will be presented to the best players in each grade of competition. The MVP Award Winners' club officials will be notified on Sunday evening.
   
8. PLAYOFFS - GENERAL RULES.
   (a) RETURN GAME: A club that fails to travel for a return game as scheduled in Divisional competition, shall pay the greater of (1) a $500 FINE or (2) all verifiable expenses incurred by the opposing club for the first game.
   PENALTY: 48 WEEKS SUSPENSION OR UNTIL THE FINE HAS BEEN PAID.
   
   (b) Draws made at Pre-Playoffs meetings shall stand. In the event of a club pulling out and another entering, there will be no re-draw of schedule and the new team shall fill the void. If a team pulls out of the NACB Playoffs after the schedule is drawn, that team will be fined according to the NACB Regulations and not let compete at any Playoffs competition. (c) Divisional Delegates at the Pre-Playoff meeting will carry and control the same number of votes on behalf of their Division as were cast by that Division at the immediately previous NACB Convention
   
   (d) The Pre-Playoff meeting is permitted to introduce on a temporary basis any changes it deems necessary in connection with the running of the current year's NACB Championships. Those changes must also be ratified at the NACB Convention the following November or the changes will no longer be valid.
   
9. PLAYOFF REQUIREMENTS
   All divisions will be given the opportunity to host the NACB Playoffs if it can be ensured that the minimum facility and other requirements set by the NACB can be provided.
   
   PLAYOFFS’ HOST MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
   PLAYOFFS’ FEE: The NACB fee for all playoffs finals, shall be $14,000…$10,000 payable to the NACB Treasurer, $4,000 payable to the NACB Youth Board Treasurer.
   Any Division or Club bidding to host the NACB National Playoffs, as part of their minimum bid package, must commit to providing the following:
   (a) Four co-located all-grass GAA fields in good condition, reserved for up to five days from Thursday through Monday of Labor Day, each measuring no less than 130 yards X 80 yards, with proper field markings, flags, goal-posts, nets, score-boards, etc. No Host Division may be required to provide more than 4 co-located fields.
   (b) At least one of the fields no less than 150 X 80 yards in size and all fields with adequate separation between them.
   (c) Bleachers or other seating at the fields for at least 1,500 spectators.
   (d) Appropriate changing rooms, restrooms, watering stations, staffed first-aid center(s), adequate sound system, etc.
   (e) The ability to restrict and/or erect sponsor signs at the different events as required by NACB contracts.
   (f) Hotel rooms within a maximum 30-minute drive of the fields, sufficient to provide an average of at least 12 rooms for each traveling team at reasonable rates, and NACB meeting facilities as required at no charge.
   (g) Reasonable admission charges to the games for players and spectators.
   (h) Team transportation round-trip to the hotel from the airport for a flat fee of $20 per person.
   (i) A team of four substitute games officials (Umpires & Linesmen) available on-call to the NACB for the entire day on Saturday.
   (j) Arrangements for airport pick-up for special guests, e.g. GAA President, Referees from Ireland.
   (k) At no charge, timely bus transportation round-trip to the GAA fields from the hotels for all teams.
   (l) At no charge, 10 Hotel rooms to the NACB for officers and NACB guests for the duration of the Playoffs.
   (m) At no charge, 25 Games Admission Passes for the NACB officers and NACB guests.
   (n) At no charge, a 2-way Radio to each NACB Officer for each day of the Playoffs.
   (o)Confirmation in writing to the NACB of all arrangements is required three months prior to the Playoffs. (p) Any deviations from this list of Playoffs Host Minimum Requirements must be approved in advance at the
   Pre-Playoffs meeting.
   
10. Standing Orders : A motion to suspend Standing Orders must declare the specific issue for which Standing
    Orders are being suspended.
    

A Regulation is a proposal (submitted by way of a notice of motion in writing), passed at the first of the Co. Committee each year. It is in force for one year only. A simple majority of those present, entitled to vote and voting, is sufficient to pass such a proposal.

** The NACB Secretary is the coordinator for officials during the Playoffs weekend. Clubs will be notified of their assignments either via email in advance of the Playoffs, or at the Friday or Saturday evening Playoffs Review Meetings. -