KNIGHTS SOFTBALL/BASEBALL CONSTITUTION

KNIGHTS SOFTBALL/BASEBALL CLUB CONSTITUTION
1. NAME OF GROUP
The name of the group shall be Knights Softball/Baseball Club.
2. OBJECTIVES
The aims of the Knights Softball/Baseball Club will be:
a) To establish sports club and participate in different sporting activities.
b) To create sports consciousness amongst general public.
c) To promote recreational activities, mutual support and joint aid among our members.
d) Promote behavior that is ethical, responsible and shows respect for the rights of every individual.
e) Equip young people with the life skills and positive attitudes for their future success.
f) Provide activities for after school and holidays for young people
g) Provide young people with the best possible sporting experience.
h) Ensure equal opportunities for all young people to participate in sports.
i) To provide a sporting activity which is helpful in one’s physical growth and development
3. MEMBERS
Membership will be open to anyone who:
a) Is aged between 10 years and above; and lives in Nairobi and its surrounding area; and
b) Supports the aims of Knights Softball/Baseball Club.
Membership will begin as soon as the membership form and first monthly payment have been received. There will be a monthly membership fee which shall be agreed at the Annual General Meeting and will be payable by all members. The membership fee will make it clear who is a
member and will be raising a bit of money for the running of the project. The membership will be collected on a monthly basis from the members.
A list of all members will be kept by the membership secretary.
3.1 CEASING TO BE A MEMBER
Members may resign at any time by writing to the secretary.
• Any member who will not have paid their membership fee for a set period of time discussed by the committee shall be contacted by the committee, who will then decide whether that member is deemed to have resigned.
• One will cease to be a member when they stop attending activities of the group or stop volunteering with the group.
• Anyone behaving in an offensive way or breaking the equal opportunities policy may be asked not to attend any further meetings or to resign from the group if an apology is not given or the behavior is repeated. The individuals concerned shall have the right to be heard by the management committee accompanied by a friend, before a final decision is made.
4. EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
• Knights Softball/Baseball Club will not discriminate on the grounds of gender, race, color, ethnic, or national origin, sexuality, disability, religious or political belief, marital status or age.
• Every member will be provided an opportunity to feel equally important and valued within the group.
• Knights Softball/Baseball Club believe that equal opportunities are the central principal underlying all the work we do. We shall work against all forms of oppression, including those based on race, creed, gender, marital status, culture, class, sexuality, learning ability, physical impairment, political beliefs and unrelated criminal convictions.
• The group shall be open and accessible to anyone and shall also ensure equality of delegation of tasks.
• Any complaints received about discrimination or harassment within the group shall be taken seriously and dealt with fairly.
5. COMMITTEE AND OFFICERS
The business of the group will be carried out by a committee elected at the AGM.
The committee will consist of 8 members, and be composed of 4 officers and 4 committee members. Up to 2 additional members may be co-opted onto the committee at the discretion of the committee.
The elective offices of the organization shall be:
A. Chairperson- who shall chair both general and committee meetings.
B. Vice Chairperson- who shall oversee the meetings in the absence of the chairperson and also will help to run the business of the group.
C. Secretary- who shall be responsible for the taking of minutes and the distribution of all papers. Secretary shall also be responsible for keeping records of members.
D. Treasurer- shall be responsible for maintaining accounts
The above officers shall be elected by majority vote at a regular meeting of the Knights. The election shall take place at least one month before the close of business year. Officers thus elected shall take office immediately following the close of the business year and serve for three years.
In the event of an officer standing down during the year a replacement will be elected by the next General Meeting of Members.
Any committee member not attending a meeting without apology for three months will be contacted by the committee and asked if they wish to resign. The committee meetings to any member of Knights Softball Club wishing to attend, who may speak but not vote.
Other unelected officers will be:
Communication manager
IT manager
Fundraiser
6. Meetings
6.1 AGM and other meetings
a) An Annual General Meetings will be held once every thirteen months after the previous AGM.
b) All the members will be notified in writing at least 4 weeks before the date of the meeting, giving the venue, date and time. Nominations for the committee may be made to the secretary before the meeting, or at the meeting.
c) The quorum for the AGM will be 10 members.
d) At the AGM the committee will present the accounts of Knights Softball/Baseball for the previous year.
e) The officers and committee for the next year will be elected.
6.2 Special general meetings
a) The secretary will request a Special General meeting at the request of the majority of the committee or at least or at least five members giving a written request to the chair or secretary stating the reason for their request.
b) The meeting will take place within thirty days of the request. All members will be given two weeks’ notice of such a meeting, giving the venue, date, time, and agenda and notice may be by phone, text, email or post.
6.3 GENERAL MEETINGS
General meetings are open to all members and will be held twice every month or more often if necessary. All members will be given two weeks’ notice of such a meeting, giving the venue, date, time, and agenda and notice may be by phone, text, email or post.
7. RULES AND PROCEDURES
All questions that arise at any meeting will be discussed openly and the meeting will seek to find general agreement that everyone present can agree too.
If a consensus cannot be reached a vote will be taken and a decision will be made by a simple majority of members present and if there are an equal number of votes on each side, the chair will have an additional casting vote.
8. FINANCES
• A bank account will be maintained on behalf of the group at a bank agreed by the committee. Three cheque signatories will be elected by the committee one to be the Treasurer. Each cheque will require two of the three signatories one of whom will always be the treasurer. The signatories must not be related nor members of the same household.
• Records of income and expenditure will be maintained by the treasurer and a financial statement given to each meeting.
• An annual statement of accounts will be presented to the AGM and all money raised by the Association will be spent solely on the objects laid out in the constitution.
9. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
• Amendments to the constitution may only be made at the AGM or a Special General meeting. Any proposal to amend the constitution must be given to the secretary in writing. The proposal must then be circulated with the notice of the meeting.
• Any proposal to amend the constitution will require a two thirds majority of those present and entitled to vote.
10. DISSOLUTION
If a meeting, by a simple majority, decides that it is necessary to close down the group it may call a Special General Meeting to do so. The sole business of this meeting will be to dissolve the group. If it is agreed to dissolve the group, all remaining money and other assets, once outstanding debts have been paid, will be donated to a local charitable organization. The charitable organization will be agreed upon at the dissolution meeting.
This constitution was agreed at the Inaugural General meeting of the Knights Softball/Baseball Club.
Date…………………/……………………../……………………………
Name and position in Club
_____________________
Signed _______________
Name and position in Club
_____________________
Signed _______________

 

Life the Softball Way

Life is like Softball. Batting represents the choices and decisions we make in life while the bases represent the challenges or the results we get from making these decisions/choices. Sometimes the choices we make in life enable us to enjoy our journey in life and at other times, these choices make us to go through hell/hard times. So once we make our informed choices, we are ready to face the consequences that come with them. There are those situations that are always so quick in bringing us down. I mean no matter how hard you try to run from them, they always catch up with you and bring you down. In Softball, this would be represented by the first base. Normally, after batting, you are required to run over to the first base and if you don’t make it to there, you’ll definitely out. A few make it to first base; those who are strong and quick enough. In the life perspective, this strength emanates from god above. He is the solemn provider and enables us to triumph challenges in life. And being triumph over your first obstacle, it doesn’t mean that now you sit back and relax. You got to seek for more strength to help you reach the second base. Some people reach the first base and turn it into their comfort zone.

I am reminded of a fellow teammate who always found it hard to get out of first base. Once he reached first base, he would either wait to be given a free base or will be injected for not running. I think in most instances he feared what he would encounter at second base. Challenges will always come our way not for the bad, but for our good. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose” so why worry? This is an assurance form God that He’ll never forsake you. When you make up your mind that you want to achieve this and this, you should live to it and only get satisfied after getting it. Where I come from, they say that satisfaction is the measure of all success. Only a run will be a measure of success in the softball game. After you make a run and not only a run but the winning run is when you can say you are satisfied. This is not always the case though because you might find your opponent so strong to bring you down. In life, there are things we go through that make us feel like giving up. These things shutter all our hope and control. They always seem so hard that we start being pessimistic and think that we can’t make it through. Exams, stress at job places, illnesses are some of the thing that might be problems you facing (you can add up that one which is stressing you so much to this list). These are just but a few challenges that might be on your way to tap you out and bring you down but one thing for sure I know is that god will always give you the strength and courage to slide over them.

A story is told of an individual who was set to climb the tallest mountain in their area. So one day he set out everything he needed and went towards the mountain ready to reach the pick. Many people had tried to climb the mountain but its steep slopes made it impossible for most of them to make it to the peak. So this man started his way up from the foot of the mountain. He reached a point that nobody else had reached and he knew he would make it to the top and be the first person to ever step on top of the mountain. This was a milestone for him but he never knew what was awaiting him in front. After several hours of climbing and climbing, he reached a point where he could not go any further. The slopes had become more very steep that he even almost fell. Knowing that he could not go any further, he looked at the mountain and said to the mountain, mountain, today you have defeated me but let me tell you, this is the highest you can ever get. You will never grow higher and higher than the way you are now but for me, I will continue growing stronger and stronger than you are. So next time I come back, I will have grown stronger to be able to climb to the peak.” Though this man never made it to the top of the mountain on the first attempt, he was contempt that the next time, he will make it to the top. This is winning mentality. Never lose hope or give up in life because God is always there and will slide you over to safer grounds. You will be firm on the second base and no challenge will bring you down.

The third base is always like the final stage before you register a run. The main strategy of the opponent is always to bring you down before you can make this run. More challenges come at this stage. Every individual in the opponent team is always prioritized to bring you down. They will do all it takes to see that you don’t make it through. The power of the opponent is always doubled. If it’s not a forced run, many people prefer sticking on the second base to avoid the wrath of the short stopper awaiting him. But who are you to fear, he says he’ll send us a helper to see us through and help us to pray. I am reminded of the risk we always have to take in life. For you to succeed, you must make an informed choice and make a worthwhile risk with it. If you never try, you never know. When I was learning how to skate, I took a risk of skating down a slope, you don’t want to know what happened next, anyway, after that experience, am glad I learnt how to skate. The choice to play Softball was also a risk I took and it made me to be a onetime best catcher in the national Kenya league. If it is your relationship that is proving to be worrying you, take a leap of faith or a risk to Love even the more and you will see what will happen. There is always light at the end of the tunnel. Never give up or wash your hands off something. If it is your performance in academics, I would urge you to take the risk of studying even harder and wait for what will happen at the end of that academic year. If it is your job that is stressing you, take a risk of getting more dedicated and see if you will not be satisfied with what you doing. Just don’t give up. It breaks my heart to see people giving up in life just because they think it is the end of it all. Strength, togetherness and hope are all you need. And seek only for the true source of strength.

What a joy when we reach third base. What a joy when we cruise past all the challenges, distresses, exams, fears, you name them. God has seen us through various things in life. He has satisfied our souls and quenched our thirst. He has carried us in His safe hands and landed us on a safe base. He has given us strength to overcome all the obstacles in life. As they say that joy comes in the morning, in the softball game, joy comes after you have registered a run. I have achieved several things in life because you and you were there to give me the support. You have shown me love and care. You never ceased cheering for me whenever I would go from first base to second, to third and even after making a run. We are always a team. In the Christian world, we call it, brotherly and sisterly love/support. When it is your turn to bat and start moving from one base to another, I assure you that my voice is going to be the loudest in cheering for you.

I just realize that one run cannot win a game. We got to make several runs in order for us to win the game. As the Knights Templar Softballing club, we are delighted to be part of this team ready to register as many runs as possible. All the achievements we’ve had in life we count them as runs. We have been able to love to share, to laugh and to do several things together like right now we are working on this project. Let us stick together in this Run of Life and help each other in every way possible.

As I conclude, I leave you with this, we are in an age where we either perish/lose together or win as a team. In a plate, a man stands for personal satisfaction but in the field he is part of the big team.

 

 

Softball

 

Picture of Africa Nazarene University Softball team,  ‘the crusaders.’

We have been part of the Crusaders team for almost Four years now and have been growing up in the sport year in year out. I remember our first few weeks in the sport we could not even catch the ball with our gloves and this led to many people graduating i.e being knocked hard with the ball but still, neither of us quit. We dint know how to bat nor steal bases. We knew no rules nor strategies in the game, we knew nothing concerning the game but thanks to one Mister Randy James, and Mr. Karugu both from Africa Nazarene University who nurtured us in the sport and helped us be who we are today, -‘the Crusaders.’

In our first few games, I remember us playing Softball with the Nairobi Agha Khan Cricket team, and wow, those guys could hit the ball. Home run after home run, this kinda boosted our Morale because we knew that one day we would be better than them. I don’t remember us ever winning any game against them. They at least had some basic about the ball game unlike us who were amateurs. Let me not talk about our two pitchers back then. Gosh, those two were horrible. Denis and Eustus. They were the legends of horribleness. We were ever quarreling in the field, making so much noise that at times the umpire could chase us around and kick our asses. This is now what my Grand pa would call it learning it the heard way.

Four years down the line we have had some team achievement as well as personal satisfaction. It is true that  in a plate, a man stands alone for personal satisfaction but in the field, He is part of one big team. Thanks to the team work that we have developed down the years because it made us the 2011/2012 Kenya Softball League Champions and there is still a lot we the Crusaders still got to achieve and this is the reason for this Blog.

In few words, the love, determination, and passion of the game made us who we are today.

In the game of Softball, you do not always stick on one base. and as softballers, we don’t believe in stagnation. This is why we always put much effort in our academics too. as of this date, most of the Crusaders we started with in 2008, have long finished. We worked really hard in our academics and we never stayed on the same level. We have all achieved in our areas of studies and we have been thinking, and asking ourselves the question- Whats next? Is it the end of our Softball playing? To this existential question, the answer has been a big No. We have been involved with developing some new crusaders and we thought we could extend our boundaries to other people and communities too. There are other young people out there who would also like to be part of the Big Softball family. And this is our mission: To make softball known. Never mind the short mission, as we are working on a more detailed mission and vision of this work with the same agenda of making softball known. We will get you posted.

As of now, we bet you already know our motive and we will get you posted on our weekly activities and the progress of this project. For now we leave you and will be back with so much more.

“Softball is our Life”

“Its not how good you are, its how bad you want it”

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