SIU President's Message

November 8, 2011

Dear SIU Members,

Your family’s association with SIU as players, parents and coaches, qualifies you as participating members of the club. The club is a not-for-profit organization that is managed and operated mostly by volunteers. Over the past several years, the SIU Board, with the help of many other volunteers, coaches, and others, has worked hard to move the club forward and to continue providing the opportunity to play soccer to every child that wants it.

In order for SIU to continue moving forward, and hopefully grow the sport in our communities, we need some new people to take over the responsibilities that others have had for many years. There are some positions that have been vacant for some a year or more, and others that will become vacant at the end of this year. They include:

President (Vacant as of January, 2012)
Board VP-Referees (Vacant as of January, 2012)
Board VP-Recreational Division (currently vacant)
Board VP-Fields (currently vacant)
Risk Management Director (currently vacant)
Registrar
Commissioner positions (recreational age groups, equipment, etc.)

Current Board members have children who no longer play soccer, yet they continue to work so our kids can play. Others have children in high school or middle school; the age when many kids are forced to choose from any number of other activities.

The club needs new leaders to come from the group of members with younger kids. Without them, there will be no transition to the next generation of soccer families. Without them, as more positions
are vacated, those who remain on the job will not be able to provide the level of service the membership deserves.

The SIU Bylaws and the Policies and Procedures describe how the club is operated and what the duties of the positions are. Both of the documents are posted on the SIU website under the “Club Info” button. The most important skills needed are the ability to work with others, and the ability to use a computer for management and communication. The rest can be learned on-the-job, and by working with existing administrators. In fact, we don’t need soccer experts. We need managers, organizers and doers.

We need to hear from you soon. Please contact me at president@siusoccer.com . Now is the perfect time to get involved. Between now and the spring season our current staff will need help,
and someone to “pass the ball to” for future seasons, and for the future of the club.

Thanks for your support,
Jim Kotowski
(Outgoing) President & Acting VP-Recreational