Update: This AGM concluded successfully; minutes (with results) are here.
NYRC is having its Annual General Meeting (AGM) of members for 2020 on Tues Jan 12 2021. This is a critical event for all NYRC members to attend; a new year of officers and new class of directors will be elected to operate the club, and changes to by-laws will be voted on. The event will be hosted online via video chat, and voting will happen via online form; see the Joining section below.
Don't forget to mark you're coming at the Facebook event! Happy hour to follow!
Note this is our second AGM in 2020 (last one was Feb 2020); we need another one because we changed the AGM dates to be at the end of the fall season instead of the beginning of the spring; but we’re hosting it a little late: that’s why this one is “AGM 2020 (Jan 2021)”.
Why care about the AGM?
Do you care about what fields are available for trainings and games? How much dues cost?
Youth rugby in NYC? Club sponsorships and socials and events? More swag? These are decisions made by the leaders of the club, and this is where you pick them!
The club runs on volunteers just like you; put your hand up to ask how to help out!
To request additional information, nominate yourself to run for a position, or register a topic of discussion, you must fill out this form by Jan 8 (was Jan 4; now closed).
Candidates will be requested to provide additional information via email before the AGM, and their information is available below.
Joining
The meeting will be hosted by https://meet.google.com; on mobile, please install the app (android, ios). To join, you must receive an invitation using your registered email address. See the Voting section below for the link to register. If you’re having an issue, email admin@newyorkrugby.com.
Agenda
The agenda is available here.
Voting
All current members of NYRC or those that were eligible at the Feb 2020 AGM or have paid dues since then are eligible to vote for this AGM. To be a current member, you must be in good standing with the club and be a dues-paying member. You can pay your dues by coordinating with your team treasurer/dues captain/VP.
Voting will be done by an online form this year; you must register to vote here by Jan 12 (was Jan 11).
Fill out this form to vote; you must have already registered above.
Candidates
If you would like to contact a candidate, please reach out to secretary@newyorkrugby.com to get their information.
There are 4 positions available for Director 2021-2023 ("class of 2023"), and one for Director 2021 ("class of 2021"). The 4 candidates with the most votes will be elected to the class of 2023; the candidate with the 5th most votes will be elected to the class of 2021.
Running for Director:
Graeme Braidwood (incumbent)
Janeth Vega-Flores (incumbent)
Joe Blomfield: My name is Joe Blomfield. I have been with NYRC since 2014, mainly involved with the Men’s team. During my time, I have held the men’s social chair and VP roles and up until recently was fortunate enough to captain the men’s 1st XV. Being a part of this club means a great deal to me, it is an integral part of my life and now also my family’s too. I would like to contribute where I can to this club to ensure that others get the same enjoyment, affiliation, and long-lasting positive effect that I have experienced. I believe this can be done through an improved pathway to senior-level rugby, and support for new players to integrate them into the club.
Jonathan McEvoy: After speaking with Pablo regarding the various board positions I’d really like to get involved in either fundraising or development of the club. In college, I was president and captain for three years and wore all the hats. I’ve held board positions at my prior clubs as well in a finance role. Currently, I raise capital for a PE firm and believe I can have an immediate impact in that regard. However, I do that every day for a living and would be more interested in helping develop the club on and off the field. Build strategic partnerships, coordination of events, negotiate preferential pricing on field times, equipment, etc. Wherever I can help I’d be willing and excited to do so.
Martin Rogez: Been at the club for 3 years and in the rugby world for 20+ years as a player and coach for youth programs in France and Australia. Rugby is a central piece of my life and brought me many invaluable memories and friendships. It will be an honor to give back and act as a director, where I’ll do my very best to support the club’s day to day, making the NYRC family as inclusive and diverse as possible, and providing the best environment to foster happy and competitive rugby. Always together!
Moncef Mettouchi: I’m originally from France, I’ve been around and involved with the club as a regular/consistent D2 player since 2011, which is when I first came to NY. I know our club and the people who run it and who contribute to its daily life pretty well as I’ve been playing for the NYRC for almost 10 years now. I’ve been working/work in banking for 10+ years so I’d be interested in a director role that is involved with finance/numbers. I’m also interested in developing partnerships and bringing more money to our club so that we can lower the dues on our players and diversify our sources of financing. One last thing that is of interest, the RWC 2023 is in France and I’d love to work on a tour for the club for this event. I think that would be useful/beneficial for us as it will promote/develop our visibility across the pond.
Running for President:
Pablo Pinedo (incumbent): I am applying for my second year as president of the club to continue with the initiatives started in 2020 including a) back to training and playing COVID plan; b) increase fundraising and establish an annual alumni donation drive; c) integration of all teams (women, men, youth, old boys) into ONE club/community; d) consolidate social media and communications strategy to increase awareness and recruiting; e) continue the institutionalization of the club to make it successful for the years to come. I have been playing rugby for the past 18 years and the last 6 with NYRC.
Running for Treasurer:
Caoimhe O’Sullivan Roche (incumbent): After holding this position for over a year, I have learned the ins-and-outs of club financials, as well as the importance of club leadership that works as a cohesive team. I’ve been a part of NYRC for the last two years and look forward to many more, as we continue to raise the level of rugby and grow the club community. My goals as treasurer include securing recurring club sponsors and reducing the financial burden on players who wish to pursue high-level play.
Running for Secretary:
Kaylyn Olivera: After graduating from college in 2018, I missed having a rugby family and creating new friendships that this sport always brings. This is why I joined NYRC Fall 2019. Since joining the team I've remained committed to the club by consistently attending practice, matches, fundraisers, etc. As a rookie, I quickly looked to take on some sort of leadership role to help the club in any way I could. Some people might know me for running the social media for the women's team, but I'd love to take that role to the next level and contribute more to NYRC as a whole. I want to help rebrand the entire club and focus on creating marketing material for when we're back in season, and I'd like to work closely with the rest of the board about how we can obtain more sponsorship opportunities. As NYRC Secretary, I will do anything in my power to keep the club moving forward! A vote for me is a vote for thee! #kaylynsita2021
Martin Rogez: I’ve been at the club for 3 years and more broadly in rugby for 20+ years as a player and coach for youth programs. I’m running for Secretary with the goal to enhance the visibility and exposure of the club through social media and other platforms and providing rugby media content regularly to club members, alumni, and external viewers. My secondary goal will be to use media presence for player recruitment campaigns, funding, and sponsorship.
Running for Gentleman's "Old Boys" President:
No candidates yet
Running for High School Vice President:
Danielle Ashby: Hello everyone! Happy new year to all. My name is Danielle Ashby aka Dani. I have been playing for New York Rugby Club for about 3 years. NYRC members have welcomed me with open arms and are truly inspirational individuals. I have been privileged to be a part of this amazing club and can honestly say I have gained a second family. I decided to run for Vice President for the high school team because I want to give back and help our club to continue to succeed and grow. If elected as vice president, my goal is to provide organized guidance and support for the high school players as they work towards their goals on and off the pitch. Looking forward to seeing what the future holds.
Running for Men's Vice President:
Lee Harrison (incumbent)
Running for Women's Vice President:
Frankie Sands (incumbent): I have been involved with the club off and on for about 5 years, but have been a fully-committed club member since the 2019 Fall WPL season. I have acted as the Women's VP for the past year and would like to continue in this position. This club has supported me through some of the hardest times in my life and I hope to pay it forward by being a dedicated VP. I am passionate about this team and have the best interests of the club in mind for all decisions that are and will be made moving forward. This year I will focus my efforts on safely rebuilding the team and returning to play post-COVID.
By-laws Votes
Motions to update the NYRC by-laws are listed in the agenda (see the Agenda section above); there are no motions to amend this year. You can read our current by-laws here. This represents the organization's contract with the state of NY as to how we operate with the state and with our members.