Football Canada’s Athlete Council

Mandate

The Athlete Council is a committee of Football Canada (FC) that is representative of athletes who have represented Canada internationally on behalf of FC in either of the two disciplines (Tackle Football & Flag Football) over the past four years.  The main role of the Council is to act in the interest of athletes under the Football Canada banner with a focus on high-performance and National team athletes and the pathways of development that support their success. Furthermore, the Council acts to voice concerns, interests and perspectives.

Terms of Reference

Terms of Reference – last updated February 28, 2024

Key Duties

The Council will perform the following duties:

• Present athletes’ views and positions to the relevant decision-making body with  regard to current or future programs, policies and procedures

• Gather and disseminate feedback from their respective athlete groups to relevant  committees, councils and the board of directors.

• Gather and disseminate information and materials from the council, committees  and board of directors. 

• Review and provide feedback on selection criteria and athlete agreements before  the documents are made public. 

• Review and provide input on competition rules for the disciplines at the National  level.

• Ensure at least one of its members is included in the development of policies and  criteria for team selection and AAP nominations.

• Engage in advocacy specific to its members.

• Review these Terms of Reference annually and provide input to the board on  desired changes.

• Name representatives as requested by FC and other bodies for activities where  athlete representation is an integral element.

• The Athlete Representative on the Board of Directors will act as the liaison  between the Athlete Council and FC staff, the Board of Directors, and any other FC committee.

In carrying out these duties the Council will work closely with the technical staff of FC,  and will report to the Board of Directors.

Duties of the Chair:

• Develop the agenda for Athlete Council meetings in consultation with council  members.

• Chair the meeting and ensure that the Athlete Council makes recommendations  within its mandate and organizational policies and plans.

• Ensure communication of the Athlete Council’s recommendations and actions to  the Board of Directors. • Ensure that the Athlete Council is represented to the Board of Directors and  Members by the Athlete Representative.

• Stay informed on relevant organizational policies.

• Ensure that Athlete Council members are informed of all critical matters

• Assist with enquiries from national team athletes pertaining to national team  activities and the policies of FC and the national team.

Duties of the Vice-Chair:

• Attend Athlete Council meetings

• Serve as alternate for the Chair, should the Chair be unavailable  • Stay informed on relevant organizational policies

• Aid the Athlete Representative in preparing written reports of recommendations,  process or any other relevant information for submission to the Board of Directors  and Members

Duties of Individual Athlete Council Members:

• Attend Athlete Council meetings

• Be available to replace the Chair and Vice-Chair when necessary

• Actively engage with athletes to gather and disseminate feedback to relevant  committees and the Board of Directors. • Direct athlete concerns and views to the Athlete Council for discussion and action

Composition

The Council shall be composed of up to 6 members, and no less than 4 members.

Athlete Representative from FC Board of Directors as Chair (2-year term) o NOTE: The Athletes Representative position on the Board of Directors should be filled in 2025 as per Football Canada’s By-Laws

• Vice-Chair (2-year term)

• Council Member – Tackle Football  (2-year term)

• Council Member – Flag Football  (2-year term)

• Council Member – Any discipline (1-year term)

• Council Member – Any discipline (1-year term) At least one member will come from each discipline (tackle and flag) and, to the  extent possible, at least two members will be from diverse athletes groups of FC.

Terms

The following members will be voted onto the council for up to two consecutive terms by the Women’s Tackle National Team Roster, Men’s Tackle National Team Roster,  Women’s Flag Football National Team Roster, Men’s Flag Football National Team Roster and Junior National Team Roster annually in April at a selected date. A call for interested applicants will be made by the Athlete Representative no later than 8 weeks before the selected date in April with voting to take place electronically.

For the purposes of the Athlete Council, eligible Athlete Council members must be a “National Team Athlete” who is at least 18 years of age and is defined as an athlete  who has been a member of any of the following teams within the last four years:

• IFAF Women’s Tackle World Championships Team

• IFAF Men’s Tackle World Championships Team

• IFAF Americas Flag Football Championship Team

• IFAF Junior World Championship Team

• Senior National Champion

• A retired athlete within the last four years of their last competition from one of  the above criteria to the date of voting.

Nominations

Calls for nominations to the Athlete Council will be posted on FC’s website, as well as through email correspondence to all eligible athletes, both via a link to a nomination form at least 4 weeks prior to the April selected date. Nominations will remain open until the selected date.

In the case that more than one eligible athlete is nominated to a position, all  nominated athletes to said position will have 90 seconds to present to the other athletes/ retired athletes why they want to be part of the Athlete Council, in the official language of their choosing, after which the Senior National Team Roster will vote. The  winner will be the person with the majority of votes. If only one person is nominated  to a position on the Athlete Council, that person will win through acclamation. Note, athletes who are nominated must first accept the nomination before entering  into the voting process. Athletes may nominate themselves to a position on the  Athlete Council.