General Information Our History. . . . The I.C.S.G. (Independent Christian Schools of Georgia) was officially formed and organized in the spring of 1993 as the result of the burden and vision of our founder, Ronald McCurry of Heritage Baptist Church and Heritage Christian School. After belonging to several athletic associations from 1974-1984, Heritage decided to withdraw from those associations and play an independent schedule for the next few years. Although we were certainly happy with this arrangement, the one downside to playing an independent schedule was that there were not any region or state playoff possibilities. After much prayer and discussion with those within our own ministry as well as those outside of our ministry, we believed it was possible to form a league that would be founded on the principles of the Word of God without interfering with how each ministry would operate their own schools. As a result, the league began competition in 1993-94 with Heritage Christian, Prince Avenue, Christian Heritage, East Metro, Alleluia Community School, and Water of Life. During the spring of 1997, the A.G.C.A.A. (Alabama-Georgia Christian Athletic Association) officially dissolved and requested entrance into the I.C.S.G. As a result, we formed what is now known as the I.C.S.G.A., (Independent Christian Schools of Georgia and Alabama). During the spring of 2004, the G.A.C.A.C. (Greater Atlanta Christian Athletic Conference officially dissolved and became part of the I.C.S.G.A. As a result the I.C.S.G.A. presently has approximately 25 member schools. As of 2006 I.C.S.G.A. was established as a Limited Liability Company, now known as, Independent Christian Schools of Georgia and Alabama, hereinafter called I.C.S.G.A., LLC. Our Purpose. . . . The I.C.S.G.A., LLC is an athletic association designed to support the ideals of Christian Schools and Christian Educators throughout the State of Georgia and Alabama. Our main purposes are as follows: To have an athletic association that offers a full range of athletic competition in as many sports as possible, and have region and state play-off competition in all sports. To provide a forum for student athletes to sharpen their athletic skills and to encourage them to be a reflection of the Lord Jesus Christ at all times. To teach life’s basic lessons through athletic competition. To truly glorify Christ in every single thing we do and say. Our Philosophy. . . . The I.C.S.G.A., LLC is first and foremost unashamedly Christian. Because of this simple foundation, our athletic association operates on the precepts and principles that are found in the Word of God. In any situation that may arise, we must all remember that we are first and foremost ambassadors of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that we represent Him as an association, school, team, and individuals. We must show forth the glory and person of Christ by every action and word to others. Because of our Christian foundation, our association will always attempt to settle any disputes within the framework of the Word of God in a godly and honorable way. Our Goals. . . . As a Christian athletic association and as Christian schools, we must ask what our goals are. Are we attempting to produce a great athlete or a great adult? With this in mind the goals of the I.C.S.G.A., LLC are as follows: To honor Jesus Christ in everything we do. To maintain the highest possible standards for leadership. To maintain the highest possible standards in conduct and practice for schools, athletes, coaches, and fans. To continue to seek to improve our association each year. To encourage and recruit new schools into our association. To covenant one with another that we will keep problems and strife out of our association by refusing to gossip and by conducting ourselves according to the Word of God. Our Leadership. . . . In constructing anything of value, one must seriously consider the strength and ordinance of the foundation upon which it sits. The two distinct choices according to the Bible are found in the analogies of rock and sand. If it is important enough to warrant our time and money, then surely rock is the most appropriate choice. Satan can and will penetrate everything he can to cause division, confusion, and ultimate destruction. Satan can even penetrate the church for whom Christ died but he will never be able to destroy it. This is the very promise of God. Democracies, boards of directors, other groups, have no such promise. The I.C.S.G.A., LLC was founded on these very principles. With this in mind, our league was founded under the principals of the local church. This does not imply that your ministry must believe exactly what we believe or act like we act. What it does mean is that we believe that all things that are Christian must be founded under the authority of a local church. The local church does not participate in or interfere with the daily responsibilities of the running of the league, and would only intervene if called upon to help ensure that the league does not waver from its original founding purpose, philosophy, and goals. If, for any reason the founder decides that he no longer desires to be involved in the leadership of the league, it will remain the responsibility of the founder to appoint his successor to an individual and/or ministry that adheres to the same founding principles upon which the league was founded, and which adheres to the functioning rules of the LLC. The leadership structure of the I.C.S.G.A., LLC is made up of a (1) Founder/ Manager. As Founder/manager he has chosen to establish the following categories of leadership: Executive Director, Executive Committee and Commissioners for each sport. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Our present executive director is Buddy Hammock from Ballard Christian. Buddy also serves as pastor/elder of Believers Church and principal of Ballard Christian. Buddy has extensive experience in athletic association leadership. At one time he served as the founder and director of the A.G.C.C.A. Athletic Association. His responsibilities include the general day to day running of the I.C.S.G.A., LLC, under the direction of the Founder/Manager. He also plans and organizes region and state playoff sites. Commissioners and executive committee members fall under the authority of the executive director. All general questions relating to all sports activities, schools, etc., should come directly to the executive director. Generally, the executive director also presides over all I.C.S.G.A., LLC meetings. His responsibilities include the general oversight of the league. The executive director, commissioners, and executive committee members fall under the authority of the Founder/Manager. It is understood that all policy decisions are reached as a consensus of the executive committee. Should there be a problem in reaching a consensus, the Founder/Manager will make the final decision. COMMISSIONERS Commissioners are assigned for each sport offered by the I.C.S.G.A., LLC. They are completely responsible for the particular sport they are assigned to. Schools may feel free to contact commissions at any time if they have any questions regarding that sport. Commissioners are responsible to stay in close contact with the executive director at all times to keep him up to date on everything that is related to that sport. The executive director will also stay in contact with commissioners to ensure everything is being done in a timely and orderly way. ­­EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE The executive committee is made up of the Founder/Manager, executive director, and various commissioners, as designated by the Founder/ Manager. The executive committee is responsible for making all decisions regarding the I.C.S.G.A., LLC including, but not limited to, all disputes and hardship cases. Only the member schools of the league vote on new member schools, and expulsion of a member school from the league. The executive committee reserves the right to make any recommendations before any vote is taken. The executive committee handles all other matters. Executive members will not vote on matters regarding their own school, but may be part of the discussion. ROTATING LEADERSHIP As most of you know from past experience, it is very difficult to find qualified leadership, people who have been at a particular school for an extended time and who are willing to invest the necessary time and travel to meet the demands of a leadership position. Because of this, the I.C.S.G.A., LLC does not rotate leadership just for the sake of rotating. We have found that it is best to stay with leadership members as long as they have a desire to serve. Member schools can express any concern in writing if they feel they are not being represented properly. Any letters written to the league office or the executive committee will be kept on file and will be available for member schools to read. Individuals may also present their names to the executive committee privately if they should desire to serve in any position if an opening becomes available. Should a position become available, the Founder/Manager will present a candidate to the executive director and the executive committee. If approved by the majority of the committee, the candidate will then be presented to the member schools at the next possible meeting. Schools will have one week to express their concerns in writing to the executive committee if they know of any reason why that person should not be in a position of leadership.