STATUTES
& BYLAWS
This page explains what NWANA’s governing documents do: they define the organization’s structure, decision process, and the authority used to publish the Rulebook, Sanctioning standards, and official procedures.
WHAT THESE DOCUMENTS DO
They keep the system stable while the sport grows.
Define Authority
Establish how NWANA is structured and how decisions are made — the legal/organizational base for publishing rules and procedures.
Set Governance Rules
Define officers, responsibilities, and internal controls that support transparency and continuity.
Protect Consistency
Ensure subordinate documents (rulebook, sanctioning standards, education requirements) stay consistent with the governing framework.
WHAT THEY COVER
Main areas typically governed by statutes/bylaws in a federation framework.
Jurisdiction & Scope
- Where and how NWANA operates
- What NWANA regulates (competitive framework) vs. what it does not (general wellness activity)
- Boundaries of authority and delegation
Participation Framework
- Membership categories (as adopted)
- Rights/obligations
- Eligibility/participation linkage to rules & procedures
Sport Authority
- Authority to publish rules and competition standards
- Sanctioning as the pathway to validated results
- Recognition/validation logic
Education & Officials
- Framework for education/certification
- Officials/judges/coaches standards (as published)
- Role of regional delivery vs. national standards
CONTROLLING TEXT & CONSISTENCY
How summaries relate to official documents and published standards.
Supremacy
Statutes & Bylaws are NWANA’s highest internal governing documents. Rules, policies, and procedures are issued under their authority.
Controlling Documents
If any summary or webpage text differs from the published governing documents, the controlling version is the official text in: Governing Documents.
AMENDMENTS
How changes are adopted and when updates become effective.
Adoption Procedure
Changes follow the amendment procedure defined in the bylaws (approval requirements, voting thresholds, and effective dates). Updated versions are published after adoption.
Versioning
NWANA uses published versions to maintain clarity: when a new version is adopted, the updated document becomes the controlling text.
Use the system
Governance enables rules. Rules enable sanctioning. Sanctioning enables validated results.