US Youth Soccer vs US Club Soccer

[soccershins]

Interesting development between U.S. Youth Soccer and U.S. Club Soccer, it looks like U.S. Club Soccer is not letting Nor Cal Soccer leagues or ECNL teams participate in certain U.S. Youth Soccer-sanctioned competitions.

You can check it out for yourself: http://bit.ly/gk1Xqt

[Soccerfever99]

Interesting development between U.S. Youth Soccer and U.S. Club Soccer, it looks like U.S. Club Soccer is not letting Nor Cal Soccer leagues or ECNL teams participate in certain U.S. Youth Soccer-sanctioned competitions.

You can check it out for yourself: http://bit.ly/gk1Xqt

This is the sort of thing that presents a point of potential conflict that I've pointed out related to the President of STYSA sitting on C's board. Obviously there is a growing conflict between US Youth Soccer and US Club soccer largely caused by the ECNL/US Club "land grab". The STYSA organization is a subset of USYS and Challenge is a member of both STYSA and the ECNL. If a decision needs to be made to protect/promote the interests of the non ECNL STYSA clubs, but that decision has negative consequences on Challenge, how do you possibly manage that conflict wearing those two hats?

[Gooner]

Interesting development between U.S. Youth Soccer and U.S. Club Soccer, it looks like U.S. Club Soccer is not letting Nor Cal Soccer leagues or ECNL teams participate in certain U.S. Youth Soccer-sanctioned competitions.

You can check it out for yourself: http://bit.ly/gk1Xqt

This is the sort of thing that presents a point of potential conflict that I've pointed out related to the President of STYSA sitting on C's board. Obviously there is a growing conflict between US Youth Soccer and US Club soccer largely caused by the ECNL/US Club "land grab". The STYSA organization is a subset of USYS and Challenge is a member of both STYSA and the ECNL. If a decision needs to be made to protect/promote the interests of the non ECNL STYSA clubs, but that decision has negative consequences on Challenge, how do you possibly manage that conflict wearing those two hats?

SF99,

Think about it. If a person is involved with STYSA, it is likely because he/she is involved with a Youth Soccer Club because he or she has a child playing soccer. Do you think that an officer at STYSA, EDDOA, or EDS2 is involved in a position of responsibility that likely pays very little, if anything, because he/she is interested in giving your child a good experience?

You are entitled to your rants, but at least use your common sense a little bit.

[hillbilly]

Actually Gooner, you would be hard pressed to find another state association that has their president also sitting on the board of a member club. I have spoken to people from North Texas and they find it funny, but not suprising that soccer hillbillies like us allow it to happen. No doubt, state association board members are more than likely to be parents of players or former players that probably, at one time, served on a club's board. And, I am sure that most people serve for the purpose of giving something back to the game. It isn't, however, hard to see that it would be wise to resign your board position form the member club once you are elected to state position. At the very least, there is the appearance of a conflict of interest that will undermine much of what the person would want to accomplish in that position. At some point, you will be called on to make a decision where the best interests the club and the state assocaition conflict. I believe it is said in a very important book that you "cannot serve two masters."

[Gooner]

Actually Gooner, you would be hard pressed to find another state association that has their president also sitting on the board of a member club. I have spoken to people from North Texas and they find it funny, but not suprising that soccer hillbillies like us allow it to happen. No doubt, state association board members are more than likely to be parents of players or former players that probably, at one time, served on a club's board. And, I am sure that most people serve for the purpose of giving something back to the game. It isn't, however, hard to see that it would be wise to resign your board position form the member club once you are elected to state position. At the very least, there is the appearance of a conflict of interest that will undermine much of what the person would want to accomplish in that position. At some point, you will be called on to make a decision where the best interests the club and the state assocaition conflict. I believe it is said in a very important book that you "cannot serve two masters."

I agree with you Hilbilly that it would be very difficult for a person to be on both a club board and a State Association board and I'm sure that it could only happen here in South Texas.....but then again there is Billy Babcock who is president of the North Texas Youth Soccer Association and also president of the Lubbock Youth Soccer Club.

He is a little inconvenient to your first assertation, isn't he?

[hillbillys brother]

Actually Gooner, you would be hard pressed to find another state association that has their president also sitting on the board of a member club. I have spoken to people from North Texas and they find it funny, but not suprising that soccer hillbillies like us allow it to happen. No doubt, state association board members are more than likely to be parents of players or former players that probably, at one time, served on a club's board. And, I am sure that most people serve for the purpose of giving something back to the game. It isn't, however, hard to see that it would be wise to resign your board position form the member club once you are elected to state position. At the very least, there is the appearance of a conflict of interest that will undermine much of what the person would want to accomplish in that position. At some point, you will be called on to make a decision where the best interests the club and the state assocaition conflict. I believe it is said in a very important book that you "cannot serve two masters."

sf99 has finally posted his really name on this forum.

[soccertexas]

Jesse Harrell, President of STYSA, has been a fixture in south Texas soccer for longer than Fever's U12 dd has been alive. Before JH became president of STYSA, he was president of EDDOA for years and years. I certainly don't agree with all of the actions of EDDOA and STYSA, but Fever's attempt to taint JH as "conflicted" with absolutely no specifics of questionable or biased decisions is BS.

Most of the board members at local and state soccer associations and clubs started their involvement because they had kids that played for a member club. Some continue to stay involved after their kids playing time ended. JH has contributed more hours to Houston youth soccer and now south Texas youth soccer than Fever has ever even sat on the sidelines of a pitch.

Prior to becoming president of STYSA, JH was President of the Challenge board and resigned that lead position when he became STYSA's president.

Fever, get a life.

[soccerdoll]

It is a fact that he does favor Challenge and has advocated for them in the past: to the detriment of other clubs. Just think back on some of the controversy on this board with rulings and rule altering that has taken place. If you think his alliances are not still with Challenge and that he doesn't help them where he can, you are crazy and naive! Having said that, I am pretty sure his kids are gone from the youth soccer scene and he has devoted lots of his time to EDDOA and STYSA and for that he gets credit.

[soccerdude28]

The problem with an individual holding 2 positions, as JH does, is it gives the appearance of favoritism & conflict of interest. It certainly creates the possibility of favoritism & conflicts of interest that would not otherwise be there if it was required for an officer of an organization to resign from any other organization under its juresdiction.

I personnally think that USSF, USYSA, STYSA.... should have a rule prohibiting a person from holding dual roles such as JH does. However, I must be honest and admit, that this is not a battle I care to fight at this time. If someone else is, they need to take the appropriate steps and submit such a rule change to the appropriate association.

Be careful what you ask for. If you want such a rule, there had better be people willing to step up and run for all these positions. Given my experience with EDDOA elections, you may end up with unfilled positions since most of these elections have gone uncontested.

[soccertexas]

That is the issue....these people deserve a ton of credit for the time they must devote. Very few others are willing to even volunteer, much less hold office.