Soap Opera Soccer January 2006
Pierson and our whole family loves soccer. He plays on a select soccer team and as a result I am deeply involved in the team and club. If all of the adults and parents were focused on the boys and provided the most enjoyable and rewarding experience possible, the team would be a smooth-sailing enterprise.
There are always personality conflicts, and some people change and their opinions change. Those conflicts are a piece of cake to deal with, but for some reason other parents tend to forget that they are no longer the player and it is no longer about them. I swear I think some of the adults think that at any moment an MLS coach will show up to recruit them as the oldest player in the league.
Last season we had a full blown soap opera event involving a coach who may or may not have been sleeping with another coach (one married, one just iffy.) Following that debacle, a try-outs battle involving a new coach of a C2 team trying to take players from the C1 and Premier team developed. As if that wasn't enough, there was also a bit of hanky-panky with team funds that were inexplicably grouped together and not properly delineated and separated.
I am simply dumbfounded by the nonsense. I do not like to mess around in gossip and nonsense and I do not like people who are disingenuous. I know that the type of things that occurred happen in every sport, club and with all ages. I really should not be surprised because we see a little bit of everything in the shop, but I am still shocked that parents so easily lose sight of the fact that the soccer team is for the boys and we should do everything to facilitate their team, not harm it! Keep your legs crossed, pants zipped if it will hurt your boys. Stop being selfish and work together for the benefit of your boys. Open up the books to the parents (who incidentally provide the money for the team) and work for the benefit of your boys. It's not that hard, really I promise!
I guess what I really wish is that grown-ups would act like grown-ups and just stop it. If they can't help themselves then for goodness sakes go to therapy or something!
Another parent and I are going to sort out the issues with our team and I know things will be fine within a few weeks, and well before the season starts, but I really hope for no more soap opera soccer. Hope springs eternal after all with soccer and everything I guess.