MYSA is soon to be a thing in the past. The association is ran by a group of incapable ego maniacs. Some may have some experience in soccer, some are just enjoying the droplet of power that they feel entitled to.
It is frustrating when incidences that have big consequences happen to you repeatedly. I coach a U16 team in St. Louis Park. When the boys were 13 they played C1. They were at most an average team. They finished the season with 25 percent of the max point that can be earned in a season.
The rule states that is a team earns 25 percent of the total points or more they will not have to face relegation. It took weeks for the decision to be made, and the final word from MYSA was...they had to move down to C2.
The kids worked their butts off! They won C1 tournaments locally and went undefeated and was promoted back to C1. There, they had a successful season as well. They won the league, finished C1 state runners up and was promoted to Premier, and so we thought until MYSA got involved.
We have a diverse group of kids on our team. One of the kids is from Mexico. Two years ago he went to Benilde St. Margaret and last year he we enrolled in Mexico City. Because he has family and friends here he visits every summer. And because he has been on the team the two previous year, with the approval of MYSA we got him a player pass and he was back on the team.
The excitement of the successful season turned sour after tryouts. One of the kids didn't make the team, and his parents decided to write the very CAPABLE MYSA to help heal their son's pain. I did not see the letter, but it pretty much talked about how this Mexican kid shouldn't be on the team.
The club represented MYSA with his birth certificate and things quiet down for a while. After months of not replying to emails and phone calls the big decision was made without a vote, even though it was supposed to be.
The decision pretty much stated that the play is not a resident and therefore he is an illegal player. The thing that confused me was the state approved his player pass. To save their own behinds that was the decision that they made, and again my team gets the short end of the stick.
These two incidences aren't enough. I just left the state cup draw, it was pretty frustrating too. We got fed some BS and our team got the shaft again.
We were state semi-finalist last year. The other three teams got seeded and now we have to play a play-in game in order to compete in a tournament we nearly won a year ago. I know life isn't fair, but this is ridiculous.
Here are a few ways that I look at this team and the incidences that they faced as these boys are growing into young men. They are a group of individuals they stick together and fight. They are a bunch of competitors that continue to rise as others continue to thoughtlessly try to pull them down.
In addition to the boys being strong, these incidences just show how clueless MYSA is of what goes on under their nose. By trying to micromanage the unnecessary, petty rules, they forget why kids play soccer. They forget to reward kids that earned their spot with hardwork and perseverance, but they are quick to punish as long as it makes them look capable.
Also, these incidences has taught me about certain parenting style that is disturbing to me. If I ever failed at anything wheni was younger, my mother usually encourages me to try harder or work at the weaknesses. I guess some parents see their kid's failure as a sign of their failure...maybe. So to rectify that situation they step in and write a letter to the authority in this case MYSA. What they don't understand is that this is athletics, kids are not equally gifted. Just like the classroom, some kids are probably smarter than others. Anyways, their action is has a lesson too. It just shows that when you fail at something, instead of use that as motivation and try harder, you should blame someone else for your inadequacy.
I'm frustrated, saddened and disappointed in how this turned for the kids I dearly respect. They deserve the best, and I hope the can view these situations in a more positive light than I.
12 comments:
Go work under another state association for a while...you won't believe how much MYSA has their act together compared to many. My hope is you also win State Cup...great lesson to your boys in triumph over adversity.
Van - MYSA is sad.
Van:
While you are at it, could you get Tim to fix the blog? The shortcuts on the right hand side of the page do not work. Let’s get ready to go, 2012 state cup draw is done and people are ready to blog about it. The soccer season is almost ready to start and we are interested in what people have to say. Plus it is pure entertainment.
Thank you.
I KNOW (!) what you mean about MYSA, egos, etc. My son's team went through alot of baloney too...So, I am not trying to sound pro MYSA. However I will suggest that you check the rules governing State Cup: (http://www.mnyouthsoccer.org/events/statecup.cfm) and click on State Cup Rules. Go to pages 4-6and see if they followed the protocol noted there. I don't know enough about your team to know where you fit, but it gives the rules regarding seedings, draws,and play-ins, and give you a chance to see if they correctly followed these guidelines. Good luck!
Say what you want but MYSA is better than many organizations out there. MRL for example.
Or Encl, they all have their issues.
State cup-
Any predictions on the girls side?
Not a fan of MYSA, but http://www.mnyouthsoccer.org/leagues/prom_rel.cfm
Relegation
The last place team in each classic 1 or 2 league is automatically relegated. If two teams tie in points for last place they will both be relegated.
Classic 1 and 2 teams that score 25 percent or lower of the total number of points possible for their league are automatically relegated.
Now the question is - why didn't MYSA just remove the player they thought was "illegal" and leave you at Premier status?
That may not be the best answer. I would need to see some mitigating factors before I could accept the argument that the team should not suffer. For example, the number of games played by the player in question, whether the player was a difference maker, views of coaches of the other teams in their division about the impact of the player, etc.
You didn't get shafted at State Cup draw. Only three teams get seeded. The teams that won their pool. Your team got wildcard.
Who ever said MYSA has their act together really hasn't been associated with other state soccer organizations to make that comment. MYSA is unique in the fact that most states are not top heavy like MYSA, meaning the state organization runs only the state tournaments, the ODP programs, and a few services and benefits. Very few states control every aspect of youth soccer or more importantly LEAGUES like MYSA does. So although what may seem like organization to the masses by having all leagues centralized in the state of MN is really about control and power. Oh yes I am sure there is power in the leagues for other states, but when all power is centralized as in MYSA, clubs do not have the ability to move away and check the power of the over zealous league or organization. Yes every state has their problems but for a player and coach who has been associated with Norcal, Socal and now MN this is by far the most player developmentally challenged state and it is due to the way MYSA is set up.
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