Ottawa Citizen article:
https://goo.gl/z1uust
QUOTE: Greg Amiel, community events co-ordinator for the Ottawa Redblacks, slammed the lawsuit on Twitter.
“Awareness must be brought to this across #Ottawa,” he wrote. “Truly wrong & this shouldn’t be a legal matter. This club should be embarrassed.”
Those sentiments were echoed by John Rodenburg, who works for the radio station TSN 1200.
“And we wonder why youth sports are so screwed up. We have a local soccer club suing a coach for leaving.”Is this a reflection of in-dealings not just about findings of an independent judicial process, but other arrangements between club's? What about a parent's / player's right to choose a better coaching provider? It's a relief prominent sports & media figures have caught wind of this.
Anonymous25/6/18
ReplyDeleteFinally some coverage of this issue by the Citizen, and it confirms the rumour that had been floating around that this lawsuit was only intended to pressure WOS to back off of a complaint against an OSU coach who was suspended for 6 months for e-mailing dozens of families about moving there from WOS.
I used to think that nothing OSU did could surprise me, but the fact that they would harass an individual making an honest living and file this type of lawsuit is pathetic and disgusting. Anyone who is willing to have their kids exposed to these types of people really need to reconsider their morals and values.
Anonymous25/6/18
Out of curiosity, is there anything from OS or EODSA that the public can access re: who the suspended OSU coach is? Or his initials?
Doesn't seem fair that they've tried to tie Russell's name to this type of behaviour (despite OS obviously not thinking he did anything wrong), while this OSU coach was found guilty but gets to keep his name out of the public?
Anonymous25/6/18
Claire Ditchburn
Anonymous25/6/18
That would have to be a breach of the PIPEDA by OSU. Given that the coach was found guilty by the EODSA and upheld by OS, there must be clear evidence in her case. My understanding is that the penalties to OSU would be very significant if a complaint were filed with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (particularly given the number of people they contacted). Anyone know if anything is happening on that front?
Anonymous25/6/18
Link to the article:
http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ottawa-soccer-club-agrees-to-drop-200000-lawsuit-against-former-coach-emails-reveal-politics-behind-the-scenes
The irony here is considerable. The same people from OSU calling for rules on player movement (eg "no active recruitment under U12") are the most aggressive recruiters in the city. When you attend games that your organization is not involved in, take notes, and call and/or email parents (such that parents wonder where you got their contact info from?), there is seriously something wrong.
I do agree with them, there should not be active recruitment under U12. A little bit of parent/child driven freedom of movement is ok, but the coercive organization driven player movement is not healthy. I don't have a problem with some other coach or parent telling my kid they like how he/she played in a game, but what these guys are doing goes too far in my opinion.
Are we sure we are talking about not-for-profits here? Commercial entities are looking pretty saintly by now. Competition Bureau will have a field day if two clubs decide to "fix" player movements rules without due diligence.
ReplyDeleteSmells a lot like OSU and WOSC know the EODSA will do whatever they agree on and make those unfortunate charges against the OSU coach 'go away'. Of course, if WOSC or OSU are trying to steal your players, you are screwed.
ReplyDeleteOSU and WOSC have a significant presence on the EODSA board of directors, so they can pretty much do as they wish as we have seen with the U9-U12 soccer leagues over the past year.
ReplyDeleteAppeal, appeal, appeal, appeal. Leagues are independent incorporations and not subject to hostile takeovers by any district. OS procedure 9.3.1 allows the terms (only) to be approved not the leagues themselves.
ReplyDeleteI was shocked that Paul Harris was involved in this type of thing. Would his time not be better spent coaching, rather than getting involved in these deceitful and manipulative dealings? This guy should not be allowed anywhere near youth soccer any longer. Shameful and disgusting and a poor example for kids.
ReplyDeleteYouth summer soccer numbers were down 3000 last year. They probably went down this summer. Stuff like this will have them down again next year. Clubs are going to start losing fields to wherever these kids are going.
ReplyDeleteReading the background stuff on this OSU issue and realizing that this probably only the tip of the iceberg (God only know what else goes on behind the scenes over there), I can't tell you how happy I am that my kids are in a program where the TD's focus is on player and coach development. Not politicking, backstabbing and extortion. When OSU's disappointment lies in the fact that those e-mails were leaked, and not with their own behaviour, that says a lot about what kind of people these are.
ReplyDeleteIs OSU really that much worse than WOSC? OSU would not have been bargaining if they were not confident that together, OSU and WOSC make EODSA do whatever they want, and the charges go away.
DeleteI agree to an extent and don't trust the people running WOS either. For all those who bought the BS since last summer that the OPDP league was based on player development, this should be an eye opener: i) I think everyone agrees that OSU's main concern is how much cash can flow out to certain individuals; and ii) the fact that WOS, Cumberland, Ottawa City, Internationals, Gloucester, Capital United and Hotspurs all went along with it suggests that none of them are much better. Weakening the competition by excluding Futuro or any other group that should be competing at the highest level isn't in the interest of player development, rather, it's in the interest of financial gain. I hope the recent issues make this clear to the people who had the wool pulled over their eyes these past couple of years.
DeleteThe fact that OSU would even think filing the lawsuit against Russell Shaw would get WOS to go along with them suggests that these clubs have been coordinating other shady activities until now. So I agree that WOS are no saints either.
Curious whether anyone knows or can comment - has OSU communicated anything to its members about this issue, or tried to explain it to them? Or are they hoping it will pass if they ignore it?
ReplyDeleteDoubt it, nothing has been leaked. And since we are in the topic:
Delete8.1 Membership Qualification
To be a Member, a person must be at least eighteen (18) years of age and... ...a person who is currently registered with the corporation in one or more of the following capacities:
1. member of the Board;
2. Summer Club coordinator;
3. Summer Competitive, developmental and recreational team
officials (up to two for each developmental and
recreational team; up to four for each competitive
team); and/or
4. other OSU official as may be designated by the Board.
Source: http://osu.ca/club-info/club-governance/club-constitution
You would think they would want to get in front of this with members and families who have kids registered with them. Otherwise, most of those people will only know what they've read in the Citizen, Sun or on social media. Not that anything they have to say would carry much weight at this point.
DeleteTBD!!! TBD!!! TBD!!! TBD!!! TBD!!! TBD!!!
Delete"The Clubs have chosen not to continue litigation and that is a choice they are permitted to make. The Clubs will be looking at alternate backroom dealing options within the rules defined by the EODSA spin doctors. The EODSA will continue to monitor the situation to ensure competitions are within G7 group exclusionary procedures."
Wow...so OSU probably has maybe 100 members, depending on how many lifetime members there are.
DeleteSo parents don't have voting rights at OSU? My understanding is that other clubs do. Adult players (MC, WC, OT?) are not members?
DeleteIf that is true, no wonder they get away with so much! Tightly run by a small group. Makes it much easier for individuals to profit extensively in that situation I suppose. Normally things like financial statements are made available to membership at an annual general meeting at least. Isn't this a non-profit "community" club?
The reality is that OSU is a for-profit business, masked as a not-for-profit organization. By keeping membership to a minimum, they can avoid questions about the amount of fees paid to corporations owned by certain individuals.
DeleteWOSC is again, not that different. Parents and adult players are not members of WOSC, they are customers.
ReplyDeleteARTICLE II MEMBERSHIP
ReplyDelete1. Categories – The Corporation has one category of Member being General Members:
a) General Member – A minimum of thirty (30) and a maximum of five hundred (500) individuals who
have applied to be General Members of the Corporation, who have been approved as General Members
of the Corporation by the Board, and who have agreed to abide by the Corporation’s By-laws, policies,
procedures, rules and regulations.
Admission of Members
2. Admission of Members - No individual will be admitted as a Member of the Corporation unless:
a) The candidate member has made an application for membership in a manner prescribed by the
Corporation;
b) The candidate member has paid dues as prescribed by the Board, if any;
c) The candidate member agrees to uphold and comply with the Corporation’s governing documents;
d) The candidate member meets any other condition of membership determined by the Board;
e) The candidate member has been approved by majority vote as a Member by the Board or by any
committee or individual delegated this authority by the Board; and
f) The candidate member is eighteen years of age or older at time of the application.
3. Directors - The Directors of the Corporation are automatically deemed General Members.
SOURCE: https://cdn3.sportngin.com/attachments/document/0050/8168/West_Ottawa_Soccer_Bylaws_-_January_24th_2018_-_Approved_at_the_January_23rd_2018_WOSC_AGM.pdf
One huge difference is that WOS makes their AGM documents public. You'll never be able to see anything from OSU. I've heard of people being escorted out of their AGM for asking uncomfortable questions, but that could just be rumour.
DeleteA few years ago someone was escorted out for asking questions about the George Nelms park dealings and some of the officers/directors involvement. It was pretty ugly.
DeleteNot sure whether that's a normal occurrence at their AGM's though.
I guess they only get to walk off with control of City property for next to nothing every few years or so.
DeleteIn contrast, OCSC is very open regarding membership. If you played, coached, or officiated for the club in the current or past year, you are a member. To me, that is the way a community based club should be organized structurally, and perhaps OS should regulate the clubs better in this regard and require better transparency.
Deletehttp://www.ottawacitysoccer.com/pub/docs/161003%20-%20Ottawa%20City%20Soccer%20Club%20Bylaws%20-%20October%203,%202016-2.pdf
Hotspurs is more or less the same:
http://nepeanhotspurs.ca/about/constitution/
I think that is a reasonable requirement for a non-profit community club. Most people won't bother to participate in an AGM (lack of interest), but the views of the people who actively participate in the club should be represented... otherwise it is effectively a privately controlled corporation with 6000 paying customers.
Ottawa soccer is a sewer. As an adult player, I have no idea why I am paying for any of this garbage. The EODSA, OSA, CSA, and I will be paying again as a taxpayer for that ridiculous World Cup bid.
ReplyDelete"That one time Canada made it to the World Cup"
ReplyDeletehttps://www.cbc.ca/archives/that-one-time-canada-made-it-to-the-world-cup-1.4735422
LACA did well this weekend...
ReplyDeleteFuturo 01s were less than impressive as well. BARELY beating Gloucester in several matches. I thought they were supposed to be la crème de la crème?
ReplyDeleteBrazil were supposed to beat Belgium, and they just plain lost.
DeleteERSL is moving to the RA Centre too. Are things that toxic with EODSA, or is it just a matter of slow execution by EODSA? I thought the RA Centre was the EODSA's idea originally.
Ample space for the OPDP clubs to move into 1150 morrison
DeleteWOS and OSU sharing office space would make for a good sitcom
DeleteWait - could JL have a reserved parking spot at the RA Centre?
DeleteHe could always threaten to sue someone if they won't give him a reserved parking spot.
DeleteIs someone else replacing the unanimously ranked 1st place?
ReplyDeletehttp://osu.ca/_templates/Home/images/ranking.png
Not sure but I think some of the Futuro 01s left to play strictly for St Anthony Azzuri. Not sure why. Can't be good for Futuro. They are not as strong as when they were the SAAC team last year. I see a lot of their players leave for other clubs. Good reasons or not, there should be concern there for the Futuro owner.
ReplyDeleteThe Futuro 01's are playing in MC1. Gloucester doesn't have a team in MC1A - which games were you referring to?
DeleteBig difference physically for those boys to play MC1, but there really aren't many options around here.
There would be some boys who did leave on the promise they can get more "exposure". A number of them still go to train with Futuro though. Of the kids who have left at various ages, there seems to be a very high proportion that still come to train with them - I'll let you draw your own conclusions as to why.
I believe Futuro 01s competed at the GIST. They also competed indoors (several of their players) under a different name. I don't think they placed top 4. Several of their current players were not developed by them.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with soccer in the region, province (if not Canada -see earlier post "That one time Canada made it to the World Cup" - https://goo.gl/niRxWK) is not on the field, it's off the field. Australia (and please don't tell me it's because they compete with Tahiti), has not only made it more times to the WC, but impressed against much stronger opponents.
ReplyDelete- The problem is not whether my grass is number 1 or greener than my neighbour's.
- The problem is not whether endangered species are going to other territories.
- The problem is not whether a commercial vehicle shares the same public roads as private vehicles
If you don't get the analogies to soccer, don't read further.
The problem is (from the League up, to the District up, to the Province and maybe Nationally), there are those staunch supporters (sheep) that see things being done the way they have been told to do in a certain way. If you don't like it then it's the highway. Then, there are those (rebels) who want more local focus, have been around for a while, have substantial support within the status-quo but don't like the annoying newbies. And then, there are the newbies/rookies; who are just as passionate for the game; but naive about the League's, District's, Province's traditional roles. All these have the growth or promotion of soccer as their primary roles (but don't):
"...that provides levels of soccer competition as requested by governing bodies in accordance with the Ontario Soccer Pyramid for Play" (https://ersl.e2esoccer.com/About.aspx?SideMenuID=1)
"Promotes... ...the game of soccer within its jurisdiction" (http://www.ocslonline.ca/PageDisplay.aspx?SideMenuID=2)
"ARTICLE 3 OBJECTIVE - The object of the Association shall be to promote... ...the game of soccer..." (https://www.eodsa.ca/Downloads/2/EODSA%20Constitution%202018.pdf)
"MISSION - Lead and support the growth of soccer..." (https://www.ontariosoccer.net/mission)
Yet have you ever wondered/anyone documented what the experience is for those ad-hoc volunteers who get those few kids together in your neighbourhood/community and attempts to put them (expedited & efficiently) in the sanctioned soccer stream? Or those communities who are celebrating their distinctiveness (street soccer, beach soccer, Colombians, Croatians, etc)? IF (big if) they are not passed on like a hot potato to be forgotten; they will eventually get Disciplined. No, they won't get "promoted". No, they won't get helped to grow. No, they won't get guided. They will get Disciplined and overwhelmed. They will get lots of emails (as substitute for induction and investiture) X the number teams X the number organizations X the number of seasons X developmental vs competitive vs regional X a myriad other things that pop into their heads.
So, spare me all the talk about how "verile or what size" your soccer method is. Until all those layers (League(s), District, Province, AND large established clubs) realize you need to outreach and invest in those ad hoc volunteers (embrace/help them under your own or as partnerships); only then will we see qualitative and quantitative leaps propelling Canada as a soccer contender. Until then "Where do we want to be" (https://www.canadasoccer.com/files/CSA_2009_WellnessWorldCup_volume1_EN.pdf P.22) we will get trivial results.
If you don't believe me; do the following evidence based test (I did years ago, still waiting for responses):
1) create an alias email
2) send a separate email to each of these organizations telling them you are a newby neighbourhood person who has a few (12-15) kids/students playing in your local field, but wish to have information how to get them playing other kids.
If you don't get a gazillion PDFs or links to read I will eat these words. As a Team Manager once told me, "we went to RA because we paid then we played". If only we put in the effort (HELPED) to make sanctioned bearable...
Edmonton is doing something right http://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1255334979634/
DeleteI think with your experiment, most people in the situation of coaching 12-15 kids in a park probably have some idea of what other soccer is out there, especially in the internet age, and especially if all the kids are of a single year age range and of reasonable enough quality such that they could be a team in a league.
DeleteI would think that in that situation, many clubs would be happy to bring the group into their fold, ensure the coach is properly certified etc. They might become assimilated into a larger player/coach pool depending on the club, but clubs are always looking for new players and coaches.
I think the difficulty is for such a group to become independently sanctioned and that is probably why you received many links and pdfs. In the wake of various past incidents, insurance and coach screening are important considerations. Also there is currently a development mantra, so soccer is no longer simply 2 teams of kids playing each other. Of course there are unsanctioned recreational programs where all of this does exist - basic insurance needs are met, and the kids just play, but usually the playing level is fairly low.
The national standards based accreditation approach that is coming down the pipe sounds promising. It would be nice to have more smaller accredited programs rather than 3 giant clubs as all that is left in Ottawa.
I understand your point but in all due respect; if nationally we want to get ALL kids "playing for life" we should not be putting ourselves in bubbles of this quality vs that quality levels. As well, if nationally we want to get "more games are televised at all levels", "...soccer successes are celebrated/promoted in media and given a public profile" and "organized fan groups are more active and numerous" we simply need more numbers. So, 0 kids (4 to 25 yrs old) on my local neighbourhood field throughout the summer means 0 more fans, which means 0 more interested local media. Add to that the massive loss of members (players) locally being lost (specially at the youth programs), which means the factual math is fairly simple. So, that the RA's, the Kanata Dragons, the Community Cup/Community Kicks, Carleton Pick-up soccers, etc. exist simply because sanctioned does not want or does not know how to capitalize those numbers opportunities. Rather than outreach Clubs, Leagues, District, Province are simply standing by waiting for people to come to them. And when they do, they go medieval when e.g. a 60 year old coach plays a teenage kids in the adult stream that was penalized in the youth stream. Was there any help (check and balances) for that coach to avoid such a mistake? No. Will he be sent to the Discipline gulag? Yes. Bye-bye motivation...
DeleteIt is probably unreasonable to expect all or even most kids to stay in soccer for life. There are lots of other sports and one only has so much time. Many kids/families are not interested in a high performance soccer program and that is fine. Playing recreational soccer can be fun and that need not be in a club though clubs do offer beginner level rec programs. I'm not really convinced that sanctioned soccer matters much if one is playing recreationally and not worried about a development path. Just go and play for fun!
DeleteIf you want to bring a team into a competitive league, there are rules, and some of those have a fair bit of merit. OS wants those leagues to emphasize development, and whether or not we agree that it is being well achieved, the goal is there.
So it really depends what that group of kids in the park is looking for. Becoming independently sanctioned is really hard for a variety of reasons both good and bad. My feeling is the best approach in that situation is for the group to join a club that empathizes with their desire to stay together as a group (eg a cultural group or whatever), ensure the coach is adequately trained (as per OS), and go from there. Should not be too hard, though the bigger clubs do tend to operate as player pools rather than fixed teams.
Grudgingly, I must agree with that logic. While employees of the leagues, district or clubs are not (can not) be held accountable to the same painfully bureaucratic discipline processes of sanctioned stream, the rest of us volunteering do. Therefore, it follows logic and makes better sense (for everyone that is encountering nothing but barriers) at all age categories (kids to young adults to OT) to look for "non-club" Fun (recreational) programs... anyone know of new domes/spaces opening up anywhere this coming Fall?
DeleteWill there be more mergers forthcoming?
ReplyDeleteLooks like Cumberland and Capital United are also merging. Because that's what we need - fewer choices.
ReplyDeleteI think Capital United is in difficult financial position, and Cumberland sees it as a way to absorb additional revenue, rather than letter Capital United die and have their players choose other clubs. The thinking seems to be that if they merge, Cumberland is more likely to retain some of those Capital United players.
Capital United is in a dead-end, youth competitive is just so costly to operate now, especially at the higher levels. Without any so-called 'deveopmental' kids to suck money out of, the model just cannot work.
DeleteCap U. players are from all over town though, so they can go South (OSU), West (WOSC) or even Central (Futuro, Internationals, Gloucester)....depending on what they want. They do have some very strong players at the U14 to U16 level. Their OYSL team (U18) is getting creamed in the OYSL.
ReplyDeleteThe elimination of the OYSL is what killed Cap U. They had that as a pathway/goal. Now they do not. Hell of a club though and they beat up a lot of teams over the years. Good luck to them and Cumberland. That would be a hell of a merger.
ReplyDeleteIs the Futuro girls program strong? I noticed they do not do as well as the boys. Losing to an OPDP team the other night for example that was playing a year up.
ReplyDeleteNot sure what age group you are talking about, but most of the Futuro girls teams are underage, or mostly underage and in some cases have no subs or play short. It is really important for parents watching u9-12 games to not put so much emphasis on the score/result as there can be many factors. I watched a similar situation a number of weeks ago, with the Futuro team playing short handed, yet dominating possession.
DeleteEven in the world cup you see better teams knocked out by a weaker team through a lucky goal, some good defending, and maybe a lucky bit of officiating. That is part of the game, and on the world stage, that does matter, but at U9-12, it is not what matters. How they play matters most if we care that the kids are learning.
It was U15 I believe.
ReplyDeletehttps://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/citys-top-soccer-teams-face-off-at-lansdowne-for-two-championships
ReplyDeleteWhat is the word for this winter season? Polar Bear League?
ReplyDeleteBigger question is what is happening with the talks between EODSA and QSF about an interprovincial league, and whether that could somehow be integrated into the Quebec system?
ReplyDeleteJ'ai la même question aussi!
ReplyDeleteAny relationship with the MTL teams would be a huge bonus. It would give the non OPDL teams better quality competition. That said, I want (I know wishful thinking) Futuro and the other big 3 to sit at a table and come to some type of agreement where the best play the best in some friendlies.
ReplyDeleteSince the rumour mill is all the soccer community has for vision and as the well versed Mr. Victor Rondumbo stated back in June 2017: "We urge you to speak out and help right the soccer 'ship' before it sinks"
ReplyDelete- Club's asking paying parents to sign "player release forms" (should they wish to play for another club);
- OS new SportNgin registration software making Club's prices $$$ easily comparable (scaring the OPDP conglomerate);
- Eastern Ontario/West Quebec regional-bilingual league (completely agree it's needed);
- non-OPDP dev. winter League (sincerely hope people have the gall to come through on this);
- OCSL adult fall league (it's happening);
- ERSL gasping for air;
- EDL still around
- etc., etc.,
For the record, here what OSU tweeted about the lawsuit June 21/18 (https://twitter.com/OSUsoccer/status/1009889087728377856):
ReplyDeleteFrom the Board of Directors of Ottawa South United:
After considerable discussion and deliberation, the Board of Directors of Ottawa South United have determined that at this time we will be withdrawing the lawsuit involving a previous contractor.
OSU strongly believes that this situation illustrates the greater need for processes and rules to be developed as soccer delivery continues to professionalize across Canada and to evolve with this changing environment to mitigate future conflict. This includes the rules around non-solicitation of players and coaches.
The Board of Directors are prioritizing our efforts to work in conjunction with with Eastern Ontario District Soccer Association, Ontario Soccer and Canada Soccer to lead in these efforts.
Here is the text from the GoFundMe campaign in support of Russell Shaw (https://www.gofundme.com/bh7kkm-russell-shaw-defends-osu-lawsuit):
ReplyDeleteRight now, Russell Shaw needs your support. Any small donation helps ($10).
He is one of the most accomplished, respected and well regarded coaches in competitive youth soccer in Ottawa and across the Province, and is being sued by his former club, the non-profit community soccer association Ottawa South United for $200,000.
OSU claims that Russell has stolen and solicited players to join his current club (West Ottawa Soccer Club), and is in breach of contract. This is untrue and Russell has the basis to defend himself against these claims. Amateur soccer players are allowed to change clubs under their own volition.
The shocking thing is that OSU, the non profit community-based soccer association, is trying to intimidate Russell and put him through financial and personal hardship based on the premise that a youth soccer player, who exercises her or his choice to move from one club to another, doesn’t have the right to do so and the OSU revenue-loss should be recoverable by suing an ex employee.
For anyone who knows Russell, you know his success is based on his tireless contribution, respectful style of coaching and his professional conduct. Players are simply drawn to him and have self-selected to join another club for a better environment, his style of coaching, and the opportunities he opens up for them.
When Russell was at OSU for the 9 years proceeding his departure for a better balance of family life in 2016, he helped his teams win 3 Ontario titles. While he certainly didn’t take this career path for the money, he did do it for the sport and community he loves, and of course, to help kids achieve their best. In doing so, he has made and continues to make positive contributions to thousands of youth players across the city.
Now, he needs your support and help. Please support his legal defense through this GoFundMe Campaign.
Even if all you can give is a small amount, you will go on record and say enough-is-enough with this type of toxic behavior shaping youth sports in Ottawa.
100% of funds raised in excess of Russell's legal fees will go towards competitive soccer fees for kids in the Ottawa region who need financial support to play at a club of their choice (including OSU - if that's their choice).
Update 1/2:
Update: First $5,000 Raised!
Thank you to everyone who has made a contribution to the Russell Shaw Defends OSU Lawsuit campaign - regardless of the amount.
You are proving that integrity will always win. That being said, we need more help as this won't be easy for Russell.
Please share this on Facebook & Twitter encouraging others to join in - and please always use the hashtag #ShameOnOSUSoccer.
Update 2/2:
Thank you all for your support for Russell and his family through this difficult time. It is your support and actions that made people aware of this frivolous and unwarranted lawsuit.
This civil lawsuit has now been withdrawn by its instigators, Ottawa South United Soccer Association, a matter of days before Russell was required to officially respond to the Ontario's Superior Court of Justice regarding this claim - the timing of which is quite clearly cynical.
Russell is now working with his lawyer to obtain a statement from OSU that he did not breach his contract and never solicited any players - just as he has stated from the start.
This will ensure that OSU's bully tactics will not be used against him again in the future and hopefully set a precedent for the soccer community. There is no place for this sort of action in youth development.
He will also look for compensation for his legal fees from OSU, regardless of the amount raised through this GoFundMe Campaign.
Finally, a statement of lawyers fees will be posted when the matter is finalized and the remainder will be donated to players in need of financial support.
Help spread the word!
Futuro U13s lost in the semis of the Ontario Cup. It is to be noted that the Ontario Cup is watered down now, since OPDL teams are not allowed to participate.
ReplyDeleteThey were actually by far the strongest technical team in the U13 semis, but weren't able to finish. The team was exhausted and depleted from their trip to England (returned to Ottawa Friday night, then played in Toronto on Saturday with whoever returned in time).
DeleteIt should be noted that the Bolton team that is in the final absolutely destroyed a number of OPDL teams this summer. So while the Ontario Cup is watered down, most OPDL and OASL teams wouldn't be at the level of 2 or 3 of the Ontario Cup semi-finalists.
Yeah, I heard their opponents didn't touch the ball in the first few minutes, then started making subs every 5 mins or so to waste as much time as possible.
DeleteIs there an upcoming end to FCB Escola in Ottawa? They only train 2X per week now (I thought they were supposed to be like Barcelona!?), and they hide their prices now on their website. Parents, be very careful where you sign up your kids..
ReplyDeleteIs that the same as the teams that play in the OASL? Or is that just supplementary training?
DeleteThe Futuro U13s are strong. I'd like to see them against the OSU U13s that play OPDL. Maybe even Cumberland. Not sure how any of those games would go.
ReplyDeleteProbably wouldn't go well for Futuro. OSU OPDL U13s has a kid who claims to be born in 05, but he's the size of Didier Drogba.
DeleteThey are apparently killing everybody in OPDL, with this kid scoring 3-4 goals per game.
"Claims to be born in 05"? Let me guess - not born in Canada?
DeleteDon't know who he is, but I know the rest of that team doesn't match up with Futuro U13's. Huge difference in skill level.
It's actually reckless on OSU's part. For anyone who hasn't seen it, I'm surprised no one has been seriously injured yet. They also apparently have an '04 kid, who is big for his age, playing on the '05 team under the bio-banding rule but they're only doing it because he didn't make the '04 team but wanted to play OPDL. OSA just rubber stamps anything. But this big '04 kid is tiny compared to Didier Drogba '05.
DeleteAnyone seen the Seinfeld episode when Kramer was taking karate with little kids? Same thing here.
DeleteI don't think it's reckless on OSU. The kid apparently showed up with a passport saying he was born in 05, and who is OSU to doubt that? No way he's born in 05, it's impossible. He's 2x the size (literaly, not kidding) of the some of the kids on his own team. Plus his body is all muscles, he looks like an 02 or 03 at best.
DeleteIt's obvious OSU is using his physicality to win games, but what should they do? What did Lukaku's coach do when Lukaku was 12-13? Told him not to use his physicality?
It would be in the kid's interest to play with older kids (i.e., kids his own age). There has been a lot of research showing that early developers are at risk of becoming complacent as they get older. If they aren't really focusing on their skill development, that makes it even worse for the kid.
DeleteRegardless of what the official papers say, I think it is reckless on their part because someone can get hurt badly. Would you have your kid play up 3 years? I certainly wouldn't and draw the line at playing up one year at this age.
The fact that playing against kids half his size is also hindering his development is a separate issue.
Is there creativity with age in the soccer world? I see it in youth baseball a lot. I noticed that the OSU teams lost dominance with age though. Start off strong....weaker at the U17 age. Boys any ways.
ReplyDeleteProbably because their best kids get picked up by MLS academies and such
DeleteKids tend to lose interest in sports around those ages, so like everyone, the numbers drop off by that age. That's one of the big reasons why opdl had to combine the U16 and U17 age groups (although OS won't release stats about whether kids quit altogether, or simply switched leagues).
DeleteIn 2017 they allowed 2000s to play with the 2001s because too many teams had issues to find enough players due to too many 2001s starting to leave OPDL to play elsewhere.
DeleteIn 2018, many 2001s decided not to play OPDL because the OPDL rules were not flexible enough to let them participate in the showcase events they wanted.
I believe the U17/U16 OPDL division this season is mostly a U16 league if you exclude the U15 TFC.
Does he not have to provide his birth certificate? Apologies for my ignorance here, guys.
ReplyDeleteIt's not as common in Ottawa as in Montreal, but over the years I've known a number of people who came to Canada from lesser-developed countries, claimed not to have documentation for their kids and understated their age. I know that in some countries they don't track this and the parents might not know the exact date of birth, but I'm talking about situations where they claim that the kid is a couple of years younger (I personally know someone who admitted to being 3 years older than what his parents said, although he only admitted it long after finishing school/youth sports).
ReplyDeleteIt's a touchy subject, but more people are playing this game than we realize.
I would add the problem is not the people "playing the game". I do not know, nor is this comment about this one kid. However, for the topic of age, in my opinion, whether from the South American Amazon region; Equatorial Central Africa, Northern Europe Sami region, Australia remote deserts; or embattled Syria today (among many others); there are/were regions in the world where parents do not have a "birth registration" office around the corner; and in fact most did not have the necessity or means to do so until years later. Local clubs do not have any means to challenge legal accepted paperwork for DoB. If size is a problem then the rules must be adjusted to the larger reality of the world we live in. But we all know the "powers that be control the rule making body" and will continue to do things they way things have been done for decades past. By the way theme parks have found a quick and easy way to allow kids to ride progressively more difficult rides and still meet liability requirements: "You must be this tall to..."
DeleteEven if a kid is the same age and just happens to be a freak of nature, a kid like that should be playing up a couple of years - in a case like this where the height and muscular development are well beyond the other kids and the kid's coordination has caught up to his size (this kid isn't a tall skinny awkward kid), that kid should be playing a couple of years up. People can argue that the official documents should be the only factor, but that's doing a disservice to everyone involved (the player, team mates and opponents). The fact is, the kid is either: I) the same chronological age as the others, but much, much bigger and stronger, or II) he is actually older and maybe normal size for his age. If it's I, then he should play up to his biological age. If it's II, then he should play up to his chronological age. Either way, he shouldn't be playing with 13 year olds.
DeleteOh OSU......
ReplyDeleteThere is no way that young man is U13. That is a joke. Shame on all those involved.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that they are playing a big '04 kid down at the '05 age group, and also playing a God knows how old kid at the '05 age group shows where their priorities lie.
ReplyDeleteThis is a club whose chair posts pictures of his 'champion team' in the 'Ottawa indoor league' as if it was something more than a club house league
DeleteI know from people involved with some of their other age groups that the club has been disappointed with the '05 group's results for a while, so it makes sense that they're trying to prop up their results through whatever means. Knowing many of the kids in that group, I'm surprised to hear that they've been doing so well in OPDL, even though the U13 OPDL cohort is considered weak compared to past years. Says a lot about how physically dominant this guy must be.
ReplyDeleteYes, "win" over individual development. Sad.
ReplyDeleteHe'll fizzle away eventually once people catch up to him physically. They usually do.....
ReplyDeleteThe player with the ‘05’s joined from house league. Nice to see everyone ready to chop the kid down rather than wonder how good he can become.
ReplyDeleteNot sure what switching from house league has to do with anything, but you're being naïve. I realize there can be a pretty big gap in kids' sizes at the U13, U14 and U15 age groups, but there is something very wrong in this case - anyone who is unbiased and has seen it agrees. People on the team roll their eyes and laugh when the topic comes up. And it's much more than height. I've never seen such a big physical difference, and I'm aware of a number of situations where it was discovered later that the players documents weren't accurate - and in those cases the difference wasn't nearly as big as this.
DeleteWhen you talk about "how good he can become", I think you're confused with how much bigger and stronger he is than everyone else (including the coaches).
In any case, I feel bad for the kid because it obviously isn't his doing. Parents are to blame for trying to game the system, and the club is to blame for not playing him at an appropriate age group - regardless of what documents say, it's in the player's interest to play somewhere where he won't get by solely through physical domination. They know what's going on, but prefer to stick their heads in the sand because he's able to prop up a mediocre team.
I think what a number of people are concerned about is that someone is going to get injured. I personally really couldn't care less that the "King of the Dojo" is physically dominating because that won't go anywhere in the end. But I would hate to see someone get hurt.
DeleteWhere he came from (rec, another club, etc) is irrelevant. His real age is the issue. No way that kid is 13. Not in a million years.
DeleteBio-banding should be implemented in his case. He should be playing 2 years up. OSU is looking really bad in this case. OSU is a good club overall, but these kinds of things is what gives them a bad rep.
ReplyDeleteRemember that they're also playing an '04 kid down at the '05 age group, and he's actually a bigger kid for his age. My understanding is that certain physical attributes have to me met in order to play down, which this kid would definitely not be close to meeting. So either the club is lying to the OSA, or the OSA will simply approve anything if it means increased opdl registration.
ReplyDeleteI simply cannot understand how the parents accept that their kid plays down an age group (??). Nevermind the physical side of the issue. Obviously the club doesn't think your kid is good enough to play at their age group level... what is there more to see? Just leave, go to another club. It's obvious that OSU is just keeping the kid(s) for financial reasons.
DeleteCanadian soccer clubs needs a dose of honesty. Just be honest with the kids/parents. Stop looking at bottom line.
Would they have cut an '05 kid to make room for the '04 kid to play down? Or did they just not have the numbers to fill the team? I can't imagine the last kid to be cut would be too happy if it was done to have an older, bigger kid play down.
DeleteAs for why a parent would want their kid playing down when there's no physical reason for it, I stopped being surprised at anything in Ottawa soccer long ago.
Received this as official soccer PARTNERSHIP with my kid's school:
ReplyDeletehttp://psgacademy.ca/psgacademy/
Checkout the Ottawa Registration 2018-2019
Goes back to what I said at the very beginning; if there was any outreach to neighborhoods, schools, cultural groups, smaller clubs, etc. we wouldn't have the competition waltz right in... but no, the OPDP bubble decided they wanted a telenovela.