May 2, 2017
St. Anthony is calling on all people of good will in the Ottawa
soccer community to speak out against the exclusion of certain teams in
Ottawa from the top level of competition at U9 to U12.
In early March, seven clubs (Capital United, Cumberland, Ottawa City,
Gloucester, Internationals, Ottawa South United, and West Ottawa
Soccer) withdrew their top U9 to U12 teams (about 60 total) from the
East Region Soccer League (ERSL) to form a new league, the Ottawa Player
Development Program (OPDP). They purposely excluded certain clubs,
including St. Anthony, with teams that had been playing at the highest
level, including teams from low-income and immigrant communities and all
rural clubs.
St. Anthony had been part of a process that started fall, 2016 to
improve U9 to U12 soccer in Ottawa. St. Anthony supported changes
(including Sunday night games) which Ontario Soccer approved.
Unfortunately, the seven clubs then pushed for more changes that
contravened Ontario Soccer guidelines and which the ERSL therefore
couldn’t apply. Instead of working within the rules, the clubs started
the OPDP.
The OPDP was declared an unsanctioned league and for the seven clubs
to avoid discipline, the OPDP took down their website and ceased
official operations April 27, just two weeks before the start of the
summer season. The seven clubs, however, have not returned their OPDP
teams to the ERSL (instead moving their weaker teams into higher
divisions) and have simply taken their league underground, maintaining
the exclusion of certain teams. This focus on exclusion will eventually
lead to fewer choices for all soccer players in Ottawa.
Some of the excluded teams are part of the Somali community. Their
Surad teams (almost 200 players total) were invited two years ago to
partner with St. Anthony, which has the lowest fees in the city, so
their kids could play in the league, the same league many of their
schoolmates and friends are excited to participate in. Now, they are
being excluded from regular competition against teams they had been
playing against. It is one thing to be on the outside looking in; it is
quite another to be invited in and then denied access. This exclusion
includes two Surad Tier 1 teams (St. Anthony has seven Tier 1 teams
total), including one that was doing so well that it was asked this
winter to move from Tier 2 to Tier 1. Not every team is able to play at
the highest level but every team should have the right to aspire to play
with the best. Newcomers to Canada understand our country to be an
inclusive society: the actions of the seven clubs send the message that
they are not truly welcome.
There is a place for intensive, high-cost soccer programs but those
programs should participate in a league where all teams have the
opportunity to play the appropriate level of competition. St. Anthony
calls on the seven clubs to end their discriminatory practices and to
focus on the good of soccer and all its players rather than trying to
increase their control of soccer in Ottawa. Kids are being hurt in the
process, both on the field and through a diminished sense of their place
in Canadian society.
#FairnessInSoccer
St. Anthony SC
25.5.17
Statement by St. Anthony SC on the new unsanctioned U9 to U12 league
April 6, 2017
Recently, seven Ottawa clubs withdrew their U9-U12 T1 teams from the East Region Soccer League (ERSL) to form a new league named the Ottawa Player Development Program (OPDP). The ERSL operates the only outdoor youth competitive league for the Eastern Ontario District Soccer Association (EODSA) that is sanctioned by Ontario Soccer (formerly the Ontario Soccer Association – OSA). The new league (with games Sunday evening) is an attempt to get around Ontario Soccer rules that allow all District clubs to enter teams at any tier at U9-U12 and they have purposely excluded St. Anthony from participating, as well as the two other remaining urban clubs and all the rural clubs.
St. Anthony had planned to have six teams play in U9-U12 T1. These teams include both Futuro Academy teams and community teams, which have both demonstrated that they are competitive at T1. One of our Surad teams was, in fact, asked to move from T2 to T1 this winter season. The OPDP has published entry criteria which they are applying selectively to exclude certain clubs as it is a league without neutral oversight.
On Tuesday, March 28, the EODSA came out with a statement, available on their website, that they were “aware of the Ottawa Player Development Program” and that “this program is not a sanctioned competition or league of the EODSA”. Players registered with the EODSA and Ontario Soccer are not permitted to participate in unsanctioned competitions or leagues. Ontario Soccer provides clear sanctions against anyone who “directly or indirectly encouraged or assisted in the establishment or operation of an unsanctioned soccer organization or competition”. Team officials face a 6-12 month suspension and a club faces significant fines. If the OPDP attempts to organize their league as a set of exhibition games, this would still contravene Ontario Soccer rules as exhibition games cannot have a “set schedule of games”.
All St. Anthony teams will continue to play in the ERSL (with games Monday to Thursday) but potentially in different divisions than originally planned to ensure appropriate competition.
We regret that our club membership and the wider soccer community in Ottawa has had to deal with so much uncertainty so close to the start of the summer season and we trust that the EODSA and Ontario Soccer will apply the published rules and ensure that all clubs within the EODSA are treated equally, without preference given to those clubs with larger memberships and greater financial resources.
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