Re:  CSA ordered hearing against Shauna Aab, Danny Bowie, Les Hodges and Mike Troke December 6, 2010

Dear Gentlemen:

I am writing to express my great concern with the actions of CSA in response to the matter of the legal claim filed by the above members of the Alberta Soccer Association this past summer.  I understand that there is to be a disciplinary hearing very shortly that could result in the suspension of the members named in the court action.

 I have been a parent, manager and district volunteer for 10+ years and involved with my local soccer association in several capacities.  I am also a 20-year veteran high school teacher and have participated on many different committees and boards, so have a pretty clear understanding of how volunteer/not for profit boards SHOULD work.

 I first became aware of the rift in leadership of the ASA early this past spring, and watched in dismay and shock as the actions of some of the members allowed a conflict in leadership to get completely out of hand.  The most revealing episode that I witnessed was the direct attempt to disrupt Tier IV Rural Provincials with the petty withholding of medals and organizational assistance to those communities in early July and then again later in the month with the Tier IV U12 Provincials—when last minute changes to location created a level of disorganization and confusion that ALMOST ruined the events for many kids, parents and coaches. I watched as even into August many parents, players and coaches wondered up to the last minute IF and WHERE their Tier III provincials might be held.   It was at that point that the stated concerns of some members of the ASA (Mario Charpentier, Colin Innes et.al)  lost all credibility with me.

 Shauna Aab was one of the ASA members at the time that I witnessed did not let politics interfere with kid’s sports-she attended U12 Tier IV Girls provincials in Camrose and  handed out medals to young girls who felt that their efforts had been recognized by the governing soccer body.  I was aware that people like Les Hodges went to extraordinary effort and personal financial sacrifice to help supply players in St. Albert with their medals, along with people like Chuck Williams from Edson, who created trophies to provide players in Stettler with a tangible reward so that they could feel recognized by their provincial soccer association.  I also cried when I heard that young players, coaches and parents in communities like Three Hills had to go home with the memory of a representative of Alberta Soccer attending the field and suggesting that certain teams and referees should be barred from participating rather than the medals that they so greatly deserved.  

 And so, it is with outrage that I see CSA suggesting that these fine members of the  Alberta soccer community be sanctioned for resorting in desperation to legal action to try to force some sense of sanity and reasonable action on the part of the ASA Board (s) and executive members.

  I understand that CSA and FIFA bylaws prohibit involvement of the judicial system, but also saw no support forthcoming by either CSA or FIFA as an explosive situation brewed and came to a head through the spring and summer months.  I would have expected that the parent organization would have taken an interest in MEDIATION and provided assistance/leadership to a membership that desperately needed it, not that it would have “taken a side” and discounted the concerns of one group over another’s.  In fact, I understand that members of the group in opposition in philosophy to Aab et. al. had themselves filed a court petition earlier in the spring—should they not have been disciplined  similarly by CSA at the time, even though they withdrew their court action?  That kind of response by CSA at the time might have helped head off the unpleasant and costly events that transpired all throughout this past summer and fall.

 The court action filed by those CSA seeks to discipline was concluded with a decision by the presiding justice—case “closed”.  Why is there now punitive action taken against SOME of the parties involved?  Particularly when members such as Danny Bowie are clearly making such a transparent and honorable effort to heal the wounds in his area and lead his association with public input and honesty?  Why not respect the input of a neutral third party (in this case a judge—could have just as easily been a CSA-approved mediator) and allow the situation to hopefully be remedied through more appropriate channels at an AGM in January.  Threatening suspension of these members ends up looking a bit like a “witch hunt” rather than an honest effort to help a fragmented association get back on its feet after a terrible year of conflict and wasted fees.

 As a parent and team manager, I was disgusted when the political posturing of adults interfered with children’s enjoyment of sport, and I will remind you that it is the fees that myself and the thousands of parents across the province have paid in good faith year after year that have and will pay for this costly sandbox battle.  I want my money to go toward effective management of the association, toward certified and experienced technical development of the game, and to the hiring, maintenance and support of provincial staff that are good at their jobs, and not there to do one ‘side’s’ bidding.   I do not want my fees being spent on hiring, firing, re-hiring and re-firing of staff that I have interacted with in a professional capacity like Margaret Dunlop, the Referee Coordinator at ASA, who did her job well and met the needs of her membership (one of my sons is a referee as well as a player).  I do not want my fees spent on lawyers and court costs that I know number in the hundreds of thousands of dollars at this point.  I do not want my money funneled into an organization that is financially questionable and fragmented.  Most of all, I do not want to see my teenage players and referees to see a sports association so blatantly ignore the values of our democratic society—the values that are integral to all sports such as TEAMWORK, INTEGRITY, ACCOUNTABILITY, RESPECT and HONESTY.   I know that I speak for many other parents when I say this.

 Please, CSA committee members, set an example that we can hold up to our players and coaches.  Put a stop to the childish “he says”/ “she says” approach that has all but ruined the sport in our province to date.  Don’t allow soccer in this province to be degraded to a point where parents put their kids back into hockey and other community sports, shaking their heads at a sports association that so forgets what sports should be for our children. 

 Let Shauna Aab, Danny Bowie, Mike Troke and Les Hodges continue their efforts to repair the damage and let the membership of the soccer associations across this province determine who will lead ASA out of this ugly dark period in time at an AGM in January.  Suspension of these people at this point will only cause a rift in our kids’ game that even the most spectacular soccer pass will not be able to cross. 

Sincerely,

Kim Balay