Up Against It: Why our Soccer System Fails

[Jacko]

I think that everyone should read the following article by Ciara McCormack. It is very likely the most lucid and well thought out piece I have ever read on the state of Soccer in this country. To be expected from a Yale grad I suppose and although it is about her challenges in BC we all know how they end up translating to the rest of Canada. I took the title of this thread from her article because it so appropriate.

http://www.bcsoccerweb.com/articles-april/ciara-mccormack-apr-09.htm

[outwest]

Yes, I thought that was a good article. I can recall a time a few years ago when my daughter's team (U12) was nearly prevented from playing in a tournament in the US because BC Soccer would not sign the travel papers. The team was from the TSS academy and BCSA seemed to like to play games with them, like leaving families waiting on the day of the tournament start for their fax.

I don't know about the Ciara's showcase, but the players who participated in the Whitecaps event had the opportunity to shell out 150$ per player for the privilege!

[The Ref]

I applaud the fortitude of Ms. McCormack to set the record straight and call to task the power hungry members of B.C. Soccer. As I said before, provincials associations need to be disbanded together with the CSA. Ms. McCormack clearly delineates another example of how our ineffective CSA and its members ruins soccer development in our country. I hope she continues with her showcase.

[Vic]

BC High School student playing for Ireland. Do the math.

[Guest Ed]

BC High School student playing for Ireland. Do the math.

Sorry Vic. I must be slow today but what are you on about?

I read that article last week and it goes to show how those in authority have no incentive to improve the game and offer players better choices. They are only interested in preserving their little empires. The ASA makes the BCSA look professional in comparison. The latest ASA excecutive director, Salvatore Cammarata, was relieved of his position at the end of February, his 16 months in office the LONGEST of the last 8 executive directors. These are the clowns who allow two full-blown minor soccer assocations to run in Edmonton (nothing like have 2 full sets of executives fighting over running the local babysitting services of minor soccer) and yet forbid any Super Y league setup in the province.

[Jacko]

BC High School student playing for Ireland. Do the math.

27 year old Ciara played NCAA soccer Yale University (B.A. Women's Studies/International Studies) and a year at the University of Connecticut (Masters in Sports Management). Since graduation she has played around the world with the Boston Renegades, Vancouver Whitecaps, Fortuna Hjoerring (Denmark) and Asker (Norway). She has coached extensively and runs the GirlsCan development program in Vancouver. She is currently co-captain of the Fury Women's team and an Irish International.

Quite a resume....... by anyone's standards

[jpg75]

^ But can she kiss an ass is the big question. Apparently not...

This story just highlights all that is wrong with these suits. The provincial teams could never overlook or miss a player, could they? And not taking into account that players develop at different rates, it's not like a player could all of a sudden improve enough that a scout for a US College would want them right? Jesus H. Christ...

[kj52]

How long is it now since Dick Bate did his presentation (with Colin Linford) to the various Provincial associations? 3 years? I was at the presentation in Edmonton and Dick, even though he had only been in Canada a little over 6 months at teh time I believe, completely nailed it. He identified the problem that is so well presented in the article and strongly stated the same thing - that Canada could never hope to significantly advance in the football world until we abandoned our present structure. Relatively small power groups (in Alberta you could literally say a mere handful of paople) hold entrenched positions and will not tolerate anything they see as diluting their influence. Hopefully this weekend in Red Deer we will see a big change at ASA if all goes well on Saturday.

[Guest Ed]

Geez. If this keeps up, I might have to go to the dark side and become a suit myself to make changes from within.

[kj52]

You know Ed, that actually says quite a bit. The reason that those guys get in power is because they know that that most good soccer people are interested in three things - either playing, coaching or cheering on family members or favorite teams. Not many folks want the headaches and drain on your time and energy it takes to get involved in the sordid world of Canadian soccer politcs. Anyone that goes that route has to be prepared to be stabbed in the back, have their character called into question and face suspensions if they were to try and affect change. The dark side in Alberta for sure is very dark indeed. I was happy to hear that your club and another big club in Calgary are calling Calgary Minor Soccer to task for their failure to step up in regard to the recent events in Alberta.

[Vic]

That same evil organization has done pretty damn well for soccer in BC. Feel free to burn down the house, but you may be very unhappy with the result.

Every story has two sides. You now know one.

[The Ref]

I kind of remember that Les Wilson was a guy trying to mend BC Soccer from the inside. But low and behold, he got terminated when his doings started hurting the rest of the suits. I think he ended up taking BC Soccer to Court and he won a settlement.

I also get the feeling that delegates from around the Province attending their annuals and semi-annual meetings don't wont to rock the boat either and just rubber stamp BC Soccer actions. Once I remember at one of these meetings I questioned BC Soccer Finance joker about some irregularities in their proposed budget only to have the assembly just rammed the approval through and shut up the little guy who dared question something.

[Martyr]

That same evil organization has done pretty damn well for soccer in BC. Feel free to burn down the house, but you may be very unhappy with the result.

Every story has two sides. You now know one.

Define "pretty damn well".

If you're comparing them to the rest of Canada I guess you might be right. But I think you need to have higher expectations.

Seriously, what specifically has the BCSA actually organized that has fostered the game? No disrespect to Bjorn Osieck as I'm not sure he has been there long enough and may not have enough power as Exec Director to make positive steps. But how has the BCSA contributed to Districts, Leagues or Clubs in developing their facilities? Fundraising? Optimizing their organizational structure? How have they helped their members use their collective clout to lobby provincial and municipal governments to help foster the game? How succesful have they been in promoting major competitions in the provincial and local media? Why on earth, after nearly 90 years of competition, isn't the Province Cup final one of the showcase sporting events on the BC Sporting calendar?!?! The sport has not really progressed in BC since it was first played seriously in Nanaimo in the 1890s. Indeed there is a good argument to be made that it has actually regressed significantly.

The one area they MAY claim some credit is in coach education, but so much more could also be accomplished in that area. Specifically in professional development opportunities for coaches.

BC has always been a region of great footballing potential that has not been realized. The Whitecaps finally got an owner with enough money and ambition to (hopefully) realize their potential. The remarkable lack of focus and ambition on the part of the BCSA over the past several decades has led to a vacuum, which the Whitecaps are now happily filling. The problem is the Whitecaps can only be interested in developing their club. The BCSA should be using the collective might of all members for the benefit of all members and for soccer in general in the province. I just don't see this happening right now in BC or anywhere else in Canada for that matter.

[Admin]

Define "pretty damn well".

If you're comparing them to the rest of Canada I guess you might be right. But I think you need to have higher expectations.

Seriously, what specifically has the BCSA actually organized that has fostered the game? No disrespect to Bjorn Osieck as I'm not sure he has been there long enough and may not have enough power as Exec Director to make positive steps. But how has the BCSA contributed to Districts, Leagues or Clubs in developing their facilities? Fundraising? Optimizing their organizational structure? How have they helped their members use their collective clout to lobby provincial and municipal governments to help foster the game? How succesful have they been in promoting major competitions in the provincial and local media? Why on earth, after nearly 90 years of competition, isn't the Province Cup final one of the showcase sporting events on the BC Sporting calendar?!?! The sport has not really progressed in BC since it was first played seriously in Nanaimo in the 1890s. Indeed there is a good argument to be made that it has actually regressed significantly.

The one area they MAY claim some credit is in coach education, but so much more could also be accomplished in that area. Specifically in professional development opportunities for coaches.

BC has always been a region of great footballing potential that has not been realized. The Whitecaps finally got an owner with enough money and ambition to (hopefully) realize their potential. The remarkable lack of focus and ambition on the part of the BCSA over the past several decades has led to a vacuum, which the Whitecaps are now happily filling. The problem is the Whitecaps can only be interested in developing their club. The BCSA should be using the collective might of all members for the benefit of all members and for soccer in general in the province. I just don't see this happening right now in BC or anywhere else in Canada for that matter.

With every sentence, I feel my own banging against that wall.

[Vic]

The stages are disappointment, anger, rage, understanding, acceptance, and becoming part of the solution.

The solution is sometimes revolution and bloodbath, but I have a very hard time believing a province with a sparkling soccer scene by comparative standards falls in that boat. That's usually reserved for criminals. And yes by comparative standards I mean Canada - provincial population versus facilities, development, coaching, clubs, etc. We're not England in terms of culture and support or the USA in terms of free enterprise. We have national realities of grandeur apathy, interest, and resourcing at all levels.

The ASA sounds like a mesmerizingly arcane complete house of dysfunction, but I don't see the BCSA getting razed anytime soon, so that means bringing about positive change comes from working the system, much the same as almost every level of government in the country.