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Fighting For Change in a Local Soccer Club: A Letter to the Club's President About the Effect of Cutting

In closing I would like to volunteer to coach, or at least assist, an additional team this spring so that all those who tried out are given a chance to play travel soccer. I have an "E" license, and coached a travel team last Spring (BU12) and am intending to get my "D" license this winter. My sons will turn 12 in July so that they will only be eligible to play under 12 one more season before they have to move up to under-14s. At the very least they should be given priority over younger players who still have a year of eligibility left (as is done, to some extent, in Youth Baseball). Ideally, they should be able to play with a lower level under 14 team in the fall as well. I feel strongly that they should not be playing with 10 year-old fifth grade girls. It isn't safe and it isn't fair.

Everyone should have a chance to play travel soccer (with licensed refs and licensed coaches). If a child is motivated enough to spend six or seven hours over two Saturday mornings scrimmaging (the idea, suggested in the wait-list letter, that it was "fun" was small solace indeed for not making the team), he or she should be able to play. It seems to me that we should, as parents, and as a town, be doing everything humanly possible to give our children the opportunity to continue playing sports.

I know that many of the views expressed in this letter are shared by others in our town and throughout the nation. If we can talk about our ideas and start a dialogue, I am confident that changes can be made which will be beneficial to all children who want to play. All that it will take is for the No-Name Soccer Club to strive toward inclusion, rather than tolerate a policy of exclusion.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Brooke deLench