SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Club Soccer & ODP Let Romeo Play

This isn't THAT complicated. If as a player/parent you have ANY thought or intention of switching affiliations, you do your due diligence BEFOREHAND. You get clearance/agreement from both clubs involved, and a preliminary ruling from the governing body (SCYSA, R3PL, whatever).

All too often -- and I'm NOT saying this is the case here -- these transfers are negotiated surreptitiously, during the season, so the player involved can get all he wants from his current club before leaving. As a parent who has been approached by a competing club in season, I can attest to the reality of "recruiting" and the fact that it doesn't always take the kid's best interests into account.

While I agree that kids should be free to move during reasonable, specified "windows" for ANY reason they wish, I believe parents and clubs would do well to be far more honorable and above-board in these transactions. The real question isn't what's best for the soccer player; it's what's best for the kid's sense of commitment, integrity and ethics.

Then again, where personal incomes, club costs and PRESUMED scholarships are involved, should I really EXPECT commitment, integrity and ethics?

That was a rhetorical question.

Maybe some of the other kids, who have been committed to SCUFC aren't as upset as you might imagine. As the mother of a child that has ALWAYS been committed to the same team, it breaks my heart to watch our club out there recruiting other members instead of developing the ones that have been with them since the beginning. When Romeo sits on the bench - my kid plays more. Romeo is very talented but much of that comes from the fact that he has developed physically years before the average boy of his same age. Children who are not built like grown men, but who are excellent soccer players, get left in the cold when these "man-children" are recruited to join their teams. He is big enough to play in the men's leagues if he wants to play that badly. The only reason everyone is so upset is because without him the team didn't look so good. I say Romeo will be just fine, he had his season in the fall. I say stop trying to recruit boys that look like grown men and learn to develop boys of average size and weight to win games for you. Last time I checked, none of the world's top players were huge giants. I could go on to talk about ODP but club soccer in South Carolina has gotten away from playing the beautiful game, and it is a very sad thing to witness for those of us who really love the game.

Again i will attempt to set the record straight on this situation. Before I do that lets all remember that we are discussing a 13 year old boy and his well being physically and emotionally are the thing i care about most.

Caleb "Romeo" Moore played for DSC u15 in the fall. He then transfered through the proper procedures to my team SCU u14. DSC is NOT holding on to his player registration and have if no way "held" him back.

Caleb was "rostered" and "passed" to SCU u14 by SCYSA in January.

There is now an issue as to whether he can play in the Premier league for SCU at the regional level. After reading the rules i disagree with the current position of his ineligiblity however i will not be fighting that on message boards, i will and have taken it up with the proper channels.

No club, CESA or any other, filed a complaint that has led to the current ruling. The fact that SCU and CESA played on sunday was simply circumstance. It may surpsise many but Andrew Hyslop, CESA DOC, and I have discussed this at great length and are both comfortable with each others views. I want all to know,especially for those involved in the 2 respective u14 teams,that I and SCUFC has no ill feeling towards CESA on this matter what so ever.

Let me address Broad River Broad-----

First let me say i am quite sure that BRB is not affilated with my team or club. However if you are you need to come talk with me directly about your concerns. Writing things like you have about a young man on this forum is simply wrong. If you really loved the game as you claim then you would not have posted above. if you are connected to my team or club you know where i will be tonight so i suggest you talk with me directly about my coaching and or recruiting techniques.

Rob Strickland

Caleb is a very nice, respectful young man and the comments above were in no way meant to harm him in any way. I think he is aware that is he is bigger than most boys his age. I have heard him reference that myself. But the issue I am raising is valid and I know for a fact that I am not the only person who is concerned by this new trend in soccer.

Broad River Broad

You are not a parent on the SCU u14 team. Please retract or delete your posts that suggest otherwise.

I do not wish to publically embarrass anyone but will not allow this type of cowardly behavior to cause my team any unrest. If you have any additional issues you wish to discuss about my team please do so directly with me using your real name.

Rob Strickland

If you wish to hunt me down to publicly embarrass me, then I believe that goes against the entire purpose of this message board. You can choose to believe I am a parent on your team or consider me a parent from another team. It really doesn't matter to me and for you to focus on that misses the point. My child has no idea I have written anything and in hindsight I wish I had not addressed it from such a personal point of view because I do not want to cause any harm to my son or anyone else. This is not an attack on you, it is simply opening discussion how some others may view the question that was raised.

The question was put out there whether or not Romeo should play and rules or no rules, bringing in other children half way through the year can negatively affect other players who have already been on the team. I just have to wonder, where is the concern for the physical and emotional well being for the kids who have been on the team, playing a major role in the past, but now with their first season of Premier League ahead of them, their playing time is reduced because a bigger, stronger player has been found who will travel to play. Hours and hours of working their tails off at practice, never missing a practice or a game even though that meant giving up playing other sports, missing out on social activities and even missing church on Sunday mornings is all for nothing. Everytime a new player joins a team, chances are that player is coming in to take someone else's spot. And that emotionally and physically damages that player and hurts their chances to continue to improve and get better. I just felt the need to show concern for those boys because pride keeps them from openly showing how they feel. They go from playing a major role on the team, to spending a majority of the time on the bench. I know the teams want to win but at what cost to those who have always been committed to the team.

Please take this post for what it is, not an attack on you or SCU but a truly heartfelt concern for good players who are left behind when we take on a new player halfway through the year that have already had a chance to play in the fall.

Say I am from whatever team you wish, just please consider that the physical and emotional well being applies to all the players. The superstars who are willing to travel the state to play, and the really talented, but not fully physically developed kids who put in hours of hard work, have loads of talent, and who also want to be out on the field playing a major role in their ONLY premier league opportunity for the year.

BRB

I think your points are worthy of discussion and would be happy to do so with you at anytine. However It seems you are tryng to voice personal concerns using my team as your vehicle for highlighting frustrations. This is simply not fair to me or my team.

If you also have concerns about my motives for ciaching or the make up of my teams I would be more then happy to discuss that also. You may find we have more in common then you would think.








I do not intend to embarrass anyone publically and would not have even responded to your post if you had not claimed to be on my team.
I stand by my claim that you are not affilated with ny team and hope you will acknowledge that on the board so futher unrest for my team be avoided.

I just voted to make "Romeo" wait a season. Those are the rules and it is not for CESA, Columbia United, or any other club entity to alter the rules "on the fly".

He can play in the correct age group next year if he's able to make the cut for one of these "elite" teams.

Also, for BRB, be a guy!

How Long is this conversation?