This is just my perspective.

Context: I lived in Summerville until I was 18. Played soccer at SSC the first year it existed, attended Pinewood through middle school, graduated from Summerville High and left town not looking back. Much to my surprise, moved back to town when I turned 30 to raise my kids in an environment like the one I was raised in. My kids go to Pinewood and play at SSC.

From what I can tell, a lot of parents support the concept of the CESA system and have no problem hiring consultants/managers to help them implement it even if they are from Greenville (a joke - sort of). They are not all that interested in losing their own "brand" of Summerville Soccer Club. They certainly aren't interested in being branded anything-Charleston. They don't live in Charleston and aren't interested in pretending that they do. Summerville (at least to those that have been here a while) is a distinct community with its own identity. Part of that identity is overachieving in athletic competition. We do have a bit of a chip on our collective shoulders about that - its part of our identity.

I understand that the CESA managers are forcing ONE up-or- down vote on ALL of the proposed changes. If that's the case, I think they know a lot less about politics than they do soccer. Keep SSC colors and call it SSC d/b/a CESA-Summerville, the changes probably pass. Force Greenville colors and a Charleston name down our throats, I doubt they will pass.

Yes, we are that parochial. That's part of why we fight so hard on the field, the gridiron and (recently anyway) on the hardcourt. We want to beat you. And if you are from Charleston or Greenville, we really, really want to beat you.