THE NATOMAS BUZZ | @natomasbuzz
The fate of the Sacramento North Soccer Club’s 2013 season should be known after a board meeting tonight.
Acting president Sal Garcia said he expects members of the 1,200-player recreational soccer club’s board of directors to decide whether to remain in the Natomas United Youth Soccer League or move to a new organization altogether.
“The experiment of a Natomas league, as ideal as it sounds, was far from ideal and I think our kids suffered,” said Garcia.
The Sacramento North Soccer Club board is scheduled to meet 7 p.m. tonight at Roundtable Pizza, located at 4680 Natomas Boulevard, in the Raley’s shopping center. The meeting will start with a presentation by the Positive Coaching Alliance followed by other club business, Garcia said.
The Sacramento North Soccer Club voted last month to leave the Natomas United Youth Soccer League formed in May 2012. The league is made up of three clubs: Sacramento North Soccer, Natomas Soccer and Natomas United Futbol.
Two weeks ago, on April 16, leaders from all four organizations met with a mediator from the California Youth Soccer Association, also known as Cal North. Cal North is the largest state youth soccer organization in the country and provides a democratic structure to its membership which includes the Natomas United Youth Soccer League and its clubs.
In a letter to Garcia and John Flores, acting Natomas league president, Cal North chairman Pete Zopfi wrote, “…it is the decision of the Cal North Board of Directors that the Sacramento North Soccer Club remain with the Natomas United Youth Soccer League through the 2013 Fall regular season. After this period of time, the Cal North Board of Directors will reassess the relationship between these groups.”
Garcia said he would be sharing Cal North’s decision – which he felt was not impartial and predetermined – with his board tonight. He said options, such as leaving Cal North to join another organization like U.S. Club Soccer or the American Youth Soccer Organization, will be discussed.
“U.S. Club is more of an upstart trying to get into recreation soccer. AYSO is quite active in Rio Linda, Davis and Antelope,” Garcia said. “We’re really trying to figure out what our next steps are.”
Some Sacramento North Soccer Club board members, including Garcia, feel that Natomas United Youth Soccer League’s first year was not successful citing lack of competition, poor leadership and questionable business practices. Garcia said an audit of the Sacramento North Soccer Club’s finances is pending and that club registration is tentatively scheduled to start tomorrow.
Lack of competition in a fully RECREATIONAL club seems contradictory to leave. Poor leadership with less than 1 year of existence seems arrogant. Questionable business practices from uninformed board members seems questionable itself. Hope they decide to be mature adults a learn to work things out.
“U.S. Club is more of an upstart” now that just shows how uninformed that statement is. US Club is the largest national youth program independent from state associations, which is geared primarily for COMPETITIVE programs. Why you would even consider them for a rec option just shows your lack of awareness. Considering the AYSO would be a step backwards, less competition, not more, with limited areas for games. Please, have knowledgeable people making decisions. I’m sure this is why CAL North decided to deny the request to leave, hoping more intelligent minds would prevail.