NWSL Scandal - Impact on youth soccer?

timbuck

timbuck

Twitter has been on fire since yesterday afternoon regarding this story.
A 5th NWSL coach has resigned/been fired due to harrassment / misconduct.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1463178774082588677

This guy is a good twitter follow and has posted quite a few relevant details: https://twitter.com/THEChrisKessell

The coach that today's story is about is named Rory Dames. Also runs Chicago Eclipse ECNL club.

Christian Lavers runs all of ECNL. He was also the Assistant Coach to Rory Dames. Christian is also Executive Vice President of C2SA ( a for profit organization that provides consulting services to US Club Soccer).

Here's another recent story of an NWSL coach: https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...-whitecaps-womens-team-hubert-busby-jr-soccer

This one hits a little closer to home because a few years ago, OC Strikers brought this guy down to run the Striker ECNL Program. I believe AR is the one who hired him.
Not sure how old this picture is and it certainly doesn't mean people in a picture with someone are doing anything wrong.
1637689824453.png
 
timbuck said:
Twitter has been on fire since yesterday afternoon regarding this story.
A 5th NWSL coach has resigned/been fired due to harrassment / misconduct.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1463178774082588677

This guy is a good twitter follow and has posted quite a few relevant details: https://twitter.com/THEChrisKessell

The coach that today's story is about is named Rory Dames. Also runs Chicago Eclipse ECNL club.

Christian Lavers runs all of ECNL. He was also the Assistant Coach to Rory Dames. Christian is also Executive Vice President of C2SA ( a for profit organization that provides consulting services to US Club Soccer).

Here's another recent story of an NWSL coach: https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...-whitecaps-womens-team-hubert-busby-jr-soccer

This one hits a little closer to home because a few years ago, OC Strikers brought this guy down to run the Striker ECNL Program. I believe AR is the one who hired him.
Not sure how old this picture is and it certainly doesn't mean people in a picture with someone are doing anything wrong.
View attachment 12131
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Thanks for this. There are some disturbing things from that twitter feed, both from an apparent abuse perspective (e.g. 2002 Eclipse team) and from a financial perspective (CSM being paid $21M over 6 years by US Club soccer and the relationship between US Club soccer CEO and CSM).

A salient point, imv, on the first twitter link to the interview was that with women reporters now being dedicated (and having investigative reporting experience) seems to be a catalyst to some extend to more and more crap starting to come out. I know media gets dinged a lot these days, but they do have a crucial role in helping to out this type of crap, because the powers that be are so embedded and intertwined with it, that you certainly can't trust them to police themselves - indeed US Soccer seem to have their own investigation and concluded with a "nothing to see here", as best I can tell.
 
We all know of a coach or 2 who we've heard from the sidelines that might have said some "borderline" stuff to young players.
Wonder if we'll see any more coaches just become "trainers" and not actually coach teams in the future?
 
All I can say as a dad is that these dudes had a lot power to swing their bat in youth soccer. It's getting cleaned up one Doc at a time.
 
The guy who wrote "Front Row Seat" regarding the visa scam and corruption at GPS Soccer continues to investigate and dig up some "Wow" stuff.
Front Row Seat Book on Amazon

This one hits close to home as the club formerly known as United FC, GPS and Blues are mentioned here. (From everything I know about this story- Blues has not been involved at all. But looks like GPS was trying)

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1465430288062992388

This is an example of how youth soccer organizations are trying to manipulate / exploit nonprofit entities. Governing bodies and nonprofit club administrators need to be aware / investigate


1638228282527.png
 
timbuck said:
The guy who wrote "Front Row Seat" regarding the visa scam and corruption at GPS Soccer continues to investigate and dig up some "Wow" stuff.
Front Row Seat Book on Amazon

This one hits close to home as the club formerly known as United FC, GPS and Blues are mentioned here. (From everything I know about this story- Blues has not been involved at all. But looks like GPS was trying)

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1465430288062992388

This is an example of how youth soccer organizations are trying to manipulate / exploit nonprofit entities. Governing bodies and nonprofit club administrators need to be aware / investigate


View attachment 12191
Click to expand...

Typical stuff that's been going for sometime regarding the nonprofit ruse, most turn a blind eye to the whole deal.

Don't ask don't tell, there are financial, legal, and other silent investors who are good at the shell games, holding assets, funds, leasing back, services, and getting management fees or profits reinvested.
 
timbuck said:
The guy who wrote "Front Row Seat" regarding the visa scam and corruption at GPS Soccer continues to investigate and dig up some "Wow" stuff.
Front Row Seat Book on Amazon

This one hits close to home as the club formerly known as United FC, GPS and Blues are mentioned here. (From everything I know about this story- Blues has not been involved at all. But looks like GPS was trying)

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1465430288062992388

This is an example of how youth soccer organizations are trying to manipulate / exploit nonprofit entities. Governing bodies and nonprofit club administrators need to be aware / investigate


View attachment 12191
Click to expand...
Interestingly this guy was recently on a podcast I listen to. He sums up the broken pay to play youth sports system perfectly and offers very interesting ideas on how to change it. Really worth listening to. Just more evidence this current system has peaked and changes are coming.

open.spotify.com

'Front Row Seat: A story of greed and corruption in a youth sports company' - a conversation with Stephen Griffin

Listen to this episode from The Talent Equation Podcast on Spotify. Stephen Griffin is a former certified accountant who became an angel investor and fund manager into community sports organisations and companies. His journey took him into some of the shady underbelly of sports organisations...
open.spotify.com open.spotify.com
 
foreveryoung said:
Interestingly this guy was recently on a podcast I listen to. He sums up the broken pay to play youth sports system perfectly and offers very interesting ideas on how to change it. Really worth listening to. Just more evidence this current system has peaked and changes are coming.

open.spotify.com

'Front Row Seat: A story of greed and corruption in a youth sports company' - a conversation with Stephen Griffin

Listen to this episode from The Talent Equation Podcast on Spotify. Stephen Griffin is a former certified accountant who became an angel investor and fund manager into community sports organisations and companies. His journey took him into some of the shady underbelly of sports organisations...
open.spotify.com open.spotify.com
Click to expand...
 
This made the front page of The Washington Post today (article is behind a pay wall - below is the local news story).

First complaints filed in 2018.
bethesdamagazine.com

Whitman crew team suspends fall program following coach’s sexual abuse arrest

The Whitman crew team has suspended its fall operations following the arrest of one of its coaches, Kirkland Shipley, on allegations that he sexually abused former athletes whom he also taught at Walt Whitman High School. Shipley was charged with first- and second-degree child sexual abuse of a...
bethesdamagazine.com bethesdamagazine.com

Stephen Griffin has a blog as well
 
foreveryoung said:
Interestingly this guy was recently on a podcast I listen to. He sums up the broken pay to play youth sports system perfectly and offers very interesting ideas on how to change it. Really worth listening to. Just more evidence this current system has peaked and changes are coming.

open.spotify.com

'Front Row Seat: A story of greed and corruption in a youth sports company' - a conversation with Stephen Griffin

Listen to this episode from The Talent Equation Podcast on Spotify. Stephen Griffin is a former certified accountant who became an angel investor and fund manager into community sports organisations and companies. His journey took him into some of the shady underbelly of sports organisations...
open.spotify.com open.spotify.com
Click to expand...
I listened to this last night + it's so spot on.

I'm asking for both of his books for Christmas.

There's so many things I've witnessed in youth soccer that are/were ethically wrong + wouldn't be allowed in any other business. Amazing that it's all occurring around our kids.
 
Carlsbad7 said:
I listened to this last night + it's so spot on.

I'm asking for both of his books for Christmas.

There's so many things I've witnessed in youth soccer that are/were ethically wrong + wouldn't be allowed in any other business. Amazing that it's all occurring around our kids.
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I think a lot of us say "If my kids didn't love/like this sport, we'd have pulled out of it a long time ago due to all of the bullshit."
 
Carlsbad7 said:
I listened to this last night + it's so spot on.

I'm asking for both of his books for Christmas.

There's so many things I've witnessed in youth soccer that are/were ethically wrong + wouldn't be allowed in any other business. Amazing that it's all occurring around our kids.
Click to expand...
I listened to it as well and agree that all sports parents should give it a listen. I am a bit puzzled by one thing however. When GPS was trying to expand here in San Diego their local were posting some recruitment info here on the forum. I asked some questions on the forum and via email. I also did some research on them at the time. Even to me they seemed a bit suspect. Their website had almost no information and their email responses were vague. My gut feel was that they were more vaporware than hardware. I find it surprising that Mr. Griffen decided to invest money in them given that he is a professional accountant/investor.
 
outside! said:
I listened to it as well and agree that all sports parents should give it a listen. I am a bit puzzled by one thing however. When GPS was trying to expand here in San Diego their local were posting some recruitment info here on the forum. I asked some questions on the forum and via email. I also did some research on them at the time. Even to me they seemed a bit suspect. Their website had almost no information and their email responses were vague. My gut feel was that they were more vaporware than hardware. I find it surprising that Mr. Griffen decided to invest money in them given that he is a professional accountant/investor.
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Agree with your assessment + saw the CPS flyers a couple of years ago.

Haven't read the books yet but I'm willing to bet there's a lot of cya going on. Griffen was likely scammed by the CPS management into taking over the club + this is his way to try and recreate history. Honestly who invests in a club that isn't specialized in a specific sport?

What I find interesting is that I can think of several local clubs that much of the ethical challenges he mentioned in the podcast could apply to.
 
Regarding the pay to play comments above, I have a thought that wanted to get some opinions from smarter folks than me. The University of CA and CSU systems are funded by our tax dollars. Why can't we mandate them to recruit players by scouting high school CIF games? We are funding these universities to then go and just look at private programs (ECNL, GAL, MLS next)? I would love to see a state proposition that requires at least 70% or more of the college athletic scholarships to apply towards high school athletes (non ECNL). Private universities can do whatever they want to do. I understand that there will still be some loophole but at least it gives all athletes a chance at getting a scholarship/ .
 
SoccerFan4Life said:
Regarding the pay to play comments above, I have a thought that wanted to get some opinions from smarter folks than me. The University of CA and CSU systems are funded by our tax dollars. Why can't we mandate them to recruit players by scouting high school CIF games? We are funding these universities to then go and just look at private programs (ECNL, GAL, MLS next)? I would love to see a state proposition that requires at least 70% or more of the college athletic scholarships to apply towards high school athletes (non ECNL). Private universities can do whatever they want to do. I understand that there will still be some loophole but at least it gives all athletes a chance at getting a scholarship/ .
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Wow, this is one of the greatest takes ever on the forum. I was literally told by a few wise guy Docs with their hands in the socal soccer cookie jar, from completely different countries, that if my dd didnt play in their three letter league that not only would she be cut out of any US YNT Camps but she will be black listed because HSS is horrible and just gets in the way of greatness and development.
 
SoccerFan4Life said:
Regarding the pay to play comments above, I have a thought that wanted to get some opinions from smarter folks than me. The University of CA and CSU systems are funded by our tax dollars. Why can't we mandate them to recruit players by scouting high school CIF games? We are funding these universities to then go and just look at private programs (ECNL, GAL, MLS next)? I would love to see a state proposition that requires at least 70% or more of the college athletic scholarships to apply towards high school athletes (non ECNL). Private universities can do whatever they want to do. I understand that there will still be some loophole but at least it gives all athletes a chance at getting a scholarship/ .
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High school soccer could have been great by following the model of HS football to produce players that went on to be recruited by colleges. Unfortunately the entrenched HS football/basketball/baseball coaches and administration (mafia?) back in the 70's through the present have always discriminated against soccer (and still do in many schools). This forced serious players to form private leagues and left a huge opening for our current pay to play model to develop. We are now seeing the exact same thing happen with college soccer. College football and basketball are a legitimate path to the pros. For men, college soccer has never been and for women it will not be soon. The funny thing is that the private league soccer pay to play model is now being taken up by football and basketball and soon those HS sports will also not matter when it comes to recruiting for college. Some time after that, college football will start to matter less and less for recruiting future pros. Way to go Coach McDowell. In the end, soccer will still be the most popular sport.
 
SoccerFan4Life said:
Regarding the pay to play comments above, I have a thought that wanted to get some opinions from smarter folks than me. The University of CA and CSU systems are funded by our tax dollars. Why can't we mandate them to recruit players by scouting high school CIF games? We are funding these universities to then go and just look at private programs (ECNL, GAL, MLS next)? I would love to see a state proposition that requires at least 70% or more of the college athletic scholarships to apply towards high school athletes (non ECNL). Private universities can do whatever they want to do. I understand that there will still be some loophole but at least it gives all athletes a chance at getting a scholarship/ .
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I'd rather they mandate more in-state students get admitted (regardless of athletics)
 
timbuck said:
I'd rather they mandate more in-state students get admitted (regardless of athletics)
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That’s a sore and personal issue for me. Son had 4.3 gpa and 1,320 SAT, along with captain of his cross country team. He got zero UC acceptances this year!! My motto with my 12 year old is just focus on getting better than C’s and let’s get into a community college or csu.
 
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