What's going on at MYSA?

[Unregistered]

Seems to be a lot of changes at MYSA, most notable a new executive director and president. Anyone got the inside scoop and what the future holds?

[Unregistered]

Seems to be a lot of changes at MYSA, most notable a new executive director and president. Anyone got the inside scoop and what the future holds?

I wouldn't read too much into the changes. Tragically, the former executive director, John Burrill, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly last year.
The board positions, including president, are up for reelection at regular intervals. I believe these are volunteer positions, but even if there is a small stipend, turnover is not uncommon in this environment. It's a lot of work, mostly thankless.

[Unregistered]

I wouldn't read too much into the changes. Tragically, the former executive director, John Burrill, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly last year.
The board positions, including president, are up for reelection at regular intervals. I believe these are volunteer positions, but even if there is a small stipend, turnover is not uncommon in this environment. It's a lot of work, mostly thankless.

There is a little more to it than that. Don Rawson has taken over John Burrill's position. He has an impressive resume as former Executive Director in Indiana, held marketing positions with Reebok and adidas, served as the director 1994 World Cup Chicago venue and was an assistant coach at Indiana University men's soccer team. In Indiana he had supported an academy system for young players.

Sid Bloom has moved on to being Deputy Regional Director. Ted Ritchie who had been formerly president at BAYS has taken over as president at MYSA. Now we're hearing rumors that Tom Goodman and Mike Singleton are going to have more administrative duties. I think you should expect change, but what exactly that will be, I don't know.

[Unregistered]

There is a little more to it than that. Don Rawson has taken over John Burrill's position. He has an impressive resume as former Executive Director in Indiana, held marketing positions with Reebok and adidas, served as the director 1994 World Cup Chicago venue and was an assistant coach at Indiana University men's soccer team. In Indiana he had supported an academy system for young players.

Sid Bloom has moved on to being Deputy Regional Director. Ted Ritchie who had been formerly president at BAYS has taken over as president at MYSA. Now we're hearing rumors that Tom Goodman and Mike Singleton are going to have more administrative duties. I think you should expect change, but what exactly that will be, I don't know.

Don't know Ritchie's qualifications, but BAYS has long been a bohemouth nightmare that needs to be broken down into BAYS north, south, and west -- at a minimum. It's a dysfunctional, overgrown, mess. If he couldn't figure this out during his tenure there, I doubt we are going to see any wondrous new developments at MYSA any time soon.

[Unregistered]

Count on this: It will be the same mediocre, poorly run organization it always has been.

[Unregistered]

Count on this: It will be the same mediocre, poorly run organization it always has been.

Rawson seems to have a pretty impressive resume to allow abject mediocrity. Maybe something miraculous will happen.

[Unregistered]

Rawson seems to have a pretty impressive resume to allow abject mediocrity. Maybe something miraculous will happen.

People said the exact same thing when Singleton arrived here.

[MASC]

We all are the problem. Every parent, coach, club, town, and league have their own agendas and fight fiercely to protect their turf.

MassYouth can not dictacte policy to the leagues. The leagues through the clubs and towns who represent the players fund MassYouth. MassYouth has to service their customer base. The current system is what the customer base (leagues, clubs, towns and parents) has demanded.

Much of the disfunction in the state stems from too much emphasis being placed on a very small number of competitions. Soccer seasons are organized around these competitions. The league rules are based on the requirements of these competitions. None of these competitions are concerned with the development of soccer players. Their only concern is winning the competitions.

Mike Singleton has tried very hard to change this culture. Most have chosen to ignore his message. Fortunately his message on club structure and curriculum is being adopted by a few progessive clubs.

There are many improvements in the internal operation of MassYouth that will enable it to be more responsive, provide more services, and efficient.

The new leagues with their lack of promotion and relegation are allowing coaches to focus on development.

The soccer landscape is changing. Much of this change will be for the benefit of all. Unfiortunately, youth soccer players are a "perishable crop". A change that takes two, three or more years to be fully implemented will not benefit the current "crop" of players.

There are other areas that most parents and posters here choose to ignore that are beyond the scope of MassYouth. The recreational facilities in MA are woefully inadequate. Given the fiscal situation recreational facilities are being looked at as profit centers for those owning such. Youth sport is rapidly becoming an expensive proposition affordable only by the wealthy.

Parents over emphasis on college scholarships are also distorting the youth sport environment. Clubs need to appease their customer's demands for high visibility winning teams at every age. Parents of first borns (by the time the second or third child is in the "system" the view/expectations tend to be more realistic) generally are the most vocal and involved. They also tend to have a very warped view of their first born and the proper way to develop that child.

[Unregistered]

We all are the problem. Every parent, coach, club, town, and league have their own agendas and fight fiercely to protect their turf.

MassYouth can not dictacte policy to the leagues. The leagues through the clubs and towns who represent the players fund MassYouth. MassYouth has to service their customer base. The current system is what the customer base (leagues, clubs, towns and parents) has demanded.

Much of the disfunction in the state stems from too much emphasis being placed on a very small number of competitions. Soccer seasons are organized around these competitions. The league rules are based on the requirements of these competitions. None of these competitions are concerned with the development of soccer players. Their only concern is winning the competitions.

Mike Singleton has tried very hard to change this culture. Most have chosen to ignore his message. Fortunately his message on club structure and curriculum is being adopted by a few progessive clubs.

There are many improvements in the internal operation of MassYouth that will enable it to be more responsive, provide more services, and efficient.

The new leagues with their lack of promotion and relegation are allowing coaches to focus on development.

The soccer landscape is changing. Much of this change will be for the benefit of all. Unfiortunately, youth soccer players are a "perishable crop". A change that takes two, three or more years to be fully implemented will not benefit the current "crop" of players.

There are other areas that most parents and posters here choose to ignore that are beyond the scope of MassYouth. The recreational facilities in MA are woefully inadequate. Given the fiscal situation recreational facilities are being looked at as profit centers for those owning such. Youth sport is rapidly becoming an expensive proposition affordable only by the wealthy.

Parents over emphasis on college scholarships are also distorting the youth sport environment. Clubs need to appease their customer's demands for high visibility winning teams at every age. Parents of first borns (by the time the second or third child is in the "system" the view/expectations tend to be more realistic) generally are the most vocal and involved. They also tend to have a very warped view of their first born and the proper way to develop that child.

Good post MASC.

[Unregistered]

Good post MASC.

I'll second that.

[Unregistered]

Right on MASC!

[Beachbum]

We all are the problem. Every parent, coach, club, town, and league have their own agendas and fight fiercely to protect their turf.

MassYouth can not dictacte policy to the leagues. The leagues through the clubs and towns who represent the players fund MassYouth. MassYouth has to service their customer base. The current system is what the customer base (leagues, clubs, towns and parents) has demanded.

Much of the disfunction in the state stems from too much emphasis being placed on a very small number of competitions. Soccer seasons are organized around these competitions. The league rules are based on the requirements of these competitions. None of these competitions are concerned with the development of soccer players. Their only concern is winning the competitions.

Mike Singleton has tried very hard to change this culture. Most have chosen to ignore his message. Fortunately his message on club structure and curriculum is being adopted by a few progessive clubs.

There are many improvements in the internal operation of MassYouth that will enable it to be more responsive, provide more services, and efficient.

The new leagues with their lack of promotion and relegation are allowing coaches to focus on development.

The soccer landscape is changing. Much of this change will be for the benefit of all. Unfiortunately, youth soccer players are a "perishable crop". A change that takes two, three or more years to be fully implemented will not benefit the current "crop" of players.

There are other areas that most parents and posters here choose to ignore that are beyond the scope of MassYouth. The recreational facilities in MA are woefully inadequate. Given the fiscal situation recreational facilities are being looked at as profit centers for those owning such. Youth sport is rapidly becoming an expensive proposition affordable only by the wealthy.

Parents over emphasis on college scholarships are also distorting the youth sport environment. Clubs need to appease their customer's demands for high visibility winning teams at every age. Parents of first borns (by the time the second or third child is in the "system" the view/expectations tend to be more realistic) generally are the most vocal and involved. They also tend to have a very warped view of their first born and the proper way to develop that child.

This is a great, well though out post and MASC should be commended.

Its funny it comes from MASC, because I have children involved in this league. MASC is looked down on as second rate from MAPLE, a dumping ground for those not good enough to stay in MAPLE, etc. But let me give you some perspective as someone from the inside looking out..

1) MASC is well run and offers a great alternative to those children who's town programs can not meet their needs or as a venue for additional soccer. Are the players as talented as most of their MAPLE brethren (notice I said most..not all)..No they are not but they are as a whole very dedicated children and parents who know they will never get scholarship money or compete in State Cup, but they show up to the practices, training and games with a love of the sport equal or great than those in MAPLE. The only brass ring they jump for is playing the game and getting better at it.

2) MASC doesn't have promotion/relegation. Age group coordinators talk to the coaches, ask questions about the teams and then place the teams. Then they ask for feedback again to be sure based on competition they got it right. A few weeks into the season one team has been romping over the others I am told they would try change that teams' division. But here is the real beauty of it .... You are not fighting for your life each week, you can take a longer view and work on longer term practice goals and issues because relegation is off the table.

I know the goal is to get back to MAPLE to play better competition but I dread the associated week to week pressure to win and all the compromises I will see because of it

Back on topic:

My checklist of what MYSA needs to:

1) Post coaches lisc level
2) Create a public database across all league monitoring cards received by both coaches and players..and the referee's that book them. Most cases, the referee pulls a card because they can not control the game otherwise. Not always, but their are patterns there too..
3) Work with the local (town) and premier leagues, in partnership with banks and funding sources to acquire and improve fields throughout Mass. Remember, Saturdays town field is many times Sundays Club league field. Having served on my local towns soccer board I can tell you they do not have a clue where to start and what to do. Look at what towns like Holliston and Sutton have done on their own, think what we could do with State level leadership, support and education. And better facilities make for better games and in the end, better players.
4) Get lights done at Lancaster.
5) Full size 11 v 11 capable indoor fields. We have a short outdoor season compared to other areas of the country, it is a shame we can not be on a level playing field (no pun intended) because we can not train the same way. Any help MYSA can bring to assist this would be a great legacy for someone.

I am sure there are other ideas but this, I think, is a good start

[Unregistered]

"Ditto"

A couple of great, well thought out posts.Voices of experience no doubt.

[Unregistered]

Yeah! Go posters. This is the kind of quality debate this forum needs, thank you all.

[Unregistered]

This is a great, well though out post and MASC should be commended.

Its funny it comes from MASC, because I have children involved in this league. MASC is looked down on as second rate from MAPLE, a dumping ground for those not good enough to stay in MAPLE, etc. But let me give you some perspective as someone from the inside looking out..

1) MASC is well run and offers a great alternative to those children who's town programs can not meet their needs or as a venue for additional soccer. Are the players as talented as most of their MAPLE brethren (notice I said most..not all)..No they are not but they are as a whole very dedicated children and parents who know they will never get scholarship money or compete in State Cup, but they show up to the practices, training and games with a love of the sport equal or great than those in MAPLE. The only brass ring they jump for is playing the game and getting better at it.

2) MASC doesn't have promotion/relegation. Age group coordinators talk to the coaches, ask questions about the teams and then place the teams. Then they ask for feedback again to be sure based on competition they got it right. A few weeks into the season one team has been romping over the others I am told they would try change that teams' division. But here is the real beauty of it .... You are not fighting for your life each week, you can take a longer view and work on longer term practice goals and issues because relegation is off the table.

I know the goal is to get back to MAPLE to play better competition but I dread the associated week to week pressure to win and all the compromises I will see because of it

Back on topic:

My checklist of what MYSA needs to:

1) Post coaches lisc level
2) Create a public database across all league monitoring cards received by both coaches and players..and the referee's that book them. Most cases, the referee pulls a card because they can not control the game otherwise. Not always, but their are patterns there too..
3) Work with the local (town) and premier leagues, in partnership with banks and funding sources to acquire and improve fields throughout Mass. Remember, Saturdays town field is many times Sundays Club league field. Having served on my local towns soccer board I can tell you they do not have a clue where to start and what to do. Look at what towns like Holliston and Sutton have done on their own, think what we could do with State level leadership, support and education. And better facilities make for better games and in the end, better players.
4) Get lights done at Lancaster.
5) Full size 11 v 11 capable indoor fields. We have a short outdoor season compared to other areas of the country, it is a shame we can not be on a level playing field (no pun intended) because we can not train the same way. Any help MYSA can bring to assist this would be a great legacy for someone.

I am sure there are other ideas but this, I think, is a good start

Why the need to get back to Maple? A system that fosters the wrong mindset for player development which is at the forefront of ALL youth sports? Maybe this will change now that NEP has forced them to makelong needed changes but you have to ask yourself why did it take so long? Clearly they dont care about creating the proper environment.

I like #4 - Im not sure why lights were never done. Have heard its wired and also heard neighbors would complain. What neighbors? the car dealership?

#5 is coming with BCL so maybe they can look to this group for something.