Plainview MS Student Bullied by POB Soccer Club Board

The following article was posted on Patch by a community contributor:

Our Plainview Schools and institutions throughout the country have placed an emphasis on bullying and the need for this type of behavior to stop. It is very hard for our children to learn this behavior is unacceptable in our society when adults can't show example.

The Plainview Soccer Board took it upon themselves to remove a 13 year old child who has asthma from his team because his father who travels for work was unable to attend a meeting regarding a discussion he had with the team's trainer. The teams trainer is paid by the parents including myself. Therefore the parents have every right to question this trainer on his teachings or treatment of the children. My son was being mistreated by this trainer for being late to practice. He is 13 and can't drive. Below is a letter he wrote to the soccer board outlining his schedule which included MS Soccer Practice and Baseball practice each week prior to his town soccer team practice.

Dear Plainview Soccer Board,

Hi this is Alex and I'm real disappointed to hear the news you are removing me from my team in which I have been a dedicated player since 4th grade because my father had a discussion with the trainer who he pays, and who was being disrespectful to me. Every Monday during the fall I would practice soccer for 2 hours after school with my Middle School Team, and then go to Eisenhower Park to practice with my Seminoles Baseball Team and if that was enough I would go to Python practice after. My parents did their best to get me to practice on time but it was impossible for me to get there by starting time. My dad explained this to the coaches months earlier, Monday was not going to be a good day for me, however since this day was best for most of the team we agreed to do our best to make it to practice. On the night my dad and the trainer had the discussion, the trainer was making me stand on the side and tap the ball as if I was a 4 year old learning to control the ball because I was late, while my teammates were scrimmaging. The trainer yelled at me and that is when my dad told him to stop. My dad never used bad language or wanted to fight him. I know because i was there. He was treating me disrespectfully and as a kid I have been taught not to be disrespectful to an adult. I have never done anything wrong or been disrespectful to any teammate, opponent or coaches.
My dad travels almost every week and is not available at night. I have asthma a medical condition that is under control, however it can come at anytime and I need one of my parents at my games. My mom works on weekends and doesn't get paid if she doesn't work. That is why my dad needs to be there. He did nothing wrong but to defend me and other who were treated disrespectfully by this trainer who is now, no longer our trainer.
Why are you taking it out on me. I'm an innocent child who only wants to play soccer. This is not fair to me just because you don't like my dad. My team needs me to play as there are many kids who don't show up to practice or games.
My school teaches us the importance of not bullying, I'm feel I'm being bullied by adults which is not right. I'm going to speak to my guidance counselor tomorrow and tell him the story that you are depriving an innocent child his right to play soccer because you don't like my dad who stuck up for me against an adult who was punishing me for no reason.

XXXXX

The discussion between the trainer and myself did not include any cursing, threats or physical altercation. Several weeks later the POB Soccer Board who doesn't pay the trainer for his services to the team, reached out to me and requested that I attend a meeting and gave specific nights in November and December. Due to the nature of my profession which requires me to travel throughout the country I was unable to attend any of the meeting dates put forth to me. As a result the board hired a lawyer to send me a letter stating I could not attend any practices, or games for the remainder of the year. My son suffered from asthma which requires a parent to be in attendance for all games. My wife works as a Special Education Teacher who travels from home to home and is paid fee for service. This requires his father to be in attendance.

Since the start of the spring the team has new trainer and the old trainer is no longer in attendance. You would think the issue was resolved, however certainly not. The POB Soccer Board continued to harass me with e-mails and letters. Because of his potential life threatening condition in which I sent a letter from his doctor to the board which they ignored, I attended his first two games and a practice with no altercations or issues. Because of this the board continued their bullying by sending a letter removing the innocent child from the team.

If you ever wondered where your POB Soccer registration fees go the above is a perfect example. The use of funds here were used to hire a lawyer to go after a parent who served as a volunteer coach in POB Soccer for over 10 years only to remove his child when there was nothing legally they could do to the parent with regards to attendance or anything else. The discussion with the trainer was only a discussion and nothing more. Instead of moving on this board continued to abuse their authority and went after a 13 year old boy who has played on this team since it's inception 4 years ago and has caused no problems. All he wants to do is play. The POB Soccer Board claims they are for the children if this is the way of displaying their moto and philosophies, then they have a terrible way of showing this as they specifically targeted this child to get to his father. Anyone reading this article should begin to question the boards executive members and the way they conduct their business.

Unfortunately the only person hurt is the innocent child. My child will not play soccer for the remainder of the spring. Is that fair? The board will go on conducting it's business of bullying when necessary which is why less and less children are playing travel soccer in Plainview. The team my son played on lost over 6 of its original member due to the trainer. Makes you want to think where the issue was right!