EnjoyingLife
enthusiast
Posts: 545
Reg: 08-09-10
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05-01-12 12:33 PM - Post#148720
I'm sure there are people who read and post in this forum with kids who are currently playing in ASA football or have recently.
It's been known for a while now that the current football commissioner, who also recently ran for Mayor, tends to change the rules to favor himself. Part of the problem is that he's also a head coach in the same league! Talk about a conflict of interest!
This spring, ASA tried to start up a new "select" football league. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough participation to form enough teams so the league was cancelled. However, a new select team was formed, headed up by the ASA football commissioner himself, which then joined up with another select league.
ASA has always had a standing rule that states if you leave ASA to join a select football program, the only way you can rejoin ASA football is via the draft or return to the same ASA team you last played for. You cannot be recruited by another ASA team. This rule is in place trying to keep a competitive balance across the league.
The players on the commish's new select team are essentially the All-Star players from across the ASA D5 league, soon to be D6. The top athletes from almost every team are playing on this select team. These same players will have to return to their old team but apparently the commish would like to keep this team together as they move into D6 ASA football!
So guess what...the rule will be changed. The new rule will state that if you leave for a select team, you can return to your "old" team, enter the draft OR be freely recruited by any other team!!! That means the commish can keep his select team and play in the ASA D6 league leaving all the other ASA football teams without their best players!
Sorry but you needed some history...Now, there are 3 or 4 coaches who will have D6 teams this fall that are about to bolt for another city league knowing the commish is again changing the rules to favor himself. With having only 1 year remaining with ASA, the coaches would like to be on a level playing field knowing they'll at least have a chance to be competitive. Another team, the Wild Dawgs, have already disbanded from ASA and moving to McKinney! Everyone else will be following soon leaving ASA with 2 or 3 teams for this years D6 season! That's 75% of the teams leaving all for one reason, corruption!
It's a shame the commissioner has forgotten why we have our kids playing sports! That it's not about winning at all costs! True sportsmanship is apparently a lost spirit with ASA football!
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ChrisH
enthusiast
Posts: 442
Reg: 07-30-08
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05-01-12 01:54 PM - Post#148732
In response to EnjoyingLife
Oh the stories I could tell. I wont though, I will just say that if you want your kid to have an enjoyable football experience (you too as parents) get as far away from ASA as possible.
Preferrably, find a select team. If you want the kids to stick together, then find a select team for them all, create a select team, or move them to another city league. As I have seen though, most city leagues are as corrupt as ASA.
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Allenite
enthusiast
Posts: 326
Loc: Allen, TX, USA
Reg: 06-18-01
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05-01-12 02:54 PM - Post#148738
In response to EnjoyingLife
It's too bad that the football program has morphed into this. As much as I hate to hear people say, "Why don't they do it the way WE used to do it...", I think I'll have to make that statement.
When my kids played ASA, the structure was much different. There was ONE governing board, which was comprised of the one commissioner from each sport. Each commissioner was elected by the entire body of ASA parents at the annual meeting. Secondly; football & baseball (other sports too, I think) had a draft each season. The only players who were "protected" were the coaches' sons/daughters. Each season, every team was NEW. At the time, many parents complained about this, but the kids really liked the system. It allowed them to play with a new group each year, getting to know athletes from around town, who they would eventually go to high school with. Another rule that I remember football had to abide by was that EVERY player was to have a starting position. Either defense or offense, no matter, but a starter nonetheless.
I don't know why or when things changed, but I'm sorry that the new system isn't fun or fair. Perhaps parents can try to work the governing board to make a change.... Good luck!
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Anonymous
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05-01-12 03:24 PM - Post#148741
In response to EnjoyingLife
I know nothing of ASA football but ... how can one individual have so much control. Maybe it is time for parents to step 'help' the process.
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EnjoyingLife
enthusiast
Posts: 545
Reg: 08-09-10
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05-01-12 03:56 PM - Post#148742
In response to Abby
Not too hard to control things when most of the Directors of each grade level are friends of his who are nothing but yes men!
I agree, it's time that parents and coaches take a stand and demand changes. One way to do that is leave ASA for good and that movement has already started.
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hollowel
enthusiast
Posts: 189
Reg: 01-29-07
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05-01-12 04:03 PM - Post#148743
In response to Abby
We just finished with D6 football and had a complaint this year about another team using a select player. We were told that only applies if they play select in the fall that spring select players are allowed. This fine gentlemen you are talking about then belittled our coaches for being cry babies and for being on a witch hunt. We even went to his boss and showed him the emails he sent to our coaches but fell on deaf ears.
It's a shame that ASA has turned out the way it is but if the top dog let's him get away with it not sure how you can change it unless enough teams leave and hurt them in the pocketbook.
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Sammy24
newbie
Posts: 5
Reg: 05-01-12
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05-01-12 05:58 PM - Post#148747
In response to EnjoyingLife
If you feel so strongly about making a stand and changing things, why then do you suggest everyone to run away? Is that the message you want to send to your children? Do we want to teach the future generations that when things are difficult and we don’t agree with what is being done, the best thing to do is run? To me that doesn’t really solve anything and certainly doesn’t address the core of your complaint.
I'm all about everyone's right to complain, but I also believe very strongly when one decides to exercise that right there is some responsibility to act that comes along with that complaint, otherwise you are only creating noise!
It's so easy to hide behind the cloak of the Internet and post demeaning statements about how our own paradigms seem to be in direct opposition to someone else's. Which again, I think is great and it's what makes this country what it is. What I fail to understand is the person who does the "run by complaint", meaning they complain about everything and then run away waiting for another opportunity to point fingers at those that are trying to make a difference.
If your feelings are so strong and you have documented evidence to support your claims of corruption, by you not acting, are you not just as guilty???
Now is a time of action……..
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Sammy24
newbie
Posts: 5
Reg: 05-01-12
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05-01-12 06:08 PM - Post#148749
In response to EnjoyingLife
If you truly believe that all members of the board, are, as you say, "yes men" - I challenge you to step up, dedicate some of your time as a volunteer and see for yourself - I can promise you that the reality you experience as a volunteer will be in direct opposition to your current perception. Who knows, you might just make a difference........
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vm7mm
enthusiast
Posts: 1527
Loc: Allen Tx usa
Reg: 08-12-04
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05-01-12 06:47 PM - Post#148756
In response to Sammy24
It's not just football that may be corrupt, baseball is not much better either. I coached baseball for many years with ASA while my kids were growing up and one year I was never able to get money paid back to our team that was overpaid to ASA. They always had an excuse every time I went there to get it. Everyone on the team decided we would use the money to go to a Roughrider's game. I took our whole team to a Roughrider's game with my own money (for tickets) thinking ASA was going to pay back our team the money it owed to us, several hundred dollars. I finally gave up trying to get it.
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iClaudius
newbie
Posts: 16
Reg: 05-01-12
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05-01-12 08:08 PM - Post#148765
In response to EnjoyingLife
YOUR POST HAS BEEN REMOVED
As a new member to these forums I will give you the benefit of the doubt. Please re-read the forum rules.
"Common sense and basic etiquette should guide your online conduct. Debate and disagreement are normal as long as it doesn't become discourteous. You may dispute opinions and facts, but do so with facts and information that focuses on the issue and not on the person. Personal attacks and flaming are not allowed and they are defined as comments that reflect upon a person instead of their opinion."
Please re-think your approach and if you wish reply accordingly.
Webmaster
Edited by Webmaster on 05-01-12 11:49 PM. Reason for edit: Forum rules
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Allenite
enthusiast
Posts: 326
Loc: Allen, TX, USA
Reg: 06-18-01
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05-01-12 08:50 PM - Post#148770
In response to EnjoyingLife
The defensive posts by iclaudius tell me a lot...
(Me thinks thou doest protest too much)
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mcollins45
member
Posts: 46
Reg: 01-24-10
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05-01-12 11:43 PM - Post#148777
In response to AllenConsumer
It should be about the kids and not about winning that would be as bad as someone who lets their child fall out a window or gets arrested for unlawful carrying of a weapon.
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 Webmaster
Community Manager
Posts: 3214
Loc: Allen, Texas
Reg: 01-24-00
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05-01-12 11:47 PM - Post#148778
In response to mcollins45
Folks,
Everyone please return to the original topic. Please stop the personal attacks or this thread will be closed.
Thank you,
Web
Allen finds it on. . . Allen Online! |
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Allenite
enthusiast
Posts: 326
Loc: Allen, TX, USA
Reg: 06-18-01
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05-01-12 11:51 PM - Post#148779
In response to Webmaster
Webmaster, did you remove some posts? I can no longer see them.
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Webmaster
Community Manager
Posts: 3214
Loc: Allen, Texas
Reg: 01-24-00
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05-02-12 12:39 AM - Post#148788
In response to Allenite
Webmaster, did you remove some posts? I can no longer see them.
Webmaster, did you remove some posts? I can no longer see them.
Yes I did. I removed the personal attacks and the replies to these attacks. Sorry I know it breaks the continuity of the discussion. It was that or close the topic completely which I am trying not to do.
Allen finds it on. . . Allen Online! |
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ChrisH
enthusiast
Posts: 442
Reg: 07-30-08
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05-02-12 07:14 AM - Post#148789
In response to Sammy24
If you feel so strongly about making a stand and changing things, why then do you suggest everyone to run away? Is that the message you want to send to your children? Do we want to teach the future generations that when things are difficult and we don’t agree with what is being done, the best thing to do is run? To me that doesn’t really solve anything and certainly doesn’t address the core of your complaint.
I'm all about everyone's right to complain, but I also believe very strongly when one decides to exercise that right there is some responsibility to act that comes along with that complaint, otherwise you are only creating noise!
It's so easy to hide behind the cloak of the Internet and post demeaning statements about how our own paradigms seem to be in direct opposition to someone else's. Which again, I think is great and it's what makes this country what it is. What I fail to understand is the person who does the "run by complaint", meaning they complain about everything and then run away waiting for another opportunity to point fingers at those that are trying to make a difference.
If your feelings are so strong and you have documented evidence to support your claims of corruption, by you not acting, are you not just as guilty???
Now is a time of action……..
I was on the board prior to the new commisioner. The teams were all school based and you couldnt pick and choose your players. My wife also joined the ethics committee because she had seen the things he was doing as a coach and we had both hoped that by us joining the board and committee that it would change his behavior. It got worse.
Nobody was allowed to "apply" or vote on the new commisioner, he was just put in place. I volunteered to take the job and mentioned a vote for the position. It fell on deaf ears. Later, we went in as a large group to try and make changes for the better and try to bring to light the type of person they were putting in charge. Yes, I have more knowledge about this person than most because my son was forced to be on his team due to the school he attended and I assisted coaching with him for multiple years in multiple sports due to my son being on his teams. The current commisioner proceeded to re-write all of the rules based off the information we provided. He made certain to include all of our complaints into new rules designed to protect himself and the way he wanted to run things.
We also had another issue with coaches. We had some coaches take a team out of ASA and move them to another city due to the new commissioner. The team tried to come back and he wrote the rules so that the coaches and team could not come back into the league but made certain to write them in such a way that he could come back in and coach the league after he split up a team and moved them to another city. So he basically did the exact same thing but was able to walk right back into the league with the same players because he didnt take an entire team. Instead he hand picked numerous kids from the team and then just dumped the other kids on the team. The team and coaches that wanted to come back had been together since flag and were originally placed on the team based on the school. They were all Allen kids and wanted to stay together. It was not allowed and the kids would be forced into a draft situation if they decided to play in ASA again. The coaches were banned from coaching in ASA for taking players out of ASA, even though the commisoner had done the exact same thing.
The current board has to be "yes" men or else he would find a way to kick them off the board. I have seen him do this to an assistant coach who asked him during a game why he hadnt put his son in to play. After the game, he was in the huddle with the kids and just flat out told them that the coach was fired and would no longer be helping him. No explanation, no warning.
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Sammy24
newbie
Posts: 5
Reg: 05-01-12
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05-02-12 08:32 AM - Post#148802
In response to ChrisH
Since you are a former ASA Football board member, you know that the commissioner (from any sport) cannot just re-write rules on a whim to satisfy his/her own ambitions. You also know that when the board puts forward new rules, changes and/or amendments, they MUST be approved by the competition committee. And of course you know that the competition committee is comprised of a group of volunteers who have no association with football and are tasked with ensuring the rules and guidelines set forth are equitable for all, regardless of sport. Oh and you also are aware that the executive director of the ASA is an active participant in all competition committee meetings as well, who again is not directly impacted by just football, but has an active interest in all sports. I’m left to draw one of two conclusions,
1. The current football commissioner is the most powerful person in the ASA and can command everyone to do as he says, or……
2. The arguments, as presented have a few; shall we call them……holes?
For whatever reason, the above mentioned facts didn’t seem to make the “cut”! Either way, when one decides to point fingers and challenge the integrity of another, especially in a public forum, one should be responsible enough to present a full array of facts not just hearsay and perception.
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ChrisH
enthusiast
Posts: 442
Reg: 07-30-08
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05-02-12 09:12 AM - Post#148804
In response to Sammy24
Since you are a former ASA Football board member, you know that the commissioner (from any sport) cannot just re-write rules on a whim to satisfy his/her own ambitions. You also know that when the board puts forward new rules, changes and/or amendments, they MUST be approved by the competition committee. And of course you know that the competition committee is comprised of a group of volunteers who have no association with football and are tasked with ensuring the rules and guidelines set forth are equitable for all, regardless of sport. Oh and you also are aware that the executive director of the ASA is an active participant in all competition committee meetings as well, who again is not directly impacted by just football, but has an active interest in all sports. I’m left to draw one of two conclusions,
1. The current football commissioner is the most powerful person in the ASA and can command everyone to do as he says, or……
2. The arguments, as presented have a few; shall we call them……holes?
For whatever reason, the above mentioned facts didn’t seem to make the “cut”! Either way, when one decides to point fingers and challenge the integrity of another, especially in a public forum, one should be responsible enough to present a full array of facts not just hearsay and perception.
You should know that everything you beleive occurs within ASA and the competition committee is just cheap window dressing. They will bend whatever needs to be bent in order to keep money rolling in. In order to keep money rolling in, they have to keep people playing the sports. In order to keep people playing the sports, they have to have someone willing to be in charge. The current commissioner was placed into the position without any notification to anyone that the spot was open for candidates. Rules were bent then and they are bent now. As I have seen in the past and in the present, the commisoners of each sport have alot more pull in regards to what they want done and not everything goes through the competition committee.
What you believe you know, what the rules state should occur, is not what happens.
I saw the rules bent an broken and written without going through the competition committee first hand. If you dont believe that the commissioner from each sport has the ability to change/ammend/write rules as they see fit without the consent of any committee, then you need to volunteer for the competition committee and watch it first hand.
Edited by ChrisH on 05-02-12 09:19 AM. Reason for edit: No reason given.
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ChrisH
enthusiast
Posts: 442
Reg: 07-30-08
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05-02-12 09:35 AM - Post#148806
In response to ChrisH
I am not going to continue to discuss the situation with people who have not served and do not have first hand knowledge of how ASA and the boards work. I am not going to continue to try and convince anyone just how corrupt the board is and the lack of integrity the commissioner has. It is not really worth my time.
All I can say is, if you want to have an enjoyable football experience for both the kids and the families, then fing some other league to participate in.
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Sammy24
newbie
Posts: 5
Reg: 05-01-12
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 05-02-12 09:58 AM - Post#148808
In response to ChrisH
I guess we will have to agree to disagree - If the all-powerful football commissioner and the cheap window dressing (you call the competition committee) are only in it to ensure they get their own, the thousands and thousands of kids that participate in ASA sports each year would suggest they are doing something right, would it not? Or are they all disillusioned amid a few "enlightened" residents?
Has the zombie apocalypse arrived and I just didn't realize?
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