SZ & Sportszone

[Unregistered]

This is said with respect and not to be a jerk but look at it differently. Let's say for a minute that an entire team from LUSC went to play for NHPSA. (Meets the 60% rule... or whatever it is for Londonderry players). Whatever happens there happens and suddenly they wish to come back to use Londonderry fields wearing their NHPSA shirts. And they feel as if it is within their right since the team is made up of mostly Londonderry players? They call around and are surprised when they are met with skepticism by some. Then, you try to get around all this by using the rec program as your "in". It's really no wonder that your group is seen as high maintenance (by your own definition).

I did say that I was probably simple minded about it. I thought the town had a policy to allow any group that meets the percentage to use the fields. Clearly, it's not that simple. And I had nothing at all to do with going to LYSA for an "in." Someone else called us high maintenance (I only quoted that person), and I can assure you that I have no intention of adding to this drama because I'm really not all that high maintenance after all. I was just trying to put a positive twist on the whole matter.
-SR

[Unregistered]

Wow this is a lot of drama. I am a Londonderry resident and based on the 100+ postings on this subject and the conversations I have had in town in comes down to a very simple issue. The LUSC people don't like or get along with the LYSA people and visa versa. LUSC wanted to stick it to LYSA and protested SZ using the fields and when SZ was told no, the LYSA group (which includes SZ and pro-SZ folks) wanted to stick it back to the LUSC people by demanding the Stars were not allowed on the fields either. Both groups put their petty arguments above the kids.

The outcome of this ***** fight is that 30+ kids and families from Londonderry who play for the Bolts and Stars (and to some degree the SZ teams) now have to play somewhere else despite their plans and agreements (legit or not) to play the Spring at West Road.

Rec, town, club, premier, whatever. This about personalities and the inability of adults to get along.

The rec commission should remove the board and officers of both organizations and start fresh. I am sure there are good people with great intentions in both organizations but you have lost sight of your purpose and have now negatively impacted Londonderry families. Somebody needs to take the fall for this embarrassing disaster.

We have a winner! I say clean house.

[Unregistered]

It should be noted that SZ approached LYSA long before anything happened between SZ and Sportszone. SZ didn't go to LYSA BECAUSE of the situation that occurred. People seem to think otherwise. Even if Matt was still working at Sportszone, the board was still negotiating with LYSA about the partnership. It just so happened that things unraveled for SZUnited in January. Once LUSC learned about it, they brought it to the Rec Comm's attention because they said having SZ on LDerry fields woukd be a "direct competition" with LUSC. At this point, all negotiations ended and it was asked if the 2 teams with the majority of LDerry kids could just practice on LYSA fields because they couldn't secure usage with Pinkerton as they had in the fall. Again, LUSC (whose call it really wasn't to make) said no due to the direct competition to their teams. Yet LUSC doesn't have a U12 boys team (no direct competition there), and the U14s play in MAPLE (again, no direct competition). Oh, and look! MAPLE! Premier! Same league the boys LUSC (otherwise known as FCGL) U16 team plays. Why are they known as FCGL? Because they're premier. And probably because 2/3 of the players don't reside in town. Maybe the whole club should change its name to Football Club of Greater Londonderry. They are already playing premier. With the right training, the club could achieve its goal and perhaps reach that level to earn the title of being known as a premier club. I know that is the vision and hope of the club now, but it won't happen overnight. And for those who don't want to wait there are always other options. Wouldn't it be great to bring back LDerry kids who left to their own fields? -Kerri

[Unregistered]

Coincidence? Nah

The Londonderry travel club never had authorization to allow the Stars to come in. They had a verbal agreement for field usage and a girls U12 team played there in the fall after most of the original Bolts team disbanded. The club ended its partnership with the bolts after 3 years due to various reasons. The daughter of one of the LDerry travel board members is on this one Stars team that was using the fields. Probably just a coincidence. The town has sanctioning rules where 60% of players must reside in town and with this team only 5 of the players were residents. They wanted to bring in more teams which would likely make up less town players than non, violating the sanctioning rule which was put in place to avoid this from happening: essentially renting out fields to other groups and gradually displacing LDerry kids who play rec or travel in town. Great intention to bring in premier but it just can't work in LDerry.

Sorry but what happened in Londonderry, from our view (family with kids lusc), is that whatever is best for his family is what his agenda is for west field roads. Daughter played on lush, wanted better brings in bolts. He isn't happy with that level, pull her from bolts to stars and guess what? Bolts get kicked off and guess what team is verbally allowed to go use those fields? His daughters team. Give me a break. If it's coincidence then I'd like him to buy me the next powerball or mega million ticket.

[Unregistered]

Sorry but what happened in Londonderry, from our view (family with kids lusc), is that whatever is best for his family is what his agenda is for west field roads. Daughter played on lush, wanted better brings in bolts. He isn't happy with that level, pull her from bolts to stars and guess what? Bolts get kicked off and guess what team is verbally allowed to go use those fields? His daughters team. Give me a break. If it's coincidence then I'd like him to buy me the next powerball or mega million ticket.

perhaps if you wanted to hear how things really played out, you should go ask him directly, instead of posting your assumptions on here. you may think differently afterwards

[Unregistered]

It should be noted that SZ approached LYSA long before anything happened between SZ and Sportszone. SZ didn't go to LYSA BECAUSE of the situation that occurred. People seem to think otherwise. Even if Matt was still working at Sportszone, the board was still negotiating with LYSA about the partnership. It just so happened that things unraveled for SZUnited in January. Once LUSC learned about it, they brought it to the Rec Comm's attention because they said having SZ on LDerry fields woukd be a "direct competition" with LUSC. At this point, all negotiations ended and it was asked if the 2 teams with the majority of LDerry kids could just practice on LYSA fields because they couldn't secure usage with Pinkerton as they had in the fall. Again, LUSC (whose call it really wasn't to make) said no due to the direct competition to their teams. Yet LUSC doesn't have a U12 boys team (no direct competition there), and the U14s play in MAPLE (again, no direct competition). Oh, and look! MAPLE! Premier! Same league the boys LUSC (otherwise known as FCGL) U16 team plays. Why are they known as FCGL? Because they're premier. And probably because 2/3 of the players don't reside in town. Maybe the whole club should change its name to Football Club of Greater Londonderry. They are already playing premier. With the right training, the club could achieve its goal and perhaps reach that level to earn the title of being known as a premier club. I know that is the vision and hope of the club now, but it won't happen overnight. And for those who don't want to wait there are always other options. Wouldn't it be great to bring back LDerry kids who left to their own fields? -Kerri

First, personally I would love to have all the Londonderry kids back "home" on our fields. If it could work out somehow I would be happy. With that said though, you are talking about there being "no direct competition" between LUSC teams and the teams from SZ that wanted to use the fields. There is no direct competition because those teams left. They went to SZ. I understand you had reasons and everyone should be free to do what is best for your kids. But to now turn around and say that LUSC shouldn't be able to use the "direct competition" idea is crazy. So any Londonderry team can go off to seacoast, nhpsa, sz, Hudson, etc then come back and claim they are entitled to field usage because they are made up of Londonderry kids? Can you at least see that this seems wrong? Hopefully maybe there can be a re-grouping of some sort. People maybe working with each other instead of against each other (all "sides"). That's my hope but we'll see.

[Unregistered]

Sorry but what happened in Londonderry, from our view (family with kids lusc), is that whatever is best for his family is what his agenda is for west field roads. Daughter played on lush, wanted better brings in bolts. He isn't happy with that level, pull her from bolts to stars and guess what? Bolts get kicked off and guess what team is verbally allowed to go use those fields? His daughters team. Give me a break. If it's coincidence then I'd like him to buy me the next powerball or mega million ticket.

Of course you think that. You don't have any perspective on soccer or how it works. Just another spineless anonymous complainer.

[Unregistered]

Of course you think that. You don't have any perspective on soccer or how it works. Just another spineless anonymous complainer.

Oh wonderous wizard... What is the perspective on soccer and how exactly does it work?

[Unregistered]

perhaps if you wanted to hear how things really played out, you should go ask him directly, instead of posting your assumptions on here. you may think differently afterwards

And then after speaking with him make sure you get the other side of whatever group he dismisses / opposes, etc.

[Unregistered]

Sorry but what happened in Londonderry, from our view (family with kids lusc), is that whatever is best for his family is what his agenda is for west field roads. Daughter played on lush, wanted better brings in bolts. He isn't happy with that level, pull her from bolts to stars and guess what? Bolts get kicked off and guess what team is verbally allowed to go use those fields? His daughters team. Give me a break. If it's coincidence then I'd like him to buy me the next powerball or mega million ticket.

I understand your perspective, but can I ask you a question. Were you pleased with the Bolts trainings that were offered to us during their time here? I was someone who complained about the Bolts trainings. The added fees we paid did not seem to equal the value of the trainings we got. I felt like the board listened to us, regular LUSC, non Bolts families and our complaints about this. I know from the 3 teams I have kids on, none of us regular parents were impressed. This past fall LUSC has offered a far better program, my kids were trained weekly by Mark Ruest, and Bruno and Tom. We love the variety of excellent trainers, and the value. I am a team mother. I have dealt with Todd Ellis, he has no kids on our kids teams, and I see him with our trainers, coaches, and kids often. My youngest did the Stars training this winter, we were excited to have that opportunity coming to town, as were all of the other Londonderry parents that had kids on the team. Again this is not Todd's kids age groups. I do know Todd has been training my same younger kid all winter in the LUSC micro program too. There is no magical perspective here. I like the Stars trainings and value, the cost was more in line with what I could afford, better than the Bolts, maybe other people felt that way and that is why LUSC switched.

[Unregistered]

I wasn't unhappy with LUSCIOUS training at the time since that's all we knew. We were a football family but opted for soccer since the kids loved it. I will say after we saw other teams trainings I will freely admit that it was night and day. My kids learned the rules of soccer with LUSC but learned how to play soccer with other teams.

[Unregistered]

Autocorrect

Ok apple hates the LUSC term. Keeps changing it to LUSCIOUS.

[Unregistered]

Oh wonderous wizard... What is the perspective on soccer and how exactly does it work?

I could tell you but you wouldn't understand...and I am not complaining... you are.

[Unregistered]

And then after speaking with him make sure you get the other side of whatever group he dismisses / opposes, etc.

You guys are bashing a guy that does everything for nothing. He coaches for free...he helps other teams for free. He does the board for free. He has brought different ideas to the board and our team (Yes my son plays on his team and I know some of what is going on). Have some things not worked? Yes. Have others worked? Yes.

He clearly does it for the right reasons for...wait for it...his kids as well as all the other kids. Get a reality check will you.

[Unregistered]

entitlement to use fields

I don't think anyone realizes this but everyone has the right to use the fields in the town where they pay taxes regardless of what they are doing - playing sport, flying a kite, having a birthday party, walking in general... The only thing that cannot be done on west rd fields is walking a dog when kids are playing on the fields and hitting golf balls as the sign says.

Londonderry families have the right to choose where they want their kids to be in organized sports. If the sport affiliation in Londonderry is not providing the best service in the eyes of the players and their families it is only fair that they go to a qualified club no matter what turf it is on.

It is also only fair that they get to use their fields that they pay so much taxes for.

The clubs do not own the fields, the towns do, and the towns can pay for the fields from the people paying taxes to the town. Make sense?