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[EWSoccer64]

WOW

Apparently the WSYSA is now planning a full scale offensive against clubs and associations that have USCS operations within them.   They cannot do anything (much) against the USCS only outfits that have no links to WSYSA, but they are going after youth soccer operations that have some teams that are only in USCS and some teams that are in WSYSA.

The technique that is being used is gunning for the leadership of the clubs and associations, threatening them with removal and possibly a state takeover of their organization.

[Spokane_Whistle_Blower]

EW64, Do you have specifics? This is very interesting and may be the reason that according to sources close to the state office the SPVJSA board was recently asked to provide documentation about their by-laws and election process. It appears that the SPVJSA is courting with "poor standing" status again.

I also must pose the question what exactly would a "state takeover" of any organization accomplish?

[EWSoccer64]

EW64, Do you have specifics? This is very interesting and may be the reason that according to sources close to the state office the SPVJSA board was recently asked to provide documentation about their by-laws and election process. It appears that the SPVJSA is courting with "poor standing" status again.

I also must pose the question what exactly would a "state takeover" of any organization accomplish?

I have been asked not to release the specifics that I have until a later date.

In terms of the SPVJSA situation, the request is because of other things as I understand it.  (Surprised that you do not know!).  Again, until I recieve more info from alternate sources, I cannot be more specific than I already have been.
I can say that yes, the Valley is once again flirting with the state putting them into "poor standing" and that while the USCS operations are not the trigger for the investigations, they certainly will not help the SPVJSA in dealings with the state going forward.   We all know that the State would prefer a merger of the city and the valley.

[EWSoccer64]

Something that has been brewing for a while is the clash of philosophies.
The State Leadership - duly elected, be it noted - has a "top down" philosophy, while the WSYSA is traditionally a volunteer based association that was "bottom up" philosophically.
Some of what we are seeing play out is very reflective of the two diametrically opposed philosophies.  Much of the conflict and missed opportunities comes from this clash of ideas on how the organization should be run.

In fact, the threat to take over associations and clubs, as well as the WSYSA's past actions in doing that and dissolving an entire member association comes from the belief that the WSYSA rules over all the components of WSYSA and the member associations are answerable to them.   It is almost a question of sovereignity.   The basic question that must be asked is if the State Association is the servant of and answerable to the Associations or are the associations subordinate to, and answerable to, the State Association.

In the "Good Old Days", the District Commissioners served on the state board, represented their member associations interests, and were the bulk of the state board.    The power of the WSYSA President was limited.    In the "Bright New Day", the power of the districts is pretty much eliminated, the power of the execuative side, led by the President, is close to unlimited.  And yes, the member associations voted to allow this to happen.  (Although there are many who cry that they did not understand what they were voting for.... as though that is exculpatory!)

One aspect of this situation is that we will likely see more and more replacement of volunteers with paid administrators.  And that will have a variety of effects as well.

[Spokane_Whistle_Blower]

I too was told that the action against the SPVJSA was for other reasons. I actually was forwarded a copy of the official memo sent to the SPVJSA board but decided to hold off on posting it until the waters cleared a little. The purpose of the post was merely to point out that it seems rather coincidental such actions be taken simultaneously. It’s not exactly a secret that the inner workings of the SPVJSA are haphazard at best and corrupt at worst so why the action all of a sudden? I will however make note that there are also some upstanding board members who are involved for the right reasons.

Many people seem amazed that Manny Faridnia was welcomed back to the fold despite his actions over the past few months to try and remove board members and orchestrate a voting position for himself. A position that some would say is in direct breech of the convoluted SPVJSA Bylaws. Another point of note is that Manny actually recently attended the WSYSA AGM as proxy for Chris Sande who has returned to the board despite fleeing when the ship was sinking before. I wonder what agenda is in play there…

[EWSoccer64]

Until you brought it back up, I had not seriously considered that the state might use the irregularities in the way that the SPVJSA has been doing things to force a merger with the city.   But given other recent actions that the state has been taking, it does now seem to be a realistic concern.

It seems to me that the WSYSA has become contemptous of the role and input of the dedicated volunteers that have traditionally been the backbone of getting things done in youth soccer, but are expecting ever greater efforts out of the ones who remain to implement State policies that they may not really support.   For instance, if the state decertified SPVJSA and expanded the boundaries of the IEYSA (Spokane City Association) to encompass the valley, the state would be expecting the IEYSA/Shadow to go out and start forming up new teams, and a new club.   That is a lot of work by an ever decreasing pool of dedicated, already overworked volunteers who are seeing their input minimized across the board in governance situations.   And in the mean time, the USCS operations - which would undoubtedly include River City and SSC - would be actively and aggressively hitting everywhere from Cheney to Deer Park.

And all the turmoil and conflict is going to convince parents to take their kids into something more peaceful and settled - like ice hockey or cage fighting.

[swinginrichard]

EW,
 Am I reading this correct where you say one of the options of WYS is to actually take over associations and/or clubs?

[EWSoccer64]

EW,
 Am I reading this correct where you say one of the options of WYS is to actually take over associations and/or clubs?

Absolutely.

It has been done in the case of NorthWest Nationals, about two years ago.
The WSYSA just DISSOLVED an association - a seperate 501(c)3 corp - in Kitsap and assigned it's territory to a neighbor.
And - according to multiple sources - it is threatening to take over clubs and associations that tolerate USCS operations beneath their umbrellas.
In the past it has threatened takeovers and mergers with both the Spokane are associations.

Now that the power of the distrcits is broken and the State Board is packed with the new six board members - mainly lawyers, apparently hand picked to support the policies of the current administration - effective checks and balances are gone.   Further, with the state sponsored removal of the D-3 Commissioner last year and the current, extremely rapid changes being made in the D-1 Board, the Districts are thouroughly being put in their place.
D-1, you may know, was the District that challenged the President's plans.   And the D-3 Commissioner (Snowe?) had been an outspoken critic of the President.   The lesson is beginning to perculate through the ranks, now.  It is hardball politics in Youth Soccer.

[swinginrichard]

If I remember correctly, NWN was a money issue. As in lack of accountability putting them in dire straights. It's a whole different animal trying to take over a club due to dual affiliation with US Club (in my opinion) would never happen. If I was the club being threatened, I'd tell WYS to piss off and I'd go US Club completely. WYS doesn't own the club, they simply provide a "membership" to a larger entity. WYS would have real some fun trying to run a club with no members, volunteers, coaches, board members, ect, ect.
If this is the tactic they choose, they're dumber than I thought. Strong-arming a fractured system already will drive more away. Sounds more like like desperation to me, if they choose this avenue.

[swinginrichard]

Sounds more like like desperation to me, if they choose this avenue.

Wow.
Now I'm playing point-counterpoint with myself. HAA!
But after thinking more about it, may be this is the start of the grand scheme. If a true "elite" league is the ultimate end, maybe the real intentions are to clear out the "lesser" RCL clubs with the hope that the affected players will jump and migrate to maybe 8 state-wide RCL clubs with A thru Z teams at each age group. Are they that arrogant?

[Soccer Wonk]

If I remember correctly, NWN was a money issue. As in lack of accountability putting them in dire straights. ...

NWN was a constitutional crisis. Two separate boards both claimed legitimacy and the right to run the club. WYS helped them rewrite their antiquated bylaws (under which the coaches were the only voting members of the club) and oversaw new elections.

Evergreen was the money issue.

[swinginrichard]

Soccer Wonk, Your right. I forgot about Evergreen. They were both having issues around the same time if I remember.

[EWSoccer64]

If I remember correctly, NWN was a money issue. As in lack of accountability putting them in dire straights. It's a whole different animal trying to take over a club due to dual affiliation with US Club (in my opinion) would never happen. If I was the club being threatened, I'd tell WYS to piss off and I'd go US Club completely. WYS doesn't own the club, they simply provide a "membership" to a larger entity. WYS would have real some fun trying to run a club with no members, volunteers, coaches, board members, ect, ect.
If this is the tactic they choose, they're dumber than I thought. Strong-arming a fractured system already will drive more away. Sounds more like like desperation to me, if they choose this avenue.

  NW Nationals was a governance issue.  There were two different boards that claimed to be running the club, and the best evidence is that both were "illegally" formed.   The State took control of the club and appointed Cliff McGrath as one of two people to run it until things got sorted out.  The original commitment was that it would be back under self control within six months, but that deadline was not met.
   Evergreen was a money issue.   A DoC was operating without proper oversite and spent the club into, essentially, bankruptcy, in one year.   The subsequent merger was like when Ranier was merged into BoA.   Ranier Bank had no choice, it had made some really stupid loans.  While the Fed told Ranier Bank that it had to merge,I am not sure that the WSYSA leadership told Evergreen that it had to merge.

[EWSoccer64]

Sounds more like like desperation to me, if they choose this avenue.

Wow.
Now I'm playing point-counterpoint with myself. HAA!
But after thinking more about it, may be this is the start of the grand scheme. If a true "elite" league is the ultimate end, maybe the real intentions are to clear out the "lesser" RCL clubs with the hope that the affected players will jump and migrate to maybe 8 state-wide RCL clubs with A thru Z teams at each age group. Are they that arrogant?

Actually, this scenario has already been raised and discussed over the past year in other threads.    In essense, this is what has been happening.   It is unknown if this is part of an intentional plan by the state leadership or just unanticipated consequences.  But the dispute is not whether this has been happening, just to what the real degree it has been happening is.

 And yes, they are that arrogant.

[Drive]

The conflict in Spo-can and elsewhere in the State over the past two years is a good indicator of where WSYSA has been struggling with and losing control.

Within the greater City area of Spo-cane the State has lost a big chunk of recreational and competitive related team revenue and there has been continued erosion from the Spo-valley rec. only groups and competitive clubs as well.

Lose of revenue, control,  and fear it appears is now a larger factor driving WSYSA decisions.  Read the following article and the comments at the end to get a overall picture at a smaller area level (Spit-can) and recreational view.
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/jan/28/soccer-organizations-battle/

I still have hope that things will get better, though the rough patch may last another year or two at least.  Goliath does not fall or change easily and in these greatly constrained economic times the fight to have the first dibs on the cookie jar is at recent all time high.

[EWSoccer64]

One of the consequences of the WSYSA vs USCS battle, and the enire direction that the state leadership has taken, is that "the moderates", the volunteers who are focused primarly upon the kids and view the politics of whatever stripe as an impediment to their efforts, are becoming factionalized, becoming sucked into the political realm, and are becoming more and more resentful of this being done to them.   And these are the people who are essential to the workings of clubs and associations, the volunteers who get things done.  It is impossible to replace them with paid employees of the clubs and associations.  Not just because of the costs, but because these are people who care about the kids rather than the paychecks.   These people make a real difference.  These people are really in it for the kids.

And the moral component of actions by the clubs, associations and state are understood by them.   When the organizations they work WITH (NOT FOR) undertake unethical, immoral actions (in their opinions), it impacts the time and effort they are willing to continue to put out for these organizations.  And when these people fail to endorse the actions or organizations any longer, this has just as great an impact.  Because these are the people that the parents and kids, (In modern, up to date, corporate youth soccer speak - THE CUSTOMERS) deal with over time, have confidence in, and trust their opinions.   

Our local club adopted the motto a few years ago of "The Kids Belong to Club".   I found this to be as-backwards and called the club leadership(s) on it. 

Given the current actions of the WSYSA, it seems that they have adopted the same mantra.


The basic question that everyone involved in youth soccer has to ask themselves is this:

WHY ARE YOU INVOLVED IN YOUTH SOCCER?   IS IT FOR THE KIDS OR FOR THE ORGANIZATION?

WHERE DOES YOUR LOYALTY, YOUR REASON FOR DOING WHAT YOU DO, LAY?  WITH THE KIDS OR WITH WHATEVER ORGANIZATION?

Given the recent actions by the WSYSA, it is clear that they require the primary loyalty of people involved in youth soccer to be to the WSYSA.   It seems to me that this is a fundamental error on the part of the WSYSA leadership.  If the WSYSA made the best interests of the kids for any administrator or coach as the primary loyalty, then I believe everyone and everything would be better off, and there would never have been the developing schism in this state.

[Brat Jr]

Does anyone have the breakdown of the governing bodies of youth soccer?
The reason I ask is because I heard that USCS is an offshoot of one of the higher tiers ( USSF? )

[Futsal]

Does anyone have the breakdown of the governing bodies of youth soccer?
The reason I ask is because I heard that USCS is an offshoot of one of the higher tiers ( USSF? )

Both USCS and USYS are directly affiliated with US Soccer ... they are on the same level of membership so to speak ... siblings

http://www.ussoccer.com/About/About-Home/Organizational-Structure/Member-Organizations.aspx

[Soccer Wonk]

Washington Youth Soccer is a member of US Youth Soccer (USYS) along with the other state associations that make up US Youth Soccer.

On the USYS/WYS side, the hierarchy goes like this:
USSF - USYS - WYS - local associations - local clubs

On the USCS side, it goes like this:
USSF - USCS - clubs

[Bathos]

...Given the recent actions by the WSYSA, it is clear that they require the primary loyalty of people involved in youth soccer to be to the WSYSA.   It seems to me that this is a fundamental error on the part of the WSYSA leadership.  If the WSYSA made the best interests of the kids for any administrator or coach as the primary loyalty, then I believe everyone and everything would be better off, and there would never have been the developing schism in this state.

I'm curious as to the history of all this.  Why and how did the schism start?  Was 'seamless soccer' an underlying root cause, or was it an effect or rationalization of a philosophical change in WSYSA leadership?

[Brat Jr]

Thanks Futsal and Wonkie!

I'm going to be full of stupid questions on this as I really have no friggen clue about USCS and their role in WYS.

So if USCS is a part of USSF and WYS is a part of USSF, why is the state making such a big deal about USCS coming in?
Why not make it easier on all teams in the state and put them under dual affiliation? They would still be able to keep a majority of the teams under them and making those they have seemed to forget about
( NON RCL teams ) feel like they are still a part of the WYS scene instead of some red headed step child.

[fourflags]

Ray,
When an individual is elected to serve on a Club or Association's board of directors, that individual takes on certain fiduciary duties owed to the Club or Association under the Washington Nonprofit Corporation Act. John Murphy, US Youth Soccer member-at-large, defines fiduciary as: "a person who has a duty to act on behalf of and for the benefit of another with the utmost good faith, loyalty, candor, and car." The Washington statute requires that a director perform the duties of a director in good faith and in a manner such director believes to be in the best interests of the corporation. RCW 24.03.127. Thus, as soon as you are elected to your Club or Association's board of directors, you are trusted as a fiduciary of your Club or Association to carry out the business of the organization in the best interest of the organization, above any personal interests. Because each Club and Association promises in their bylaws, as a member of Washington Youth Soccer, to be bound by Washington Youth Soccer's Bylaws, procedure and rules, a director's fiduciary duties extend to Washington Youth Soccer.

All levels of our governance are representative of local groups but it is important to understand the fiduciary duty of board members within Washington Youth Soccer and our member groups. Even if someone is elected to a board or committee on behalf of a membership group (a district, for example), it is their fiduciary duty to fulfilll the organization's mission on behalf of the entire membership of hte organization. Each person who volunteers or works within Washington Youth Soccer has a duty to serve our mission of making soccer the game for all kids in the state of Washington, regardless of how we came to volunteer or work within the organization.

Washington Youth Soccer bylaw Article 3.1.5 states: "No members of Washington Youth Soccer shall engage themselves in a Washington Youth Soccer position or function in an effort to sevure an advanctage for another organization or for their personal or business gain."

The Washington Youth Soccer Code of Ethics in the Operating Documents confirms the commitment of members to act in the best interest of Washington Youth Soccer. It establishes a standard of behavior for the members that conflicts of interest with Washington youth Soccer should be avoided, as well as the perception of conflicts of interest.

Members of Washington Youth Soccer elected to serve on club, association and district boards should not be advocating or encouraging movement to another organization. The purpose of serving elected positions in Washington Youth Soccer is to support the organizations' mission, not advocate membership leaving Washington Youth Soccer for another organization. Such behavior is a breach of such member's fiduciary duties owed to their Club, Association or District and to Washington Youth Soccer, and a violation of the Code of Ethics.

In light of this information regarding both the Fiduciary Duties, and rights and responsibilities of Board members, it has come to our attention that Mr. Eric Emery has violated these tenets of our membership by advocating and promoted that Washington Youth Soccer teams be moved to US Club Soccer. This is in direct vilation of our bylaws and organizational structure.

We are now requesting that the board of Tacoma Pierce County Junior Soccer Association remove Mr. Eric Emery from holding any office in this organization. This actin is take place 15 days from teh date on this letter. We request a copy of your minutes when this action takes place to be placed into our files for further reference. If no action is taken, Washington Youth Soccer will consider sanctions against the association.

Washington Youth Soccer strives to create a safe environmnet for our players and teams, this action will achieve that goal. We look forward to continuing our cooperative relationship with T.P.C.J.S.A. and providing quality programs.
Any questions should be directed to Mr. Terry Fisher Washington Youth Soccer Chief Executive Office by phone by phone at (253) 476-2237 or by email at Terry@WashingtonYouthSoccer.org.

Regards
Doug Andreassen

[metz123]

Sounds like the only way out of this for many clubs and associations is to step away from WYS and move completely to US Club. If WYS is going to offer an inferior product and use legal hammers to force clubs to sign up for their inferior product I can only see one way out.

If WYS was truly in this for the kids and the game, there's no way they could send out letters like this and look at themselves in the mirror.

[Soccer Wonk]

...Given the recent actions by the WSYSA, it is clear that they require the primary loyalty of people involved in youth soccer to be to the WSYSA.   It seems to me that this is a fundamental error on the part of the WSYSA leadership.  If the WSYSA made the best interests of the kids for any administrator or coach as the primary loyalty, then I believe everyone and everything would be better off, and there would never have been the developing schism in this state.

I'm curious as to the history of all this.  Why and how did the schism start?  Was 'seamless soccer' an underlying root cause, or was it an effect or rationalization of a philosophical change in WSYSA leadership?

It all started with the PDL. Actually, it goes back farther than that, but the creation of the PDL and its sanctioning by a one-vote margin under the previous state regime was the fundamental change to the landscape.

[PrideNJoy]

Sounds like the only way out of this for many clubs and associations is to step away from WYS and move completely to US Club. If WYS is going to offer an inferior product and use legal hammers to force clubs to sign up for their inferior product I can only see one way out.

If WYS was truly in this for the kids and the game, there's no way they could send out letters like this and look at themselves in the mirror.

can they step away?  perhaps they should just fail or succeed or be taken over by the parent State Association and new clubs/associations formed with USCS at the wheel.  I don't think a mutiny is the way.  If WYS and USCS would just get married, all the kids would be served and have choice without reprisal.  Utopia

[inthenet]

Dear Mr. Doug Andreassen,

Based on your own statements trying to fire local association board members, should YOU step down as WYS president for promoting Sounder Camps and Sounder activities??  The MLS and the promotion of MLS activities are not part of WYS, yet YOU take WYS resources, web, email, registration information and use it to market MLS products and services all the time.

Washington Youth Soccer bylaw Article 3.1.5 states: "No members of Washington Youth Soccer shall engage themselves in a Washington Youth Soccer position or function in an effort to sevure an advanctage for another organization or for their personal or business gain."

[EWSoccer64]

Thank you fourflags for posting this letter.  I was not allowed to do so when I saw it because of confidientality of the source.   However, I will state that the information I have recieved is that this is just one of SEVEN such situations that are being addressed in a similar manner.   Further, acting in support of the State Leader, other people are being removed for their lack of support for the State Leader or their active opposition to some of his plans.   Remember the failure to increase fees this year?   It seems that some of those who opposed the fee increase are recieving their payback for their opposition to the fee increase. 
      There is also a situation in a club where some of the club leadership have been paying themselves (apparently an ethics violation according to the letter below) and the State Leader has failed to act.   Also, we should all remember the interesting case of the NorthWest Champions Incorporated, the for profit enterprise which recieves so much money from WSYSA players and clubs,  which is controlled by two officials from TPCJSA land, last we heard.   The state has clearly failed to act in what is described below as an ethical violation.   
    Are we facing a situation of selective enforcement and non-enforcement of the rules to achieve personal political goals?

Ray,
When an individual is elected to serve on a Club or Association's board of directors, that individual takes on certain fiduciary duties owed to the Club or Association under the Washington Nonprofit Corporation Act. John Murphy, US Youth Soccer member-at-large, defines fiduciary as: "a person who has a duty to act on behalf of and for the benefit of another with the utmost good faith, loyalty, candor, and car." The Washington statute requires that a director perform the duties of a director in good faith and in a manner such director believes to be in the best interests of the corporation. RCW 24.03.127. Thus, as soon as you are elected to your Club or Association's board of directors, you are trusted as a fiduciary of your Club or Association to carry out the business of the organization in the best interest of the organization, above any personal interests. Because each Club and Association promises in their bylaws, as a member of Washington Youth Soccer, to be bound by Washington Youth Soccer's Bylaws, procedure and rules, a director's fiduciary duties extend to Washington Youth Soccer.

All levels of our governance are representative of local groups but it is important to understand the fiduciary duty of board members within Washington Youth Soccer and our member groups. Even if someone is elected to a board or committee on behalf of a membership group (a district, for example), it is their fiduciary duty to fulfilll the organization's mission on behalf of the entire membership of hte organization. Each person who volunteers or works within Washington Youth Soccer has a duty to serve our mission of making soccer the game for all kids in the state of Washington, regardless of how we came to volunteer or work within the organization.

Washington Youth Soccer bylaw Article 3.1.5 states: "No members of Washington Youth Soccer shall engage themselves in a Washington Youth Soccer position or function in an effort to sevure an advanctage for another organization or for their personal or business gain."

The Washington Youth Soccer Code of Ethics in the Operating Documents confirms the commitment of members to act in the best interest of Washington Youth Soccer. It establishes a standard of behavior for the members that conflicts of interest with Washington youth Soccer should be avoided, as well as the perception of conflicts of interest.

Members of Washington Youth Soccer elected to serve on club, association and district boards should not be advocating or encouraging movement to another organization. The purpose of serving elected positions in Washington Youth Soccer is to support the organizations' mission, not advocate membership leaving Washington Youth Soccer for another organization. Such behavior is a breach of such member's fiduciary duties owed to their Club, Association or District and to Washington Youth Soccer, and a violation of the Code of Ethics.

In light of this information regarding both the Fiduciary Duties, and rights and responsibilities of Board members, it has come to our attention that Mr. Eric Emery has violated these tenets of our membership by advocating and promoted that Washington Youth Soccer teams be moved to US Club Soccer. This is in direct vilation of our bylaws and organizational structure.

We are now requesting that the board of Tacoma Pierce County Junior Soccer Association remove Mr. Eric Emery from holding any office in this organization. This actin is take place 15 days from teh date on this letter. We request a copy of your minutes when this action takes place to be placed into our files for further reference. If no action is taken, Washington Youth Soccer will consider sanctions against the association.

Washington Youth Soccer strives to create a safe environmnet for our players and teams, this action will achieve that goal. We look forward to continuing our cooperative relationship with T.P.C.J.S.A. and providing quality programs.
Any questions should be directed to Mr. Terry Fisher Washington Youth Soccer Chief Executive Office by phone by phone at (253) 476-2237 or by email at Terry@WashingtonYouthSoccer.org.

Regards
Doug Andreassen

[ForTheKids]

Well, USSF under its 100% rule protects the rights of member clubs to dual affiliate under such USSF-sanctioned organizations as US Youth Soccer (USYSA), US Club Soccer (USCS), and other organizations of USSF (i.e. AYSO).  There is nothing WYS can do that would be upheld by USSF in a grievance proceeding that would either prevent dual affiliation or discrimination by WYS based on dual affiliation since it is protected by WYS's parent's (USYSA) parent organization (USSF).  

To be safe before venturing forward, it would be advisable to any club wishing such options to first ensure or update their bylaws (even if they are not exercised) to reflect the right of the club for dual affiliation both with USYSA and USCS (which is what the RCL clubs do already).  

Suggested language for WA youth soccer club bylaws:

The [FILL IN YOUR CLUB NAME] shall be affiliated with, and shall operate under the authority of, [FILL IN YOUR USYSA/WYS ASSOCIATION], the Washington State Youth Soccer Association ("WYS"), the United States Youth Soccer Association ("USYSA") and the United States Soccer Federation (USSF"). The [FILL IN YOUR CLUB NAME] shall also maintain a dual affiliation with US Club Soccer ("US Club"). As a member of [ASSOCIATION], WYS, USSF, USYSA, and US Club, the [FILL IN YOUR CLUB NAME] shall act to be in compliance with all bylaws, policies, rules, regulations and requirement applicable to member Clubs in each organization.

Again, this is the total protected right under USSF for any club to have this language.  

Whether WYS can drum out its member associations' elected officers for encouraging clubs that are dual-affiliated to exercise their rights is another topic for discussion and for grievances to be pursued in the future.  

But at the end of it, state youth soccer boards do not own member clubs that dual affiliate.

Kids come first, not businesses.

[EWSoccer64]

>>>>When an individual is elected to serve on a Club or Association's board of directors, that individual takes on certain fiduciary duties owed to the Club or Association under the Washington Nonprofit Corporation Act. John Murphy, US Youth Soccer member-at-large, defines fiduciary as: "a person who has a duty to act on behalf of and for the benefit of another with the utmost good faith, loyalty, candor, and care."

Let's take a look a this statement.   The electee is clearly "elected to serve" a Club or Association.   To whom does the primary allegience and loyalty of the electee belong?   To the club or association that he has been elected to serve, or to the State or National Association?   Are people elected to serve (do they choose to serve) the kids locally or the interests of State, National or International Associations?   That is the real crux of the issue.

Many of the posters here are or have been officials within their local associations.   I'd be willing to make a large wager their primary loyalty has always been to the communities that appointed or elected them, not to the various larger entities.  

However, it should also be noted that under the legal line of reasoning that is espoused by the State Leader, he is an agent of the USYSA and the USSF and of FIFA, and his primary allegience is to them, not to the WSYSA or to the players who make it up.

[PrideNJoy]

>>>>When an individual is elected to serve on a Club or Association's board of directors, that individual takes on certain fiduciary duties owed to the Club or Association under the Washington Nonprofit Corporation Act. John Murphy, US Youth Soccer member-at-large, defines fiduciary as: "a person who has a duty to act on behalf of and for the benefit of another with the utmost good faith, loyalty, candor, and care."

Let's take a look a this statement.   The electee is clearly "elected to serve" a Club or Association.   To whom does the primary allegience and loyalty of the electee belong?   To the club or association that he has been elected to serve, or to the State or National Association?   Are people elected to serve (do they choose to serve) the kids locally or the interests of State, National or International Associations?   That is the real crux of the issue.

Many of the posters here are or have been officials within their local associations.   I'd be willing to make a large wager their primary loyalty has always been to the communities that appointed or elected them, not to the various larger entities.  

However, it should also be noted that under the legal line of reasoning that is espoused by the State Leader, he is an agent of the USYSA and the USSF and of FIFA, and his primary allegience is to them, not to the WSYSA or to the players who make it up.

and that.....is exactly why I'm considering stepping down from my role in an association.  I can't handle the conflict lol