Dear Soccer Members,

I would like to respond to the BCSA Discussion Paper posted earlier on this website.

While I embrace that the issue of Soccer Academies membership in the BCSA is finally about to be addressed at the June 12 Annual General Meeting, I am disappointed in the tone and language contained in the discussion paper. I am also disappointed that there is an Amendment #2b - Alternative 2 which gives the Membership the opportunity to abolish any current and future membership opportunities for organisations such as TSS Academy.

The constant reference to "for profit" in this regard is also disturbing. With the professionalization of the game (as the paper refers to), there has been a creation of "micro" TSS environments through hiring of Technical Directors. Most have, as part of their compensation packages, a "user pay" element available to them. This is all, of course, done behind the guise of non-profit society status. Nothing but smoke and mirrors in my opinion. The Whitecaps is also a private business that runs user-pay programs and yet we don't hear that type of reference made about that organization. The simple truth is that TSS and most other soccer schools provide a service that allows a handful of individuals to make a living in the game. There are 4 full-time staff members at TSS - none of whom drive expensive cars or have chalets in the South of France. TSS is an organization of full-time and part-time coaches who have spent over 12 years helping players advance in the game.

But what I am most concerned about is what has not been included in the paper.

Less than one month ago the Ontario Soccer Association (OSA) voted to include the Soccer Academy Alliance of Canada (SAAC) as an Associate Member - details to be finalised January 2011. It is interesting to note that TSS Academy is an Associate Member of this organisation and, in theory, TSS would then be part of this membership under a provincial body several thousand kilometres to the east. So there has been precedent set here within the hierarchy of the soccer community in Canada. The OSA is the largest provincial body in the CSA. Not a word about this in the discussion paper.

What is even more disturbing is that FIFA, back in May 2009, has instructed all federations to register Soccer Academies into the system world wide. This new directive (FIFA Article 19bis) was supposed to be instituted by October 1 2009. So essentially, the CSA's "boss" (and by association - the BCSA's as well) has instructed these groups to solve this problem. What happens if the membership votes in favour of the amendment above - not allowing access? Does the BCSA then have the authority to not follow the FIFA directive? I think not.

It's also important to note that there was reference made to players at soccer schools being just duplications in the system- " The players registered in a soccer school are the same children that are registered in our Districts". This is not entirely true. Several months back I advised the BCSA Executive Director that our program had approximately 60 players in our program who ARE NOT registered in the provincial association. These are the players that FIFA is referring to in its new regulation.

So what does groups such as TSS Academy really want out of this issue? I cannot speak for all the organisations involved in our Academy world here in BC but I can say that we just want to be a destination in the system - a choice. I am not interested in participating in the youth leagues, Provincial Championships, National Championships as they are currently organised.  From our perspective, the system can be comfortable that there is no threat in that regard. What I do want is that if someone walks through those doors at the BCSA offices on Water Street and asks where they can go for player development that organisations such as TSS are on the list of "choices". What I do want is to be able to play local clubs in exhibition games without fear of reprisal on our opponents. What I do want is to be allowed to play in local tournaments, in appropriate competitive categories (ie.- play up when we have a strong squad). What I do want is to stop all the whispering and innuendo surrounding TSS players and how their participation in our programs somehow causes access and eligibility problems back in their club environments.

Ultimately when we limit choices, we strip our soccer system of accountability. Without choice, we are no longer beholden to the quality of our program. This is our greatest fear, the fear of being measured. But TSS would argue that rather than succumb to this fear, we need to harness it in such a way that it drives us to improve the game, to improve players, and to improve our system. Giving players the right to choose is what holds our feet to the fire.

By including soccer schools like TSS into the “system”, you are simply accepting the player’s right to choose. Our TSS programs are not mandatory, there are no district boundaries, no restrictions on playing-up, no punishment for choosing a different program. TSS Academy has been holding its feet to the fire for over 12 years now. We invite the soccer community to do likewise and together we will make our programs better.

Hopefully the above information will help to add some momentum to including Soccer Academies as Associate Members in the BCSA.

Yours in Soccer,

Colin Elmes
TSS Academy