North Texas Soccer Association TOC cancellation, thoughts?

[hollywood]

Anyone part of this tournament this past weekend? I'm going to vent a little.

Many very dissapointed players, coaches, and parents on the notion that the TOC was cancelled this past Saturday afternoon. Most teams only got to play 2 games and some like ours only got 1 game in on Saturday. I know the weather was wet and cool but good grief, this is soccer... an outdoor sport! I know when I was younger playing in tournaments, we played in heat, rain, sleet, and even snow. America is getting way too soft. I coach a really solid U10 Girls team and they were ready to play. We whooped an "East Texas" team and were scheduled to play another and had a good shot at playing in the qtr finals on Sunday and maybe even winning the whole thing.

Most of all, all the money spent by families to travel to the tournament from as far as El Paso and all over North Texas only to send them back home with nothing but a game or 2 played. The kicker... there's no telling how many emails they received the week before knowing that it was going to rain and they said that a team cannot cancel without facing suspension in future tournaments and they were going to proceed with the tournament no matter what. Very misleading!

[slingshot]

That stinks. My youngest son--now a seventh grader @ Wylie--played on a good rec team from 2nd grade until age 11... They were the first Abilene boys team to win the TOC 3 years ago. Weather was terrible, played the final in 25 degree weather with an icey/wet field with as many layers of clothes as we could pile on them--gloves, tobogans, long underwear, etc. Like you say--it's soccer in December. Beat a very good Brownwood team in the final 2-1 BTW...

[Old LB]

Anyone part of this tournament this past weekend? I'm going to vent a little.

Many very dissapointed players, coaches, and parents on the notion that the TOC was cancelled this past Saturday afternoon. Most teams only got to play 2 games and some like ours only got 1 game in on Saturday. I know the weather was wet and cool but good grief, this is soccer... an outdoor sport! I know when I was younger playing in tournaments, we played in heat, rain, sleet, and even snow. America is getting way too soft. I coach a really solid U10 Girls team and they were ready to play. We whooped an "East Texas" team and were scheduled to play another and had a good shot at playing in the qtr finals on Sunday and maybe even winning the whole thing.

Most of all, all the money spent by families to travel to the tournament from as far as El Paso and all over North Texas only to send them back home with nothing but a game or 2 played. The kicker... there's no telling how many emails they received the week before knowing that it was going to rain and they said that a team cannot cancel without facing suspension in future tournaments and they were going to proceed with the tournament no matter what. Very misleading!

The local associations pay entry fees for all their teams that participate and the do not get refunds when the tournament gets cancelled. It is a lot of money too.

We went with several different teams through the years and played in some horrible weather but never had a cancellation, too bad for the kids. Usually when they cancel it is to preserve the fields rather than just the cold or rain.

[Trench Warrior]

That's why I love football. Cold, and wet just makes for a better game.

[hollywood]

The local associations pay entry fees for all their teams that participate and the do not get refunds when the tournament gets cancelled. It is a lot of money too.

We went with several different teams through the years and played in some horrible weather but never had a cancellation, too bad for the kids. Usually when they cancel it is to preserve the fields rather than just the cold or rain.

Yes exactly! I was very conservative when figuring in how many teams (426) players and families involved and computed a whopping approx $120K for team entry fees and over $1.5M in money spent to the local economy (Frisco, Plano, Lewisville like they need it!) for hotels, food, fuel, etc. And that's if no one went Christmas shopping afterwards! It's truly a huge let down! Several have said they will boycott the tournament next year even if they are invited. I just feel they should've at LEAST made an attempt to get through Sat and then only have to deal with only 1/4 of the teams. Or reschedule tournament for Jan-Feb before seasons start and honor the entry fees from 2011.

Fields were playable Saturday afternoon, trust me. I've seen and played on a lot worse. Even if the fields were going to get tore up, they had until the Spring to recover.

Here's what they posted. "After consideration and consultation with the cities and associations providing fields, the complexes were determined to be unplayable for the remainder of the tournament. The NTSSA Cups and Games Committee has considered all issues and options including safety, travel and fairness and has determined that the tournament will not be rescheduled.

We regret that many players, coaches and volunteers have worked hard for this tournament. It is important for all teams to remember that they were all Champions when they started the tournament and will return to their associations as Champions."

[BEAST]

Yes exactly! I was very conservative when figuring in how many teams (426) players and families involved and computed a whopping approx $120K for team entry fees and over $1.5M in money spent to the local economy (Frisco, Plano, Lewisville like they need it!) for hotels, food, fuel, etc. And that's if no one went Christmas shopping afterwards! It's truly a huge let down! Several have said they will boycott the tournament next year even if they are invited. I just feel they should've at LEAST made an attempt to get through Sat and then only have to deal with only 1/4 of the teams. Or reschedule tournament for Jan-Feb before seasons start and honor the entry fees from 2011.

Those are my thoughts exactly. Reschedule the tourney. My U12 boys team had a great shot to win it this year. All the hard work, all throphies won at other tourneys in preperation, all the money raised, etc.. all for nothing.



BEAST

[BEAST]

Hey Hollywood, how many boys teams do yall have in the U12 division over there?




BEAST

[hollywood]

Hey Hollywood, how many boys teams do yall have in the U12 division over there?




BEAST

I think only a couple. I know several play on a Granbury select team.

[RoyceTTU]

I heard about this from a close friend who took her daughter here from Bwd. I believe they are U10 division also. They won 5-1 and 6-0 on saturday. Had the 3rd game cancelled and had to wait until 8 p.m. to find out if they made the next round or if they were even going to play. Way too late to make arrangements. Sounded like it was a complete mess.

[hollywood]

I heard about this from a close friend who took her daughter here from Bwd. I believe they are U10 division also. They won 5-1 and 6-0 on saturday. Had the 3rd game cancelled and had to wait until 8 p.m. to find out if they made the next round or if they were even going to play. Way too late to make arrangements. Sounded like it was a complete mess.

Yeah, it was a disappointment. At least if everyone could have played their 3 scheduled games on Saturday, it would determine how a team faired and if they had a shot at Sunday's playoffs. There were a couple of Brownwood girls teams there and I think the one your friends daughter is on is U12. The U10 barely got their 2nd game in and won 3-0. They won their 1st game 3-1. I talked to the coach and if we would have won our bracket and they would have won theirs... it would have been a Brownwood/Stephenville quarter finals game! :D Oh the drama. ;)

[RoyceTTU]

Yeah, it was a disappointment. At least if everyone could have played their 3 scheduled games on Saturday, it would determine how a team faired and if they had a shot at Sunday's playoffs. There were a couple of Brownwood girls teams there and I think the one your friends daughter is on is U12. The U10 barely got their 2nd game in and won 3-0. They won their 1st game 3-1. I talked to the coach and if we would have won our bracket and they would have won theirs... it would have been a Brownwood/Stephenville quarter finals game! :D Oh the drama. ;)

Maybe I got the score wrong. I think it is the U10 because I remember her saying her daughter would move up next year and this was gonna be there best shot for a couple of years. I was getting text during the last game and I guess the opposing coach decided the stop the game after they were down. I thought it was 6-0 but who knows, I was out in Colorado City doing an inventory. Yes the drama that would of un-folded :-)

Here daughter is still coughing this week so it obviously took a toll on some of the kids, but it is disappointing to go that far with no resolve.

[Matthew328]

Where was the tournament held? Did someone else have juridiction over the fields? I know in 7 on 7 State the fields are owned by A&M so if they say you are done then you are done...no matter what

[BEAST]

Where was the tournament held? Did someone else have juridiction over the fields? I know in 7 on 7 State the fields are owned by A&M so if they say you are done then you are done...no matter what

Yes the towns have the say so. The tourney is huge and held in multiple locations. We were in Plano, others in Lewsville, Mckinney, I cant think of the rest.




BEAST

[RoyceTTU]

seems like U12 girls were in frisco. I think

[hollywood]

Where was the tournament held? Did someone else have juridiction over the fields? I know in 7 on 7 State the fields are owned by A&M so if they say you are done then you are done...no matter what

As Beast stated, there were several fields and cities involved but I don't think it was totally up to the cities... maybe so. But I spoke to one of the committee members right before our 2nd game and he said he had already shut down 3 fields. That makes me believe the TOC committee had some influence on the situation or they would have announced plans to reschedule. We were in Frisco and the fields were wet but playable IMO! There was only 1 game left per team for most and 2 for some to get through pool play. And, these weren't A&M quality fields either. lol

[Matthew328]

Yeah but if those fields are owned by a city or in this case several fields owned by several cities and they say its time to go there's not much that can be done....

[hollywood]

Very true, but misleading by the TOC knowing it would rain all week and then not trying to reschedule. I know things could change but man, that's a lot of people and a huge tournament to just say, sorry, everyone is still a champion. Bullcorn!

[Tin Cup]

if the fields are owned by someone, why aren't all participants told about rainouts, cancellations, etc. There should be rain dates or make up dates available or it should at least clearly state that no refunds were to be given under any circumstances. At least let everyone know before the situation happens what the procedures are. If you run an outdoor event, there should always be weather related solutions to the most likely weather related issues, and they should be posted or given to coaches or something.

[Old LB]

if the fields are owned by someone, why aren't all participants told about rainouts, cancellations, etc. There should be rain dates or make up dates available or it should at least clearly state that no refunds were to be given under any circumstances. At least let everyone know before the situation happens what the procedures are. If you run an outdoor event, there should always be weather related solutions to the most likely weather related issues, and they should be posted or given to coaches or something.

Some of the individual people involved might not be aware of the rules but most folks who do this stuff on a regular basis know how it works. If you go to any soccer tournament, state tournament or regular tournament, and you begin play before the cancellation you very rarely see a refund. They usually will not cancel for bad weather but for field conditions or an effort to preserve fields. It is bad for the folks who had to endure it but it is not out of the ordinary.

[FB-fanatic]

We were playing in Plano with a U19 boys team, most of them football players. Sucked when they cancelled the tourney, too late to pack up and go home. But I was on the Heart of Texas Board of Directors for 8 years in Waco, and major damage to the fields can take a long time to recover.

[hollywood]

I understand trying to protect the fields during the beginning of a season or even in the middle of a season. And when there are several involved, it's even more dynamic of a situation. But, knowing that seasons were over and the fields woudn't be used until March at the earliest, that's 3 months to recover. Europe and other areas of our country deal with these conditions on a regular basis.