carlos fernandez (Google User)
4 months ago
**Opinion Regarding TOCA's Recreational League for 2014 Players**
After three months in TOCA's so-called recreational league for 2014 players, I must say this has been the most challenging and unfair season my team has ever experienced. The root of the problem lies in poor management by the facility’s manager, Karen. We raised red flags from the start of the season, but she always provided excuses. If it wasn’t about having new staff, it was about not having an assistant, and when she finally hired one, the assistant couldn’t start until January—an illogical delay.
The most significant issue, however, was the lack of security and adherence to the protocols TOCA claims to uphold. From the beginning, it became clear that some clubs in the recreational league were rotating their teams and players, even allowing older players to compete. This often created a dangerous imbalance of physicality during matches, resulting in injuries to our players. TOCA does not have a reliable system to verify the identity of players. They rely on the goodwill of parents and coaches to check in at the front desk, but they don’t ensure that the players on the field or bench match the roster. While this task is listed as part of the referees’ responsibilities, TOCA referees consistently failed to enforce this rule.
When we raised these concerns, Karen requested evidence. In one game, we noticed another team with about 20 players, many of whom looked older. We reported this to the on-site manager, who printed the team’s roster and verified the players after the game. As suspected, not all the players were on the roster, and some had played illegally. Other parents from different teams confirmed this had been happening consistently, with the same team bringing up to 24 players when their roster listed only 14. The on-site manager declared that this game would be forfeited due to cheating.
After this incident, Karen remained silent for a week. When I followed up, she claimed it was "under investigation." The investigation concluded, but the team in question faced no penalties, continued playing, and retained all their points. For two months, Karen sent me over 10 emails and made several phone calls pleading with me not to post reviews or comments about these issues. Now, she refuses to provide an update on the investigation via email and insists I come to the facility for a verbal explanation. This behavior makes me believe she doesn’t want to leave a written record that could expose her mismanagement. I expect she would provide a verbal excuse, blame a "system error," and brush the matter aside.
While TOCA's recent renovations have improved the facility aesthetically, the same cannot be said for its administration. The problems that existed when this facility operated as Blue Sky still persist. My parents and I leave this experience feeling deeply disappointed and disillusioned with the lack of fairness and accountability for our players’ development.
Please do not contact me unless it is to provide a clear explanation of why a team caught cheating by your own staff faced no consequences.