DC Soccer Club

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here is the letter from Tom Walsh:

“Dear DCSC Travel Families,

It comes with great anger and sadness that my relationship with my childhood club has gone down a horrific path. While only one side of the story has been made public so far, there is more to the entire picture at play here. In May through Mid-June of 2024, I was a victim of sexual harassment, and the club's inability to course correct the situation has led us to this very point. Attached is the written complaint made to the DC Office of Human Rights as well as one example of inappropriate messages/behaviors from my boss Michelle Alioto.

I am disgusted with the people who hide behind the Chat GPT DCSC Badge and their incapacity to stand up for what is ethically, morally and legally right. Sexual harassment, retaliation, and lack of transparency are disgusting tools used by disgusting people. I am proud to say that I will never be a part of this organization of people again; however, I hope this organization changes course immediately in order to foster a loving, welcoming, and communal environment for KIDS and adults, who happen to love the game of soccer because I too love soccer.

I am a 4th Generation Washingtonian, born in Brookland, proud creator of a soccer club, and I stand by everything in the below statement in regards to my experience with DC Soccer Club in regards to the sexual harassment claim.

Best, Tom Walsh”

Right, and as someone who has kids in rec and nothing to do with this guy, why am I getting copied on his sexual harassment claim e-mail including the details of his compliant and the screenshots of text messages?

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Here is the letter from Tom Walsh:

“Dear DCSC Travel Families,

It comes with great anger and sadness that my relationship with my childhood club has gone down a horrific path. While only one side of the story has been made public so far, there is more to the entire picture at play here. In May through Mid-June of 2024, I was a victim of sexual harassment, and the club's inability to course correct the situation has led us to this very point. Attached is the written complaint made to the DC Office of Human Rights as well as one example of inappropriate messages/behaviors from my boss Michelle Alioto.

I am disgusted with the people who hide behind the Chat GPT DCSC Badge and their incapacity to stand up for what is ethically, morally and legally right. Sexual harassment, retaliation, and lack of transparency are disgusting tools used by disgusting people. I am proud to say that I will never be a part of this organization of people again; however, I hope this organization changes course immediately in order to foster a loving, welcoming, and communal environment for KIDS and adults, who happen to love the game of soccer because I too love soccer.

I am a 4th Generation Washingtonian, born in Brookland, proud creator of a soccer club, and I stand by everything in the below statement in regards to my experience with DC Soccer Club in regards to the sexual harassment claim.

Best, Tom Walsh”[/quote]

Right, and as someone who has kids in rec and nothing to do with this guy, why am I getting copied on his sexual harassment claim e-mail including the details of his compliant and the screenshots of text messages? [/quote]

Please post the screenshots/text messages if you can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is the letter from Tom Walsh:

“Dear DCSC Travel Families,

It comes with great anger and sadness that my relationship with my childhood club has gone down a horrific path. While only one side of the story has been made public so far, there is more to the entire picture at play here. In May through Mid-June of 2024, I was a victim of sexual harassment, and the club's inability to course correct the situation has led us to this very point. Attached is the written complaint made to the DC Office of Human Rights as well as one example of inappropriate messages/behaviors from my boss Michelle Alioto.

I am disgusted with the people who hide behind the Chat GPT DCSC Badge and their incapacity to stand up for what is ethically, morally and legally right. Sexual harassment, retaliation, and lack of transparency are disgusting tools used by disgusting people. I am proud to say that I will never be a part of this organization of people again; however, I hope this organization changes course immediately in order to foster a loving, welcoming, and communal environment for KIDS and adults, who happen to love the game of soccer because I too love soccer.

I am a 4th Generation Washingtonian, born in Brookland, proud creator of a soccer club, and I stand by everything in the below statement in regards to my experience with DC Soccer Club in regards to the sexual harassment claim.

Best, Tom Walsh”

Right, and as someone who has kids in rec and nothing to do with this guy, why am I getting copied on his sexual harassment claim e-mail including the details of his compliant and the screenshots of text messages?

Because he’s an idiot. His attorney should be negotiating a settlement between the parties. I can only imagine the headache this public spectacle has caused for his case.

Obviously we’re all getting spammed with this drama. I feel like I’m back in high school.

[Anonymous]

The allegations are directed toward the CXO, and the ED who are involved in all aspects of the club, including the Recreation program. That’s likely why the communication was shared with all families, not just those connected to the individual making the claim.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe I'm just jaded because I'm a lawyer who won't be affected either way but, based on Tom's version, I would characterize DCSC's response as "fine" based on the circumstances even if it could have been improved in certain ways. But even in the perfect version of the response, I don't see why I would have had hear about it.

Thank you for the considered post. Summarizes my thoughts well.

Same here. I'm not a lawyer and want TW to prevail because I distrust all things DCSC leadership and think BFC was good for soccer in DC. But I think this is the right answer.

DCSC's handling of the CXO's (real) sexual harassment was base-level acceptable, the bare minimum. Smart? No, but just enough so they could later claim they did something.

However how this has been entwined with TW's departure and the family contact info and databases is where things get messy and unclear. The real sexual harassment, and how it was swept under the rug, doesn't add up to this messy business breakup.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is the letter from Tom Walsh:

“Dear DCSC Travel Families,

It comes with great anger and sadness that my relationship with my childhood club has gone down a horrific path. While only one side of the story has been made public so far, there is more to the entire picture at play here. In May through Mid-June of 2024, I was a victim of sexual harassment, and the club's inability to course correct the situation has led us to this very point. Attached is the written complaint made to the DC Office of Human Rights as well as one example of inappropriate messages/behaviors from my boss Michelle Alioto.

I am disgusted with the people who hide behind the Chat GPT DCSC Badge and their incapacity to stand up for what is ethically, morally and legally right. Sexual harassment, retaliation, and lack of transparency are disgusting tools used by disgusting people. I am proud to say that I will never be a part of this organization of people again; however, I hope this organization changes course immediately in order to foster a loving, welcoming, and communal environment for KIDS and adults, who happen to love the game of soccer because I too love soccer.

I am a 4th Generation Washingtonian, born in Brookland, proud creator of a soccer club, and I stand by everything in the below statement in regards to my experience with DC Soccer Club in regards to the sexual harassment claim.

Best, Tom Walsh”

Right, and as someone who has kids in rec and nothing to do with this guy, why am I getting copied on his sexual harassment claim e-mail including the details of his compliant and the screenshots of text messages?

Because he’s an idiot. His attorney should be negotiating a settlement between the parties. I can only imagine the headache this public spectacle has caused for his case.

Obviously we’re all getting spammed with this drama. I feel like I’m back in high school.

Understood! But if Michelle A. did nothing wrong, why should there be a settlement at all?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
FWIW, my kid was on a regular DCSC team, not a Brookland team, and they were also practicing on Fort Stevens in the dark/dust, for basically the whole year. I don't think this was specifically a failure to live up to whatever promises were made to Brookland families.

Yep, field allocation was honestly a sh*tshow for all this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The allegations are directed toward the CXO, and the ED who are involved in all aspects of the club, including the Recreation program. That’s likely why the communication was shared with all families, not just those connected to the individual making the claim.

It's interesting that you believe TW shared this with all families out of a concern for them. He shared it (presumably against his attorney's instructions because no attorney would sanction this kind of thing) to burn down the house on his way out. It's so transparent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe I'm just jaded because I'm a lawyer who won't be affected either way but, based on Tom's version, I would characterize DCSC's response as "fine" based on the circumstances even if it could have been improved in certain ways. But even in the perfect version of the response, I don't see why I would have had hear about it.

Thank you for the considered post. Summarizes my thoughts well.

Same here. I'm not a lawyer and want TW to prevail because I distrust all things DCSC leadership and think BFC was good for soccer in DC. But I think this is the right answer.

DCSC's handling of the CXO's (real) sexual harassment was base-level acceptable, the bare minimum. Smart? No, but just enough so they could later claim they did something.

However how this has been entwined with TW's departure and the family contact info and databases is where things get messy and unclear. The real sexual harassment, and how it was swept under the rug, doesn't add up to this messy business breakup.

Ding ding ding! Now you're catching on. It seems pretty clear that the real dispute between Tom and DSCS has nothing to do with the alleged sexual harassment last year--which, by Tom's own account, was addressed by the club so I'm not sure it's accurate to say it was swept under the rug.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is the letter from Tom Walsh:

“Dear DCSC Travel Families,

It comes with great anger and sadness that my relationship with my childhood club has gone down a horrific path. While only one side of the story has been made public so far, there is more to the entire picture at play here. In May through Mid-June of 2024, I was a victim of sexual harassment, and the club's inability to course correct the situation has led us to this very point. Attached is the written complaint made to the DC Office of Human Rights as well as one example of inappropriate messages/behaviors from my boss Michelle Alioto.

I am disgusted with the people who hide behind the Chat GPT DCSC Badge and their incapacity to stand up for what is ethically, morally and legally right. Sexual harassment, retaliation, and lack of transparency are disgusting tools used by disgusting people. I am proud to say that I will never be a part of this organization of people again; however, I hope this organization changes course immediately in order to foster a loving, welcoming, and communal environment for KIDS and adults, who happen to love the game of soccer because I too love soccer.

I am a 4th Generation Washingtonian, born in Brookland, proud creator of a soccer club, and I stand by everything in the below statement in regards to my experience with DC Soccer Club in regards to the sexual harassment claim.

Best, Tom Walsh”

Right, and as someone who has kids in rec and nothing to do with this guy, why am I getting copied on his sexual harassment claim e-mail including the details of his compliant and the screenshots of text messages?

Because he’s an idiot. His attorney should be negotiating a settlement between the parties. I can only imagine the headache this public spectacle has caused for his case.

Obviously we’re all getting spammed with this drama. I feel like I’m back in high school.

Understood! But if Michelle A. did nothing wrong, why should there be a settlement at all?

Cost to defend, risk of tw getting nothing. Meet somewhere in middle.

This is the way the world works buddy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The allegations are directed toward the CXO, and the ED who are involved in all aspects of the club, including the Recreation program. That’s likely why the communication was shared with all families, not just those connected to the individual making the claim.

They aren't going to everyone. I got the ad for the Brookland tryouts, but not these emails

-Another rec parent

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The allegations are directed toward the CXO, and the ED who are involved in all aspects of the club, including the Recreation program. That’s likely why the communication was shared with all families, not just those connected to the individual making the claim.

They aren't going to everyone. I got the ad for the Brookland tryouts, but not these emails

-Another rec parent

Really? I’m a rec-only parent and got both. I wonder what lists they are using.

[Anonymous]

As a travel parent, I didn't get the Brookland ad but I got the latest email.

[Anonymous]

Let’s be honest—DCSC is the one keeping these kids from playing. They keep dragging out these TROs (now August 19!!!), and at this point, it’s looking like the kids won’t even be able to prep for a fall season -- if they are even able to have one. That’s not just frustrating—it’s wrong.

These families didn’t leave DCSC on a whim. They walked away because the club didn’t live up to its promises. Now they just want what any parent wants: their kids to play with a club that’s closer to home and actually meeting their children’s needs, with coaches they love and respect. None of these families want a cross‑town commute for practice, especially after decisions that let them down in the first place.

Instead of letting the kids move forward, DCSC is holding things up with legal maneuvering. It’s no longer about soccer—it’s about control. And the kids are collateral damage.

It’s disgusting. And it shows exactly what DCSC prioritizes—not community, not development, certainly not character, but power. Youth sports should never look like this.

Let the kids play. Enough is enough.

[Anonymous]

Can someone give a TLDR? I swear I’ve read this thread from page 1 and I’m still lost. Now there’s a TRO? Against the new club?