Coach Asking for Our U13 Cell Numbers to Communicate Directly

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's a MLS next club in Charlotte that was doing this. Things got a little too sketchy in some of those group chats. Someone reported and got some coaches sent back to Spain but their DS was cut for "performance reasons."

The current leadership still thinks they should be able to contact players directly and turns a blind eye when it happens - saying that this is normal in Europe.

Safe sport reports have gone no where because families are scared of blow back if they report.

It's amazing what we as parents consider putting up with, I remember watching the documentary Athlete A and truly feeling for the parents who let US Gymnastics bully them and their regret when they found out what that meant for their daughter. I got it, the mental conversation, "they work so hard and so much of their identity even at 13 is tied to the sport, everyone else is ok with this set up, I'm sure I'm just being paranoid"

An adult coach privately communicating with an 11 year is not ok. And a sketch Club owner or fear of losing playing time doesn't make it better. I doubt you're the only parent that feels this way. You have to decide if making sure your child isn't in this situation is enough. Or if you should be making plans for an exit next year or earlier.
We've all become so jaded with Clubs and coaches we forget that there are some things that are just wrong and we shouldn't support.