Herndon club

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We had a away game at Arrowbrook and the locals at the park were so annoying!

There was a huge group of men playing on the warm up turf right next to the field and they refused to leave when our coach asked so we could warm up.

They continued playing there once our game started and their ball kept coming on to the field. The referee asked them to stop playing. They refused. So the referee just continued our game. During halftime literally 30+ people ran out on to the field and had to be evicted off for the second half.

one of my kids had an SFL rec game there a few years ago and it was very similar. There were just hordes of people "hanging out". It was not enjoyable. That side warm up field is a problem with pickup players.

[Anonymous]

I understand that Herndon leadership should do something about the field. Since they are not has anyone contacted Fairfax county athletic services about what to do when a group has a valid permit and this is happening. Parents probably need to just start surrounding the playing area and helping keep them off the fields. Just because a team takes a water break does not mean they aren't using it. It's been a couple of years since we had to play there and it sounds like it has become much worse. We've been at Hutchinson where cops showed up for seemingly nothing, might be time to get them involved as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our team has not had even one scrimmage or friendly all season. The first time the coach saw kids play soccer was Sat at the tournament.

Same on the Sat games. New coach, new team, no scrimmages set up by club (why did some teams get this but not others?), practice space too small to play actual soccer at soccer practice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We had a away game at Arrowbrook and the locals at the park were so annoying!

There was a huge group of men playing on the warm up turf right next to the field and they refused to leave when our coach asked so we could warm up.

They continued playing there once our game started and their ball kept coming on to the field. The referee asked them to stop playing. They refused. So the referee just continued our game. During halftime literally 30+ people ran out on to the field and had to be evicted off for the second half.

Yep, same thing for us last year at an ncsl game. The park was nice, but the huge throngs of locals loitering around made it feel very seedy. And the littering! We also had a large number of adult men playing on the warmup field, and they would not leave so our team could warm up or even once the game started. There were a lot of teens and adult men just hanging around next to the field. By a lot I mean easily 100+ random people. The referee had to ask people to get off the field *during the game* several times.

Our coach said he would refuse to play there again.

[Anonymous]

So this season is the way it always is? I can't believe anyone returns the next year. The whole club is a disaster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So this season is the way it always is? I can't believe anyone returns the next year. The whole club is a disaster.

We are new but I find it hard to believe there have always been these issues. We had only ever heard good things. My kids are younger, so maybe the people we know had not yet experienced some of the problems with the fields. Sounds like the teen boys' teams have it the worst. I can't understand why leadership isn't doing more to address families' concerns. Doesn't seem like a good long term plan to drive people away. My kids like their coaches and teammates, but the direction of the club is concerning. The Herndon area becoming increasingly rough has certainly not helped the club.

My bigger concern is the seeming lack of a program on the younger girls' side. I don't see how Herndon gets to stay in ECNL RL without girls teams coming up the pipeline. Herndon already has a reputation of not being a great club for girls. Such a shame for a club that has been around a long time.

[Anonymous]

How can they add teams and grow a girls program when they don't have enough field space for the existing teams.

Scheduling a u-9 ten player team and a u19 20 player team to practice on the same size field space is absurd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why can’t Herndon make signs for their fields? Or have admin out there policing? Is it considered trespassing if someone won’t get off the field? Sounds like parents need to stick around and get vocal to kick these people off.

Since Herndon has a permit to be on the field it is considered trespassing but calling the police to come out and handle that is outrageous but calling people out might put you in a position where the police does need to come out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can’t Herndon make signs for their fields? Or have admin out there policing? Is it considered trespassing if someone won’t get off the field? Sounds like parents need to stick around and get vocal to kick these people off.

Since Herndon has a permit to be on the field it is considered trespassing but calling the police to come out and handle that is outrageous but calling people out might put you in a position where the police does need to come out.

I think the County permit office needs to send people out when there are problems like this. The orgs pay Fairfax a lot of money for exclusive use of the fields, but Fairfax isn't providing them with exclusive use. It invites conflict to expect the coaches, players and parents to chase random people off the field. The county needs to put up signs, impose fines, or something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can’t Herndon make signs for their fields? Or have admin out there policing? Is it considered trespassing if someone won’t get off the field? Sounds like parents need to stick around and get vocal to kick these people off.

Since Herndon has a permit to be on the field it is considered trespassing but calling the police to come out and handle that is outrageous but calling people out might put you in a position where the police does need to come out.

How is it outrageous? Is trespassing not illegal? What do you suggest be done when there are a ton of people trespassing and not complying with repeated request? Should we bring a social worker out? Some people don’t think they need to follow rules until there’s an actual consequence. Sounds like you think trespassers should just get to do whatever they want.

[Anonymous]

I think a week of enforcement with citations and fines for trespassing would solve this problem 80% at least.

[Anonymous]

The very least Herndon could do would be to put some large signs out on the sidewalks around the field telling people the fields are rented from 5:00 -8:00 (or whatever) and going on to the field during those times is trespassing.

[Anonymous]

If it is a persistent issue unfortunately you probably have to call the cops. Nobody wants to do that but if the practice is being disrupted constantly that seems like your best option.

Also the police may have some officers who are friendly/knowledgeable of the groups and could help explain things.

[Anonymous]

Not sure what the cops can really do when its just a constant churn of people as described. They are getting off the field when the coach asks, then more people come, or they are sneaking back on to parts of the field that they think no one is using, etc. Herndon admin needs a person stationed at these problem fields for at least a few weeks to "train" the local hordes to stay off the fields.

[Anonymous]

Maybe Herndon can hire security guards with the money we are paying for game cameras that we don’t have. 🤔Another failed promise