I guess the question is whether it is more important for a couple of young 14 year old girls to be allowed to play for their school team versus saving themselves for the BCSA. What do people think of this decision and encouragement for the two not to play.
http://www.tricitynews.com/
Ruling puts Carney squad short 2 Stars
photo
kari medig the tri-city news
Melissa Mobilio and Jacklyn Sawicki take a moment out of class to pose for a photo on the soccer field at Archbishop Carney regional secondary school on Thursday – while their Carney Stars teammates were in Williams Lake competing in the AA provincial senior girls’ soccer championships.
By Larry Pruner The Tri-City News
Jun 02 2006
Archbishop Carney Stars won their opening game Wednesday 1-0 at the B.C. AA senior girls’ high school soccer championships in Williams Lake.
It was a remarkable feat, given that they were down two from the start.
Marquee midfielders Melissa Mobilio and Jaclyn Sawicki were advised not to play in the prep tournament based on a Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) rule that allows the organization to dictate how much action its youth team players can handle and a BC Soccer Association (BCSA) mandate that instructs its athletes about the prospective dangers of over-training.
In the case of Mobilio and Sawicki, the high school provincials were simply considered too much.
“I respect what the program is doing. It’s a rule and you got to go by the rules if you want to go far in soccer,” said Mobilio, a Grade 11 student who also plays for the three-time defending B.C.-champion Coquitlam City Wild and in the provincial U-17 program.
“At the same time, it sucks,” she said. “I want to be up there [Williams Lake] so bad. Watching them leave on Tuesday knowing I couldn’t go up with them was not a good feeling.”
BCSA head of coaching development David Irvine, who’s also in charge of the B.C. U-14 girls’ program, said Mobilio and Sawicki were never told out-right by BCSA they could not play at the high school provincials; rather, he said the CSA implements restrictions regarding its youth players, including Mobilio, and the BCSA simply informs all its provincial program players in March that competing on multiple teams comes with physical risks.
“This is not about ownership of the players. We can’t control what the players are going to do,” said Irvine, who plans to meet today (Friday) with Archbishop Carney principal Peter Dawe to clarify the BCSA’s stand. “But a lot of them play for a bunch of teams and play six or seven days a week, so we try to educate them on the dangers of over-training.”
Irvine added that the prospect of playing six games over three days at the senior girls’ high school provincials, particularly for Sawicki, could be “a recipe for disaster” physically to a player of her young, small stature – both short and long term.
Mobilio said she knew all along the high school provincials are considered a no-no by the CSA and BCSA but figured they would relent since the B.C. youth program recently ended its season.
“We thought because the program was done that we would be able to but they told us we are still part of the program,” said Mobilio. “I understand their reasoning... they don’t want us to overwork ourselves with too much soccer. But I believe it’s our choice. If we think it’s too much, we won’t do it.”
Sawicki, 13, is a Grade 8 phenom who competes in the B.C. youth U-14 girls’ program. She, too, is adhering to BCSA advisors but admitted it would be tougher to swallow if she were older and closer to graduation.
“I have a lot of years for soccer,” said Sawicki, who believes the Stars will compete well despite missing her and Mobilio. “I’m pretty new to this team and we have lots of subs for my position. They’ll be fine.”
Archbishop Carney athletics director Len DeJulius said the absence of Mobilio and Sawicki is not only a hindrance to the Stars senior girls’ soccer squad but is counter-productive to soccer in B.C.
“This is a very disappointing situation for us,” DeJulius said. “We made written requests [to the BCSA] that the girls be allowed to travel with the team and each one was denied. I believe these [BCSA officials] simply do not understand how important it is to high school students that they are able to compete for their school in the sport they love.
“I fail to see how allowing kids to play soccer for their school hurts their ability to play soccer for their province or country,” DeJulius said.
As a result, he said Archbishop Carney has discontinued its agreement to offer usage of its school field to the BCSA one night per week.
“We have had in the past a good relationship with BC Soccer [but] the lack of respect for our program, coaches and players leaves us no choice but to disassociate ourselves from them at this time,” he said.
http://www.tricitynews.com/
Ruling puts Carney squad short 2 Stars
photo
kari medig the tri-city news
Melissa Mobilio and Jacklyn Sawicki take a moment out of class to pose for a photo on the soccer field at Archbishop Carney regional secondary school on Thursday – while their Carney Stars teammates were in Williams Lake competing in the AA provincial senior girls’ soccer championships.
By Larry Pruner The Tri-City News
Jun 02 2006
Archbishop Carney Stars won their opening game Wednesday 1-0 at the B.C. AA senior girls’ high school soccer championships in Williams Lake.
It was a remarkable feat, given that they were down two from the start.
Marquee midfielders Melissa Mobilio and Jaclyn Sawicki were advised not to play in the prep tournament based on a Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) rule that allows the organization to dictate how much action its youth team players can handle and a BC Soccer Association (BCSA) mandate that instructs its athletes about the prospective dangers of over-training.
In the case of Mobilio and Sawicki, the high school provincials were simply considered too much.
“I respect what the program is doing. It’s a rule and you got to go by the rules if you want to go far in soccer,” said Mobilio, a Grade 11 student who also plays for the three-time defending B.C.-champion Coquitlam City Wild and in the provincial U-17 program.
“At the same time, it sucks,” she said. “I want to be up there [Williams Lake] so bad. Watching them leave on Tuesday knowing I couldn’t go up with them was not a good feeling.”
BCSA head of coaching development David Irvine, who’s also in charge of the B.C. U-14 girls’ program, said Mobilio and Sawicki were never told out-right by BCSA they could not play at the high school provincials; rather, he said the CSA implements restrictions regarding its youth players, including Mobilio, and the BCSA simply informs all its provincial program players in March that competing on multiple teams comes with physical risks.
“This is not about ownership of the players. We can’t control what the players are going to do,” said Irvine, who plans to meet today (Friday) with Archbishop Carney principal Peter Dawe to clarify the BCSA’s stand. “But a lot of them play for a bunch of teams and play six or seven days a week, so we try to educate them on the dangers of over-training.”
Irvine added that the prospect of playing six games over three days at the senior girls’ high school provincials, particularly for Sawicki, could be “a recipe for disaster” physically to a player of her young, small stature – both short and long term.
Mobilio said she knew all along the high school provincials are considered a no-no by the CSA and BCSA but figured they would relent since the B.C. youth program recently ended its season.
“We thought because the program was done that we would be able to but they told us we are still part of the program,” said Mobilio. “I understand their reasoning... they don’t want us to overwork ourselves with too much soccer. But I believe it’s our choice. If we think it’s too much, we won’t do it.”
Sawicki, 13, is a Grade 8 phenom who competes in the B.C. youth U-14 girls’ program. She, too, is adhering to BCSA advisors but admitted it would be tougher to swallow if she were older and closer to graduation.
“I have a lot of years for soccer,” said Sawicki, who believes the Stars will compete well despite missing her and Mobilio. “I’m pretty new to this team and we have lots of subs for my position. They’ll be fine.”
Archbishop Carney athletics director Len DeJulius said the absence of Mobilio and Sawicki is not only a hindrance to the Stars senior girls’ soccer squad but is counter-productive to soccer in B.C.
“This is a very disappointing situation for us,” DeJulius said. “We made written requests [to the BCSA] that the girls be allowed to travel with the team and each one was denied. I believe these [BCSA officials] simply do not understand how important it is to high school students that they are able to compete for their school in the sport they love.
“I fail to see how allowing kids to play soccer for their school hurts their ability to play soccer for their province or country,” DeJulius said.
As a result, he said Archbishop Carney has discontinued its agreement to offer usage of its school field to the BCSA one night per week.
“We have had in the past a good relationship with BC Soccer [but] the lack of respect for our program, coaches and players leaves us no choice but to disassociate ourselves from them at this time,” he said.
