MYSA Sanctions NSC Tournaments for 2010

Edited 9:30 am -1-25-09

IMS has learned that the Minnesota Youth Soccer Association has sanctioned all of the requested tournaments from the National Sports Center’s for 2010. The NSC Spring Cup will not be sanctioned by MYSA according to Steve Olson, CEO for the NSC. He told IMS that the NSC did not request sanctioning for that event since it falls on the date of the MYSA mandatory spring coaches meeting and they had already declared that day a “no play” day.  Olson said, “We wanted to honor that mandate and not request sanctioning.”

The sanctioning by MYSA for the Schwan’s USS Cup as well as all other tournaments is a huge step forward in regards to the stressed relationship the two parties have had over the past year.

As IMS had previously reported, MYSA didn’t sanction the NSC in 2009 for their internationally recognized Schwan’s USA Cup because of conflicts in dates which interfered with the MYSA district playoffs that precede the state tournament. NSC repeatedly tried to contact MYSA to work out a resolution in which MYSA never responded. Finally, after weeks of emails and phone calls, NSC went to US Club Soccer to sanction not only the USA Cup but all of their tournaments scheduled for 2009.

This was followed by a letter that went out to youth clubs from MYSA and its sister organizations in North Dakota  and Wisconsin. The letter claimed that teams would not be covered by insurance if they played in the NSC’s tournaments that were sanctioned by US Club Soccer and that they could not use their MYSA/US Youth Soccer member pass.

In August, US Club Soccer filed a grievance against the United States Youth Soccer and its affiliate clubs, Minnesota Youth Soccer Association (MYSA), Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association (WYSA), North Dakota Youth Soccer Association (NDSA) for the statements distributed to these youth clubs regarding insurance and players’ passes. The hearing was held on December 17th and word of the decision could come as early as this coming week.

Representatives of MYSA, including president Bob Poretti, were in attendance at the informational meeting that the NSC conducted last Thursday evening in regard to the new pro soccer team the organization is assembling. The representation by MYSA at the meeting, along with the sanctioning of the Schwan’s USA Cup and all NSC tournaments, is a very encouraging sign. One that can only help the state to see its full potential in the development of soccer at all levels.

IMS will bring you more details on this positive story as they become available.