What a story I have for you...
As you know I was so very Pro PCSL as we played in league last year for the first time.
I was so impressed by the way the AGM meeting was run (suits and ties, photographers takeing pics,awards handed out, the booklets made for the AGMs minutes,the sponsors grab bags, and yes the wicked spread of food and drink set up for before and after.
The Older Gentlemen at the table all talked so soft and were so well spoken and professional I felt like I was in Soccer heaven. It seemed so well organized...And so,again I use the word Professional.
The PCSL was never ment for my Premier team but was ment for anyone in my club who wanted to play at the highest level in the Summer to stay ready and prepair for the Winter Season. Some games players from the Premier team would play and some games players from my div 2 team would play and all games had new players trying out for our Winter Club. It was a mix bag of fun in the Summer and ACBC loves our road trips.
I am from Kelowna So playing in the Valley is the cherry on the float for me as I get to see friends and My Parents and we get to play in the Apple Bowl..My Stadium as a child. The Field I always drempt of playing on.(Kelownas Swanguard)
Right after we paid our $2,000.00 Entry fee and our $1,000.00 security deposit (all non refundable) we were asked to pay another $2,000.00 yearly league fee. WOW but hey to be apart of the most well run ,professional league..one who states on thier website and I quoteMenDivision OneMajor League Soccer (MLS)Division TwoUnited Soccer Leagues (USL) Division OneDivision ThreePacific Coast Soccer League
At the time we paid our Fees to join there were
Seattle
Bellingham
Victoria
Kelowna
Kamloops
FV Action
Khalsa
SUFF
PAU
UBC
WhiteCaps
all at the meeting and gungho.
We were stoked to join these clubs for the summer.
Well...Not even 1 month after we paid our fees, Seattle, Bellingham and PAU dropped out.
What ever the excuse...it sucked.
I also found out that the Womens and Reserve divisions paid less yearly fees?
I asked why...Why do we pay more.."A" forms perhaps??No because the reserve division plays on A forms too?? I was never given a reason for why the Premier mens division pays more than the other divisions...I asked what we get for paying more..more or different from the other divisions?? Again ..NOTHING we just pay more...
I hated the fact that I paid my Fees under the impression there were way more teams than what actually registered. Executive Dave Collard told me not to worry as these teams all were just takeing one year off and would return for the next year...He said he had letters and their word it was just a 1 year regrouping stage so dont worry ACBC.
They never came back...
Seattle joined the PDL
Then we got our registration forms and player ID cards..
Have you ever seen the PCSL ID Cards..LOL what a joke..No photo ...Just Name and Bday and Regi number...Laminated to a Bussiness Card..Cheap for sure... and how was this to work??? Playing On the Island and In the Okanagan...Who are these guys ..how are we to know if they are who the Card says???We have never met these guys before...They could be anyone. Infact over half our games the Officials from all over never even check the cards because in thier words..How do we know whos who without a photo.
Player game permits..another funny thing..first off you are only allowed to card 25 players (with no picture) so really you never need a players permit..just say your the guy whos not there whos registered..But say you follow the rules as we did...You are allowed an UNLIMMITED amount of 1 game permit players...thats right your whole team can be on permit??? LOL and the permit(please check it out) asks for name and Bdays only???? so who needs to cheet...you can play ANYONE at ANYTIME...LOL
ANYONE...
WOW $5000 I paid for this...And its run so far the same way JB runs the Knights league.
Actually JBs Officials know most of the guys so you wont get away with as much as you can in the PCSL. Plus JB still comes to as many games as he can and Officiates a few too..The League Prez In the PCSL never shows up unless its to collect money...ya ya the cup finals too....
The compatition of the league was around a higher div 1 and lower Premier level.
Mostly Younger players ...with UBC obviously being the Better and the exception of the rule.
Khalsa too But remember all Khalsas players play Premier somewhere in the VMSL and are a whos who of talent..Parm does play other guys vs weaker teams and even dresses himself when short...Khalsa can and is the best team come playoffs.
YA I said it..No Promotion or religation between the Divisions...and Playoffs...I dont like that...Its not Soccer.
Kelowna always is good but funny thing..Kelowna is actually SFU and is better in Vancouver on the road than at home..LOL wonder why?..Still a good squad.
The rest of the teams that year were 18 year olds.
wait FVA (TWU)They were...well we tied them with our div 2 guys twice..so they were not that good.
The League its self was again a lower Premier Higher div 1 caliber league on average.
UBC is better in the fall and Khalsa should and did win.
Our last game of last year SSUF forfited and we got no money back for playing 15 games instead of 16...
All and all it was fun and the best Summer soccer.
Year 2 at the AGM when paying my $2000 regi fee I asked if the American teams and PAU were comming back..No i was told but Victoria Highlanders were comming in with Chilliwack and 1 to be named later team..Wow Again I was impressed and the meeting was very professional and the food was good and It was my last time to say hi to Kelownas Legend and founder of the OK Challange Eric Tasker who died a very short time after from Cancer RIP.
That being said...The whole makeup of the PCSL Executive is that of some pretty old members. No disrespect but its no wonder they dont get out to allot of games..and why the President of the PCSL Dave Collard doesnt even have an email address..You must use his wifes when emailing....Dinasours come to mind....especially when they always talk about what they did in the 50s and 60s.
Again no disrespect but I was starting to see why things on the PCSL are so behind the times when it comes to rules/registration and policies.
I then heard that SUFF,FVAction and the WhiteCaps were pulling out....I said to Now President Dave Collard right at that moment...Dave ACBC is not interested in playing in a league with 6 teams...He assured me there would be 10 and not to worry.
Well 7 total teams were in and Chilliwack and whoever to be named later were out...
I had already paid and it was to late to get my money back and to late to join the WhiteCaps in the KSL...We were NOT happy....
Moveing on
The Schedule comes out for this Summer......
We play some teams 3 times and some teams 2 times. ????????? how is that fair.
Why dont we play 12 games and get some money back I asked..NO, i was told ,we HAVE to play at least 16 games...Well that is really not fair to some of the teams who have to play more games vs the tougher teams while some teams play more games vs the weaker teams...Strike 4....Plus some games you play back to back days while the second game team you play had the day before off ??Strike 5?? WOW so unfair...
At further look to the Un even Schedule I noticed we play games the weekend of the Nations Cup...Well i help with Germany and So many players of ours play somewhere that I thought I should move the game..It is 4 months before the July 17th date and plenty of time..So I send a letter to the league and the reply I get back is..If you want to change a game please contact the other team and handle it yourselves....
What ..I just gave you 2k and your makeing me do all the work???WOW again.
Ok so Victoria says..NO..We will not move our game as we can only get the RAP that day and time...So I say why not another field..They reply they have season ticket holders that would be put out so even 4 months in advance we could not move this game...PS ..we had to play there earlyer in the season too and WHAT SEASON TICKET HOLDERS!!!!
There was maybe 10 people there and 5 were my friends....coughbullcouchshtitixholders.
Anyways due to the crazy weak registration of the PCSL we came up with a plan that my friends div 3 BC United team with 4 or 5 buddys from the island would take our place useing the PCSLs Awsome anyone at anytime registered or not, 1 day Game Permit system.
Handled...
SO were gearing up for the next weekends trip to the Okanagan...My personal Favorite time to play...40 degrees ,My Folks, Hotsands Beach ...Home.
When a player on my team calls and says hey coach...How we going to watch the World Cup? ..I laugh and say in a pub i guess....He says Um No its Scheduled for the same time were supposed to be on the field in Kloops.
I say there is no way the PCSL the best and most expensive league with Mike Moshier (sp) from UBC as the Schedular would book a game the same time as the World Cup Final...No Way ...Thats like a jr hockey game booked dureing the gold medal game time...Never would it happen.
I check and sure enough...Check it out...Un believable...So I call Frank in Kloops and say....AaaaahhhHHhHh! he replys Ya what to do..He says he doesnt know how many he will have either but it is a home game and guys live near the park so he figuars he will bearly but make due...
I am screwed....Who wants to drive to Kloops and miss the World Cup Final...Um,,,,,NO ONE!!!!
I see the problem..the time changes and what not..but for 2k you would think the league would have been smart enough to be aware of this problem.
So I contact the league and say...Due to this freak 1 time World Cup once every 4 years most important day of any footballer in the world..Infact 3 Billion of us watching or more...we need to move or forfit this game.....
Dave Collard says ...According to league rules its to late to move and a forfit will cost you $500 and the expences of the other team.
So you agree to pay those expences and the $500 and you will be kept in good standing.
I look at him and say...I agree some expences should be paid but ...Before I agree to that I need to know what they are.....I mean it could be all all refunds for all the season ticket holders aswell as fields/advertizments ect ect.
Im not agreeing to that untill I see what it is.
As for the $500 ...I refuse to pay that as the league (for $2000) should have been aware of the World Cup and booked around it and if they didnt(because of a simple mistake) then they should be at least open to the Idea of bending the rules for The World Cup Game...
Let us move the game...change it or even forfit with some of the reasonable expenses being paid by us as we do want to admit we too didnt notice this problem till 7 days before.
We all made a mistake and didnt notice the game times issue...So why is it only me ACBC that has to pay....????
Isnt this a reasonable time for the President Dave Collard to bend his leagues rules and understand how important watching the World Cup final is.
Daves responce was... "the PCSL game is more important than the watching of the World Cup" and from the treasurer of the PCSL, this is what was said to me.."Some things are more important than the World Cup and the example was the Whitcaps men and Women have to do an Island Meet and Greet in Victoria dureing that time and they are not complaining".
Your Kidding me right????
Actually it does sound like another Whitecaps blunder...
Still ya the players will have thousands of autographs to sign your right they wont be upset they are missing the game.....$10 bucks its canceled before hand.
Anyways...Im not willing to agree to pay for anything till I see what it is I am paying for..Duh !
And so we have been Suspended from the league till we do...
Funniest thing guys.....its 5 days before the game...Shouldnt we be suspended after the game?????We still could show up..Not that we would..But shouldnt they announce our Suspention after the fact...Not now while we were discussing the matter of... not because we have a forfeit...because in all actuality we have not forfeited yet.
Whatever the case we are now suspended for wanting to watch the World Cup Final more than driveing to Kamloops and playing a regular season game...and not agreeing to pay for the mystery costs incured and the $500 forfeit fee.
Would you play a regular PCSL league game in Kamloops or watch the World Cup Final Game?
Easy decision for me...
Go Holland!
As you know I was so very Pro PCSL as we played in league last year for the first time.
I was so impressed by the way the AGM meeting was run (suits and ties, photographers takeing pics,awards handed out, the booklets made for the AGMs minutes,the sponsors grab bags, and yes the wicked spread of food and drink set up for before and after.
The Older Gentlemen at the table all talked so soft and were so well spoken and professional I felt like I was in Soccer heaven. It seemed so well organized...And so,again I use the word Professional.
The PCSL was never ment for my Premier team but was ment for anyone in my club who wanted to play at the highest level in the Summer to stay ready and prepair for the Winter Season. Some games players from the Premier team would play and some games players from my div 2 team would play and all games had new players trying out for our Winter Club. It was a mix bag of fun in the Summer and ACBC loves our road trips.
I am from Kelowna So playing in the Valley is the cherry on the float for me as I get to see friends and My Parents and we get to play in the Apple Bowl..My Stadium as a child. The Field I always drempt of playing on.(Kelownas Swanguard)
Right after we paid our $2,000.00 Entry fee and our $1,000.00 security deposit (all non refundable) we were asked to pay another $2,000.00 yearly league fee. WOW but hey to be apart of the most well run ,professional league..one who states on thier website and I quoteMenDivision OneMajor League Soccer (MLS)Division TwoUnited Soccer Leagues (USL) Division OneDivision ThreePacific Coast Soccer League
At the time we paid our Fees to join there were
Seattle
Bellingham
Victoria
Kelowna
Kamloops
FV Action
Khalsa
SUFF
PAU
UBC
WhiteCaps
all at the meeting and gungho.
We were stoked to join these clubs for the summer.
Well...Not even 1 month after we paid our fees, Seattle, Bellingham and PAU dropped out.
What ever the excuse...it sucked.
I also found out that the Womens and Reserve divisions paid less yearly fees?
I asked why...Why do we pay more.."A" forms perhaps??No because the reserve division plays on A forms too?? I was never given a reason for why the Premier mens division pays more than the other divisions...I asked what we get for paying more..more or different from the other divisions?? Again ..NOTHING we just pay more...
I hated the fact that I paid my Fees under the impression there were way more teams than what actually registered. Executive Dave Collard told me not to worry as these teams all were just takeing one year off and would return for the next year...He said he had letters and their word it was just a 1 year regrouping stage so dont worry ACBC.
They never came back...
Seattle joined the PDL
Then we got our registration forms and player ID cards..
Have you ever seen the PCSL ID Cards..LOL what a joke..No photo ...Just Name and Bday and Regi number...Laminated to a Bussiness Card..Cheap for sure... and how was this to work??? Playing On the Island and In the Okanagan...Who are these guys ..how are we to know if they are who the Card says???We have never met these guys before...They could be anyone. Infact over half our games the Officials from all over never even check the cards because in thier words..How do we know whos who without a photo.
Player game permits..another funny thing..first off you are only allowed to card 25 players (with no picture) so really you never need a players permit..just say your the guy whos not there whos registered..But say you follow the rules as we did...You are allowed an UNLIMMITED amount of 1 game permit players...thats right your whole team can be on permit??? LOL and the permit(please check it out) asks for name and Bdays only???? so who needs to cheet...you can play ANYONE at ANYTIME...LOL
ANYONE...
WOW $5000 I paid for this...And its run so far the same way JB runs the Knights league.
Actually JBs Officials know most of the guys so you wont get away with as much as you can in the PCSL. Plus JB still comes to as many games as he can and Officiates a few too..The League Prez In the PCSL never shows up unless its to collect money...ya ya the cup finals too....
The compatition of the league was around a higher div 1 and lower Premier level.
Mostly Younger players ...with UBC obviously being the Better and the exception of the rule.
Khalsa too But remember all Khalsas players play Premier somewhere in the VMSL and are a whos who of talent..Parm does play other guys vs weaker teams and even dresses himself when short...Khalsa can and is the best team come playoffs.
YA I said it..No Promotion or religation between the Divisions...and Playoffs...I dont like that...Its not Soccer.
Kelowna always is good but funny thing..Kelowna is actually SFU and is better in Vancouver on the road than at home..LOL wonder why?..Still a good squad.
The rest of the teams that year were 18 year olds.
wait FVA (TWU)They were...well we tied them with our div 2 guys twice..so they were not that good.
The League its self was again a lower Premier Higher div 1 caliber league on average.
UBC is better in the fall and Khalsa should and did win.
Our last game of last year SSUF forfited and we got no money back for playing 15 games instead of 16...
All and all it was fun and the best Summer soccer.
Year 2 at the AGM when paying my $2000 regi fee I asked if the American teams and PAU were comming back..No i was told but Victoria Highlanders were comming in with Chilliwack and 1 to be named later team..Wow Again I was impressed and the meeting was very professional and the food was good and It was my last time to say hi to Kelownas Legend and founder of the OK Challange Eric Tasker who died a very short time after from Cancer RIP.
That being said...The whole makeup of the PCSL Executive is that of some pretty old members. No disrespect but its no wonder they dont get out to allot of games..and why the President of the PCSL Dave Collard doesnt even have an email address..You must use his wifes when emailing....Dinasours come to mind....especially when they always talk about what they did in the 50s and 60s.
Again no disrespect but I was starting to see why things on the PCSL are so behind the times when it comes to rules/registration and policies.
I then heard that SUFF,FVAction and the WhiteCaps were pulling out....I said to Now President Dave Collard right at that moment...Dave ACBC is not interested in playing in a league with 6 teams...He assured me there would be 10 and not to worry.
Well 7 total teams were in and Chilliwack and whoever to be named later were out...
I had already paid and it was to late to get my money back and to late to join the WhiteCaps in the KSL...We were NOT happy....
Moveing on
The Schedule comes out for this Summer......
We play some teams 3 times and some teams 2 times. ????????? how is that fair.
Why dont we play 12 games and get some money back I asked..NO, i was told ,we HAVE to play at least 16 games...Well that is really not fair to some of the teams who have to play more games vs the tougher teams while some teams play more games vs the weaker teams...Strike 4....Plus some games you play back to back days while the second game team you play had the day before off ??Strike 5?? WOW so unfair...
At further look to the Un even Schedule I noticed we play games the weekend of the Nations Cup...Well i help with Germany and So many players of ours play somewhere that I thought I should move the game..It is 4 months before the July 17th date and plenty of time..So I send a letter to the league and the reply I get back is..If you want to change a game please contact the other team and handle it yourselves....
What ..I just gave you 2k and your makeing me do all the work???WOW again.
Ok so Victoria says..NO..We will not move our game as we can only get the RAP that day and time...So I say why not another field..They reply they have season ticket holders that would be put out so even 4 months in advance we could not move this game...PS ..we had to play there earlyer in the season too and WHAT SEASON TICKET HOLDERS!!!!
There was maybe 10 people there and 5 were my friends....coughbullcouchshtitixholders.
Anyways due to the crazy weak registration of the PCSL we came up with a plan that my friends div 3 BC United team with 4 or 5 buddys from the island would take our place useing the PCSLs Awsome anyone at anytime registered or not, 1 day Game Permit system.
Handled...
SO were gearing up for the next weekends trip to the Okanagan...My personal Favorite time to play...40 degrees ,My Folks, Hotsands Beach ...Home.
When a player on my team calls and says hey coach...How we going to watch the World Cup? ..I laugh and say in a pub i guess....He says Um No its Scheduled for the same time were supposed to be on the field in Kloops.
I say there is no way the PCSL the best and most expensive league with Mike Moshier (sp) from UBC as the Schedular would book a game the same time as the World Cup Final...No Way ...Thats like a jr hockey game booked dureing the gold medal game time...Never would it happen.
I check and sure enough...Check it out...Un believable...So I call Frank in Kloops and say....AaaaahhhHHhHh! he replys Ya what to do..He says he doesnt know how many he will have either but it is a home game and guys live near the park so he figuars he will bearly but make due...
I am screwed....Who wants to drive to Kloops and miss the World Cup Final...Um,,,,,NO ONE!!!!
I see the problem..the time changes and what not..but for 2k you would think the league would have been smart enough to be aware of this problem.
So I contact the league and say...Due to this freak 1 time World Cup once every 4 years most important day of any footballer in the world..Infact 3 Billion of us watching or more...we need to move or forfit this game.....
Dave Collard says ...According to league rules its to late to move and a forfit will cost you $500 and the expences of the other team.
So you agree to pay those expences and the $500 and you will be kept in good standing.
I look at him and say...I agree some expences should be paid but ...Before I agree to that I need to know what they are.....I mean it could be all all refunds for all the season ticket holders aswell as fields/advertizments ect ect.
Im not agreeing to that untill I see what it is.
As for the $500 ...I refuse to pay that as the league (for $2000) should have been aware of the World Cup and booked around it and if they didnt(because of a simple mistake) then they should be at least open to the Idea of bending the rules for The World Cup Game...
Let us move the game...change it or even forfit with some of the reasonable expenses being paid by us as we do want to admit we too didnt notice this problem till 7 days before.
We all made a mistake and didnt notice the game times issue...So why is it only me ACBC that has to pay....????
Isnt this a reasonable time for the President Dave Collard to bend his leagues rules and understand how important watching the World Cup final is.
Daves responce was... "the PCSL game is more important than the watching of the World Cup" and from the treasurer of the PCSL, this is what was said to me.."Some things are more important than the World Cup and the example was the Whitcaps men and Women have to do an Island Meet and Greet in Victoria dureing that time and they are not complaining".
Your Kidding me right????
Actually it does sound like another Whitecaps blunder...
Still ya the players will have thousands of autographs to sign your right they wont be upset they are missing the game.....$10 bucks its canceled before hand.
Anyways...Im not willing to agree to pay for anything till I see what it is I am paying for..Duh !
And so we have been Suspended from the league till we do...
Funniest thing guys.....its 5 days before the game...Shouldnt we be suspended after the game?????We still could show up..Not that we would..But shouldnt they announce our Suspention after the fact...Not now while we were discussing the matter of... not because we have a forfeit...because in all actuality we have not forfeited yet.
Whatever the case we are now suspended for wanting to watch the World Cup Final more than driveing to Kamloops and playing a regular season game...and not agreeing to pay for the mystery costs incured and the $500 forfeit fee.
Would you play a regular PCSL league game in Kamloops or watch the World Cup Final Game?
Easy decision for me...
Go Holland!