MORGAN HILL
– Charging that the Orchard Valley Youth Soccer League
organization needs to be more inclusive and democratic, a group of
current and former coaches and parents are circulating a petition
that seeks to change league bylaws.
MORGAN HILL – Charging that the Orchard Valley Youth Soccer League organization needs to be more inclusive and democratic, a group of current and former coaches and parents are circulating a petition that seeks to change league bylaws.
According to former OVYSL board member Ballan Campeau, who is leading the petition effort, more than 50 signatures had been gathered in support of the petition effort. Campeau said the OVYSL board and Salvemini had been notified earlier this month of the group’s demands.
Campeau said the OVYSL’s bylaws are antiquated and need to be changed to allow coaches and parents more input into the league’s decision-making process. Campeau said the fact that the OVYSL boards of directors elects its own members makes the league’s governing body exclusive. He said the league is already losing coaches and players because of its methods.
“The whole problem is the (OVYSL) board is totally autonomous – the board is absolutely unaccountable to anyone,” Campeau said. “Some try to say that it’s a benevolent dictatorship, but I would say only one of those words applies. If you continue to frustrate people and drive people away then you can’t continue to build a good league.”
OVYSL President Jack Salvemini, who has been president for the past five years, said the group represents a small minority of disgruntled coaches and parents, most of whom have been kicked out of the league or left voluntarily due to disputes with rules and policies.
“I think it comes down to a personal vendetta against me … to tell you the truth,” Salvemini said. “There’s no incentive for me to do anything wrong here. It’s a volunteer thing and we’re all working hard for the kids.”
The OVYSL consists of 150 teams and about 1,500 players competing at various levels from recreational to Class I select. The league includes players from Morgan Hill, Gilroy, San Martin and some from South San Jose.
No estimates about how many players and coaches have left the OVYSL due to disputes over league rules are available. California Youth Soccer Association Chair John Murphy and District II Representative Dave Mann did not return phone calls seeking comment.
Campeau said he will forward the petition and the group’s demands to District II, the regional governing body, and to CYSA North, the state-level organization, if the OVYSL board fails to consider the proposed changes.
Salvemini added that the league is already reviewing its bylaws, which were last updated in 1996, and is considering an expansion of its membership. Currently, only league directors are members.
Group’s Demands
The issue: Should the Orchard Valley Youth Soccer League change its bylaws to allow more members and a more inclusive selection process for its board of directors?
Group’s demands for OVYSL:
• rewrite its bylaws so they reflect those of other regional leagues.
• establish membership for each league team.
• establish voting rights for each member.
• allow members to air their concerns at regularly scheduled meetings.
• consider annual changes to the league’s
constitution and bylaws.
• require that the OVYSL’s president and board of directors be elected by the membership.
• allow members to participate in tasks such as coach selection.
• require publication of the league’s constitution, bylaws, procedures and rules on its Web site.
• complete all this by Sept. 1.
More information:
OVYSL Web site: www.ovysl.org
Petitioners’ Web site: home.netcom.com/~ovreform
