Sexism within Piedmont Youth Soccer League

The head coach of the high school women’s team was terminated from his head coaching position at Piedmont Youth Soccer League (PYSL) in Martinsville, VA, yesterday.

The cause of this termination was cited as a lack of trust between the coach and the Board of Directors at PYSL.

This distrust was created after an out lash from the coach, his players, and those players’ parents after he received a suspension for one game. The Board of Directors who issued this suspension cited blatant dirty play and inability to control players as their justification.

However, the high school boy’s head coach, Brennan Murphy of the same club has allowed twice the number of fouls and has been physically restrained from attacking officials after being warned for cursing. No repercussions have been issued to Coach Brennan Murphy for two reasons: 

Mr. Murphy has a position on the Board of Directors. (Who determine his wrongdoing)

PYSL values the continuation of the men’s season over the women’s. 

Before the termination, 14 players from the high school girl’s team announced their resignation dependent on the decision. Several of these players sent emails and text messages to the Board of Directors, and Mr. Self (President of PYSL) and received no answer. Not a single player nor parent received a response from Mr. Self. 

During the hearing (which the coach was initially denied following the suspension, resulting in the aforementioned series of emails to the Board of Directors), Mr. Self made a comment that is disturbing by itself. “This is not about the players, it’s about this club and this executive board.” This statement directly contradicting PYSL’s website which states that the league exists solely for the players.

Speaking of contradicting, the board noted there was no misconduct by the coach, but instead stated that his actions caused mistrust between the Board and himself. So which is it PYSL, misconduct or no misconduct?

16 players of the 20 rostered on the team wrote that coach furthered the purposes of PYSL, and served as character witnesses, stating that he was an amazing, supportive, well-experienced coach. 

On top of this, the league’s bylaws state the executive board only has the authority to terminate if a coach does not promote these purposes. If this coach was doing all he could to promote them, then why was he fired? The Piedmont Youth Soccer League Executive Board overstepped their own laws that govern their authority.  

This, and a clear discrimination based on sex from PYSL is the reason why I am asking for your support in the disbandment of the Executive Board. The Board responds to young men who are not even affiliated with the club, but not to several young women concerning the continuance of the season that they paid for. 

Since the coach was terminated, PYSL has scrambled to fill the roster with ineligible college players and younger girls ranging from 14 to 18 years old. They have done so by using the funds that these players paid for regular season and tournament games allowing ineligible college players to compete. 

I wish for the Martinsville community to be informed of the misconduct and bias taking place with this youth soccer organization. I do not want any parent, coach, or player to be discriminated against by the Board of Directors again.

Board of Directors:

President, George Self
Director, Ricardo Dalton
Director, Michael Freshour
Director, Brennan Murphy
Director, Logan Jones
Director, Houston Stutz
Director, Amy Midkiff
Director, Melinda Brightwell

Sincerely, 
William Etringer