(Posted 1/7/2009)
Dear San Juan Family, Friends and Coaches:
We need your help on Jan 11th at the ARYSL AGM.  The meeting will be held at 7:00pm at the following location: 
   Orangevale Community Center
   6826 Hazel Ave
    Orangevale, CA 95662

ARYSL is attempting to change the bylaws of the organization to eliminate the mandate that San Juan enjoys as the competitive club of ARYSL. Here is a link to the ARYSL Agenda and proposed changes.   http://www.arsoccer.org/PDF/2009_arysl_agm.pdf

San Juan's board and its coaches are against these changes for the following reasons:
1) San Juan has existed for over 30 years with generally good working relationships, however due to a change in the hierarchy of ARYSL, the relationship has soured. This past year our club attempted many times to conduct clinics and coaches training sessions without cost. We thought that ARYSL would appreciate our attempts to build relationships and skills among the Recreational and Select coaches.  However, due to the personal agendas of several ARYSL board members, AYRSL has decided that rather than attempting to work with our organization for the benefit of all the players, they prefer to take a radical approach and change their bylaws in such a manner that we believe is to the detriment of the players. We do not feel that everyone on the ARYSL Board is aware of the personal agendas and our hope is that they too will vote with us to defeat these amendments. If we fail to work with our affiliate organization we will be subject to dismissal under these amendments.

2) ARYSL claims they want flexibility and more of a community based competitive program. Some on the ARYSL have expressed opposition to the open boundaries created when CYSA-N changed their By-Laws several years ago.  The newly relaxed boundary requirements allowany one to play where and for whom they want. The ARYSL’s attempt to impose new boundary restrictions violates, at a minimum, the spirit of that change. Out of 500 players, only 140 kids live outside the ARYSL boundaries.  However, 92% of the kids that tryout for our club from the ARSYL boundaries makes our teams.

3) The CYSA-N Bylaws were relaxed to prevent the exact change proposed by ARYSL.   If the recreation and select teams can modify the coaching curriculum, the hiring of specific coaches, and the location of the players, then they will likely lower the experience level well below our current coaching knowledge, experience and understanding of competitive soccer in the UnitedStates. ARYSL needs 2/3 of their members to effect this change.

4) ARYSL proposed changes could lead to an increase in the fees paid by the competitive players to the benefit of a much larger group, the recreational and select players, many of which can afford to pay for additional soccer support. Winning matches is not the sole purpose of our club, developing talented players who seek to play at the highest levels is our goal, but winning matches speaks volumes about out ability to develop players and the teams they play on. The mission of our coaches is to provide the kind of quality of competitive soccer that is to be equal to So. Cal. and the rest of the country. ARYSL disagrees with our mission and wants to change it to make it less competitive. If you want to see San Juan continue with its current mission these amendments should be defeated.

5) The language in these amendments threaten the independence of the very nature of our competitive club and leaves its direction subject to ARYSL dictates and those who have far less experience in the competitive arena. The rules that exist work and do not need to be changed so that personal agendas can be satisfied.

Despite the proposed changes, there is very good news.  While we would prefer to attempt to work out our disagreements with ARYSL and continue to as their competitive club, irrespective of the outcome of the proposed changes,  San Juan and its current mission will thrive as a competitive soccer club in the Sacramento Valley for years to come. Our attempts to establish permanent fields is nearing completion and our affiliation with USSF and US CLUB soccer provides for a very rich competitivearena. 

We ask that you join us at the meeting and cast your vote against these amendments. 

Thank You Joe Oddo (President SJSC) and members of the board