Tom K. Faro, OYSAN Executive Director

October 19, 2007

Dear League Presidents and/or Representatives:

Please allow this correspondence to serve as notice regarding a serious situation that recently occurred within one of OYSAN’s affiliated leagues.

Recently, OYSAN was made aware of an individual (who is a registered sexual offender in the State of Ohio) who apparently served a local soccer club as an unregistered assistant soccer coach. (The club in question is not a direct member of OYSAN.) However, the club did register their soccer teams through one of OYSAN’s affiliated leagues. Fortunately, in the situation outlined above, the OYSAN affiliated league acted appropriately by not affording a coach pass because the individual in question had not been risk management certified by OYSAN.  

Examination of both our registration and risk management database indicated that the individual in question did not appear in either database. Upon further investigation, it is believed the individual was not registered with OYSAN because ‘he was an assistant coach’ and the club ‘did not want to pay OYSAN for assistant coaches.’

The purpose of my communication to all of you is to stress just how important it is that your league and clubs register any and all individuals that are directly working with your players in a coaching or training capacity. While OYSAN can appreciate the fact that funds for leagues and clubs can be tight, nothing is more important than the safety of your players. The potential risk of liability on not registering those that work with your players in a coaching or training capacity is immense. A club or league using the statement, ‘We don’t want to pay for assistant coaches’ is not a defense if something adverse were to occur.

The OYSAN State Registrar, Pam Menick and I are in the process of changing our registration template, import forms and instructions so that assistant coaches, trainers, team managers, etc. can be added, effective Spring 2008. Should you have questions, comments or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.

We thank you for your continued support,

Mr. Thomas K. Faro
Executive Director
Ohio Youth Soccer Association-North, Inc.
3554 Brecksville Road, S-100
Richfield, OH 44286
(330) 659-0989 (o)
(330) 659-0993 (f)
tomfaro@oysan.org

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June 9, 2008 Article
June 19, 2007 Artcle
March 22, 2007 Article