May 8, 2008

Fargo Soccer Club - www.fargosoccer.org

To Whom It May Concern:

Dan Dunn's letter to the editor in the Fargo Forum was published on April 30, 2008.  The response made here would be too lengthy to be published as a letter to the editor.  To summarize the response of the Fargo Soccer Club (FSC) and me, personally, please read the claims and response in the following table.  The detailed documentation and references supporting the response are shown below.  The reader can then decide for themselves the truthfulness of Mr. Dunn's claims.

Dan Dunn Claims FSC & Matt Noah Response
Matt Noah applied to coach his son in March 2007. I applied to coach a RRSC team on August 16, 2006.
RRSC did not select Noah to coach his son's team. For more than 6 months, it was understood I would coach the team, worked diligently as such, and then was denied the opportunity to coach the team at the last minute.
RRSC chose another applicant to coach the team. There were no other applicants according to several sources.  RRSC picked a coach who apparently had not applied.
Dunn implies the reason for leaving the RRSC team was solely based on the coaching decision. Besides the coaching change, the reasons for leaving  RRSC included but were not limited to: (1) no guarantee of anything other than a pool team, (2) no guarantee of playing time for the younger players, (3) the high cost of RRSC tournament soccer, (4) lack of indoor, pre-season training, (5) lack of commitment by RRSC to find more players for the U10 team(s).
That the coaching decision resulted in the formation of a new club. It wasn't until weeks later and much research that a decision was made to form a new club.  At first, the only decision that was made was to form a separate team so that the younger boys could play soccer.  The new club was formed so that cost-effective insurance could be obtained and so that the boys could enter and play in USSF tournaments.  The split from RRSC occurred on March 14, 2007.  The new club was formed on May 3, 2007 after in initial inquiry in to doing so on May 1, 2007.
Noah later registered his sons in RRSC's recreational programs. The Noah boys had been registered in the RRSC recreational programs since June 27, 2006, long before the March 14, 2007 split with RRSC.
While a member of RRSC, Noah attempted to recruit RRSC players to his new soccer club. Many people in the FSC talked with prospective soccer players for the  FSC U9 boys team.  At the time of the split, RRSC gave all soccer players the option of leaving the RRSC U10 team, getting a full refund and joining any soccer team or club of their choosing.  Most chose to stay with RRSC.  Starting with a base of 4 players, the FSC U9 team registered 11 more players; none of which were recruited away from a RRSC recreational or traveling soccer team.  Subsequent promotion of the FSC included display advertising, distribution of fliers and direct mail.  The FSC does not recruit players off of their RRSC teams.  Many FSC travel team players simultaneously play recreational soccer on RRSC teams, including two of my own sons.  Given that RRSC and FSC are members of different national youth soccer associations, it is legitimate that players could play traveling soccer in both organizations simultaneously but none did.  Many of the players on the FSC 2007 U9 boys team would never had played for RRSC given the high cost, weekend tournament schedule and time away from home that is the hallmark of RRSC.
He refused to do so [recruiting]. One can not stop doing an activity one is not currently doing.  No recruiting other than normal promotion of one's club was taking place.
RRSC scheduled a meeting with Noah to discuss the recruitment of RRSC players. RRSC scheduled a termination hearing to throw off my 1st grade and 3rd grade sons from their RRSC recreational teams.
Noah chose not to attend the meeting. A RRSC Board member, Phil McLean, inadvertently copied me on an email meant for just the RRSC Board.  In the email, he inferred that the decision to terminate membership had already been made, thereby removing any doubt about the so-called impartiality of the hearing/meeting.  I chose not to attend but instead offered to meet with the RRSC Board if the meeting was about the differences between the two clubs.  They refused my offer.
Dunn claims I was never "warned" about the enforcement of the trespass notice should I coach my FSC team in the Tri-City Tournament in June. The trespass notice cited the Pepsi Soccer Complex as one of the facilities I was trespassed from.  The Pepsi Soccer Complex is the site of the Tri-City Tournament.  The RRSC is renting the Pepsi Soccer Complex from the Park District for the Tri-City Tournament.  The object of a trespass notice is to warn someone.

Coaching the RRSC Traveling Team  I applied to coach a particular RRSC traveling soccer team on August 16, 2006, more than six months [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] earlier than claimed by Mr. Dunn.  In fact, I was informally selected to coach the team and worked diligently for more than 6 months to encourage and recruit players for the team, much of it at my own expense.  As stated by the RRSC Board in a letter dated March 14, 2007, "The Competitive Committee did not anticipate any problems with you coaching the team so we did not ask you to alter the language."  I was personally responsible for the majority of the registrations for the team.  My wife and I decided to withdraw our son from the traveling soccer team after a series of actions by the RRSC Board which had culminated in an unacceptable coaching change.  For example, at one time, the RRSC Board was proposing to not allow the younger boys to play in any games.  The reaction to that proposal from parents of the younger boys was not positive. 

Forming A New Team  My wife and I were not the only parents who pulled their sons from that team at the same time.  There were four families.  We all encouraged and recruited many boys not playing traveling soccer to the new team.  It should be noted that the RRSC team had more than enough remaining players for a full team.  In fact, the team was above the roster limit prior to our joint departure.  The Under-9 team that we formed did not have a counterpart anywhere in North Dakota.  We ended up with 15 players, the majority of whom were part-time due to other commitments.   RRSC to this day starts traveling soccer at the Under-10 age level.  To this day, the RRSC has not produced the name of a single child playing for the FSC who was recruited away from the RRSC.  However, we contend that the RRSC used financial incentives to lure away our U9 assistant coach to coach the RRSC U10 team.

RRSC Coaching Decision  Contrary to Dan Dunn's letter which states that RRSC chose another applicant for the job of coaching the U10 boys team, David Gregor's letter states that RRSC decided to look for another coach, one that hadn't applied.  Despite his current position as an NDSU assistant soccer coach, parents reported that Mike Gillund was rarely seen at practices and coached a different RRSC team.  One of the NDSU players became his assistant coach, the one who had been assisting the FSC U9 team.  As David Gregor reported, the RRSC U10 team finished the season with a 1-22 record.  The FSC U9 team finished the season with a 14-8-1 record despite most our players being U8 and playing at the U10 level.  Our Fall U10 team consisting of nearly the same boys had a 3-0-1 record. More important than any record is the fact that the boys improved tremendously, had alot of fun and learned teamwork and sportsmanship.

Recreational Soccer  Long before the decision was made to pull our son off the RRSC traveling team, I was coaching two recreational teams at RRSC that two of my sons played on.  A third son's team was not coached by me.  The two teams I coached were successful.  The parents and kids were happy.  There were no complaints made to me or anyone else that I was aware of.  There were compliments from RRSC and the parents.  While I continued to coach the kindergarten and second grade teams that 2 of my 6 sons played on until the end of May 2007, the harassment and mistreatment by RRSC was just beginning.  I was stripped of coaching even the 2 recreational teams I had previously coached.  I was told by Steve Foss of the RRSC that half the boys on my kindergarten team had quit playing soccer.  The truth is that every kid on the 2006-2007 team was already back playing in 2007-2008 when Steve Foss told that lie.  Yet, RRSC refused to apologize for this lie and refused to allow me to coach.  Then they officially banned me from coaching.  Despite this, I was asked on several occasions to be a substitute coach by RRSC coaches who enjoyed my willingness to help coach.  I did substitute as a supervisor, not as a coach, for a winter indoor game in March 2008.  Based on that solitary event where I filled in for a supervisor, the RRSC Board decided to issue a trespass notice against me so that I couldn't attend my two sons' RRSC recreational games or coach their FSC team in the RRSC Tri-City Soccer Tournament.  I was officially informed in writing that if I showed up, I would be subject to arrest.  To their credit, the RRSC Board has rescinded the trespass notice on or about May 2, 2008 and I attended my sons' RRSC recreational soccer games on May 3, 2008.

Membership Termination  Prior to the issuance of the trespass notice, the RRSC attempted to terminate the RRSC membership of the entire Noah family; thereby throwing off our 1st grade son and our 3rd grade son from their recreational teams.  Although they couched the request for a termination hearing in the language of a meeting, it was clear from Phil McLean's email of January 7, 2008 that the decision to terminate membership had already been made.  The decision to not attend the RRSC hearing of February 27 was based on the fact that the decision was already made and it was not a proper hearing.  It was a mock trial where the list of accusers was not provided, the evidence was not disclosed, the charges were not known in advance and I would be asked to testify against myself.  As an attorney, Dan Dunn knew this was not proper or fair. 

Rather than risk the outcry from kicking off a 1st grader and 3rd grader from their teams, they decided to do what they considered clever and changed their bylaws such that they could just terminate my membership while leaving my wife and sons' memberships intact.  The reason for termination was the trumped-up charge of recruiting and the "inappropriate conduct" (as stated by Dan Dunn) which consisted solely of comparing the costs and time away from home for 3 teams; the FSC U9 boys team, the RRSC U10 boys team and the Chanhassen (MN) U9 boys team.  Apparently, it is "inappropriate conduct" to point out that RRSC parents on that U10 team paid over $19,000 while the other two teams cost parents under $6000 for their respective 2007 summer seasons.  That comparison is one of the principal reasons I believe RRSC is upset with the FSC.  As stated earlier, the RRSC has yet to name one person that the FSC has recruited away from RRSC.

LET THE KIDS PLAY  The RRSC refuses to allow the kids, specifically the kindergarten players of the FSC to play in the Fargo-Moorhead-West Fargo Soccer League (FMWFSL).  They have also refused to support our application to become members of the North Dakota Youth Soccer Association.  Meanwhile, the NoDak Soccer Club in Bismarck has adopted us, so to speak, so that our 2 traveling teams can play in the State Tournament.  Mr. Dunn did not support that and spoke with the President of the NoDak Soccer Club; asking him to not register our 2 teams.

Discrimination Grievance  Meanwhile, the FSC has been forced to file a discrimination grievance with the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) in order that our kindergarten teams will be allowed to play in the FMWFSL this Fall against Moorhead, West Fargo and RRSC teams.  We don't need to be part of the FMWFSL but we want to have our kids treated the same as all other kids in the area with respect to playing opportunities.  The same discrimination grievance asks the USSF to allow our traveling teams to play against Moorhead and other Minnesota teams and to allow our traveling teams to play in the State Tournament without having to rely on the good graces of our friends, the NoDak Soccer Club, in Bismarck.

Matt Noah, President, Fargo Soccer Club - www.fargosoccer.org

 

References

Number Reference
1 Email dated June 19, 2006

Mary Lou, [Mary Lou Anderson - RRSC Competitive Administrator] 

Thanks for the information.  My traveling soccer son - who is a true U8 this fall - might want to try out if we move to Fargo.  He is a very good player but not the best on his U9 team right now.  I am the head coach and have a state "D" license in Minnesota.  I'd be happy to get involved in coaching both traveling and recreational. 

What other soccer associations are there in the FM area?  Where do the traveling teams typically travel to?

Regards,

Matt Noah, matt.noah@pobox.com 

980 Lake Susan Hills Drive

Chanhassen, MN  55317

952.974.9483

2 Email dated June 27, 2006

 

Matt, 

 

Our coaching director is Allen Hager. He can be emailed at hagernd@cableone.net. He would have a coaching application to fill out and be able to answer all coaching questions. Thanks,

 

Mary Lou Anderson

Competitive Administrator

Red River Soccer Club

3220 18th St. S. Suite 8E

Fargo, ND 58104

701-271-9065

redriversoccer@cableone.net

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Matt Noah [mailto:matt.noah@pobox.com]
Sent: Tuesday, June 27, 2006 1:26 PM
To: redriversoccer@cableone.net; matt.noah@pobox.com
Cc: rrscmkraft@cableone.net
Subject: RE: Competitive & Recreational Soccer in Fargo-Moorhead

 

Mary Lou,

 

Are you looking for any traveling coaches?  I can help there.  Is the RRSC looking to expand down to U9 Boys?

 

Thanks for your help!

Regards,

 

Matt Noah, matt.noah@pobox.com 

980 Lake Susan Hills Drive

Chanhassen, MN  55317

952.974.9483

3
Email dated August 16, 2006

Al,

 
Here it is.  Thanks. 
 
If tryouts warrant my son, Mike, playing at the U10 level, I'd be happy to coach his team.  If he doesn't make the U10 team, I'd like to have you consider starting a U9 team.
 
Matt

From: hagernd [mailto:hagernd@cableone.net]
Sent: Tuesday, August 15, 2006 5:45 PM
To: matt.noah@pobox.com
Cc: redriversoccer@cableone.net
Subject: RE: Competitive & Recreational Soccer in Fargo-Moorhead

Matt;

We are once again looking at assigning coaches for next summer.  Please fill out the coaching application and send to Red River (see e-mail above) as well as myself.

Thanks,

alh [Al Hager, Director of Coaching, RRSC]

4 Email dated October 4, 2006

 

Matt,

 

I am happy to hear that your team and son are doing well this fall.  I wish them continued success.  The policy with rec has been to keep players at their age or class appropriate team.  It would be unusual to play up but I will forward this information on to the Rec committee.

 

As far as U10 competitive soccer.  The deadline for registration has not passed and we do not have a feel for the numbers.  As soon as we do we can asses the possibility of a U9 team.  I have you on the list of coaches for the U10 boys and will keep you informed as to the developments.

 

Again keep up the great work this fall and hope to meet you soon.

 

Alh 

RRSC

5 Email dated November 30, 2006

 

Mary Lou,

 

Attached please find my original coaching application from 8/16 and an updated application from 11/30 for the 2007 competitive season.

 

Regards,

 

Matt Noah

3528 Harrison Street South

Fargo, ND  58104

(701)-282-9344, cell:  (701)-541-6809

matt.noah@pobox.com

5.5
Email dated March 14, 2007

From: Daniel J. Dunn [mailto:djd@maringlaw.com]
Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 12:05 PM
To:
[Names Withheld by FSC]
Cc: redriversoccer@cableone.net
Subject: Pool team

 
Greetings,
 
First of all, thank you for the patience you have shown in connection with the U10 boys' team.  As you know from the recent letter and/or email, the competitive committee has decided to form a "pool team" due to the lack of numbers for 2 separate teams at this age level.  The competitive committee would like to thank everyone who has recruited players for this team, especially Matt Noah.  We encourage everyone to continue to recruit players until we reach the target of 20 boys as this should trigger a second team, depending on the mix of ages.  (In the meantime, if a family is uncomfortable with the pool team arrangement, RRSC will release the player and refund the registration fee.)
 
After much discussion and thought, the competitive committee has selected Mike Gillund (and anyone else he needs to assist him) to be in charge of coaching the pool team. Here are Mike's credentials for overseeing this team: he has played soccer since he was 5 years old; he has been an assistant coach at Fargo South since 2001; he has coached pool teams for RRSC previously; he has given private training sessions since 2005; and will take his state "D" license this spring. 
 
Dave Weiler will be the competitive committee liaison for this team.  Dave coaches the U12 boys' team and has a National Youth license.  (This license is in between the state "C" and "D" licenses).
 
The coaching selection process was difficult but the competitive committee concluded this direction was in the best interest of the players, families, and RRSC.  Please feel free to contact Mary Lou Anderson or any of the competitive committee members if you have any questions or concerns regarding the upcoming season.
 
Dan Dunn
Work phone:  241-4141
Home phone:  588-9288
6 Email dated September 17, 2007

 

From: SM Foss Architects, PC [mailto:smfoss@cableone.net]

Sent: Monday, September 17, 2007 9:27 PM

To: matt.noah@pobox.com

Cc: Dan Dunn; david_iverson@cargill.com; jimherrington@cableone.net

Subject: Re: RRSC Coach Selection

Matt,

Tonight I spoke with Dan Dunn, David Iverson and Jim Herrington regarding your concerns.

Practice was cancelled due to prior commitments by both of them. Sometimes that cannot be avoided. Jim Herrington is the assistant coach because he stated up front he may not be able to commit his time to all games and practices. He missed the game with David's blessing. Both have expressed a desire to conduct all scheduled practices and attend all scheduled games in the future.

Both David and Jim stated they have no problem with you helping them coach. However, the Red River Soccer Club has NOT authorized you to coach. Therefore, you are NOT allowed to coach. Please direct future correspondence regarding this matter to Dan Dunn, RRSC President and Pete Cuadrado, RRSC Coaching Coordinator.

As far as my personal opinion is concerned, I don't have a bone to pick with you. Half your team quit last year. [Emphasis provided by the FSC]  They did not come back! Why? That does not typically happen at this young age group. Parents , yes, that's plural ... parents complained about your coaching as I put this year's team together, stating they will not be part of a team that you coach. I will not reveal their names in spite of your "challenge", so please drop your arroganct self-denial enough to accept the truth.

Good luck with your new soccer club.

Steve

----- Original Message -----

From: Matt Noah <mailto:matt.noah@pobox.com>

To: matt.noah@pobox.com ; 'SM Foss Architects, PC' <mailto:smfoss@cableone.net>

Cc: 'Dan Dunn' <mailto:dpdcdunn@aol.com>

Sent: Sunday, September 16, 2007 10:11 PM

Subject: RE: RRSC Coach Selection

Steve,

Jim Herrington was absent again from Saturday's game and gave virtually no notice. When I arrived with my sons, a group of parents insisted I coach so I did. I had them ask David Iverson if that was ok with him and he was perfectly happy to have me coach. Again, the parents are very pleased with my coaching so I challenge you tell me who are these disgruntled parents who don't want me to coach. My experience is the exact opposite of your claim.

I didn't get a response to my last email. Do you plan to address the coaching problem on this team? As stated before, the solution is to have David and me coach. Jim just doesn't show up or get cover for his absences.

Regards,

Matt Noah

________________________________

From: Matt Noah [mailto:matt.noah@pobox.com]

Sent: Thursday, September 13, 2007 8:50 AM

To: 'SM Foss Architects, PC'; matt.noah@pobox.com

Cc: 'Dan Dunn'

Subject: RE: RRSC Coach Selection

Steve,

Parents on the team are wondering why I am not coaching given the fact I am both experienced and did a great job last year.

The two selected coaches (Jim Herrington and David Iverson) have had to cancel (not postpone) 1 of 2 practices already since neither could be there. Last year, we never cancelled practice (Fall or Spring) due to my absence. I always made sure practices were covered if I had business travel and I only had to do that twice. However, there were numerous (more often than not) times when Jim Herrington or David Iverson were not available last season and I was the only coach. I'm not sure if Jim made all of 2 practices or games in the Spring. His son had foot problems and he didn't coach unless his son was there.

Jim Herrington has only been to 1 practice and already missed 1 practice and 1 game this Fall.

If your concern is the kids, then something should be done with this team ASAP. I would be happy to coach this team with David Iverson. Jim Herrington just isn't available enough.

Regards,

Matt Noah

________________________________

From: SM Foss Architects, PC [mailto:smfoss@cableone.net]

Sent: Sunday, August 26, 2007 11:00 PM

To: matt.noah@pobox.com

Cc: Marlene C. Kraft; Dan Dunn

Subject: Re: RRSC Coach Selection

Matt,

Albeit my circle of contact within the RRSC coaching selection process is very small, I am not aware of any other coaches not selected as described.

Complaints regarding your coaching were received from parents on your team, discussed individually and privately with me, and remedied to the satisfaction of those "complaintants" by not selecting you to coach.

This was a difficult decision for me. Although I don't know you, I know and thoroughly enjoy your father and several members of your wonderful family. I coached your sister's boys in hockey too many years ago.

Thank you for your willingness to volunteer your time.

Steve Foss

701-232-2110

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Matt Noah <mailto:matt.noah@pobox.com>

To: smfoss@cableone.net

Cc: matt.noah@pobox.com

Sent: Friday, August 24, 2007 10:18 AM

Subject: RRSC Coach Selection

Steve,

Can you tell me the reason I was not selected to coach or co-coach the TUGS for 1st Grade Rec Soccer? I co-coached with the 2 selected coaches (Iverson & Herrington) from last season. I am one of very few D-licensed coaches in the club and we had a great soccer experience with the players and parents from the previous year’s team. My son, Luke, is on the TUGS.

Were there other coaches who coached from last season and whose children are playing this year that were not selected after having volunteered again?

Regards,

Matt Noah

3528 Harrison Street South

Fargo, ND 58104

(701)-282-9344, cell: (701)-541-6809

matt.noah@pobox.com

7

Email dated January 7, 2008

From: Phil [mailto:mcclean@beangenes.cws.ndsu.nodak.edu]

Sent: Monday, January 07, 2008 10:30 AM

To: Daniel J. Dunn

Cc: matt.noah@pobox.com; Pete Cuadrado; Phil McClean; Allen Hager; Allen Hager; Anne Schneider; David Weiler; Dave Weiler; ChrisLancaster; Karen Kahler; Mark Thelen; redriversoccer@cableone.net; Marlene Kraft; Sheila Shay-Mole; Doug Wood

Subject: RE: RRSC membership

Dan-

Great letter. Once MH [MN - Matt Noah] responds, we need to make it abundantly clear to him that these actions are based on his actions and his actions alone.

And that we do not have any plans to terminate the membership of any other FSC member. Also emphasize that the RRSC is open to any FSC player who wishes to participate in any RRSC actitivies for which they have an interest.

Phil [Phil McLean, RRSC Board Member]

8
Email dated January 7, 2008

From: Matt Noah [mailto:matt.noah@pobox.com]
Sent: Monday, January 07, 2008 12:49 PM
To: 'Daniel J. Dunn'; matt.noah@pobox.com
Cc: 'Pete Cuadrado'; 'Phil McClean'; 'Phil'; 'Allen Hager'; 'Allen Hager'; 'Anne Schneider'; 'David Weiler'; 'Dave Weiler'; 'ChrisLancaster'; 'Karen Kahler'; 'Mark Thelen'; redriversoccer@cableone.net; 'Marlene Kraft'; 'Sheila Shay-Mole'; 'Doug Wood'
Subject: RE: RRSC membership

 
Dan, et al,
 
It is clear that your intent is not a "thoughtful conversation" but a plan to terminate membership.  Phil McLean's email is quite clear on that.  I confirmed a great deal by receiving the email Phil did not intend for me to see.  
 
I will not participate in a meeting to revoke the memberships of Luke Noah and Mike Noah from their rec teams.  Nor will I participate in a revocation meeting where specific charges (for cause) are not levied, nor evidence provided in advance so I might review, nor a list of accusers/witnesses not provided so I can prepare.
 
I will be more than 1,000 miles away during the week of February 4.
 
If you want to have a meeting to amicably discuss issues, then you already have the terms of such a meeting I will particiapte in.  It is not just a matter of finding an open date.  It is a matter of agreeing upon an agenda.
 
See below.

Matt Noah
9
David Gregor, Fargo, letter: Soccer clubs poorly handle situation

Published Monday, May 05, 2008

Last spring my son got a letter from the Red River Soccer Club about a new competitive U10 traveling soccer team.

After attending a few initial meetings and receiving several emails from parents and RRSC members, it became clear that Mr. Noah was very eager to get practices started. It also became clear that some people did not want Mr. Noah coaching their sons.

At the time, Mr. Noah was the only applicant for the job. The RRSC decided to look for a different coach telling us that they didn’t want a parent to coach the team. (I personally know of three parent/coaches currently with RRSC).

Mr. Noah took exception and left the team, along with several other parents, and started his own club. His “recruitment” involved a simple e-mail stating his intentions that I regrettably declined.

Mr. Gillund, one of the RRSC board members, finally offered to coach. He was already committed to coaching another team, but he told us he would do his best to coach our team. The end result though was a group of boys, many of whom couldn’t execute or position themselves for basic skills such as a throw in, goal kick or just starting the ball after a goal, and a 1-22 record for the “competitive” U10 RRSC team.

To claim that Mr. Noah undermined the RRSC’s “commitment to act in the best interest of the kids and their families” is absurd. In my opinion, the entire situation was poorly handled by leaders of the RRSC for reasons I don’t fully understand. Whether it was personal bias or politics, the result was an awful soccer experience. So bad, in fact, that my son no longer wanted to play soccer at the end of the season.

10

Soccer dust-up is not a dispute between two ‘competing’ clubs

Dan Dunn,
Published Wednesday, April 30, 2008 in the Fargo Forum

Unfortunately, it is necessary to respond to the inaccurate statements contained in Scott Ebsen’s letter to the editor that appeared in The Forum on April 28. (To our knowledge, Ebsen never spoke to any Red River Soccer board member or administrator regarding the issues set forth in his letter.) In order to better understand the situation, I must provide the following background on behalf of Red River Soccer Club.

In March 2007, Matt Noah applied to coach his 8-year-old son in RRSC’s competitive/travel program. RRSC did not select Noah to coach his son’s team. Instead, RRSC chose another applicant who played in the RRSC recreational and competitive programs, coached RRSC competitive teams, coached local high school teams, and is currently coaching at North Dakota State University. (This individual did not have a son on the team.) When Noah was notified that he was not selected to coach his son’s team, he withdrew his son from the competitive program and formed his own soccer club.

Noah later registered two of his sons in RRSC’s recreational program. While a member of RRSC, Noah attempted to recruit RRSC players for his soccer club. RRSC asked Noah to stop recruiting RRSC players to his club while he was still a member of RRSC. He refused to do so. RRSC scheduled a meeting with Noah to discuss the recruitment of RRSC players, and other inappropriate conduct by a club member, on Feb. 27. Noah chose not to attend the meeting.

RRSC ultimately terminated Noah’s membership. (This was the first time in the 31-year history of RRSC that a person’s membership was terminated.) At the same time, RRSC changed its bylaws from a “family membership” to an “individual membership” so Noah’s children could remain in the recreational program. Contrary to Ebsen’s statement, Noah’s children are welcome to play on their recreational teams.

On Feb. 28, Noah was advised that his individual membership had been terminated. RRSC further explained that he was not allowed to coach a RRSC team because he was no longer a member of our club. Despite this knowledge, Noah coached a RRSC team on March 13. RRSC consulted with the Fargo Park District and the Fargo Police Department and issued a trespass notice April 8, which prevented Noah from entering any premises rented or occupied by RRSC. Despite his knowledge of the trespass notice, Noah entered a facility occupied by RRSC, Brunsdale Park, on April 19. RRSC respectfully asked Noah to leave the facility but he refused. Contrary to Ebsen’s statement, RRSC did not request Noah’s arrest but, instead, asked the Police Department to enforce the trespass notice after Noah refused to leave. Likewise, Noah has not been “warned” that he will be arrested if he attends the tri-city tournament.

This is not a dispute between two “competing” clubs. In fact, there are players who are registered with both clubs and they are completely unaffected by this situation.

As we have done for more than 30 years, RRSC will continue our mission of serving the young soccer enthusiasts in Fargo – 1,800 recreational players, 350 competitive/travel players, 100 premier players and 325 coaches. RRSC has a terrific relationship with the other soccer clubs in the area, the Moorhead Soccer Club and the West Fargo Club, because the relationships are based on mutual respect, cooperation and a commitment to act in the best interests of the kids and their families.

Dunn is president of the Red River Soccer Club of Fargo.