As a mere parent of children who have played in the Howell Soccer Club for many years, I take exception to the letter to the editor written by Michael Shernicoff (April 3, 2008) criticizing the club’s refund policy.
Mr. Shernicoff first needs to understand that the individuals who are running this organization are volunteers and therefore are in no way profiting from the fees that are charged.
I appreciate the numerous hours they put in organizing the hundreds of children who thoroughly enjoy their experiences every Saturday.
When Mr. Shernicoff pines for the “small hometown feeling” he either has never seen the crowds descend on Oak Glen Park or is just oblivious to the amount of children served by these dedicated volunteers.
The time it must take to assign players equitably to these teams must be staggering. Finding enough volunteers to fill the coaching ranks must be equally as challenging. At some point, final decisions need to be made to begin the assignment of players.
I can’t imagine how confusing it would be if the club started setting a precedent for individuals like Mr. Shernicoff to come in and change his mind halfway through the process.
It was very gracious of the club to send him back his volunteer check. From the tone of the letter, it doesn’t sound like he would be the type to volunteer his services unless it directly benefited his child. Had he stopped payment on his checks, I imagine he would have spent nearly the cost of the registration in bank fees.
Finally, I resent his comment that “they would have been steadfast in their refusal even if we were parents who lost a child due to tragic circumstances.” I hope this never happens to him. There was no need to go that far to prove his point unless that point had no validity to begin with.
Somewhere along the line there needs to be a willingness to accept responsibility for decisions made and the consequences that may result.
Patty Wilson
Howell
Letters to the editor may be sent to the Tri-Town News by fax, (732) 780-4192, or by e-mail to [email protected]. Letters should be limited to 250 words; Your Turn guest columns to 750 words. All submissions may be edited for length, libel and grammar, and are subject to rejection.