{"id":4681,"date":"2014-04-29T20:25:58","date_gmt":"2014-04-30T03:25:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stapletonion.com\/?p=4681"},"modified":"2014-04-29T20:25:58","modified_gmt":"2014-04-30T03:25:58","slug":"parents-pull-kids-from-team-after-coachs-disparaging-remarks-about-bluffies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stapletonion.com\/?p=4681","title":{"rendered":"Parents Pull Kids from Team After Coach\u2019s Disparaging Remarks About \u201cBluffies\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\"Bluff<\/a>Thousands of kids all over Stapleton are involved in many sports, including baseball, football, LAX, wrestling, basketball, swimming, and more. Stapleton kids are often on the same teams, and usually from all over Stapleton\u2019s eight boroughs. Sometimes, Stapleton kids are even on teams with non-Stapleton kids, which historically hasn\u2019t been a problem. Recently, classism has unfortunately made its way into Stapleton youth sports when U9 Mustang soccer coach Brad Becker was caught on tape making negative comments about Stapleton residents living in Bluff Lake.\n\nBecker had a phone call unknowingly recorded by Mustang assistant coach Jim Bolsem who lives in Eastbridge and has friends in Bluff Lake. \u201cI don\u2019t necessarily want some of these Bluffies (Bluff Lake Residents) traveling on the team van,\u201d said Becker in the recording. \u201cI don\u2019t want to be sitting in the same area as those people, and frankly, I don\u2019t think you (Bolsem) want to either.\u201d Becker, an upper class North Central Park resident, continued to make remarks mocking those from Bluff Lake. \u201cI mean, will we have to give them meal money? Will they pay their share for gas\u2026(laughing).\u201d\nBolsem recorded the conversation as he wanted to make sure there was no misunderstanding when he decided to go public with allegations of Becker\u2019s rampant classism. \u201cHe has been making comments all season,\u201d said Bolsem. \u201cAnd not just about the parents, sometimes about the kids. For example, he quietly mocked a player\u2019s Adida\u2019s Predator Accelerator shoes, which are a top five soccer shoe, but aren\u2019t quite as nice or expensive as the Adidas Predator LZ shoe.\u201d East Soccer League President Rob Stagemeyer said they have not decided on what action to take, but there would be severe action. \u201cSoccer, and our league, stand for inclusion, not exclusion,\u201d said President Stagemeyer. \u201cWe will gather information quickly, and then take swift action against Becker.\u201d\nParents of the Mustangs unified and pulled their kids from the team until action is taken against Becker. \u201cNo game is so important that we can allow the leader of this team to be identified with ugly classism,\u201d said Mustang parent and Westerly Creek resident Amy Rudee. \u201cI mean, 20% of the team are from Bluff Lake. These are our friends, and our kids friends and teammates. We don\u2019t even think about what neighborhood they are from. We most certainly would not use the \u2018b word.\u2019\u201d Parents have agreed that they will let their kids play again once Becker is removed as coach. \u201cAs soon as Beck (Becker) is gone, our kids will be back on the field,\u201d said Mustang parent and Bluff Lake resident Timothy Hoffman. \u201cA message needs to be sent that classism is not acceptable, no matter how rich and powerful you think you are.\u201d\nSUN Member, Block Captain, and Bluff Lake resident Rachel Mercurio says Bluff Lake residents know that classism is still out there, but is not acceptable. \u201cWe are aware that classism isn\u2019t dead,\u201d said Mercurio. \u201cBut the message has to be that it will not be condoned, and if you are perpetuating classism, you will be punished.\u201d East Soccer League President Stagemeyer says action could be taken as quickly as Friday, May 2nd. \u201cIdeally, we would have this resolved by Friday, giving plenty of time for the Mustangs to be back on the field for their weekend tournament. We feel the solutions we have in play will satisfy the players and coaches, and there will be Mustang soccer on Saturday.\u201d\n]]>\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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