SOCCER
Mini members of the Morwell Pegasus Soccer Club have been sidelined after the Latrobe Valley Soccer League suspended a number of junior players for breaching its eligibility guidelines.
Two Pegasus’ MiniRoos sides have been decimated by the suspensions after five under-10 players and a number of under-6 players were deemed too old to play in their respective teams.
MiniRoos is a modified, game-based soccer format designed to introduced players aged between four and 11 to the sport.
It focuses on the formation of new skills, implements modified rules and games are not scored.
Simone De Longville, whose daughter plays in Pegasus’ under-10 MiniRoos side, penned an open letter to The Express and said her daughter and others were “being punished because of adult politics that have no place in children’s sport”.
“My daughter is now 10 and plays in the under 10 team … she stands 130-140 centimetres tall.
“This was not good enough for other clubs … they decided that my daughter’s age is a more important factor than her skill level or confidence and that she must play for an under 12 team.
“Playing in an under-12 team will be too challenging for her due to her skills and height … she isn’t ready to play on a full pitch or be in such a competitive environment.
“We have now been stripped of preparing her and are expected to throw her into a game she is ill-equipped for.”
The official MiniRoos player eligibility guidelines state “players can move freely between age groups … playing above or below their age group as determined by their current stage of development.
“It is preferable that participants play down one, or no more than two, age groups,” the rules state.
However, the Latrobe Valley Soccer League, in a statement released via its Facebook page, said MiniRoos players of affiliate clubs must abide by league rules and not MiniRoos rules.
“By registering with the Latrobe Valley Soccer League (as a MiniRoo or junior), you are deemed as a player of the LVSL,” the statement read.
“The Latrobe Valley Soccer League takes seriously the development of our junior players and ensuring that all players are given the opportunity to play where appropriate.
“[The league] encourage all clubs to seek dispensation where suitable to ensure that players that may need to play down are given this opportunity.”
The LVSL also said the MiniRoos eligibility guidelines were formulated specific to metropolitan clubs and not regional associations.
“[Metropolitan] associations can have several thousand MiniRoos players and grading between age groups is necessary to maintain a balanced competition and ensure appropriate development.”
The league also said they had “asked for an explanation” from Pegasus on April 23 as to why they were fielding an teams with ineligible players.
“On 25 April a response was received from the club … upon review by the LVSL board it was determined the information provided did not alter our outcomes that were communicated on April 23,” the statement read.
“The club was given clear direction on what they needed to do to enable them to re-enter … the competition.
“It is not a club’s prerogative to make this decision without first consulting with the league, who is the governing body of all Latrobe Valley Soccer League competition.”
