MARLEE:..TENSIONS WERE HIGH IN
OTTAWA COUNTY AFTER PARENTS
LEARNED A SOCCER COACH SLIPPED
ENERGY DRINKS INTO KIDS WATER
BOTTLES.TEAM PARENTS PACKED A
MEETING A FEW HOURS AGO
ADDRESSING THE MICHIGAN FIRE
JUNIORS COACH ...
3
24 HOUR NEWS 8'S MARVIS
HERRING SPOKE TO PARENTS WHO
SAY THE SOCCER TEAM PROBLEMS
ONLY START THERE.
3
MARVIS:..SEVERAL PARENTS ARE
STILL FUMING THAT A COACH WAS
ABLE TO PUT 5 HOUR ENERGY INTO
THEIR 8-10 YEAR OLD ATHLETES'
WATER BOTTLES WITHOUT THEIR
KNOWLEDGE.I'M TOLD THAT COACH
IS NO LONGER WITH THE TEAM....
NOW PARENTS SAY IT'S TIME FOR
THE ENTIRE BOARD TO QUIT TOO.
3
OUR CAMERAS WERE BANNED FROM
RECORDING INSIDE THE MICHIGAN
FIRE JUNIORS TOWN HALL MEETING
TONIGHT... BUT AS WE LISTENED
IN... ACCUSATIONS OF
CORRUPTION, SCARE TACTICS, AND
MISUSE OF MONEY QUICKLY
SURFACED. ALL FINGERS POINTED
AT THE BOARD
3
((MOM 2RIGHT NOW IT FEELS LIKE
THEY HAVE HID A LOT OF THINGS
AND THERE'S A LOT OF
FINGERPOINTING AND IT'S REALLY
SAD AND UNFORTUNATE 50))ONE
PARENT WE TALKED TO ASKED WE
NOT SHOW HER FACE AFTER
TELLING US SHE'D GOTTEN
THREATS AFTER SPEAKING OUT
ABOUT THE BOARD
3
((MOM 1 THIS CLUB IS BUILT ON
GREAT COACHES AND PLAYERS AND
THERE'S A FEW ROTTEN EGGS AND
THEY NEED TO GO AWAY 07))THE
ISSUE? THERE'S MULTIPLE. FOR
STARTERS PARENTS DEMANDED THE
BOARD ALL STEP DOWN AFTER
LEARNING OF THE 5 HOUR ENERGY
SCANDAL ... SOME SAY BOARD
MEMBERS KNEW BEFORE PARENTS
WERE CONTACTED.
3
((MOM 1IT'S WRONG AND THERE
COULD BE COMPLICATIONS AND
THEY'RE RISKING THESE
CHILDREN'S LIVES IF THERE WAS
A COMPLICATION 26))BUT THAT'S
NOT HAPPENING AND PARENTS
WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME FORCING
ANYONE OUT AN ATTORNEY HIRED
BY MICHIGAN FIRE JUNIORS SAID
TONIGHT THAT BOARD MEMBERS
ELECT AND APPOINT THEMSELVES -
TEAM PARENTS HAVE NO SAY
3
((MOM 2DO YOU STAY AND TAKE
THE RISK THAT THE CLUB IS
GOING TO BE OKAY OR DO YOU
LEAVE? LIKE, WHAT DO YOU DO?
30))THE OVERFLOWING ROOM OF
MAINLY UPSET PARENTS BECAME
MORE CONCERNED WHEN ONE PERSON
SPOKE DURING PUBLIC INPUT
SAYING HE PULLED FORMER TAX
RETURNS THAT REVEALED AT LEAST
TWO BOARD MEMBERS WERE ALSO
PAID BY THE CLUB - $20,000
EACH IN 2016.
3
((MOM 2 I PERSONALLY DON'T
UNDERSTAND HOW BOARD MEMBERS
CAN BE PAID- MOM1 IT'S NOT
BRAIN SURGERY, IT'S JUST
SOCCER. RUN IT PROPERLY AND
LET THE KIDS PLAY.))
3
MARVIS:..
3
MICHIGAN FIRE JUNIORS SOCCER
CLUB IS A YOUTH AFFILIATE OF
CHICAGO FIRE SOCCER.THAT TEAM
ALSO SENT A REP TONIGHT TO
LISTEN.MOST OF THE PARENTS
TONIGHT SAID THEY STILL WANT
THE ENTIRE BOARD TO RESIGN...
OR AT THE VERY LEAST ...
QUICKLY CHANGE THE CURRENT
BYLAWS SO THE BOARD ISN'T SELF-
ELECTED AND APPOINTED.
