In recent weeks, Mulroy Academy Football Club faced difficulties in having adequate numbers to form a team within the Club to compete in Division 1 of the under 16 Donegal Schoolboys League.
It is well appreciated the dedication and commitment of these young players and therefore, the management committee explored every available option to try to attain adequate numbers – this included canvassing five adjoining clubs seeking to ascertain if they had surplus players and various other potential options. As no sustainable or viable solution was available to the management committee, unfortunately, a team could not be formed to participate in the under 16 Division 1 League due to insufficient numbers.
As a means of allowing the players to continue with their involvement and development within the club, the option of the players coming in to train with the under 16 Premier Division team was made available as an alternative football development option. The club fully understands and acknowledges parents and players’ frustration but the management committee went to great lengths to seek to form a team for these players, until every potential option was unviable.
This was communicated to the parents and young players (being the people this decision concerned) and it was hoped that would have concluded matters without bringing any extra adverse attention and focus both to a team of young people of a tender age and the Club. Unfortunately, that was not to be the case.
It is, with regret, that the Management Committee in Mulroy Academy Football Club have been left with no option but to issue a public statement on the recent ongoing attention and commentary on social media in relation to the formation of an under 16 team within the Club to compete in Division 1 of the Donegal Schoolboys League.
As outlined above, all efforts were made to find a solution and try to find adequate numbers to field a team. All bona fide efforts were made before any decision was made as the Academy is very cognisant of the importance that the club has for young people and participation in sporting leagues. The decision was not taken light heartedly and only after all potential avenues were opened. However, since this decision was made, inaccurate reports have surfaced that players were asked to leave or were “kicked out” of the club. Further unacceptable and inaccurate content has been placed on social media regarding the Club.
Furthermore, members of the management committee and coaches have been contacted inappropriately by parents outside of their time and role as volunteers in Mulroy Academy and this has caused significant stress for club members and their families. These actions are wholly unacceptable and the club condemns such inappropriate contact in the strongest possible manner. Mulroy Academy
would clearly like to state that these actions are by a small minority of parents.
Throughout the entire process, Mulroy Academy has been and continues to be in consultation with representatives from the FAI, Donegal Schoolboys League and Letterkenny and District League. The club would like to acknowledge their guidance and support provided during this process and patience afforded to the club by the Letterkenny & District League while the club sought to pursue every avenue to provide a team at under 16 Division 1. To have the integrity of the club, management committee, managers and coaches called into question via correspondence to the club and through social media has caused great stress and anxiety for committee members and coaches, who perform their duties on a voluntary basis all year around to provide a club for over 200 children in the community. It is also highly insensitive as it highlights an issue which concerned children of tender years. The club wishes to also acknowledge the support received from parents of children in the club. Mulroy Academy has initiated disciplinary procedures and pending resolution of the disciplinary process and legal advice sought, Mulroy Soccer Academy will be making no further comment on this matter at this time.