Ridgewood youth soccer coach’s wife sues critics, citing complaints about tryouts
MARCH 15, 2014, 10:13 PM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD
RIDGEWOOD — The village once again finds itself at the center of a drama involving a youth soccer program and the behavior of the adults in charge. This time, however, it’s playing out in a courtroom.
In a lawsuit filed in a Manhattan court last week, Siobhan Winograd, the wife of a leader of a village-based soccer travel team, alleges that her husband is the victim of false complaints lodged by anonymous critics.
Winograd would not discuss the suit with The Record on Saturday. But according to a copy of the filing, anonymous complaints sent to the village soccer organization had falsely alleged that Michael Winograd had “fixed” tryouts for the team and “engaged in misconduct relating to sportsmanship during the season.”
In the suit, which identifies the defendants as “Ridgewood Soccer Mom” and “John Doe,” Siobhan Winograd alleges that the complaints made anonymously to the village soccer organization were designed to injure “her family’s reputation and standing with their small community.”
This is not the first time that youth soccer in Ridgewood has come under unwelcome scrutiny.
Village resident and independent film director Caytha Jentis released a film in 2012 called “Bad Parents,” which was based on a play — “It’s All About the Kids” — that she had written about her soccer-mom experiences in Ridgewood.
The film, a satire starring Janeane Garofalo and Christopher Titus, painted an unflattering portrait of the parental back story that at times pervades youth sports programs in suburbia.
In the lawsuit, Winograd argues that, since the summer of 2011, she and her family “have been subjected to a pattern of harassment and other tortious conduct.”
There are so many instances of the Maroons org and the coaches fixing the teams that I’m surprised someone got that upset about it.
Kicking and Screaming did it first, and it was a funny movie.
The whole organization has become pathetic and the “leaders” have only themselves to blame. That’s why the kids who want to learn and play real soccer are going to the other leagues.
So I have a question. If I answer the Maroons survey and say exactly what I think of the coaches (running a clique for their children) and the trainer (overpaid), then will I get sued?
#4 if you are honest your child may be dropped to a lower team or may never play again.
If you start sending unsolicited, anonymous personal criticisms to Maroons and to the coach’s employer then you have crossed over to crazy stalker parent.
And “Little League Confidential” probably sold more books than “Bad Parents” sold tickets. Her next movie should be “Bad Idea”.
….and it all gets down to playing time. The oldest complaint in organized sports.
“Stacked” teams is another common complaint.
Interesting how historically the RHS boys soccer program was one of the premier HS soccer programs in NJ playing for State and County Championships seemingly year in and year out. That all stopped when the Maroons program took hold. Having 10, 12, 14 year old kids play soccer 3+ nights a week and weekend after weekend almost 12 month out of the year has killed their interest in the sport by the time they get to HS. Too bad.
#8, not to mention created injuries and fatigue. Kids should be playing different sports every season. It helps build different muscles, protects against injury and each sport also offers different life skills. Young people who play 1 sport 12 months a year are very 1 dimensional. This is even starting to show in professional sports as the products of this pipeline start to work their way into the professional ranks.
Lax is the same. Don’t kid yourself.