September 16, 2004

Tempers flare
Battle lines are drawn over traffic, trash and noise at TJ Martin Park

By Kymberli W. Brady
Staff Writer

Nestled in a quiet residential area along Oakglen Way lies TJ Martin Park, a lush strip of grassy fields and sprawling trees under a canopy of power lines. During soccer season, it comes alive with the sights and sounds of children running, yelling, and kicking balls from one goal to the other, immersed in friendly competition and team play.

But along with the pitter patter of little feet comes parents in cars, coaches with whistles, and post-game litter—inconveniences that have become unbearable for nearby residents.

“Several neighbors feel that we have lost our peacefulness, which other neighborhoods have retained,” claims Sharon Zahnd, who has lived with her husband Paul on Colorview Court for 30 years. “We realize we’re fighting a losing battle with the invasion of organized soccer, but if it was controlled better, there would not be a need for constant complaint calls to public offices.”

While most residents applaud the Almaden Valley Youth Soccer League [AVYSL] for its efforts to address their concerns, Zahnd and others fault parents and coaches for the ongoing feud over parking, practices, and noise. Some are even threatening legal action.

“There are definitely bad feelings on both sides,” admits Beth Thiele. “My problem is with the parents. Some have verbally accosted—even threatened me. I would just like to see more cooperation on their part to respect that this is a residential area, as well as a soccer park. For those of us who live in the front of the courts, it is a constant problem.”

And yet, some parents contend that Saturday mornings and weekday afternoons have become filled with riled neighborhood wrangles over public property.

According to Shana Moore, one resident stood in her driveway, bellowing admonishments at her daughter’s coach for using his whistle during a recent practice.

“Instead of approaching him like a civilized human being, this woman shouted at him from the street.” Moore explains. “Apparently, some people have no qualms about harassing a dad who is volunteering his time and energy toward healthy activities for children, over something as small as the tweet of a whistle. You don’t buy a house near a park and not expect that there will be kids’ activities.”

Last year, reports of retaliation began to surface. Spectator’s vehicles were egged and hoses unleashed into open car windows, while three coaches were reportedly followed home from practices and community meetings—confrontations that have AVYSL president Terry Thompson deeply concerned.

“It scares people when we have to warn them about their cars being egged or hand out the number for the police just in case they are followed,” she says. “This is not a great way to introduce new families to Almaden soccer.”

However, residents maintain that tensions have peaked because the league is not adhering to a January 2002 agreement after several heated community meetings—a compromise intended to restore harmony. Copies of the lengthy agreement now grace surrounding trees, citing strict rules governing league play in 10 specific areas.

At the top of the “Resident’s Proposal” is a request that signed agreements be obtained from parents promising to abide by the posted rules or lose “future reservations.”

“This has been a sore spot with neighbors for years,” admits Thompson. “We’ve made special efforts to control traffic, banned snacks throughout the league, and cut down on our use of the park. The majority of residents say we’re doing a great job, but there are five or six bitter neighbors who think it’s their private green land and have made it their mission in life to get soccer off TJ Martin Park.”

Jo Coffaro, legislative assistant for Vice Mayor Pat Dando, insists that the league is to be commended for their vigorous efforts to control traffic, trash, and noise.

“People need to realize that they’ve been trying extremely hard,” she says. “The leadership is caught in the middle. They want to be neighborly, but they’re still having problems with the neighbors. They’re feeling the push from both sides and their own membership is getting upset in having to follow all these rules.”

“The league is definitely trying,” agrees Colorview Court resident Anita Praturu, who sympathizes with both sides, as her husband coaches and their children play in the league. “When it got bad a few years ago, they really scaled it down.”

Ironically, the once-tumbleweed-ravaged strip of land was developed into a public park in 1973 with one specific goal—to provide a place for kids to play soccer. And AVYSL put up the first $20,000 needed for its construction. However, residents insist that it was only intended for part-time use.

“We don’t have a problem with soccer, but there can be too much,” admits Rosie Bowring, who lives on Crimson Drive. “That’s why there’s an agreement. Four years ago, it was a nightmare. It’s way better now, but only because a few residents and myself jump on the league every time there’s a problem. Now they’re out here every weekday until 8 p.m., but agreed to only two days a week, for two hours. With games on Saturdays, when do we get a break?”

However, Thompson claims that the shortage of fields this year makes it impossible to follow the rules verbatim.

“The city recognizes that we’ve gone above and beyond what we need to do,” she says. “But they stopped short of making good on their promises to find alternate ones. I don’t know why four or five neighbors have so much power, but they need to realize that we have 2,200 kids in our league who are off the streets, instead of getting into trouble.”

Critical mass
The number represents a startling increase in soccer participation that has left field availability in its wake, and along with it, a warning two years ago from Andre Morrow with Citywide Sports that the league was flirting with critical mass.

“When they were growing their organization, we asked them to put a cap on it, as there weren’t enough fields,” he says. “They agreed to not grow the league over 500 kids total. I had no idea they had grown to that—it’s huge.”

With current permits for 23 fields, including the exclusive use of TJ Martin Park, Morrow further contends that AVYSL holds more than any other youth organization and specific requests for fields were submitted after the required due date—permits had already been issued to other groups.

“We offered them Vista Park and George Page, which they didn’t want,” he says. “There was an attempt to help them out.”

AVYSL is not alone in their plight. According to a Sept. 7 San Jose Mercury News editorial, more than 40,000 children play on nearly 4,000 Santa Clara Valley soccer teams and the city has fallen behind in meeting the need.

In 2000, voters overwhelmingly passed a city park bond measure that promised to complete six additional fields.

Yet, four years later, neighborhood protests and a shortage of operating capital are being blamed for the delayed 2008 opening of the Coyote Road Shady Oaks project. And the 10-year battle over a proposed sports facility on McKean Road rages on.

Field renovations at Pioneer, Leland, and Gunderson schools have further exacerbated the situation, along with the recent Union School District decision to charge $15 per player and $100 per field per month in use fees—a $6,000 price tag attached to Guadalupe School that the league says it can ill afford.

According to Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services representative Art Ruvelas, the ripple effect impacts the entire community.

“Almaden Valley is woefully deficient in sports fields and parks,” he states. “Sports participation is as high or higher than any other area in the city. This community is working hard to get new fields and the city is trying to contribute to that effort. My hope is that McKean will happen and they’ll be able to build those fields—anytime we can turn green space into workable fields would be awesome.”

And yet, the contentious project has emerged as the lone commonality amid both sides of the TJ Martin mêlée.

“There’s a crisis in Almaden,” exclaims Thompson. “If we could ever get the fields done on McKean, it would free up a lot of teams. The city needs to step up.”

“I think for all parties involved, the best thing is to get the fields on McKean built,” agrees Thiele. “That truly is the solution.”

Looking ahead
While everyone agrees that much has been done to circumvent an all out war, some parents continue to ignore repeated requests to honor the agreement and certain residents remain determined to eradicate soccer from the park altogether. The only resolution—for now, is tolerance.

“This agreement is two years old,” says Morrow. “I think we do need to revisit it and come to a win-win. AVYSL has agreed to another meeting with the residents, but a date had not yet been set.”

“Terry has been much better to deal with than the former president, Mike Chavez,” admits Bowring. “I’m sure we’ll be able to work this out.”

And AVYSL coach Marty Orlowicz has a shared empathy.

“If it was my driveway, I’d complain too,” he says. “We try to respect what they want—hopefully they can respect that we’re just here trying to teach these kids some soccer. Everybody’s trying to be cooperative.”