Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Archives for Soccer

Investigation: former Earlville Athletic Association treasurer took money

By

State Auditor Mary Mosiman.

A special investigation by the state auditor’s office has identified all sorts of improper transactions by the former treasurer of the group that runs youth sports programs in the northeast Iowa town Earlville.

State Auditor Mary Mosiman the Delaware County Sheriff asked for the investigation after getting a tip. “In April of 2016 a city council member who was familiar with the Earlville Athletic Association’s operations expressed a concern that the bank balance was lower than it should be. The city clerk then contacted the sheriff, who contacted our office,” Mosiman says.

The investigation covered January of 2012 through May of 2016 when treasurer Kimberly Snyder was relieved of her duties. Auditors found at least $8,500 of improper payments. Mosiman says Snyder spent nearly $1,600 on her home mortgage and car loan. She also wrote nearly $2,700 in checks to pay her utility bills. Auditors flagged improper cash withdrawals and about $2,900 of purchases that weren’t related to the association’s operations and a $500 payment to Snyder’s husband, and $825 in cash withdrawals with were found to be improper.

The Earlville Athletic Association runs the baseball, softball and fall soccer programs. “We did identify various cash deposits into Miss Snyder’s bank account. Some were made the same day or the day after the athletic association’s events. Some of these were made during the same time frame when the association has the lowest amount deposited,” she explains. Mosiman says there may have been other questionable spending and deposits as they tried to track the deposits, but “adequate records were not available” to connect the dots.

The association collects registration fees for the sports and also earns money from concession stands during the baseball and softball seasons. The audit report says Snyder brought cash to get the concession stands started, but was very protective of the money, and did not let the parent volunteers count it when events were over. Mosiman says that is a bad sign.

“Whenever anyone reacts strongly or overreacts to types of situations like that — that is a big red flag,” according to Mosiman. Snyder was the only person overseeing the money, and Mosiman says they’ve recommended that the association ensure there is more oversight.

Copies of the report have been filed with the City of Earlville, the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, the Division of Criminal Investigation, the Delaware County Attorney’s Office, and the Attorney General’s Office.

Earville Audit PDF

Special Olympics Summer Games get underway in Ames

By

From all corners of Iowa, hundreds of athletes with intellectual disabilities will be headed for Ames today for the start of the Iowa Special Olympics Summer Games being held in Hilton Coliseum at Iowa State University.

Special Olympics Iowa spokeswoman Stephanie Kocer says the event has grown significantly over its 33 years. “We have a bunch of different things going on,” Kocer says. “There’s swimming, track and field, bocce, cycling, soccer, tennis and developmental events. We also have an Olympic festival where athletes go between their competitions. There’s face-painting and activities and food.”

The annual Torch Run will be held today as Iowa law officers literally run the torch from Des Moines to Ames in time for tonight’s opening ceremonies. Kocer says the stadium will be buzzing during the three-day annual event.

“We have 2,500 athletes that are competing and we have over 1,000 coaches and about 1,500 volunteers who are all involved over the three days,” she says. Kocer says there are no losers in the Special Olympics.

“Our athletes compete and they get places but it’s also all about having fun, too,” Kocer says. “I know our athletes are really serious about their events but they also love coming and meeting new friends and seeing old friends and having that social aspect.”

The games will conclude on Saturday. Learn more at: www.soiowa.org.

(Reporting by Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City)

Concussion bill moves ahead in state senate

By

state-capitol-2102016

The Iowa State Capitol.

State lawmakers concerned about concussions among high school athletes moved a bill forward in the Iowa Senate Wednesday to make it harder for coaches to put an injured player back in the game without proper rest or evaluation.

There’s growing concern about the impact of untreated or repeat concussions on athletes from the amateur to the professional level.

Senator Tod Bowman, a Democrat from Maquoketa, says his son was removed from a wrestling match his junior year for a concussion. “My son wanted to return to action. That’s the constant battle coaches face where athletic trainers or other medical personnel have a little different perspective in life moving forward,” Bowman says.

Bowman says the trainer was present when his son was knocked out during the match and settled the issue about whether he would continue. “And she immediately evaluated him and said ‘you’re done son,'” according to Bowman.

The Senate bill would require a professional trainer to evaluate injured players at varsity competitions for the so-called collision sports of football, soccer and wrestling. The trainer would also notify the school’s athletic director if an athlete from a visiting team suffered a concussion. Trainers who attended the statehouse hearing told of coaches putting star players back in the game.

Skeptics wonder if there would be enough athletic trainers in the state to staff every varsity event — for example, on a Friday night when hundreds of teams are playing across the state.

Thanks to Joyce Russell Iowa Public Radio

 

New leader of IGHSAU says educational value of sports is important

By

Jean Berger

Jean Berger

The board that oversees the organization which runs the high school sports and activities for girls in the state has chosen a Winteset native to become its next leader.

University of Northern Iowa interim athletic director Jean Berger will take over as the executive director of the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union in August to replace Mike Dick, who is retiring.

Berger worked 17 years in the Drake University athletic department before moving to UNI in 2008. “I am very, very excited to come back to Des Moines and to get started with the girls’ athletic union,” Berger told Radio Iowa. The Winterset native says there are several things that drew her to move from the college level to working with high schools.

“You know I think it’s the combination of the administrative things that I’m used to in terms of running championships and promoting opportunities for girls. And then it’s really the focus of the Iowa Girl and being able to promote the value of the athletic and educational experience in Iowa,” according to Berger. At at time when many schools are facing budget concerns, Berger. says it’s especially important to focus on the educational value of sports.

“It is because — for athletics and for athletics for young girls in particular — it is educational to be involved. Our coaches are teachers. Their classrooms might be fields or gyms, but they are teachers,” Berger explains. “And what our young people and young girls learn through those experiences are very, very important as they go out into the world.” Berger talked about what she hopes to accomplish as she takes over.

“You know, I think the Iowa Girls Union is viewed upon as the best in the nation and has been for many, many years. It certainly was when I was in high school and the opportunities I had even back then were better than some of my counterparts from other states,” Berger says. “So, the tradition and the history of the Girls Union is something, but as we move forward, I think we can build upon that and expand.”

She says Iowa should continue to be an example for other states. “I think we need to be very thoughtful about how we look at the future and the growth we have and what we do next. But certainly, we are aspirational, and we want people to think that they want to be like the Iowa Girls Union,” Berger says. Berger is the first woman to lead the IGHSAU. Berger is a graduate of the University of Iowa, earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism with a master’s degree in physical education and sports studies. Berger has two daughters, Jessica and Jenna.

 

Des Moines soccer complex hosting Rugby tournament

By

Cownie-SoccerThe home of the boys and girls state high school soccer tournaments will be hosting a national Rugby tournament in August. The James Cownie Soccer Park will serve as host of the USA Rugby Club 7s National Championship August 8th and 9th.

“This is all brand new to us. This will be our first time we actually get to bring rugby to town,” according to Parks and Recreation Director Ben Page. “In fact, we are meeting with their leadership group to find out what their expectations are, how we can be the best hosts for them.”

Page who says it will be the first time the soccer complex has hosted a Rugby event, but they fields were built to be multipurpose for other events. He says the fields are bigger than normal soccer fields to allow for the change to a rugby field.

Page says they were able to host this event due to a scheduling gap at the complex as he says they have all kinds of soccer events there and it is unusual to have an opening.

Page says they enjoy the challenge of hosting national events as he says the complex was built to be an economic engine for the community.

 

Iowa Games hits deadline for soccer registation

By

The largest sport for the Summer Iowa Games is facing a final registration deadline. Spokesman Cory Kennedy says today is the final day to register for youth soccer. Youth soccer has around 2,500 to 3,000 athletes competing on some 200 teams.

Kennedy says registration must be complete by the end of the day via online registration at IowaGames.org. Kennedy says registration need now includes the minimum roster size and player information, information on the coaches and payment. He says other information will be needed later.

The youth soccer competition is July 18th through the 20th in Ames.

 

Iowa soccer fans gather as American Outlaws

By

The official fanbase of U.S. Soccer will gather in the West Des Moines on Saturday to get ready for the upcoming World Cup. Tanya Keith is President of the Des Moines Chapter of the American Outlaws which will hold a watch party at the Keg Stand as the U.S. team plays Nigeria in its final match before heading to Brazil. Keith says the American Outlaws were born following the decline of the original fanbase Sam’s Army.

“A group of guys from Lincoln, Nebraska got together and said ‘hey we need to have more of a fan presence at every single game,’ and they set up a web presence,” Keith says. She says they have some 18,000 members now. Keith says the group is growing and several members of the Des Moines chapter will be traveling to Brazil. “Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine A-O Des Moines climbing to 140 paid members,” Keith says. She says that’s after spin offs in Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, the Quad Cities and Marshalltown.

Keith says fans will be gathering at the Keg Stand in West Des Moines to watch the U.S. play Nigeria this Saturday in the last game of the sendoff series before the World Cup. While the name may sound ominous Keith says the American Outlaws are not the hooligans that have become so prominent in European soccer. “This is America, hooliganism isn’t really about tearing about stadiums and lighting things — it’s about supporting our team — and we create a riot of color and sound and song,” Keith says. She says stuff that is not positive is taken care of pretty quickly.

The group is organizing view parties for the upcoming world cup matches.

 

Soccer tournament games shift to beat severe weather

By

The start times of several girls high school soccer regional tournament games have been moved up due to expected severe weather. Jason Eslinger with the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union says the schools are concerned about the games and people getting caught in a storm on the way home, so they are moving the games.

Eslinger says there are rules in place if severe weather hits during a game. “A game is considered official if one full half is played,” Elsinger says. He says if a team is leading at the half or in the second half and they can’t play the rest of the game, it is considered over.

If the game is tied or does not reach halftime it will be completed the following day from the point it was halted.

 

Special Olympics Summer Games set for this week

By

Athletes with intellectual disabilities from across Iowa will be heading to Ames later this week for the 30th straight year the city’s hosting the Special Olympics Summer Games. Shane Kiesner, spokesman for Special Olympics Iowa, says the three days of events will begin Thursday on the Iowa State University campus.

Kiesner says, “We have nearly 2,700 Special Olympics Iowa athletes and unified partners who will be traveling from across the state to compete in competitions in aquatics, which is swimming, athletics, which is track and field, bocce, cycling, soccer skills, team soccer, tennis and developmental track and field events.”

The annual Law Enforcement Torch Run will kick off the games on Thursday and Kiesner says he’s grateful for the dedicated backing.”We’re very blessed here in Iowa to have very strong support from law enforcement across the state through the Law Enforcement Torch Run,” he says. “They will start out in Des Moines and they will run the torch to the Opening Ceremonies at Hilton Coliseum on the Iowa State University campus.”

Kiesner credits some 3,000 volunteers from central Iowa who will be helping the events to run smoothly through Saturday. Learn more at: www.soiowa.org

(Reporting by Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City)

 

Soccer all star games set for this weekend

By

Soccer fans can enjoy a tripleheader on Saturday at Valley Stadium in West Des Moines and it will be capped off by a Des Moines Menace game. Menace spokesman Adam Small says the action will begin with the Iowa high school girls and then boys all star contests.

Small says the high school all star games will be played in the afternoon with the girls game at 2:30 and the boys game at 4:30 and the night cap at 7:30 is between the Des Moines Menace and a team from the Twin Cities.

Small says hosting the all star games is a great way for the Menace to help promote the sport and that is their charge, to grow the game of soccer. Small says fans can watch all three games for the price of one as he says the tickets are $9 for adults and $7 for youth.

Tickets are available at the gate and they are having a blood drive in the morning where donors will get a free ticket for donating.