Dear ABYSA and HFC Families:

Hearing about and seeing the unimaginable losses and suffering in our community, and for many of our soccer families, has been heartbreaking. At times, the enormity of it all is overwhelming. Our job is to provide some relief, especially for your children.

We know from responses to some of the wellness questionnaires sent out by our program directors, some of the team level communications we have observed, and from the response to pick up game opportunities we organized starting last Wednesday, that many players and families need to get back out on the soccer field. Not all, but the vast majority of those who we have heard from, are ready to resume a normal set up for their particular program as soon as we can do so safely and responsibly. That is our goal.

If it were possible, we would simply flip the switch now and just make it happen. There are roadblocks we are working hard to overcome to get there as soon as possible. With the destruction of the John B. Lewis Soccer Complex and loss of access to Buncombe County Schools facilities, Asheville City Schools facilities, Buncombe County Parks and Recreation facilities, and Henderson County Parks and Recreation facilities, our biggest hurdle is access to the places where we normally serve you. The facilities that we do not have access to are largely closed to the public and are being used as emergency resource locations. Some remain closed due to lack of water and staff.  For these reasons, our plan to return to some sense of normalcy will require an incremental return to programming. We simply cannot and will not wait to have a solution for every program and team before we restart.

With Henderson County Schools and Mars Hill Schools in Madison County opening this week, programs that utilize those facilities will likely return to a normal schedule first. For those teams and programs where your normal field is not available, we will continue to offer daily-supervised pick-up games at several locations. As more facilities come back on line, and we are able to identify replacement facilities where we are welcome, more teams and programs will move toward a normalized schedule. You will learn about return to normal from your child’s program director or team coach. If you know of a facility that is suitable, and where we would be welcome, please communicate that to your program director.

Our goal is to provide as much of the fall program as possible. The sooner we have access to critical facilities, the more we will be able to provide. How we try to reach this goal will vary from program to program. Once we are able to determine what we can deliver, our Board of Directors will develop a fair refund and credit policy for you to utilize.

Thank you for your patience and understanding. Our staff has been, and will continue, to work as hard as possible to give soccer back to your child while being responsible members of a community that has so many needs at this time.

Sincerely,

Michael Rottjakob

Executive Director, ABYSA/HFC