SMYRNA, Ga. — The president of a new soccer club in Smyrna says the city is blocking children from using taxpayer-funded soccer fields due to an agreement with another soccer club.
The club president said it's a shame since the kids are the ones missing out on the opportunity to play on a full-sized soccer field.
He said club parents are upset because their tax dollars paid for this and now their kids can't use it.
"The only people caught in the middle are kids," said Benny Cauwenberghs.
Cauwenberghs is the president of the Smyrna Bulldogs Soccer Club at Riverline Park in Smyrna. As he talked with Channel 2's Craig Lucie, children in the Smyrna Soccer Club nearly had the park to themselves.
"For some reason, we do not get access to any of the soccer fields within the city limits of Smyrna," Cauwenberghs said.
Cauwenberghs said the city of Smyrna is endorsing a monopoly that is using taxpayer-funded fields that parents in his club paid for.
"We have about 200 kids that want to play soccer in Smyrna that live here and absolutely no reason why they shouldn't be allowed to," Cauwenberghs said.
One council member told Lucie via text that the Smyrna Bulldogs Soccer Club application was denied by the governing body of all of Georgia's Youth Soccer Leagues.
"That is factually incorrect. We are associated with leagues called US soccer which, is a governing body," the text read.
The Smyrna communications director sent a statement when Lucie asked why they were denied use of the soccer fields.
"The decision was made by mayor and council. There is a need for parents and organizers from both groups to find common ground and find ways to work together," said Jennifer Bennett, the Smyrna communications director.
Councilman Wade Lnenicka said kids of city residents should never be excluded from using city facilities.
"We should find a way to accommodate them and I believe our staff if left alone could find a way to accommodate them," Lnenicka said.
Cauwenberghs said that he met with the mayor about this issue last week and the mayor told him he would make a decision soon.
WSBTV
