Soccer school gets red card from parents over ‘dangerous’ facilities
The all-weather pitch was not suitable and the indoor gym was blocked with school equipment, according to some of the parents who took their children away from Ardee Community School in Co Louth.
“The whole thing was not only laughable, it was dangerous,” said Ken Finegan, whose six-year-old son, Robert, had been looking forward to a week of Samba Soccer.
“He was crying when we left to go home,” said Mr Finegan, “but we had no real choice. There were 60 children there at €90 a head for the week, but there was only one coach.” The money had to be paid before the end of last May.
Mary Carrie, also took her six-year-old son home. “We were all very disappointed. There was one Brazilian coach trying to entertain 60 children. Surely the organisers should have checked out the facilities.”
Stephen Collins, a local expert employed as a facilitator, arranged for children to be brought indoors when parents complained that the outdoor black-top pitch was not suitable for young children.
He was also dismayed at the organisation and facilities and finally walked off the job in disgust. “This is my first day with Samba Soccer and it will be my last.
It was a complete disgrace. It was simply not up to standard.”
However, the founder of Samba Soccer, former international athlete Ronnie Carroll, defended the facilities on offer at Ardee.
“I am happy that the venue is good. We can still only use facilities in the area. I cannot understand how people can send their children to a school nine months of the year and then complain when we use the same facilities,” Mr Carroll said.
He insisted that the matter was being dealt with quickly and efficiently.
“We are sending a whole new crew to Ardee and I am confident that the matter will be sorted out. We have 27,000 children at Samba Soccer camps throughout the country and the children have a great time.
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