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The following is a letter titled, "Time for us to unite for one
common goal" addressed to USACA league presidents and administrators. It
was written by New York Regional Chairman Lester Hooper at 1:16 p.m. on
Tuesday, October 11 and obtained from a source.
Regional Directors And League Presidents,
Let me be clear about this. Gladstone Dainty will always be Gladstone
Dainty. As much as it is always healthy to express your views via
emails, articles, etc., none of said actions will change the thought
process and actions of Gladstone Dainty. We can all sit here and throw
the blame at his door step but after awhile we as cricket administrators
and stakeholders will eventually have to take the blame for allowing
this circus to go on. We are all so caught up with how many players
from our respective region make the US team or whether or not the coach
and manager is from our region than we neglect the most important thing
that makes it all worthwhile, cricket. Folks I like many of you came
from a background where the game of cricket took precedence. The thick
politics, nepotism and favoritism had no place.
As of a few weeks ago, the USA women's team was preparing to enter their
final camp before going off to Bangladesh. As of this morning, the
coach Linden Fraser was removed and replaced by the expensive Mumbai
coach Robin Singh and the team manger is in the process of making calls
to members of the team informing them that they are being replaced in
the US squad. Why? Because coach Fraser inquired about the $100,000.00
that was given to USACA to prepare the ladies for Bangladesh and the
ladies voiced their 1st amendment right in objecting to the stipend they
were offered to tour Bangladesh, respectively. It really saddens me
that USACA does not have money to prepare our national team and run
our national tournaments but have the necessary funds to pay a coach a
minimum of $10,000 for a week or two. Once again I ask the question,
when the tour is over what happens to the women? Folks this is the
second time for the year that USACA is paying a coach thousands of
dollars just to chaperone a US squad without any help to their long term
development. No disrespect to coach Robin Singh whom I respect greatly
but as a professional I'm sure he knows that there is only so much you
can do coming in a day or two before a tournament and not knowing the
players. The same case can be made for our U19 who just came back from
Ireland recently. Will Robin be doing any work with them in the near
future? Will Robin be instructing our local coaches? Will he be
conducting open sessions in the various regions? The only time I hear
the name Robin Singh is just before a US team goes on tour. Folks this
is unacceptable. Let's pay Robin his worth but let him earn that money
by aiding in the development of US cricket.
On the other hand, the ladies in training to represent the USA in
Bangladesh are now being informed that they are being replaced by a
second string team. We as regional directors and league presidents need
to stand up and say enough is enough. My guess is that some of you
regional directors will allow players from your region to participate in
this second string team which will once again facilitate the actions of
President Dainty. Why? So that you can stand up and say several players
from my region made the US team. What you fail to realize is that the
ICC is currently monitoring the situation and they are asking the same
question that many of us are asking. Why are the league presidents
allowing this to happen? They are the ones who have all the power. Yet,
they sit idly by as President Dainty continues to drive USACA towards
another suspension. Who are we going to blame this time? Dainty? No, all
of us will be held equally accountable this time around. The person
that witnesses a rape and fails to report it is just as guilty as the
perpetrator. Yet, you will all sit by as the second string USA team is
made to be the biggest joke at the World Cup Qualifiers. I urge the
regional directors and league presidents not to facilitate the actions
of President Dainty. Send a message to him that we will all hold one
front in the defence of cricket in the USA and the USACA organization .
If not, I promise you that individuals outside of the US will make the
decision for you.
Those of you in alliance with President Dainty, I can only wish that you
would do your duties in the interest of USACA and the many cricketers,
administrators and stakeholders who are currently doing their part to
help USACA reach better and greater heights. We cannot continue to have a
dysfunctional board and expect to be taken seriously by the cricket
community. Many within the US have voiced their opinions on President
Dainty's unconstitutional actions over the past few months. Yet, you in
alliance have remained quiet. Do you agree with his actions or are you
afraid to voice your true opinion? I personally do not have an axe to
grind with the President but folks once again, enough is enough.
I am not one to get involve in USACA politics but folks how do you sit
by as the game that you love is being destroyed on a national level and
by extension a regional level. This is not about John Aaron or Linden
Fraser, the several women from New York who are currently being treated
unfairly or any particular region. Today its these folks tomorrow its
someone from your region. We need to be more united than in the past.
Cricket in this country can grow into something we can all be proud of;
however, if we continue to go down this path, we can all share the same
disastrous fate. Folks lets wake up and do the right thing. President
Dainty's unilateral decisions will eventually cost us a price that we
cannot afford. Whether it is another suspension or someone like the Don
Lockerbie winning a multi million law suit against USACA. Folks, call an
emergency meeting and lets get USACA back on track.
Regards,
Lester Hooper
Director NYCR