A recent name change has caused a stir amongst youth football organizations in Turlock.
The former Turlock Titans youth football organization changed their name to the “Junior Pride,” echoing Pitman High School's “Pride” mascot. That name shouldn't be allowed, according to competing youth football organization Turlock Youth Football.
“We were told that we are not allowed to use the name of any school within the (Turlock Unified) School District,” said Turlock Youth Football Vice President Chris Camp.
Along with changing their name to the Junior Pride, the Turlock Titans also changed their jersey colors to green, gray, and black – the same colors and mascot as Pitman High School. The teams logo is also very similar to that used by Pitman High School’s athletic department.
The similarities raise questions about the fairness of an organization promoting a specific high school, or obtaining a perceived association with that school.
“We look at it as nobody should be affiliated with the district, everyone has their own organization and you do your own thing,” Camp said. “We should keep the names that everybody already has.”
Turlock Youth Football fields two teams with names unrelated to local schools – the 49ers and the Vikings.
Camp addressed the TUSD Board of Trustees earlier this month to discuss his concerns with the renamed Junior Pride. Camp said that the District has not made any effort to contact him to address his concern.
“The administration does not get involved in the naming or re-naming of outside non-profit organizations,” said Mike Trainor, Assistant Superintendent of Business Services at TUSD. “Our primary connection with these groups is related to coordination, scheduling and appropriate use of TUSD facilities.”
Trainor also said that, at this time, he has not been provided with any direction to address the issue.
But Camp believes that using a name that could possibly be affiliated with the TUSD could bring about issues regarding liability.
“If you look at the incident that happened in Ceres with the Ceres Cardinals, a couple of their coaches went in and robbed and beat a pizza parlor employee. Could you imagine if they had been named the Ceres Bulldogs? It would bring down the high school if they had been affiliated with them,” said Camp.
“The first question that is always asked is whether there is any affiliation with the local high school or city. But they are a non-profit, so there’s no affiliation with the school. Why should there be now? There are no public funds coming to us, so why use the name?”
The Turlock Junior Pride could not be reached for comment.
Pitman Football's website links to both youth football organizations, Junior Pride and Turlock Youth Football.
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Camp – You sound like a jealous, whiny baby. The Junior Pride out maneuvered Turlock’s good old boy football club and you’re pissed. Man up and shut up.
Absolutely ridiculous. Too bad this article doesn’t also discuss the favoritism/bias the “junior pride” will receive.
TYF changed the Niners colors to Pitman colors because Pitman didn’t feel represented when the Niners and Vikings both wore Turlock High colors. To now bring in a “junior” team under their wing is like a slap in the face to the Turlock Niners, to TYF in general.
@ Jeeves – Having a coach from Pitman involved in “Jr. Pride” is a definite conflict of interest. Will they still be held to the same fees as TYF for using the field and concession stands? Are they going to be allowed open access to rooms for meetings and such that TYF would have to pay to use? Will players who come up through TYF, who are equally – or even more talented, later be overlooked for a “Jr. Pride” bred player.
Turlock Junior Pride couldn’t be reached for comment – perhaps Miss Hallam should have tried getting a comment from Coach Moran @ PHS.
Mike Trainor answered your questions above I believe. That don’t get involved with such things. I think it would be great if high schools develop developmental leagues for younger kids. This doesn’t seem to be the case here but who really cares.
What is the conflict of interest? Youth football is riddle with conflicts of interest. You have coaches on your boards to look out for their own self-interests. TUSD will of course hold them to the same standards as TYF. Its just silly to get all worked up over this.
It does sound like sour grapes on the side of TYF. Isn’t this the same organization that tried to shut the Turlock Titans when the began their team in the city? I thought I read TYF didn’t want to share the stadium either. Chris Camp is the Vice President of TYF and the Varsity 49ers coach and yet he whines about a the Junior Pride.
[quote]We look at it as nobody should be affiliated with the district, everyone has their own organization and you do your own thing,” Camp said. “We should keep the names that everybody already has.[/quote]
[b]Seriously, that is the way you look at it because you want to control youth football in Turlock.[/b]
[quote]The first question that is always asked is whether there is any affiliation with the local high school or city. But they are a non-profit, so there’s no affiliation with the school. Why should there be now? There are no public funds coming to us, so why use the name?[/quote]
[b]Umm, all I can say is more whining.[/b]
[quote]If you look at the incident that happened in Ceres with the Ceres Cardinals, a couple of their coaches went in and robbed and beat a pizza parlor employee. Could you imagine if they had been named the Ceres Bulldogs? It would bring down the high school if they had been affiliated with them[/quote]
[b]This is just plain stupid. Bring down a high school? This is just a silly statement to try to intimidate people far brighter than yourself with the liability ‘threat’. The truth is there is no liability and if there were the NFL 49ers would be all over you. The TUSD has board members far too intelligent to fall for such an silly threat. [/b]
[quote]The real story is the Junior Pride just ran right through your defense and your pissed. Grow-up[/quote]
See Camp? No one cares! Ha
In the article it uses the incident from last year with the Ceres Cardinals and what if they were affiliated with the high school. Ceres is a small city and they already have 2 long standing teams, the Seahawks and the Cowboys and every time a third team comes in, they do not last too long. Back to the article, right now, pretty much the the people that were involved withe the Cardinals are most of the same people now running the Ceres Jr. Bulldogs, the president now is the wife of the old Cardinals team president….and the high school said they had no knowledge of this name being used. The Ceres Jr. Bulldogs are a FOR PROFIT organization and they have been approved by the City and the Ceres Unified School District to use one of the junior high school facilities