Parents, player disagree with treatment of soccer coach

Having played soccer for Aziz Haffar for four years, I was very disappointed in the way Coach Haffar was released, not only from his coaching position, but from his teaching position. Let me say that Coach Haffar would do anything for his players: help them get jobs, help them with classes, etc. He was a great role model in Simpson athletics. I wouldn’t have played at Simpson if he wasn’t the coach and I know of many who feel the same.

When a team starts to struggle, the finger is always pointed at the coach. Most of the fingers came from unhappy, under-skilled players who felt they should be on the field instead of some other player.

Aziz had zero red cards in 10 years. He received two this year from the same referee. He couldn’t apologize enough to us when these happened. But he tried to keep our spirits up even though he was banned by the school – which, by the way, made us even madder and work harder for him.

Sure would be interesting to know the whole story about how his dismissal really came about – oh, did I say that? I meant his resignation.

Kenny Chapman

senior

As soccer parents to a graduating starting senior, MVP and 2nd Team All Conference nominee under Aziz Haffar, Kenny Chapman, I am outraged at the way Haffar was treated by the college.

Do some of you know that he was asked to leave, not resign, under undo pressure – and, I feel, intimidation from Mr. Sirianni and your last president? Did you know he had to leave teaching his class in midterm? Is this the way we treat our school members who have spent 10 years getting the soccer program to where it is today? He was also coach of the year in 2000 and compiled a 127-66-20 record entering the 2004 season. Did you know that our men almost made it all the way? Do you know why? Because they worked hard for their coach and their team, that’s why.

OK, so he got two red cards – by the way, from the same referee. We were there and the whole crowd then should have got a red card! The ref was wrong and that call should have been reported to the highest officials. Then, were you there that blistering cold day at BV? We were. And again the wrong call was made by the same ref. Sure Aziz was hot, we all were.

You should have given him another chance – not tromped on his good reputation, let alone his feelings like you did. Take politics out of your own personal decisions, please. You are a great college.

Ken and Linda Chapman

Parents of Kenny Chapman, senior