Gridley Rebels players celebrate after tying their game with the Patriots. Pictured from left are Aubrey, Laurel, Bo, Brixton, Daphne and Joseph. Photo by Seti Long

GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) – Gridley Parks and Recreation (GPR) Soccer league started off on the wrong foot the first weekend of game-play Saturday, Sept. 13, but fell flat on its face last weekend as things seemingly fell apart.

The public’s response has been swift and brutal.

Soccer teams have been waiting patiently for uniforms since practices began in late August, and with little communication from Gridley Parks and Recreation staff, coaches were left shrugging their shoulders when questioned about when jerseys would arrive for players.

The first game of the season was played wearing ill-fitting pinnie jerseys over players regular clothing.

The day before professional soccer photos were scheduled with Mark Thau Photography, parents and players were confronted with bad news and bad uniforms.

Coaches were provided with tank-top style jerseys made from reversible mesh, appearing to be basketball jerseys. There were no team names nor numbers on the jerseys. Some teams were shorted jerseys so not all players had them, or given jerseys that were grossly oversized, such as one 4U soccer team that received sizes medium, that they hung below their knees.

Question circulated Friday evening Sept. 19 as teams received their uniforms.

Parents and the public quickly began to comment, taking to social media with photos and statements that ranked from disbelief to deep anger as confirmation came down that the mesh reversable tanks were in fact, this season’s soccer uniforms.

The City of Gridley promptly responded to public concerns with a statement on social media saying, “Please know that we hear you, and we understand how important the issue is to both the players and their families. We truly appreciate your patience and understanding as we work diligently to address the matter and find a timely solution.”

It was not until Monday, Sept. 22 that Amanda Kaelin director of Gridley Parks and Recreation would put out a statement on social media providing some “context about the soccer jersey change this season.”

Although an attempt to break down expenditures and cost for the soccer program was made, citing coach discounts, equipment costs, rentals including restrooms and facility charges, the public did not seem satisfied with the data Kaelin presented.

Kaelin claims that uniforms have been the departments most “variable expenses” and that the new jerseys save the program around $4,000 a year.

“When I accepted this role, my commitment was and remains to act in the best interest of the community while also ensuring the long-term success and viability of our programs.” Said Kaelin, continuing with “We know communication about the change could have been better, and we’ll work to improve that going forward.”

Responses were not kind, picking apart aspects of Kaelin’s statement and further questioning department decisions.

Parents such as John Hutchison, father of an 8U player, commented Saturday that the whole situation felt “dishonest and deceitful,” in part because no clear answers were given by department heads.

At the time of this article, the City of Gridley and the Gridley Parks and Recreation department have made no further public comment.