Two families in Anna say they believe their children were black-balled after parents complained about how the non-profit Anna Sports Group handled the background check of a volunteer coach.
Monday, NBC 5 reported the arrest of volunteer baseball coach Jason Conn last week. Records showed the arrest happened after a misdemeanor hunting violation in January. Conn is facing two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Anna Sports Group said that's when it learned Conn was a felon with multiple Collin County drug convictions that date back to 2002.
Conn, 38, coached 8- and 9-year-old boys for Anna Sports Group. It said he passed a background check two years ago. Monday, the president of Anna Sports Group, Clark Miller, told NBC 5 the background check covered the last 10 years and missed the older convictions.
"We made a mistake. We own the mistake. We're disappointed in ourselves. We are very upset with our process," Miller said.
Most of the drug offenses occurred in 2002, including possession of a controlled substance and manufacturing and delivery of a controlled substance. Court records also showed violations including a DWI arrest in 2005 and evading arrest in 2008.
Tuesday, two families who said they questioned how the Anna Sports Group handled Conn's background check learned their kids' registrations for the fall were canceled.
"We're not really aware or sure that background checks were really being done and if they are being done are they overlooking them?" asked David Upton.
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After Upton posted his concerns about Anna Sports Group's background checks, he said he received emails notifying him that his two sons' fall registration was canceled.
The emails from Anna Sports Group said, "It’s clear by your statements and comments both current and past that you do not have confidence in the leadership and management of the Anna Sports Group. We never want our athletes and parents to feel uncomfortable and lack confidence in our volunteers and our programs. We always want to make sure the relationship between ASG and its athlete parents is productive and positive and this is not the case here. Therefore, we are canceling your registration for the upcoming fall football season and refunding your registration fee. Your fee will be refunded directly to the card to which it was originally charged or mailed by check."
"I feel it was pure retaliation for us being outspoken about the leadership," Upton said. "That's purely what was behind the emails."
Another parent, Cindy Silva, said she received similar emails Tuesday morning after she criticized Anna Sports Group online.
"I feel like it was just out of being spiteful," said Silva. "Let's take her kids out of it."
She said her 6- and 8-year-old were disappointed they couldn't play this fall with their friends in Anna.
"Instead of talking to us parents, he took it out on the kids," Silva said. "You don't do that to the kids, it's not their fault."
Miller told NBC 5 by phone on Tuesday he canceled two family registrations because he believed the families would not want to play with Anna Sports Group. When asked if the families requested the refund, Miller said they had not.
NBC 5 asked why Miller canceled registrations if the parents didn't request them.
"It might have been a bad decision on my part," Miller said.
He also insisted he didn't cancel the registrations of other families that complained.
Tuesday afternoon, Silva said Miller offered to reinstate her kids in the program.
Upton said he's hopeful for the same offer. He said he never wanted his kids to lose a chance to play sports in Anna, but he wanted the leadership to offer more answers.
"We just want the organization to protect them and give them the opportunity to play for their community," Upton said.
