“Racial Undertones” Alleged by Pawtucket Youth Football Team Suspended from Playoffs

“Racial Undertones” Alleged by Pawtucket Youth Football Team Suspended from Playoffs

The coach - and the President — of the Oakwood Raiders youth football team in Pawtucket are alleging that they were unfairly barred from competing in the playoffs, after accusations were made that they illegally taped another game — that they said they did not, and that there is no proof.

“This whole ordeal reeks of racial undertones as we’re the only predominantly minority team in the league,” said coach Monty Valles. “It is spineless, cowardly and downright cruel for adults to use their authority to destroy a child’s hopes and erase everything they’ve worked. It’s a slap in the face to have our credibility questioned and this careless decision will have long term affects on our children.”

GoLocal spoke with President Matthew Gilmete -- who said that he supports Valles “100%.”

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The league issued a statement to GoLocal standing by its decision:

On behalf of the RI Preteen Football and Cheerleading organization, we understand the frustration and concerns being made by the families and coaches of the Oakwood Varsity Team. We were presented with a difficult decision to make on a violation of our bylaws that govern our organization. The bylaw which was violated is stated below:

Article VII Section 15: There will be no photography or filming of any team in which an organization is not participating. Those teams in violation of the rule will not participate in the playoffs.

The above-mentioned decision to uphold the bylaw was reached based on a meeting with both organizations and the statements provided during that meeting. The infraction was witnessed by many adults, which involved coaches and players from Oakwood. Please know that at no time was this a personal attack on the organization, its leadership, coaches or players of the Oakwood organization. The Oakwood Organization is doing great things with the youth of Pawtucket and surrounding communities, and are still looked at in high regard within the RI preteen organization.

About Incident

Valles, who has coached the team for 3 years, said last Sunday he took players to a Chariho-North Providence football.

“Our kids were excellent: well-behaved, polite and even supportive. They didn’t leave our sight. After the game, we conversed a bit, headed to our car and left,” said Valles. “Shockingly, a few days later our team president receives a call from the board members of the league stating that there was a complaint from parents of North Providence that we were video recording the game and acting up.”

Gilmete said he was called in by Rhode Island Preteen Football and Cheer President Bill Hogan to meet with the board on Tuesday — and he brought Valles with him

“Per league rules — if you are deemed guilty of recording a game you have to forfeit. [Valles] told me that no videotaping took place,” said Gilmete. “He said he showed his players some footage of one of our games versus Chariho. You’re allowed to tape your own games.”

“The biggest dispute is the speculation — they have no proof,” said Gilmete, of the league later in the week telling the Raiders — who are 5 and 1 — they are suspended from the playoffs. “Why the death penalty? They could have said there was inconclusive evidence, and that they would suspend our players from going to other teams games. But to not be in the playoffs — which the kids worked hard all year for — is just wrong.”

Hogan said Saturday afternoon that the league would be “sending out a statement” — and refused further comment.

When asked if he thought there were “racial undertones” to the decision, Gilmete said the following.

“I wouldn’t say no there isn’t — but it definitely feels that way,” said Gilmete. “Look, the proof is in the pudding — you’ll have 40 different perspectives on this. We are the only diverse team in the league — that is a fact. The varsity team has been dominant the whole year. They haven’t gotten in any trouble.”

“With success come challenges: Many of our kids ride a bike or even walk halfway across the city 3x a week to be at practice. Many can’t afford our registration fee so the organization pays for it. Lastly, many of them have passed on high school football for a chance to come back and win their first-ever championship at anything,” said Valles. “If it weren’t for football, Lord knows where some of our kids would be with the influence of the streets and the instability of their homes.”