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Hockey parents tell of Thunder turmoil
Sempeck: ‘They wanted us to quit’
Published Monday, November 23, 2009
Steve Sempeck and Lori Sempeck thought their son, Matt, was getting a premier opportunity to showcase his talents in the North American Hockey League for a chance at the college level when they signed an “advance player guarantee” and purchased a “platinum package” sponsorship from the Albert Lea Thunder.
What they got was a possibly illegal contract and a whole lot of headaches.
For $12,500 the Sempecks believed they had a deal where Matt would be guaranteed 45 games — unless he was injured or suspended — and be able to play on the team until he aged out after two seasons and not be traded or released from the team. It sounded like a small price to pay for security, a safe locale and a shot at possibly playing college hockey.
The plan was going swimmingly in the first year. Matt played in 38 games, recorded six goals and one assist and missed some time with injuries. But things changed in his second year with the team. Before the season started he broke his ankle on a family vacation and missed the first month and a half of the season. Once he was medically cleared he expected to return to the ice with the team but that never happened.
Head coach Brad Zangs, who according to several sources was told who to play by the ownership, was fired Oct. 20 this season, and Chuck Linkenheld was brought on as the new head coach.
Linkenheld came in with the understanding with the ownership that he would have control of the roster and be able to play who he wanted. He did so, and Matt found himself the odd man out. Matt wasn’t activated on the roster until nearly a month after he was cleared medically to play.
The ankle anecdote
If Matt Sempeck hadn’t broken his ankle on a family vacation in August, the Thunder pay-to-play scandal might not have erupted. So how did Matt break his ankle?
The Sempecks, who are from Elkhorn, Neb., a western suburb of Omaha, went tubing on the Niobrara River near Valentine, Neb. Matt jumped off his tube into shallow water, causing his ankle to fracture.
Matt and his parents grew anxious and annoyed by the runaround they were getting from the team’s management, Barry Soskin and Jim Perkins. Matt neither made the road trip to Topeka nor did he travel to any of the road games after that.
Finally his parents couldn’t take it any more. They believed they had — and still believe they have — a legal contract that requires the team to play Matt.
On Nov. 5 Steve asked Soskin if he needed to see a copy of the contract and Soskin told him no and admitted to Steve he had knowledge of the alleged “pay-to-play” contracts.
“All we wanted to do was for them to honor their word,” Steve said. “They wanted us to quit. If we quit, the problem goes away.”
The Sempecks weren’t ready to go away. After Matt didn’t see the ice Nov. 6 and Nov. 7, the Sempecks sent a fax to Soskin at the Thunder office.
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“After numerous discussions, we feel the coaching staff should honor this and be accountable per the agreement, which is attached. We feel Matt has been treated unfairly and not giving [sic] the opportunity to fairly prove himself. ...
“We feel the new coach was not made aware of the contract with Matt when hired. If this coach is not cooperative with this agreement, he should not have assumed the position,” the fax read.
After no response from Soskin, the Sempecks sent a six-page fax to NAHL Commissioner Mark Frankenfeld. In it the names of seven other players allegedly involved were printed.
“We don’t want to go the legal route — but we will if this is not settled. Mark, all Matt wants to do is play. Pretty simple. If Barry honors his contract, all this is done. At least on our part. There may be others on that list that may have the same issues.”
Soskin met with the NAHL Board of Governors last week and last Tuesday the NAHL’s Executive Committee sent a memo to all governors recommending the Albert Lea franchise be terminated or come up with nearly $400,000 to remain operational.
The Sempecks said they were unaware of how the contracts might be illegal and thought all expansion franchises employed similar tactics.
“We were probably naive to that,” Steve said. “I guess we just trusted these people.”
He also said he plans to legally enforce the contract, if necessary.
A cancelled check reveals a payment of $12,500 with the date listed as April 17, 2008 — which was 13 days before the team was announced and nearly a month before a head coach was introduced.
When Matt returned to the team in early October it was like he wasn’t even part of the team. He said he did not have a locker space, wasn’t given his number from last season and was excluded from drills. He was told by Linkenheld he didn’t ever plan on playing him. The team offered Matt several different playing options with other teams, but he considered those options to be lesser levels.
Linkenheld maintains that he doesn’t believe Sempeck belongs at the NAHL level and told Matt he didn’t believe he could play at that level.
“We didn’t ask him to be on the first line or anything,” Lori said. “How does he know? He hasn’t even seen him play a game. How can he judge him by practice?”
Matt, who was listed at 5-foot-7, 160 pounds last season, played the 2007-08 season with the Chicago Young Americans Major Midget team. He tallied 28 points, scoring 13 goals and 15 assists and finished seventh in the league in points.
Matt likely will not see any playing time as long as Linkenheld is the head coach, but the Sempecks believe the contract they signed ensures Matt playing time and will remain with the team.
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Comments
Posted by bornFree (anonymous) on November 23, 2009 at 11:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Pay to Play? Sounds like a Con job to me, I always thought if you played a team sport you were on the team based on skill not money. I guess I'm wrong.
Posted by AlbertPlayer (anonymous) on November 23, 2009 at 1:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Yes for you parents out there, a coach can tell if a kid can play at a certain level from practice! As a player I can tell if a player is good or not enough to play at what level by watching for about 5 minutes. Your kid isn't good enough. And you know it. IF he was good enough you wouldn't of had to pay 12,500 to get him on a team. Wake up.
Posted by alhs1975 (anonymous) on November 23, 2009 at 1:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
So these parents were looking for a shortcut for their kid to be seen by college scouts, but later complained that the shortcut they sought didn't work out.
I guess you do get what you pay for.
Posted by controlledhyperness (anonymous) on November 23, 2009 at 1:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
AlbertPlayer;
It would be nice if the coach and even seen him practice, but according to the article:
"When Matt returned to the team in early October it was like he wasn’t even part of the team. He said he did not have a locker space, wasn’t given his number from last season and was excluded from drills."
This tells me that the coach did not even see him practice. I am sure that a good coach can tell if a kid has talent, and is where they need to be in order to play..by watching them play or by watching them practice. It is kind of hard to make that kind of a call when the coach hasn't seen either of those things...
Posted by ALhockeyFan (anonymous) on November 23, 2009 at 2:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"He also said he plans to legally enforce the contract, if necessary."
"The team offered Matt several different playing options with other teams, but he considered those options to be lesser levels."
Im going to guess that these parents don't realize that maybe there son wasn't suppose to make the team this year, and maybe there were plans to have him play at a different level, and when the season started the only thing keeping him part of this team is this contract?
Its nice they posted his stats from his team prior to the Thunder, but that was a different level/league.
I bet he didn't do anything to wonderful for the team last year why would you expect him to be any better this year?
Posted by 1PoopedMom (anonymous) on November 23, 2009 at 4:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Regardless, these people paid a lot of money and entered into a contract that wasn't honored. Are people implying that it was okay for these parents to get bilked out of $12,500 because their son may not play at the level they believe him capable of?
I read this as parents who love and believe in their child enough that they were willing to do whatever it takes to open doors for him. They were taken advantage of and robbed.
Maybe the team should be named the Bandits instead of the Thunder?
Posted by BabyGotBack (anonymous) on November 23, 2009 at 4:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree with you Mom.
This reminds me of modeling. I did some myself back in the day but always knew that while I am "fine" I am not Tyra (not quite anyways). More than once did I see agents try to tell parents their teen could model - for a price. First, attend their modeling school. Next, pay big bucks for comp shots. I assure you, Tyra Banks, Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford did not pay for their pictures.
The parents had good intentions and it is sad they lost money like this. But parents have to be realistic. Not everyone is destined for stardom, pro sports, etc. But I feel bad for them.
Posted by leavethethunder (anonymous) on November 23, 2009 at 9:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Don't kid yourself. I am sure the new coach is fully aware of the contract. He is just doing what Soskin has instructed him to do. It was obvious last year that several players on the team were playing under similar contracts. The contract was illegal then, just as it is now. Soskin is just trying to get the players to quit on their own so he does not have to continue to honor the illegal contract. Too bad for Matt, he is a decent hockey player. I feel sorry for all the players careers that Soskin has disrupted or destroyed because of his illegal activities. I asked the NAHL commissioner to investigate Soskin and Perkins last year and removed my son from the team because we suspected he was violating league rules regarding pay-to-play. The team should be terminated and Soskin should be banned from the league. I just hope the legitimate players will be able to find a place to play.
Posted by MRSimmons (Mike Simmons) on November 23, 2009 at 9:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Remember Adam Royce? There are a few adults that visit this site that owe Royce an apology. Royce said right away his reason for leaving was that there were kids not talented enough to play at this level. What he recieved from some posters on this site was nasty comments that he was the one in over his head. Sorry, but these parents shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a hockey arena, they just don't get it. If your kid has the talent, they don't ask you to pay. Then, they talk to the media about it. Now, every kid that plays in this league knows, that when they see this kid on the ice it is only because his parents paid for him to play. And one last thing, I don't think any court of law is going to enforce an illegal contract, they might get their money back, but their spoiled little brat won't be playing in A.L. Good, for all the pay to play parents and kids, don't let the door hit you in the rear on your way out of town.
Posted by MRSimmons (Mike Simmons) on November 23, 2009 at 9:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Sorry, one more comment. I was just wondering, if these pay-to-play kids were taking up roster spots, how many kids were left out in the cold that truely deserved to be on the team? I mean come on, there are only so many on the roster. Those are the kids people should feel sorry for, not these parents that think they can buy everything that little Johnny wants. He wants to play hockey, fine son, go get my check book, LMAO! In my mind, even the parents realize their kids just don't have what it takes. And by the way, six goals and one assist in 38 games? The kid didn't deserve to make the team with those stats.
Posted by wildman (anonymous) on November 24, 2009 at 7:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Why is it that it's only the Sempecks with the issues here? I haven't heard anything from the other parents supposedly involved here. Maybe their boys have stepped it up and earned playing time? I don't know, I'm just askin..Or maybe they don't actually have the same "deal"
Posted by BabyGotBack (anonymous) on November 24, 2009 at 9:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If you are truly meant to play any sport at the college level, you don't need to pay. Recruiters will be all over you. One of my classmates/friends from high school played football and was among the best in the state. The parents never had to open up the checkbook - the colleges came banging down his door. He also enjoyed some time in the NFL.
It is hard to make it in sports. If it was easy, we'd all do it. Just like modeling. There are lots of pretty girls but only a handful of "super models" out there.
Parents - save your money for a college degree. That will help your kid more in the "real world" than sports typically will.
Posted by allycat (anonymous) on November 24, 2009 at 11:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I was disgusted but not at all surprised to hear about the potential demise of the Albert Lea Thunder. My son was a tender for the 2008-2009 team. Within a month of being in Albert Lea, he knew there was some"funny stuff" going on and left. When the first coach left before the season even started, the red flags came up. Did he know about the "Pay to Play"? I doubt it, but he knew he didn't like what Soskin and Perkins had in the works. Throughtout the tryouts, kids we have known for years who were fantastic hockey players were being cut over and over, with an evident nod to the kids from Chicago, some who certainly were not meant to be there. What a money-maker for the organization, while crushing the dreams of some potentially good players. The day I picked my son up, I drove home in tears. Joy for leaving behind such a horrible situation and sorrow for my son ever having to see what corruption can do. I dealt with Mark Frankenfeld of the NAHL and made him aware of what was going on with this team. I didn't realize how bad it really was. I don't know how the NCAA works, but I feel bad for the kids that may never get to play college hockey because 2 selfish men stripped that right away from them. Don't blame the parents because we all want to give our children the best possible. My son is happy, healthy, going to a wonderful college and living his dream playing two college sports. Parents of the kids involved, do what it takes to make sure this can never happen again!!
Posted by bornFree (anonymous) on November 24, 2009 at 12:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Albert Lea? "Pay to Play"? What has this town come to? I'm going to check and see if I have a extra $12,500 and then find my old skates. Hey! Hey!!!!!
bornFree comes across center ice with the puck, fakes right, shoots off balance from his left and SCORES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND SCORES!!!!!!!!!
Posted by Bird67 (anonymous) on November 24, 2009 at 2:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Here is my question? Would you want Jimmy Perkins or Matt Sempeck? My answer would be Sempeck, so how could the new coach say that Matt dosn't belong here, and Jimmy does. Again Chuck was told, you will play my kid (Jimmy) or else you will be gone like Zangs was. I talked with a billet housing parent, and they were told, flat out; Zangs was fired for not playing Jimmy in Alexandria and that Chuck you will do what I ( Jim Perkins ) want or you will be fired like Zangs. I believe Chuck sat Jimmy these last 8 games knowing they wouldn't fire him. Good job coach!
Posted by Bird67 (anonymous) on November 24, 2009 at 2:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hey Nick Gerhart:
have you heard anything from Zangs on his knowledge of the situation? I know he tried real hard to moves some of those plaayers last year and this season, knowing that they didn't belong.
Posted by JPMuffins (anonymous) on November 25, 2009 at 2:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
WOW are you kidding me? you have to pay a taem to take your kid and pay for him to get ice time? no wonder why the Thunder is a laughing stock of the league,
To answer your question bird67 i wont take either of them, you would be better off asking one of the kids on the pee- wee team to play, we all know Matt and Jimmy shoot as hard as they do. There might even be some of the pee-wees that shoot harder.
Posted by BLUE (anonymous) on November 26, 2009 at 12:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
So one set of parents has a problem two EX players parents have talked to the commissioner and there are many other alleged pay to play player's on the team and all that has happened is a 12 page fax was sent by the parents ?
Sounds like the kid did not live up to his end of the bargain he may not have progressed as he promised and was give an option to leave.I can agree that merit and talent should get a player on a team first but money is what you need to run a business and this is a business no matter how you see it .
Hope to see this get sorted out many young men will be affected by this .
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