The wife of a leader of a Ridgewood, New Jersey-based soccer travel team alleges that her husband is the victim of false complaints lodged by anonymous critics and has filed a lawsuit the New YorkState Supreme Court in Manhattan. According to a copy of the filing, anonymous complaints sent to the soccer organization had falsely alleged that Michael Winograd had “fixed” tryoutsfor the team and “engaged in misconduct relating to sportsmanship during the season.” The suit identifies the defendants as “Ridgewood Soccer Mom” and “John Doe.”
Youth soccer in Ridgewoodhas come under unwelcome scrutiny before. Ridgewood resident and independent film director Caytha Jentis released a film in 2012 called “Bad Parents,” which was based on aplay — “It’s All About the Kids” — that she had written about her soccer-mom experiences in Ridgewood.
In the lawsuit, Siobhan Winogradargues that, since the summer of 2011, she and her family “have been subjected to a pattern of harassment and other tortious conduct.” The harassment intensified, the suit says, afterWinograd filed a formal grievance last October against the soccer organization, alleging financial irregularities and improper board elections.
Competitive youth soccer is corrupt and all about making money for adults.