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Pinnacles FC head coach has resigned from position

Pinnacles FC head coach Ezra Cremers stepping down from position
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Ezra Cremers has stepped down from his position as executive director and head coach of Pinnacles FC. Western News file photo

Pinnacles FC will be looking for a new executive director and head coach.

Ezra Cremers, who has held the position since being hired in 2011, handed in his resignation letter to the board on Aug. 30.

“I think the biggest problem is that when we first hired him, he was a single guy,” said PFC president Tony Patrocinio. “He now has three very young kids. He also happens to live in Kelowna. When you add the travel time, plus needing to help out raising three young kids, it just became too difficult for him to do both. He has decided he needs to concentrate more on his family. He felt he wasn’t going to be able to give us 100 per cent.”

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Upon resigning, Cremers said he would stay on until the end of November, and if needed longer. Patrocinio admitted there were other factors behind the resignation, including lower registration numbers. Patrocinio said they, the board of directors, are always looking at ways to make the club better. If questions arise, Patrocinio said as a board, they need to ask Cremers.

“I can’t personally comment on that (existing issues) because I don’t know. I’m just going by what he told us,” said Patrocinio. “That particular job is always going to, whoever has that job, will always be asked those type of questions.”

Patrocinio said player numbers are down, but not by a lot. He confirmed there have been some issues with teams with regards to players and their attitudes with regards to Cremers. He added when they have as many players as they do, close to 1,800 players, things are going to occur. As a board, it is their job to listen to the membership and decide if it is genuine or not.

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“There is always going to be a little conflict,” said Patrocinio, who reviewed complaints as well. “We are appointed a board by our members. We have to take whatever our members say as serious. Our job is to check into any concerns that they have. If we feel they are relevant to the executive director, the head coach, then we need to have answers in order to address those situations.”

Patrocinio, in his opinion, felt that Cremers was carrying out his duties properly. Cremers recently returned after being off for a month on holidays and made his annual trip to Holland for his Excelcior Rotterdam stint he does each summer.

The concerns the board had was to make sure players and parents were getting good value for what they were paying for. Making sure everyone was treated equally and Patrocinio said that isn’t always the easiest thing to do. When Cremers was first hired, the soccer association operated for three months from April to June. Now they operate for 11 months, closing down in July.

For the time being, PFC board members will return to being more hands on with running the association. They will also get information from their members to move forward and learn what the club needs.

“I believe that the particular job that we hired Ezra for is too big for one person to do,” said Patrocinio. “Based on how our club has grown and how long the season is now compared to when he was first hired.”

Cremers could not be reached for comment.