Petition Regarding St. Peter’s Youth Basketball Program

We, the undersigned members of the St. Peter’s Pacifica community, parents, families, coaches, parishioners, and supporters of youth basketball, respectfully submit this petition to express our serious concerns regarding the decision to discontinue the St. Peter’s youth basketball program, the lack of meaningful consideration given to alternatives that could have preserved the program, and the handling of funds associated with the program.
The St. Peter’s basketball program has been part of the Pacifica community for more than 70 years. It has served generations of children and families and has provided much more than an opportunity to play basketball. It has been a place where children, parents, coaches, volunteers, and parishioners have built relationships and remained connected to the St. Peter’s and greater Pacifica community.

We believe the following concerns deserve review, explanation, and accountability.

Concerns

1. Reasonable alternatives were declined.
CYO rule changes affected our eligibility, but CYO provided options that would have allowed our players to continue to play for SPP. One option required families to join the Pacifica Boys & Girls Club for an additional $50. 97% of surveyed families supported this option, and families offered to sponsor those unable to afford the fee. This option, which would have supported 2 community programs, was declined.

We also proposed:

• Creating a parish athletic program;
• Establishing a Pacifica parish basketball league; and
• Finding other ways to keep our youth connected through basketball.
  
  

These proposals were also declined without explanation.

2. Efforts to strengthen the parish relationship were not pursued.
Over the past year, we offered to organize a Mass or gathering for players and coaches, invited Father Foley to attend a Saturday game and pray with the players, and offered to organize a church community clean-up. These opportunities were declined.

3. Other community programs have also been lost.
The basketball program is yet another longstanding parish community activity to disappear, following the loss of programs such as the Men’s Club, Women’s Club, and Sunday pancake fundraiser. We are concerned about the continued loss of community engagement opportunities that bring families and parishioners together.

4. Offers to improve the gym at no cost to the parish were declined.
The basketball community offered to provide improvements to the parish gym, including new lighting and water faucets, at no cost to the parish. These offers were declined.

5. We have concerns regarding basketball program funds.
Approximately $4,750 in sponsorship funds were moved into a separate account without the knowledge of basketball program leadership. In July, approximately $20,000 from CYO basketball accounts was transferred to church accounts, without an agreement or explanation to the basketball program leadership.

We believe these funds require a transparent accounting, including where the funds are currently held, who authorized the transfers, and how remaining funds will be used.

6. The handling of the final meeting was deeply troubling.
When the closure of the basketball program was announced at a final in-person meeting between Father Jerry, his staff members, Athletic Director Johnny Harrington and the athletics committee, one of Father Foley’s staff members asked whether he could lead the group in a prayer for the basketball program, the children, the families, and the community because it was such a sad and significant moment for the St. Peters community after 70 years of programming. 

The request for a community prayer was denied by Father Foley, and no prayer was allowed.

Our Requests:

We respectfully ask that these concerns be formally reviewed and that the appropriate parish and Archdiocesan leadership provide:

• A clear explanation of why the proposed alternatives for continuing youth basketball were declined.
• An explanation of why efforts to strengthen the relationship between the basketball community and St. Peter’s were not pursued.
• A transparent accounting of all basketball-related funds, including sponsorship funds and the approximately $20,000 transferred from CYO basketball accounts.
• Documentation identifying the current location and balance of funds raised for the basketball program.
• Clarification regarding how remaining basketball funds will be used and whether they will continue to benefit the youth and families for whom they were raised.
• A review of the process by which the decision to discontinue the basketball program was made.
• A meaningful opportunity for representatives of the basketball community to meet with appropriate parish and/or Archdiocesan leadership to discuss these concerns.
• Consideration of a path forward that would allow youth basketball and other community programs to continue, whether through CYO, a parish athletic program, a parish basketball league, or another mutually acceptable structure.
  
  

We submit this petition not out of a desire for conflict, but because we care deeply about St. Peter’s, its families, its children, and its future.

The St. Peter’s basketball program has been part of this community for more than 70 years. More than 250 families want to remain connected. We believe that relationships should be valued, not lost.

We respectfully ask that our concerns be heard, that the financial matters be addressed transparently, and that every reasonable effort be made to rebuild the relationship between St. Peter’s and the families who have been part of this community for generations.

We ask for transparency. We ask for accountability. And most importantly, we ask for an opportunity to rebuild the community that has been lost.