Mudsock Youth Athletics
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
Mudsock Youth Athletics presents a highly polarized experience. For some families, it's a valuable long-term athletic home where children can try multiple sports (softball, baseball, basketball, lacrosse) and develop a love for the game and teamwork through dedicated volunteers. These families report consistent positive experiences over many years, praising the community and the opportunities for kids of varying talents to be active. However, a significant number of reviews describe severe issues, including perceived unfair team sorting based on skill level (prioritizing high school potential over general development), poor coaching quality, unprofessional and disrespectful conduct from league leadership (including screaming and dismissing female coaches), and extremely serious allegations of coach assault, board member corruption, and verbal abuse towards children, particularly within the 4th-grade football program. Parents reporting issues also claim dismissal and retaliation (kids kicked off teams).
Key Highlights
- ✓Families report positive, long-term involvement (up to 8 years) across multiple sports (softball, baseball, basketball, lacrosse).
- ✓Dedicated volunteers are focused on helping kids grow their love of sport and become better teammates.
- ✓Provides opportunities for parents to volunteer in roles like coaching or team parent.
- ✓Some parents view it as offering robust opportunities for local (HSE) kids to learn and be active at various talent levels.
- ✓Reported to teach life lessons, such as accepting calls that don't go your way.
Standout Features
- ⭐Offers a variety of sports leagues allowing children to try different activities.
- ⭐Provides a community for long-term family involvement in youth sports.
- ⭐Opportunities for parents to take active volunteer roles (coach, team parent).
- ⭐Focus on teaching sportsmanship and 'life lessons' beyond the game (from positive reviews).
Perfect For
Ideal For
💡Pro Tips from Reviews
- →If your child is a high-skill player or aspires to play in high school, this league might provide focused competition, but be aware of potential negative impact on other players.
- →Consider volunteering as a coach or team parent to potentially gain more insight and influence over your child's experience.
- →Be prepared for potential perceived unfairness in team assignments and coaching styles that may be specialized rather than broadly developmental.
- →For specific leagues like 4th-grade football, thoroughly research current coaches and board members due to severe past allegations.
- →Discuss expectations with your child about winning vs. skill development, especially if placed on a 'zero potential' team.
Things to Consider
- ⚠Teams are sorted by skill level, with an explicit stated purpose of preparing 'better kids' for high school, leading to 'zero potential to succeed' teams for others.
- ⚠Coaching quality can be poor, with one coach reportedly 'only teach[ing] kids to run the ball', leading to discouragement.
- ⚠Children have left games feeling 'worse about themselves' due to perceived unfairness and lack of opportunity.
- ⚠Serious allegations of unprofessional conduct from league President ('Chip') and Ref Coordinator ('Justin') during tournaments, including screaming near team benches and cancelling/restarting games without speaking to coaches (specifically female coaches).
- ⚠Extreme allegations for 4th-grade football: coaches 'assaulting kids', board members 'exchanging favors', and coaches' children behaving 'absolutely horrible'.
- ⚠Claims of a 'HUGE cover up' where parents' concerns are 'immediately dismissed' and their kids are 'kicked off the teams' for exposing issues.
- ⚠Allegations of verbal abuse from the board President (elected despite no football experience) towards children, telling boys 'they sucked', 'had soft hearts', and 'should be embarrassed to go to school'.
- ⚠Perceived 'daddy boy system' where politically connected kids receive unfair advantages.
- ⚠Concerns that the board is driven by 'power' over parents rather than care for football, the game, or the kids.
Price & Value
No specific pricing information is provided in the reviews, so direct assessment of value for money is not possible. However, multiple negative reviews imply poor value, with one stating, 'I wouldn’t waste your money!' if your kid doesn't show potential for high school sports, suggesting high cost relative to the perceived benefit for average or developmental players.
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •No accommodations for special needs mentioned in the reviews.
🍎Food & Drink Policy
- •Not mentioned in the reviews.
🚗Parking Info
- •Not mentioned in the reviews.
👥Crowd Levels
- •Not mentioned in the reviews.
🛡️Safety Features
- •Serious safety concerns raised regarding alleged 'coaches assaulting kids' in the 4th-grade football program.
- •Reports of a hostile environment with adults screaming near children's benches.
- •No positive safety features or measures were mentioned in the reviews.
⏰When to Avoid
- • If your child is not a high-skill player and you are concerned about them feeling 'discouraged' or having limited opportunities.
- • If you prioritize broad skill development over highly competitive, skill-segregated teams.
- • If you have low tolerance for unprofessional behavior from league leadership, particularly during tournaments.
- • 4th-grade football without significant recent positive changes and verification, given the severe allegations of coach misconduct and board issues.
- • If you expect your concerns to be heard and addressed without fear of your child being 'kicked off the teams' for speaking out.
Pricing/Package/Events
Events & Schedule
🛡️Safety Policy
- • Code of Conduct Agreement: Required for all participants, coaches, parents/guardians, and spectators. Prohibits physical/verbal abuse, inappropriate language, criticism of officials, criminal actions. Emphasizes fair play, sportsmanship, respect, fairness, civility, honesty, and responsibility.
- • Volunteer Requirements: Background Check, Concussion, & SafeSport Training.
- • AED/First Aid Information: Available for volunteers.
- • Accident Report Form: Available.
- • Weather Policy: Mudsock Youth Athletics Weather Policy document available.
- • City of Fishers Park Regulations: Document available.
📅Booking Policy
- • Eligibility: Parent(s)/guardians must reside in the Hamilton Southeastern School District (Fishers, Indiana).
- • Registration: Must be completed by a parent, custodian, or legal guardian.
- • Grade-level Registration: Register child in current grade for spring sports, and their grade for the upcoming fall for fall or winter sports. Contact Mudsock Youth Athletics if the correct grade is not offered (317-845-5582 or info@myathletics.com).
Photos
Recent Reviews
kila hobbs
7 months agoWorst league to put your child on. They sort teams based on skill only and use the excuse “the better kids need to know each other for when they play together in high school”. This is 2 years in a row my son has been put on a team with zero potential to succeed and a horrible coach who only teaches kids to run the ball. My son is BEYOND discouraged because he thought he would learn to be better. Kids can be taught but not if they aren’t given a chance. If your kid doesn’t show potential to play in high school I wouldn’t waste your money! I get some kids will not be as good as others but when your kids leave games feeling worse about themselves something isn’t right!
Tara M
a year agoI am saddened to see so many negative reviews for this organization. Our family has been involved mostly as parents, but also my husband has coached a few times, and I have been a team parent a few times throughout our almost 8 years of kids being involved and have never once had a negative experience with any member/volunteer/fellow parent. Mudsock offers incredible opportunities for HSE kids to learn and be active at all levels of talent. Fishers is lucky to have such robust offerings outside school settings. While I’m sure mistakes happen and a few isolated incidents have upset a few, I feel like the majority of players and parents have had a wonderful experience! Which is evident by seeing so many smiling faces (kids and adults!) season after season. Keep up the fantastic work. Thanks for all you do.
Cody Sharp
a year agoOur kids have been a part of a number of their leagues for the last 6 years. They've played softball, baseball, basketball and even tried lacrosse. In every league and in every season we've found a great group of volunteers trying their best to help kids grow their love of the sport and become better teammates. The calls don't all go our way but that's just life, and yet another good lesson for our kids to learn. I would 100% recommend the league, its programs, and volunteering to coach or taking another active volunteer role.
Shelby Coley
a year agoThe President Chip and the the fellow in charge of the Refs Justin were so unprofessional during the tournament. It was so sick to see grown men screaming and making a scene right next to my nephews team bench. The team was playing so well but then got interrupted because Chip decided to cancel the game. Mind you he never spoke to the coach's (who are females) he never let them speak. Then started the game back up again, the boys were so upset. The team never got a fair game. I pray for the boys mental health.
Jessica Wessell
3 years agoWhere to start. This year's 4th grade football experience was an absolute nightmare. We had coaches assaulting kids, board members exchanging favors, kids of coaches acting absolutely horrible. Parents who wrote their concerns were immediately dismissed and they kicked off the teams. Their is a HUGE cover up going on. And anyone who exposes it immediately gets their kids kicked off the team. The president of the board is the absolute WORST OF THE WORST. Not only does he have no football experience, he treats the kids horrible!!!! That's why he wasn't allowed to coach this year... yet was elected by the board to be president. He told the boys they sucked, had soft hearts, should be embarrassed to go to school and it goes on and on. He got elected because his buddies sit on the board and they run the good old daddy boy system where their kids aren't good enough to make it without the help of their politics. Not one person on that board now cares about football, the game, or the kids. What drives them to volunteer is the power they hold over these parents. The football board needs to go!!!!!!