Public comments escalate over La Cademia access to public soccer fields; residents call for transparency

A large contingent of speakers — parents, coaches, league organizers and La Cademia/Albion SC Santa Ana staff — addressed the City Council during public comment, sharply divided over access to Centennial Park and other public soccer fields and alleging improper behind‑the‑scenes negotiation.

Dozens of speakers described the youth and college pathways that La Cademia and Albion SC Santa Ana say they provide. Jorge Reyes, introduced over Zoom as a founder, described the program’s dual focus on soccer and educational pathways: “Our mission isn't to compete or replace with anyone. It's to stand in the spaces others haven't,” he told the council. Several players and coaches described trips, scholarship outcomes and free enrichment events the club organizes.

Opposing speakers — leaders and longtime volunteers from local city leagues, neighborhood organizations and youth coaches — urged fairness in field allocations and public process. Multiple speakers alleged private meetings between city staff, Council Member Penalosa and La Cademia representatives and asked for full disclosure under the Brown Act and the California Public Records Act. Tommy Fernandez said residents had filed a CPRA request and characterized the negotiations as an attempt to “privatize our fields,” while other speakers asked the council to require open solicitation and equitable assignment of playing time.

City Attorney clarified the city’s legal position earlier in the meeting when a separate set of public comments alleged Brown Act violations. She told the chamber that the Brown Act governs elected officials and that the city had not found evidence that a majority of councilmembers met in secret on soccer field matters. The city attorney also said staff had responded to public‑records requests and pledged to review any withheld documents to confirm proper exemptions were used.

La Cademia supporters stressed outreach and opportunities for Santa Ana players: speakers cited scholarship dollars, college visits and the number of families served. David Pulido and other opponents urged the council to ensure field assignments remain equitable and transparent; local league representatives asked for a formal, public process for allocating fields rather than private agreements.

Council members did not take formal action on the field allocation during this meeting. The record shows repeated public requests for the city to produce records of meetings and communications; speakers noted that the California Public Records Act requires agencies to respond to requests within statutory time frames and that complaints could be filed if records were improperly withheld.

Key clarifying details from public comment include: La Cademia leaders saying they have offered scholarships (applicants described $206,000 in scholarships in one recent period and cited school visits and college guidance); multiple local leagues saying they want equitable access rather than exclusivity; and public‑records requests filed to examine communications between city staff, the council and the applicant. The council asked the city attorney to review claims about records and the Brown Act and to report back if any exemptions were applied in withholding documents.