WEST LINN, Ore. - After playing all season long, on Sunday it was official. The West Linn Youth Football Team has been banned from the league's 2009 regional playoffs.

The decision came down from the Tualatin Valley Youth Football League Sunday because of where 45 of the 200-some West Linn players live and where they play. Needless to say, their coach and even the mayor of this football-centric town aren't too happy.

There's no doubt what the West Linn Youth Football Team wants to do.

"Our team goal was to make it to playoffs," one West Linn player told KATU.

But now that dream, right along with their season, is gone.

The West Linn teams were expected to head into the playoffs for this tackle-based football program for 3rd through 8th grade players in the Tualatin Valley and Portland metropolitan areas. Instead, it has been banned for the season for what West Linn community members see as a technicality that the players had no way to control.

The problem comes with boundary lines. These player live and go to school in the West Linn school district boundaries. However, because the city lines and school boundaries don't line up, there are some 40 to 45 players technically living in Wilsonville city boundaries. According to league findings, those players would need a waiver from Wilsonville to play football for West Linn.

Sunday, in a closed meeting with the league presidents, West Linn Youth Football President John Germain pleaded his case. But in the end, the league would not budge.

"We thought we had a strong case," Germain told KATU. "They all voted us down."

In the past, Germain said the waiver was not brought up as an issue. And it's too late this year to do anything in time for the playoffs.

"We really thought we were abiding by their bylaws, we really did," Germain said. "We didn't knowingly intend to cheat, as some in there have said."

None of the 34 local leagues presidents who voted on West Linn's league inclusion would go on-camera. However, a statement issued by the league said West Linn's violation was "found to have been substantial, and warranted the removal from playoffs as clearly spelled out in league bylaws."

It's an unfortunate decision, Germain said, that he thinks will send outrage through the community. The results of the league's Sunday vote mean that not only are the 45-odd players requiring a waiver out of the play offs, but every team in the West Linn Youth Football program is out of the playoffs as well.

"At the end of the day they don't care if West Linn families want to play for West Linn Youth Football," Germain said. "It's about their bylaws."

A press release distributed Sunday by the league even went so far as to blame the West Linn community and its mayor for using the media to "pressure" the league to - in the league's words - "favor West Linn over other teams who have followed the rules."

That has the mayor of West Linn firing back in a big way.

Here is the Nov. 1 press release from the Tualatin Valley Youth Football League: 

"TVYFL Upholds Decision to Exclude West Linn Youth Football from Playoffs

Today, by a vote of 33 to 1 by the presidents of the Tualatin Valley Youth Football League, who represent 35 Portland metro area high school attendance areas, a decision by the TVYFL executive committee has been upheld to exclude West Linn Youth Football from 2009 playoffs. (Note that the vote tally was written into the pre-printed typed release.)

West Linn's violation of the rules of fair play set forth in TVYFL bylaws was found to have been substantial, and warranted the removal from playoffs as clearly spelled out in league bylaws.

These bylaws are set forth to protect all of the children who play in the TVYFL. We find it unfortunate that the West Linn community, including elected officials such as West Linn's Mayor Patti Gaille, have used the media to pressure the TVYFL to favor West Linn Youth Football over children of other communities who have followed the rules of play."

Here is the letter in response from the mayor of West Linn:

"Dear John Percich,

I read the press release you had written before Mr. Germain had a chance to state his case.

First, I have to wonder about a group of people who are so committed to their cause that they would take media attention as a negative.  One would think that if you truly felt good about it you would welcome the opportunity to state your case to the public.

Isn't it the public who supports youth football?  Isn't it generous donors and private citizens  who make up the league in the first place?

I am proud of the citizens I serve and I take personal offense that you would criticize my support of the residents of my city.  Mostly, I am proud of our kids.  Kids that you have not given an ounce of consideration in a bully tactic to punish some minor procedural error.

Everyday as an elected official I deal with families who have been devastated by the failing economy.  Regularly I receive updates on our soldiers fighting war in the middle east.  Most everyday I deal with how to hold rising taxes that will heavily impact struggling families.

In the big picture, kids playing ball is one small thing we can give them as they too process through what we adults are going through.  To take this away from them is inconceivable.

If your objective is to teach them rules, you missed the mark by a long shot.

In the end, the kids suffer and you win.  I hope you are all proud of yourselves and don't look to any diminishing support of my city residents anytime soon.

Patti Galle
Mayor, City of West Linn"

UPDATE, 6 p.m., Sunday:

Here is the statement released from the West Linn Youth Football Association:

"The West Linn Youth Football Association is extremely disappointed in today’s decision by the Tualatin Valley Youth Football League.  We believe that it is vital that we convey to both the West Linn community as well as the other members of the TVYFL that at no time did we knowingly violate league rules governing fair play.

That being said, we respect the TVYFL’s Executive Board’s authority to have the final say in these matters. We look forward to working with the TVYFL to ensure that the WLYFB Association is fully compliant in the future with all league bylaws.

John Germain
President
West Linn Youth Football Association"