Jonesboro, AR — (JonesboroRightNow.com) — May 30, 2025 — The future of Arkansas Revolution Soccer Club (F.C.) has been in question since all members of its board of directors resigned in late April.
A memo sent to Revolution players, parents, coaches and supporters on April 26 read, in part:
“Our volunteer board is comprised of parents and professionals from several professional specialties, across nearly every city school district, and with an excellent diversity of opinion on how to manage effectively. Working together, we have committed our time, energy and our money to the ARFC program, rendering measurable results in the program. Our board volunteers have asked for nothing in return other than for a productive partnership from City officials which would empower continued improvements within our program and within our community.
Unfortunately, under the current circumstances, we are no longer in a position to achieve our goals. Accordingly, effective immediately and with heavy hearts, every member of the Arkansas Revolution Board of Directors is stepping down. We do so only after exhausting every reasonable avenue to correct ethical and governance failures that threaten the long‑term health of the club.”
Arkansas Revolution F.C. is a soccer club formed to give some of the community’s stronger soccer players a travel club option and a step up from the city’s basic-level soccer program, City Stars. Danny Kapales, director of the City of Jonesboro Parks and Recreation Department, said he helped launch the original travel soccer program in 2011.
He said Arkansas Revolution has operated under the nonprofit umbrella of City Stars, which manages recreational youth sports. However, unlike the recreational league, Kapales said Arkansas Revolution offers a more competitive experience with tournament and league play across the region.
Daniel Gary joined the Revolution Board of Directors in June 2022. He later became the group’s liaison to the city administration. He said his primary responsibility was maintaining a positive relationship with the city and understanding the organization’s financial operations.
He said it was while he was asking questions about the Revolution’s finances that he learned the group’s board wasn’t a governing board.
“At a meeting, I proposed letting teams collect gate fees during tournaments,” Gary said. “[Former president] Matt Modelevsky supported the request, but Kapales shut it down. That was when we realized that our group was just a subcommittee of City Stars.”
Kapales confirmed the Revolution’s leadership status: “There was never a separate board, just a committee that worked within City Stars,” he said. “They weren’t governing; they were advising and helping make decisions.”
Former board member Pam Haun said financial clarity was an ongoing issue.
“We never had our own bank account,” Haun said. “It was difficult to plan long-term or hire top-level coaches because we never had a clear picture of the finances.”
Revolution board members had no access to financial records beyond what was shown in monthly meetings, Gary said. He said financial statements were presented as Excel spreadsheets prepared by Kapales, but Gary said they offered little detail.
A major question was a recurring line item on the Excel spreadsheet labeled “field usage,” Gary said. He said the line item typically ranged from $10,000 to $14,000 annually, about 10 to 15 percent of the Revolution’s total budget. Gary and others believed this fee went to the city for using Joe Mack fields.
Gary said he has been reviewing the city budget, trying to trace where Revolution’s money was going. “I couldn’t find a line item,” he said.
When he asked Kapales, he said he was told the funds remained in the city’s account and were used as needed.
“Well, this has been represented as ‘field rental’ to us,” Gary said he told Kapales. Kapales replied that past boards had known this, and he simply forgot to inform the current board.
One of Gary’s major concerns centered around how sponsor funds were managed.
“We’ve raised money from Shadrachs, Jordans, Diamond State Networks and Empower. That money was given to the Revolution program for the benefit of Revolution,” he said. “It would be justified spending if that money is going to facilities. What is not justified spending is that money is used for whatever Danny (Kapales) decides to spend it on out of the City’s budget.”
In the wake of the recent organizational turmoil, a new leadership group has stepped forward to preserve and strengthen the Arkansas Revolution. Local leaders John McKnight, Gretchen Kelley, and Jamar Andrews are working with the City of Jonesboro, coaches, and parents to form an independent governing board.
Their goals: secure financial autonomy, maintain access to top-tier fields, and ensure competitive play for the 2025–2026 season and beyond.
Kapales said he supports the effort to preserve Arkansas Revolution. He said the City Stars board has already voted to pursue nonprofit status for Arkansas Resolution, aligning with what the outgoing committee advocated.
“It’s unfortunate that those conversations didn’t happen before the committee decided to walk away,” Kapales said. “We were already moving in the direction they wanted.”
Now, the new committee is carrying that vision forward. “We have maintained consistent communication with Stephen Davis from City Stars and Danny Kapales on the progress our team is making,” Andrews said, stressing the group’s focus on transparency and collaboration.
Revolution is currently working through the process of establishing its own nonprofit identity, including securing an EIN (tax identification number) and 501(c)(3) nonprofit tax status.
Andrews said this change will “allow for greater clarity in financial transactions within the club, and with the city,” adding that Kapales had been “very helpful” during the transition period.
Kapales confirmed the city’s continued support.
“The mission hasn’t changed,” he said. “We want to see youth sports succeed. If that means stepping back and letting Revolution form its own nonprofit, we’re all for it.”
Revolution held tryouts for the upcoming season May 27-29 and will be hosting them again June 2-4. Facebook posts promoting the tryouts promise “exciting things planned,” for the club, and that Revolution “can’t wait to share them.”