How common is it that a club requires players/parents to sign a contract that the player will play solely for that club. I think that is a little ridiculous for a 12u team. If the team was sponsored and fees were paid for I might understand this. We pay 100 percent for everything. If a girl attends all practices/tourneys for their primary team I do not see why it would be a problem to guest play and get more experience. We have been practicing for 4 weeks and now the coach sends this home?? We live over an hour from our organization. They do not play in a league. If my daughter wants to play guest or league with her friends I see no problem as long as she meets her team obligations. We played for the club last year,played guest several times when we had a gap in our club schedule and it was never an issue. my daughter loved it. Her primary club was a 10u team. We played guest with 12u to help make the transition to 12u this year.
Team contract
- Thread starter Jlbmlb4
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- Jul 28, 2008
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I just old the parents that I wanted to know before hand. It was normally okay as long as it didn't interfere with anything we had going on as a team. This coach seems to be a bit controlling, IMHO. Especially for a 1st year 12U team.
Don't see it often, but do see it. Normally from teams that think they are running some sort of 'college prep' development team in 12U. Or are doing some sort of 'off-season' training instead of playing fall travel league or schedule. Honestly I think it is a little ridiculous but coaches and orgs are free to run their teams as they see fit - just as you are free to play with them or not with them.
Talk to the coaches - find out why they believe this is the way to go. They may have good reasons and if you agree, then great. If you don't - well then there is a decision to be made.
- Jul 26, 2010
- 3,553
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It's pretty common.
I find it hilarious that parents want the team to have a small roster of 11-12 girls, and then in the same breath they complain when the organization takes measures that limit injuries (only playing for their org) in order to get by with a small roster.
-W
I find it hilarious that parents want the team to have a small roster of 11-12 girls, and then in the same breath they complain when the organization takes measures that limit injuries (only playing for their org) in order to get by with a small roster.
-W
Not common from my experience. Actually ours have been the opposite. The coaches we have been around for the most part have had no issue with players being a guest or playing in a league when the primary team did not as long as the player was meeting their obligations, wasn't doing it because they were disgruntled and didn't mess with their eligibility to play in a sanctioned tournament with the primary team. You may want to look into some of the eligibility rules of the different sanctioning bodies. It could be that the team avoids eligibility issues with a blanket clause to play with them only.
- Jun 29, 2013
- 589
- 18
Don't know the answer to the question you asked, but what's the penalty for a breach? Is there any consideration for your promise (e.g., they agree your DD is on for the whole year regardless of whether they find someone else they want to add? Is your DD guaranteed playing time?) And giving it to you a month after you start isn't cool, I can see if they tell you when you sign up that your spot on the team is official only if you sign, but I don't like this.
I find it hilarious that a 12U Coach thinks they have control of someone's DD when they are not at the softball field for the team or doing something team related.
My friend's DD was on a team with this stupid rule last seasons - his DD didn't play softball but she played volleyball, basketball and soccer instead and got injured that way. They are kids - they want to PLAY. Why these coaches want to take that away from them for a 'off-season' training program is beyond me.
Actually it is not beyond me - most of the time they want this because they are frightened that one of their players is going to guest for someone else who is playing and discover a better situation (for example a team that gets to play actual games) and then leave.
Before you sign... get the info on a release... :{))
Houston Power tried something similar this past spring. The 12U coach told us guest playing was strictly against the organization's policy. When we looked at the paperwork that isn't what it said at all. It said "All players are encouraged not to guest play for other teams. Guest playing does not benefit the HOUSTON POWER (i.e. possible injury, player leaving the Organization, ect.). Lets just say that this wasn't the only thing this coach "mis spoke" about. 
I will say this. If you join a team and that team is meeting your expectations (coaching, tournaments, opportunity to earn playing time, .etc), then there isn't a real need to guest play. However, when the team promises the moon and deliveres nothing ......
I will say this. If you join a team and that team is meeting your expectations (coaching, tournaments, opportunity to earn playing time, .etc), then there isn't a real need to guest play. However, when the team promises the moon and deliveres nothing ......
