Accepted Offer, Club Changed Team

[Anonymous]

Our kid accepted an offer for a team and a month later we got word that the team is changing- meaning its no longer our kid's age group, but their age group and the one above them is combining to play at the higher age level (e.g. '10's and '11's combining). Our child is NOT thrilled and we're unsure if kid would have accepted the offer knowing this ahead of time. It seems as if there were not enough kids at both ages to field whole team with enough subs, but now its a mega team. Has anyone experienced anything like this before?

[Anonymous]

Not quite the same - but our son tried out for one of the better u10 teams in the area and made it. They aren’t combining with another team, but we were told after tryouts and teams were formed that due to this teams success, they are going to skip their last season of 7v7 and play up a year, starting 9v9 a year early. We aren’t thrilled with this either, our son could have used one more year of development and had we known this we may not have accepted the offer.
Can’t change course now but would have appreciated the transparency into their intentions before hand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our kid accepted an offer for a team and a month later we got word that the team is changing- meaning its no longer our kid's age group, but their age group and the one above them is combining to play at the higher age level (e.g. '10's and '11's combining). Our child is NOT thrilled and we're unsure if kid would have accepted the offer knowing this ahead of time. It seems as if there were not enough kids at both ages to field whole team with enough subs, but now its a mega team. Has anyone experienced anything like this before?

Sort of. When DS was u14 he was given an offer for a team. I noticed the offer letter had a younger birth year. I wrote back and mentioned that it was the wrong age group. I was reassured it was a typo. I shouldn’t have listened. When the season started we discovered they had combined the u13/u14 team and the kids would play u14. So DS was in his age group but half the team was a year younger. It wasn’t a good experience for DS on many fronts. First, socially he was an 8th grader playing with mostly 7th graders (younger half of his birth year plus the next birth year) and even a handful of 6th graders. He was just in a different place. Second, the team was in no way competitive with 50% of the kids playing up. He has been on teams where an extremely talented kid plays up but this wasn’t a case of talent but filling the roster. It was a very frustrating year. I actually think it would have been better for him to be the younger playing up since then he might have felt more challenged.

[Anonymous]

Happens all the time based on the number of players committing to the club

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Happens all the time based on the number of players committing to the club

Kid has been playing for 6 years and never experienced this, so came as a surprise. But good to know.

[Anonymous]

They prob didnt have enough to roster a full team so they are combining and selling you the story of ' this is for higher level competition; it will be good for your player to play with older kids'.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our kid accepted an offer for a team and a month later we got word that the team is changing- meaning its no longer our kid's age group, but their age group and the one above them is combining to play at the higher age level (e.g. '10's and '11's combining). Our child is NOT thrilled and we're unsure if kid would have accepted the offer knowing this ahead of time. It seems as if there were not enough kids at both ages to field whole team with enough subs, but now its a mega team. Has anyone experienced anything like this before?

IMO that's a material change that's grounds to pull out without penalty. It's literally not what you signed up for. Have you paid yet?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our kid accepted an offer for a team and a month later we got word that the team is changing- meaning its no longer our kid's age group, but their age group and the one above them is combining to play at the higher age level (e.g. '10's and '11's combining). Our child is NOT thrilled and we're unsure if kid would have accepted the offer knowing this ahead of time. It seems as if there were not enough kids at both ages to field whole team with enough subs, but now its a mega team. Has anyone experienced anything like this before?

How big is the combined roster? If it's huge and you kid being on the younger end is going to have to fight for limited playing time, I'd consider trying out elsewhere and getting my money back (the offer you accepted no longer exists- they breached. You would have a very good chance of disputing the charge or winning in small claims court)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Happens all the time based on the number of players committing to the club

Kid has been playing for 6 years and never experienced this, so came as a surprise. But good to know.

My kids have played for about 10 years combined. One was faced with this situation, but they were clear upfront that it would be a combined age group based on the numbers they had at tryouts. It was a small club and that happens to most of their teams as they get to high school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They prob didnt have enough to roster a full team so they are combining and selling you the story of ' this is for higher level competition; it will be good for your player to play with older kids'.

Yes that's how we're feeling. This is not a small club so we feel blindsided but trying to put on a positive spin for our kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They prob didnt have enough to roster a full team so they are combining and selling you the story of ' this is for higher level competition; it will be good for your player to play with older kids'.

Yes that's how we're feeling. This is not a small club so we feel blindsided but trying to put on a positive spin for our kid.

Im guessing this is old FCV, new TSJFC. If so, the new Coach seems great, so that's a positive. BUT - also if it is this team, note that they look to be in the highest NCSL bracket for the 2013s. So, there will be good competition, but may not be a winning season. If this is also that team, only 3 girls returned from the 2013s -

Unfortunately, at this point, if you're looking to play travel, I don't know where you could go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They prob didnt have enough to roster a full team so they are combining and selling you the story of ' this is for higher level competition; it will be good for your player to play with older kids'.

Yes that's how we're feeling. This is not a small club so we feel blindsided but trying to put on a positive spin for our kid.

Im guessing this is old FCV, new TSJFC. If so, the new Coach seems great, so that's a positive. BUT - also if it is this team, note that they look to be in the highest NCSL bracket for the 2013s. So, there will be good competition, but may not be a winning season. If this is also that team, only 3 girls returned from the 2013s -

Unfortunately, at this point, if you're looking to play travel, I don't know where you could go.

You can call around. Teams will take good players over the summer

[Anonymous]

This happened to two of my kids, and they were the ones being asked to play up. We ended up leaving midseason because the roster was ridiculously big and then pulled my other kid after the fall season.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They prob didnt have enough to roster a full team so they are combining and selling you the story of ' this is for higher level competition; it will be good for your player to play with older kids'.

Yes that's how we're feeling. This is not a small club so we feel blindsided but trying to put on a positive spin for our kid.

Im guessing this is old FCV, new TSJFC. If so, the new Coach seems great, so that's a positive. BUT - also if it is this team, note that they look to be in the highest NCSL bracket for the 2013s. So, there will be good competition, but may not be a winning season. If this is also that team, only 3 girls returned from the 2013s -

Unfortunately, at this point, if you're looking to play travel, I don't know where you could go.

No, not that club but thanks for the insight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They prob didnt have enough to roster a full team so they are combining and selling you the story of ' this is for higher level competition; it will be good for your player to play with older kids'.

Yes that's how we're feeling. This is not a small club so we feel blindsided but trying to put on a positive spin for our kid.

Im guessing this is old FCV, new TSJFC. If so, the new Coach seems great, so that's a positive. BUT - also if it is this team, note that they look to be in the highest NCSL bracket for the 2013s. So, there will be good competition, but may not be a winning season. If this is also that team, only 3 girls returned from the 2013s -

Unfortunately, at this point, if you're looking to play travel, I don't know where you could go.

How do you know the NCSL brackets for the fall?