Mid-season team change?

[Anonymous]

Does this ever happen and what is the procedure? DD is worried she's going to be moved down a team and it's not due to any issues other than she has not been playing as well as before. DH is annoyed and thinks it's still early in the season and if she was playing on the lower team she would have signed up for a different club. He's right about her signing up for a different club if she had been moved down earlier. But I feel like it's the pandemic and everyone is playing worse than before and even though it may not be "fair" after they took our money with an understanding of a team assignment I feel like the world has other things to worry about. We should be happy she gets to play at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does this ever happen and what is the procedure? DD is worried she's going to be moved down a team and it's not due to any issues other than she has not been playing as well as before. DH is annoyed and thinks it's still early in the season and if she was playing on the lower team she would have signed up for a different club. He's right about her signing up for a different club if she had been moved down earlier. But I feel like it's the pandemic and everyone is playing worse than before and even though it may not be "fair" after they took our money with an understanding of a team assignment I feel like the world has other things to worry about. We should be happy she gets to play at all.

It happens. Since you committed for a year, you might have to play the entire amount before that club releases your daughter’s Player’s Card. Think about it and talk to your club.

[Anonymous]

OK... so your DD is worried shes going to be moved down a team?

Has anyone come out and said shes going to be moved down a team, or is she making this up in her head? It sounds like she is just worried that she's not playing well. Most kids are not at their usual because of the 4 month layoff.



Team movements happen between seasons 99.9% of the team. Unless you are way, way too good for the current team or can't keep up at all, you are very unlikely to be moved during the season.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does this ever happen and what is the procedure? DD is worried she's going to be moved down a team and it's not due to any issues other than she has not been playing as well as before. DH is annoyed and thinks it's still early in the season and if she was playing on the lower team she would have signed up for a different club. He's right about her signing up for a different club if she had been moved down earlier. But I feel like it's the pandemic and everyone is playing worse than before and even though it may not be "fair" after they took our money with an understanding of a team assignment I feel like the world has other things to worry about. We should be happy she gets to play at all.

It happens. Since you committed for a year, you might have to play the entire amount before that club releases your daughter’s Player’s Card. Think about it and talk to your club.

Not OP, but I'd say no if they tried to reassign my DD. We accepted an offer that clearly stated which team she would be playing for. If it was an offer for a different team, we'd be at a different club.

[Anonymous]

at what point has any coach or club representative said that she is going to be moved down a team

[Anonymous]

The kids usually know before the parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does this ever happen and what is the procedure? DD is worried she's going to be moved down a team and it's not due to any issues other than she has not been playing as well as before. DH is annoyed and thinks it's still early in the season and if she was playing on the lower team she would have signed up for a different club. He's right about her signing up for a different club if she had been moved down earlier. But I feel like it's the pandemic and everyone is playing worse than before and even though it may not be "fair" after they took our money with an understanding of a team assignment I feel like the world has other things to worry about. We should be happy she gets to play at all.

It happens. Since you committed for a year, you might have to play the entire amount before that club releases your daughter’s Player’s Card. Think about it and talk to your club.

Not OP, but I'd say no if they tried to reassign my DD. We accepted an offer that clearly stated which team she would be playing for. If it was an offer for a different team, we'd be at a different club.

Or maybe you can actually be happy that the coach is noticing that she;s not playing as well and would be better suited on the lower team where should will have more success, time on the ball, more playing time, build confidence, etc...or you could worry about what color team she's on she can stay and struggle against competition, her peers, lose confidence, etc but at least you get to say that she's on the "Red" team.

[Anonymous]

NP. I don't think what immediate PP said is universally true.

At DD's club, there's a really big difference between some levels of teams. In DD's year, first and second team are closer in ability and training. But if a kid was moved down from the second to third team or God forbid from the first to third team I think that would be a reason for protest. The third team is more like rec, with peers who are much less motivated, and the training would be different. If a coach tried to do this I would support a parent in complaining.

[Anonymous]

What age? Younger ones should move more freely according to their level of play. Better to play with the second team than to sit the bench on the "top" team or to be the anchor that weighs the whole team down. It will be obvious who the 2-3 worst players are and need to move. Let DD earn a spot on the better team by working harder to improve.

[Anonymous]

If that's the philosophy of the club, ok. I know at least one DC club that does that on a game to game basis. But if this is a club where you were assigned to a team and you signed up for that team you should have a chance to be on that team for the period of the contract which is usually a year.

Kids change rapidly in ability at this age. With proper training the worst kid the first few kids could become one of the best kids. We've seen it happen. Snap judgments this early in the season are really harmful and I'd be concerned about the coach if this happens.

[Anonymous]

By "this age" I meant younger ages in response to post by 15:00.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What age? Younger ones should move more freely according to their level of play. Better to play with the second team than to sit the bench on the "top" team or to be the anchor that weighs the whole team down. It will be obvious who the 2-3 worst players are and need to move. Let DD earn a spot on the better team by working harder to improve.

On DS's team I think it's obvious but DH who played in college says it will change. He said it always does as kids grow, mature and go through adolescence. He knows kids who didn't start playing until U15/U16 or were not very good until then and played in college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does this ever happen and what is the procedure? DD is worried she's going to be moved down a team and it's not due to any issues other than she has not been playing as well as before. DH is annoyed and thinks it's still early in the season and if she was playing on the lower team she would have signed up for a different club. He's right about her signing up for a different club if she had been moved down earlier. But I feel like it's the pandemic and everyone is playing worse than before and even though it may not be "fair" after they took our money with an understanding of a team assignment I feel like the world has other things to worry about. We should be happy she gets to play at all.

It happens. Since you committed for a year, you might have to play the entire amount before that club releases your daughter’s Player’s Card. Think about it and talk to your club.

Not OP, but I'd say no if they tried to reassign my DD. We accepted an offer that clearly stated which team she would be playing for. If it was an offer for a different team, we'd be at a different club.

Or maybe you can actually be happy that the coach is noticing that she;s not playing as well and would be better suited on the lower team where should will have more success, time on the ball, more playing time, build confidence, etc...or you could worry about what color team she's on she can stay and struggle against competition, her peers, lose confidence, etc but at least you get to say that she's on the "Red" team.

PP - the club where my daughter plays treats their top teams very differently from their second teams- more training sessions and more tournaments being the two obvious differences. The offer that we accepted clearly stated which team it was for- I think we would see demotion as a sign to leave

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does this ever happen and what is the procedure? DD is worried she's going to be moved down a team and it's not due to any issues other than she has not been playing as well as before. DH is annoyed and thinks it's still early in the season and if she was playing on the lower team she would have signed up for a different club. He's right about her signing up for a different club if she had been moved down earlier. But I feel like it's the pandemic and everyone is playing worse than before and even though it may not be "fair" after they took our money with an understanding of a team assignment I feel like the world has other things to worry about. We should be happy she gets to play at all.

Are you with Loudoun? They’re notorious for withholding players’ cards in an attempt to stall or otherwise affect said departure.

Money talks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP. I don't think what immediate PP said is universally true.

At DD's club, there's a really big difference between some levels of teams. In DD's year, first and second team are closer in ability and training. But if a kid was moved down from the second to third team or God forbid from the first to third team I think that would be a reason for protest. The third team is more like rec, with peers who are much less motivated, and the training would be different. If a coach tried to do this I would support a parent in complaining.

So when your kid starts playing 2-3minutes/half because the time they're on the field kills the team and the rest of the kids spirit, are you still going to be happy? As someone said earlier, find the right level, and let your kid play more. Stand by your "contract" if you want, but do it knowing that there's no PT guarantee that comes with that, just an invite to practice. They're going to get better by playing more, not getting splinters on the bench.