Changing clubs mid-year in NorCal

N

NorCalSoccerFan

BRONZE
I am seeking advice on how best to switch clubs during the Winter break. The current club is a NorCal member club like most clubs in the area. I understand that there are two main ways to go about this: (1) ask permission to tryout in other clubs, or (2) ask to be released from the club.

Has anybody got experience with either of these approaches? What is the best way to proceed?

I looked into NorCal / US Club Soccer policies, and the only part relevant that I found was this:
In accordance with US Club Soccer policy, Clubs will release Players who request their release from the Club.
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(From https://norcalpremier.com/resources/tryout-window/)

Does this mean that if we ask our child to be released, the club must allow it?

Can the current club block my child from changing clubs if the coach/DOC is petty about it?
 
Unfortunately there's no way to provide specific advice without knowing which specific clubs you're talking about. Yes - any club will eventually give you back your player card, even if they'd prefer not to. If push came to shove, a DOC couldn't completely block your kid from going to another club, as eventually NorCal would effectuate the release - as long as the new club hasn't crossed any NorCal lines re: recruiting. But many won't provide any refunds for the rest of the full year. The reasons for leaving and the personal relationship you and your kid have with the coaches and docs involved directly affect whether this is an easy / peaceful switch, or something a bit less cheery.
 
I moved my youngest Daughter Clubs last year during the break. I reached out to the DOC at the club we wanted to move her to, asking if there were possibly any roster spots available for my DDs age group. He in turn reached out to the coach for her age group and got back to me saying there is, but obviously no guarantee and she would essentially have to try out. Before they would let her attend training to be evaluated she would need to be released from her current club.

mind you, I have an older DD playing in college. So I've made connections over the years. This DOC is close to us, so I had no issues reaching out to him directly.

I hadn't planned on moving my youngest so early in her soccer journey. My oldest bounced around to a lot of clubs, and we didn't want to do that with our youngest. unfortunately the situation required action, and I wasn't going to wait any longer. With that in mind, we took the risk knowing if she wasn't given a roster spot at the new club we could be without a club for a few months (they only had one team in the age group), and we were ok if that was the outcome.

So a few things to consider. Are you dead set on her moving to a 1st team only? would you accept a "B" team offer?

To Answer you question lol, yes they have to release her.
 
Nocal said:
I moved my youngest Daughter Clubs last year during the break. I reached out to the DOC at the club we wanted to move her to, asking if there were possibly any roster spots available for my DDs age group. He in turn reached out to the coach for her age group and got back to me saying there is, but obviously no guarantee and she would essentially have to try out. Before they would let her attend training to be evaluated she would need to be released from her current club.

mind you, I have an older DD playing in college. So I've made connections over the years. This DOC is close to us, so I had no issues reaching out to him directly.

I hadn't planned on moving my youngest so early in her soccer journey. My oldest bounced around to a lot of clubs, and we didn't want to do that with our youngest. unfortunately the situation required action, and I wasn't going to wait any longer. With that in mind, we took the risk knowing if she wasn't given a roster spot at the new club we could be without a club for a few months (they only had one team in the age group), and we were ok if that was the outcome.

So a few things to consider. Are you dead set on her moving to a 1st team only? would you accept a "B" team offer?

To Answer you question lol, yes they have to release her.
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Most clubs will release no matter what. This is because eventually they'll want other clubs to release their players and if someone wants to leave your club making them stay only pisses everyone off.
 
RandomSoccerFan said:
Unfortunately there's no way to provide specific advice without knowing which specific clubs you're talking about. Yes - any club will eventually give you back your player card, even if they'd prefer not to. If push came to shove, a DOC couldn't completely block your kid from going to another club, as eventually NorCal would effectuate the release - as long as the new club hasn't crossed any NorCal lines re: recruiting. But many won't provide any refunds for the rest of the full year. The reasons for leaving and the personal relationship you and your kid have with the coaches and docs involved directly affect whether this is an easy / peaceful switch, or something a bit less cheery.
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Do we actually need the player card from my child's current club? Can't the new club just print a new copy?

Good point about the refund. We have accepted that we won't get any refund if we go through this.
 
Nocal said:
I moved my youngest Daughter Clubs last year during the break. I reached out to the DOC at the club we wanted to move her to, asking if there were possibly any roster spots available for my DDs age group. He in turn reached out to the coach for her age group and got back to me saying there is, but obviously no guarantee and she would essentially have to try out. Before they would let her attend training to be evaluated she would need to be released from her current club.

mind you, I have an older DD playing in college. So I've made connections over the years. This DOC is close to us, so I had no issues reaching out to him directly.

I hadn't planned on moving my youngest so early in her soccer journey. My oldest bounced around to a lot of clubs, and we didn't want to do that with our youngest. unfortunately the situation required action, and I wasn't going to wait any longer. With that in mind, we took the risk knowing if she wasn't given a roster spot at the new club we could be without a club for a few months (they only had one team in the age group), and we were ok if that was the outcome.

So a few things to consider. Are you dead set on her moving to a 1st team only? would you accept a "B" team offer?

To Answer you question lol, yes they have to release her.
Click to expand...

Your comment about moving your youngest resonates with our situation, although the exact reasons may differ. We would be fine if the offer is for the "B" team as one of the reasons to move is the coaching at the new club, and the same coach is in charge of the "A" and "B"teams. However, at the time of the last open tryouts, we were told that our child had a spot in the "A" team if we wanted it, and part of me wishes we had taken the offer at that time as that would have made changing clubs much easier.

I am relieved to hear that our current club cannot deny the release. Regarding this process, is it as simple as getting email confirmation from the DOC? Are they required to reply in a certain amount of time? I am just worried that they may slow down this process as much as they can to make it more painful for us.
 
NorCalSoccerFan said:
Do we actually need the player card from my child's current club? Can't the new club just print a new copy?

Good point about the refund. We have accepted that we won't get any refund if we go through this.
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It's electronic, the printed card doesn't really matter. Right now if anyone logs in to NorCal's gotsport system, your kid is on the existing club's roster. He cannot be added to any other roster until he is dropped from that club. The system only allows one at a time. Game cards are printed out each week, and pulled from the gotsport system, and only include kids that are on that roster. Once he is on the right club, a player card can be printed.

Sure - a ref may allow a writein occasionally, but it's not really sustainable.
 
NorCalSoccerFan said:
I am relieved to hear that our current club cannot deny the release. Regarding this process, is it as simple as getting email confirmation from the DOC? Are they required to reply in a certain amount of time? I am just worried that they may slow down this process as much as they can to make it more painful for us.
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No parameters are written anywhere, as far as I know.
 
Yes, my daughter has changed clubs' mid-season on two occasions. My advice is first reach out to the club you are interested in. Goto a training session, make sure your daughter is comfortable with the new girls and see if the DOC is interested. If they are, great, now ask will the 2nd club charge you? Both times that we moved, the new club did not charge us, because they know that we were locked-in to pay the 1st club for the rest of the season. That is definitely something to consider if you have to pay both clubs. Once all the financials are done, just email the old club, tell them nicely that you are leaving and please release her. You don't even really have to tell them where you are going, unless you want to. Eventually, they will find out, if they want. The new club will work out the player card. It is like resigning from a job, except we are paying them and not the other way around. Don't feel bad about moving between clubs', there is no loyalty, it's business. You want to do what is best for your child, not what is best for the club. Just remember we are the customer, and the customer is always right.
 
NorCalSoccerFan said:
Your comment about moving your youngest resonates with our situation, although the exact reasons may differ. We would be fine if the offer is for the "B" team as one of the reasons to move is the coaching at the new club, and the same coach is in charge of the "A" and "B"teams. However, at the time of the last open tryouts, we were told that our child had a spot in the "A" team if we wanted it, and part of me wishes we had taken the offer at that time as that would have made changing clubs much easier.

I am relieved to hear that our current club cannot deny the release. Regarding this process, is it as simple as getting email confirmation from the DOC? Are they required to reply in a certain amount of time? I am just worried that they may slow down this process as much as they can to make it more painful for us.
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My Daughter was on the B team at her previous club. She was playing Softball and soccer the two years ago, so going into tryouts she had missed a bunch of trainings and games in the spring. We were totally fine with her being placed on the B team, it was appropriate at the time. Things changed rather quickly, she was really not into softball. and decided it wasn't for her and went all in on soccer. She's big and physical, so once she really focus she started improving rapidly. Unfortunately her coaches, while I think they were nice ladies. Knew next to nothing about soccer. It was so bad we actually thought it was doing harm to her development. Playing rec soccer honestly would have been an improvement.

When we reached out to ask for her release, the DOC actually offered for her to be moved up to the A team if we stayed. Meanwhile the club had promised all along that girls would get an opportunity to train and play up with the better girl, and my daughter was never given that opportunity.

It was just a horribly run club, and we weren't giving them any more money.

one thing to note, the club she switched to wouldn't let her train until she was released. with no promise of being on the team.

in the end this was the best move for her, she's loving her new team. Having a blast, and getting lots of opportunities. She was the only player on her team to play every min of their last tourney. She's also been rostered up on the 14s for state cup. I don't know why so many parents keep their kids in bad situations, sometimes there are greener pastures...go find them.
 
Nocal said:
My Daughter was on the B team at her previous club. She was playing Softball and soccer the two years ago, so going into tryouts she had missed a bunch of trainings and games in the spring. We were totally fine with her being placed on the B team, it was appropriate at the time. Things changed rather quickly, she was really not into softball. and decided it wasn't for her and went all in on soccer. She's big and physical, so once she really focus she started improving rapidly. Unfortunately her coaches, while I think they were nice ladies. Knew next to nothing about soccer. It was so bad we actually thought it was doing harm to her development. Playing rec soccer honestly would have been an improvement.

When we reached out to ask for her release, the DOC actually offered for her to be moved up to the A team if we stayed. Meanwhile the club had promised all along that girls would get an opportunity to train and play up with the better girl, and my daughter was never given that opportunity.

It was just a horribly run club, and we weren't giving them any more money.

one thing to note, the club she switched to wouldn't let her train until she was released. with no promise of being on the team.

in the end this was the best move for her, she's loving her new team. Having a blast, and getting lots of opportunities. She was the only player on her team to play every min of their last tourney. She's also been rostered up on the 14s for state cup. I don't know why so many parents keep their kids in bad situations, sometimes there are greener pastures...go find them.
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Wait a minute.

You haven't paid the first club for the training received and now you're asking them to approve switching to another club mid season?

If my understanding is correct this is one of those situations where you might not get the approval.
 
Carlsbad7 said:
Wait a minute.

You haven't paid the first club for the training received and now you're asking them to approve switching to another club mid season?

If my understanding is correct this is one of those situations where you might not get the approval.
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I don't know where you got that, I'm not OP just sharing my experience.

If you haven't been up to date on your dues no club is going to release you.
 
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