Coach over stepping boundries

[Unregistered]

I am sure I will get all kinds of crazy answers but here goes.

Can a coach threaten a player/team to be removed from an important upcoming event if the player attends the tryouts for another club?

The event assignments have already been sent out and all hotel and flight arrangements have been made for the player.

Basically you are done for the rest of the year if you do not come to practice on the days the other club has tryouts.

signed
walking on egg shells

which club or area?

[Unregistered]

But that it not fair to a player that paid for a full season. You had all year to prove to the player that there is no reason to go anywhere else and they failed.

You can't punish a child for this.

In theory, yes. Especially if you're dealing with rational, caring adults. Some coaches aren't anything close to that. It seems the coach has made his position very clear. There's something to be said about still going and rising above the toddler behavior - and hoping the coach does the right thing - but it's also very possible the kid will sit the entire weekend. I agree with another poster that you should go to the club. There's nothing to lose at this point and if his boss puts pressure on him to play your kid to what he should for SHOWCASE then he may cave in to keep his job. Face it, if he pulls a di** move all the other families will see it and it won't reflect well on him or the club.

[Unregistered]

which club or area?

Will out the team and coach as soon as I get a better handle on how this is going to play out.

[Unregistered]

WFF just breaks legs! There is no threat.

[Unregistered]

In theory, yes. Especially if you're dealing with rational, caring adults. Some coaches aren't anything close to that. It seems the coach has made his position very clear. There's something to be said about still going and rising above the toddler behavior - and hoping the coach does the right thing - but it's also very possible the kid will sit the entire weekend. I agree with another poster that you should go to the club. There's nothing to lose at this point and if his boss puts pressure on him to play your kid to what he should for SHOWCASE then he may cave in to keep his job. Face it, if he pulls a di** move all the other families will see it and it won't reflect well on him or the club.

Reality check, you are not as important to the club as you think you are (no single player is btw), and they are already looking towards next year. You want to leave the club, but you also want that club to showcase your kid and play them? Kind of like, I want to leave my job, but I want the bonus I am owed in a few weeks, but to get the bonus, I have to still be employed? The coach likely sees this and would rather give the time to players who are going to be there next year. I think the tryout date has both the club and the players in an awkward situation.

[Unregistered]

Will out the team and coach as soon as I get a better handle on how this is going to play out.

North Florida area?

[Unregistered]

Reality check, you are not as important to the club as you think you are (no single player is btw), and they are already looking towards next year. You want to leave the club, but you also want that club to showcase your kid and play them? Kind of like, I want to leave my job, but I want the bonus I am owed in a few weeks, but to get the bonus, I have to still be employed? The coach likely sees this and would rather give the time to players who are going to be there next year. I think the tryout date has both the club and the players in an awkward situation.

I think it is more like I have a contract end date and expect the club to honor the contract until it ends. If I re-sign that is a bonus and we start all over again.

The player expects to be showcased for the full season the same why she was showcased the entire year unless the performance has changed.

This is a strong arm tactic by a very concerned coach or club.

[Unregistered]

I wasn't there but I would bet large sums of money that this wasn't handled as delicately or as smartly as it should have been. Coaches, as much as we'd like for them to be professional, are also human. I'm sure he was offended. Speaking from both sides of this issue. I am a coach and I have a daughter who is good enough to be entertaining the ECNL route. I would and would expect others to approach this as such...
Coach X, I am going to tryout for and ECNL team. I like you and I like our team but ECNL is going to allow me to challenge myself against consistently higher caliber competition, step outside my comfort zone, travel, be exposed to a greater number of college coaches, etc... Our current team isn't going to afford me those options, at least not to the extent that ECNL will. Again, I really like you as a coach and I like our team and if I don't make ECNL I'll be back happily but this is an opportunity that I will regret not at least taking a shot at. I hope you can understand where I'm coming from.

[Unregistered]

I wasn't there but I would bet large sums of money that this wasn't handled as delicately or as smartly as it should have been. Coaches, as much as we'd like for them to be professional, are also human. I'm sure he was offended. Speaking from both sides of this issue. I am a coach and I have a daughter who is good enough to be entertaining the ECNL route. I would and would expect others to approach this as such...
Coach X, I am going to tryout for and ECNL team. I like you and I like our team but ECNL is going to allow me to challenge myself against consistently higher caliber competition, step outside my comfort zone, travel, be exposed to a greater number of college coaches, etc... Our current team isn't going to afford me those options, at least not to the extent that ECNL will. Again, I really like you as a coach and I like our team and if I don't make ECNL I'll be back happily but this is an opportunity that I will regret not at least taking a shot at. I hope you can understand where I'm coming from.

The threat was made to the entire team, not 1 player. Its one ECNL club losing players to another ECNL club.

[Unregistered]

Unless the coach is making offers to current players ahead of tryouts then they have no right to enforce such a threat regardless of a contract.

If the coach wants you on the team next year then he should put that offer out to the player before tryouts. You can't have it both ways as a coach. If you want the player, let the player know and then the player can decide. That way, you can have tryouts knowing exactly what holes you need to fill.

The whole tryout season dance is one of insecurity by both parents and coaches.

[Unregistered]

The threat was made to the entire team, not 1 player. Its one ECNL club losing players to another ECNL club.

So, without knowing that anyone specifically was going to tryout, he just threatened anyone who might?

[Unregistered]

So, without knowing that anyone specifically was going to tryout, he just threatened anyone who might?

That is correct. If you missed practice he would know you are trying out somewhere else and remove you from future events because he only wants players committed to the team.

As you can imagine many players are concerned and parents very upset.

[Unregistered]

That is correct. If you missed practice he would know you are trying out somewhere else and remove you from future events because he only wants players committed to the team.

As you can imagine many players are concerned and parents very upset.

I'm trying to figure it out. When is the event date? Because ECNL ID clinics begin like May 1st and ECNL tryouts are like May 20th. If you tryout and make the other ECNL club's team and sign a contract, then you are done with your current ECNL club.

[Unregistered]

Unless the coach is making offers to current players ahead of tryouts then they have no right to enforce such a threat regardless of a contract.

If the coach wants you on the team next year then he should put that offer out to the player before tryouts. You can't have it both ways as a coach. If you want the player, let the player know and then the player can decide. That way, you can have tryouts knowing exactly what holes you need to fill.

The whole tryout season dance is one of insecurity by both parents and coaches.

Agree with this - you sign up for an entire season and both sides are expected to fill their obligations no what might be happening in the following year. Clubs are the ultimate hypocrites and the entire process makes it very stressful for families. Amazing how many kids "have a dentist appointment" this time of year!

Laura

[Unregistered]

That is correct. If you missed practice he would know you are trying out somewhere else and remove you from future events because he only wants players committed to the team.

As you can imagine many players are concerned and parents very upset.

If you are committed to leaving then who cares. But, if you are committed to staying and the coach is committed to you as a player, then an offer should be made.

If you are committed to staying but the coach has you as a bubble, then that should be communicated so that you are free to attend tryouts with both clubs.

Again, all of this can be solved with a coach communicating their intentions before "tryouts".