release to practice with another team

what kind of experience have people had in asking a Coach in May for a release to practice with another team? Is it best to just wait until June 1? Or is that too late to start practicing with D1-D2 teams(meaning do they already have their teams picked by June 1)?

Many D1 teams are all set by June. D2 may still have time.

Depends on the relationship with the coach on the releasing team. I have personally seen coaches refuse to release a player. There could be reasons like still owing money to the club, or maybe they pissed off the coach in some way. Don't know for sure.

All you can do is ask. If you are done with your season I don't see why they would not release your dd. Even if there are tournaments left, if you have made it clear you are not coming back, they should just let your dd go.

You need to practice and guest play as much as possible as soon as possible. Do not wait until June - not enough time to make impressions and the popular teams will be overrun with candidates. Ask your coach for a written statement (it is NOT a release - no releases are possible now) that he will allow you to practice with other teams. You must still get his signature on guest player releases for tournaments. Honorable coaches will do this for you if you are up front with them about your intentions. Be nice, leave on a good note.

June is too late unless your DD walks up and is better than most of the team and fits a need, otherwise you get one of those "team XYZ has 1 or 2 spots available" slots, which is code for "I'll take your money and let you sit the bench."

upper95 wrote:You need to practice and guest play as much as possible as soon as possible. Do not wait until June - not enough time to make impressions and the popular teams will be overrun with candidates. Ask your coach for a written statement (it is NOT a release - no releases are possible now) that he will allow you to practice with other teams. You must still get his signature on guest player releases for tournaments. Honorable coaches will do this for you if you are up front with them about your intentions. Be nice, leave on a good note.

June is too late unless your DD walks up and is better than most of the team and fits a need, otherwise you get one of those "team XYZ has 1 or 2 spots available" slots, which is code for "I'll take your money and let you sit the bench."

I guess I'd better get going on this. I didn't know that D1 will not be an option by the end of May, pretty much.

This may be the only year with some exceptions since this is ECNL year and a good number of D1 and D2 teams that may be looking even into June.

Call me old fashioned, but I'm a believer in not burning bridges unless necessary. Asking for a practice release at this point pretty much declares your intentions; if your dd is unhappy and you do not already have a tournament guest invite...AND...

If your team doesn't have any matches scheduled until June and your current team is NOT an option for next year, ask for the practice release(s). (not sure now, but they used to have be specific- per team, per session). Any games you have remaining are showcase opportunities. Otherwise, stay put until June.

You should be still be talking to coaches now, but starting in June is not the end of the world. You just need a plan of action come June 1.

Hey Old Fashioned!!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but under the NTTSA rules you had to get your release to rec or transfer by April 1 for select players to practice with another team. If you didn't, you have to wait until June 1 to practice with another team.

And you still need your coach's signature to guest play in a tournament.

jimbo13 wrote:Correct me if I'm wrong, but under the NTTSA rules you had to get your release to rec or transfer by April 1 for select players to practice with another team. If you didn't, you have to wait until June 1 to practice with another team.

And you still need your coach's signature to guest play in a tournament.

Guest player releases cover practicing with other teams as well as playing in tournaments. The guest player release has to state the team and the exact dates that you will practice with them, and has to be signed by your current coach. So if you didn't get a competitive or rec release before April 1, you still can practice with other teams prior to June 1, but your current coach has to be aware of it and sign off on the guest player release.

First things first -- contact the coach of the squad your DD is wanting to guest play/practice with. He/She may be quite happy with what they have and not looking for any players.

If the coach your DD wants to guest play/practice with invites her out, then go to your current coach and ask for them to sign a guest player release.

Without the former, the latter is useless.

txtransplant wrote:First things first -- contact the coach of the squad your DD is wanting to guest play/practice with. He/She may be quite happy with what they have and not looking for any players.

No such coach exist. Every coach is looking for players. But you should reach out to coach of team you're interested in first.

True.

But if your child is playing in Plano or Arlington, the likelihood of a D1 coach wanting to upset the tentative balance of his squad during the month of May his highly unlikely -- UNLESS your DD plays a position they are in current need of. Then your DD just might get a shot.

Plus, the last thing you want to do is potentially anger your current coach by asking for a guest player release only to have it be a pie-in-the-sky dream.

txtransplant wrote:True.

But if your child is playing in Plano or Arlington, the likelihood of a D1 coach wanting to upset the tentative balance of his squad during the month of May his highly unlikely -- UNLESS your DD plays a position they are in current need of. Then your DD just might get a shot.

Plus, the last thing you want to do is potentially anger your current coach by asking for a guest player release only to have it be a pie-in-the-sky dream.

Frankly this is bad advice. All coaches are interested in new blood. If you seek a release , be prepared to leave your team. If you are prepared, get releases and start looking, now! You will have the luxury of time, and not be scrambling in june and your kid will get a good look and you get a good look without a time constraint. Releases are not something to be done casually, there are ramifications as well as rewards...

I think you can obtain a practice release through a e-mail from your current coach.

One way around it a little bit is if you ask for a guest player release for a tournament, you can put in practice times and dates. That allows you to practice with the team you are guesting with prior to the tournaments. Some coaches are happy to do that, but won't sign a blanket release due to club policies or whatever.

One thing I have observed over the years is the younger age group coaches prefer the possible new player to attend Training. The older age group coaches are just fine with coming out to watch your DD play a half with her current team.

silentparent wrote:Frankly this is bad advice. All coaches are interested in new blood. If you seek a release , be prepared to leave your team. If you are prepared, get releases and start looking, now! You will have the luxury of time, and not be scrambling in june and your kid will get a good look and you get a good look without a time constraint. Releases are not something to be done casually, there are ramifications as well as rewards...

I'm speaking from experience.

We ran this gauntlet with our DD last spring and this year, even with a full release, coaches are wanting a copy of our NTSSA approved release before she steps on the practice field.

Some coaches have been willing to give her a shot. Others, when finding out which team she left and what division that team played in, no longer return emails.

So, yes, coaches are always looking for new players. But to imply every DI or DII coach will give a kid coming off a PPL or APL team the same shot as a kid who has spent the last year playing in LHGCL, who the coach has seen play and/or has played against is untrue.


ETA: The last day to get a release was April 1. A coach can, and some will hold kids hostage through the month of May by refusing to sign a guest player release.

Here's a good way to guest play and not burn your current bridge.

When my BB was younger I would contact a coach that we would like to guest play in a tournament and see if he have spots available.
Afterwards, I would get the date of the tournament and practice dates from the tournament team.

When talking to our current coach I would approach him and let him know that my BB has friends on another team that he's wanting to guest play with and they've asked him to play. Most coaches are cool enough to allow kids to play with their friends as long as there are no conflicting tournament dates.

This way everyone is Happy, Happy, Happy!

txtransplant wrote:

silentparent wrote:Frankly this is bad advice. All coaches are interested in new blood. If you seek a release , be prepared to leave your team. If you are prepared, get releases and start looking, now! You will have the luxury of time, and not be scrambling in june and your kid will get a good look and you get a good look without a time constraint. Releases are not something to be done casually, there are ramifications as well as rewards...

I'm speaking from experience.

We ran this gauntlet with our DD last spring and this year, even with a full release, coaches are wanting a copy of our NTSSA approved release before she steps on the practice field.

Some coaches have been willing to give her a shot. Others, when finding out which team she left and what division that team played in, no longer return emails.

So, yes, coaches are always looking for new players. But to imply every DI or DII coach will give a kid coming off a PPL or APL team the same shot as a kid who has spent the last year playing in LHGCL, who the coach has seen play and/or has played against is untrue.

I was not really speaking to a ppl player going to a d1 team but moving teams in general. I think you are correct, going for d1 from ppl is unrealistic, but to d3 , sure. And you are also correct, some coaches do hold kids hostage and thats petty and shortsighted.

silentparent wrote:

txtransplant wrote:True.

But if your child is playing in Plano or Arlington, the likelihood of a D1 coach wanting to upset the tentative balance of his squad during the month of May his highly unlikely -- UNLESS your DD plays a position they are in current need of. Then your DD just might get a shot.

Plus, the last thing you want to do is potentially anger your current coach by asking for a guest player release only to have it be a pie-in-the-sky dream.

Frankly this is bad advice. All coaches are interested in new blood. If you seek a release , be prepared to leave your team. If you are prepared, get releases and start looking, now! You will have the luxury of time, and not be scrambling in june and your kid will get a good look and you get a good look without a time constraint. Releases are not something to be done casually, there are ramifications as well as rewards...

Very good advice! Keep your DD and family priorities is clear view. We she be happy with these girls and will the be able to build and maintain friendships - this will be a big component to her continuing to develop and love the game. I am a big fan of logistics as well - consider the ramifications.

bwgophers wrote:

jimbo13 wrote:Correct me if I'm wrong, but under the NTTSA rules you had to get your release to rec or transfer by April 1 for select players to practice with another team. If you didn't, you have to wait until June 1 to practice with another team.

And you still need your coach's signature to guest play in a tournament.

Guest player releases cover practicing with other teams as well as playing in tournaments. The guest player release has to state the team and the exact dates that you will practice with them, and has to be signed by your current coach. So if you didn't get a competitive or rec release before April 1, you still can practice with other teams prior to June 1, but your current coach has to be aware of it and sign off on the guest player release.

From the NTSSA rule, 3.10.1,

"No coach, assistant coach, trainer, or team representative may practice any soccer related activity with any NTSSA registered player who does not appear on his current NTSSA roster or is not considered to be a free agent by current NTSSA Rules and Regulations except for a coach, who at the request of another teams coach, substitutes for that coach at practice or games for the convenience of the requesting coach. A free agent is a player in the U-11 through U-19 age division who desires to participate on a competitive team and is not rostered to any team. A competitive player may practice with another team if he has received a written permission letter signed by his current coach that sets out the dates and the team with which the player will practice. The player is to give the letter to the coach of the team with which he is practicing, and he must keep a copy for himself."

Your DD is an NTSSA registered player on a rostered team (unless she received a release to rec by 4/1). Anyway, there's no "guest player practice" form. There is a "guest player release" form to play in a tournament as a guest player. Part of playing in that tournament is the ability to practice with the team. According to the rules, you can get your current coach to sign a written permission letter with specific practice dates, but there's no official form.

jimbo13 wrote:

bwgophers wrote:

jimbo13 wrote:Correct me if I'm wrong, but under the NTTSA rules you had to get your release to rec or transfer by April 1 for select players to practice with another team. If you didn't, you have to wait until June 1 to practice with another team.

And you still need your coach's signature to guest play in a tournament.

Guest player releases cover practicing with other teams as well as playing in tournaments. The guest player release has to state the team and the exact dates that you will practice with them, and has to be signed by your current coach. So if you didn't get a competitive or rec release before April 1, you still can practice with other teams prior to June 1, but your current coach has to be aware of it and sign off on the guest player release.

From the NTSSA rule, 3.10.1,

"No coach, assistant coach, trainer, or team representative may practice any soccer related activity with any NTSSA registered player who does not appear on his current NTSSA roster or is not considered to be a free agent by current NTSSA Rules and Regulations except for a coach, who at the request of another teams coach, substitutes for that coach at practice or games for the convenience of the requesting coach. A free agent is a player in the U-11 through U-19 age division who desires to participate on a competitive team and is not rostered to any team. A competitive player may practice with another team if he has received a written permission letter signed by his current coach that sets out the dates and the team with which the player will practice. The player is to give the letter to the coach of the team with which he is practicing, and he must keep a copy for himself."

Your DD is an NTSSA registered player on a rostered team (unless she received a release to rec by 4/1). Anyway, there's no "guest player practice" form. There is a "guest player release" form to play in a tournament as a guest player. Part of playing in that tournament is the ability to practice with the team. According to the rules, you can get your current coach to sign a written permission letter with specific practice dates, but there's no official form.

Now we're talking semantics to some degree. You can use the guest player release form to accomplish the same thing as the written permission letter.

The bottom line is that your initial post, stating that you had to have a competitive or rec release prior to April 1 in order to practice with another competitive team prior to June 1, was incorrect.

You can practice with another competitive team at any time between July 1 and June 1, but in order to do it, your current coach has to know about it and give written permission to do so.

jimbo13 wrote:

bwgophers wrote:

jimbo13 wrote:Correct me if I'm wrong, but under the NTTSA rules you had to get your release to rec or transfer by April 1 for select players to practice with another team. If you didn't, you have to wait until June 1 to practice with another team.

And you still need your coach's signature to guest play in a tournament.

Guest player releases cover practicing with other teams as well as playing in tournaments. The guest player release has to state the team and the exact dates that you will practice with them, and has to be signed by your current coach. So if you didn't get a competitive or rec release before April 1, you still can practice with other teams prior to June 1, but your current coach has to be aware of it and sign off on the guest player release.

From the NTSSA rule, 3.10.1,

"No coach, assistant coach, trainer, or team representative may practice any soccer related activity with any NTSSA registered player who does not appear on his current NTSSA roster or is not considered to be a free agent by current NTSSA Rules and Regulations except for a coach, who at the request of another teams coach, substitutes for that coach at practice or games for the convenience of the requesting coach. A free agent is a player in the U-11 through U-19 age division who desires to participate on a competitive team and is not rostered to any team. A competitive player may practice with another team if he has received a written permission letter signed by his current coach that sets out the dates and the team with which the player will practice. The player is to give the letter to the coach of the team with which he is practicing, and he must keep a copy for himself."

Your DD is an NTSSA registered player on a rostered team (unless she received a release to rec by 4/1). Anyway, there's no "guest player practice" form. There is a "guest player release" form to play in a tournament as a guest player. Part of playing in that tournament is the ability to practice with the team. According to the rules, you can get your current coach to sign a written permission letter with specific practice dates, but there's no official form.

Timely post Jimbo. Not sure how much the rule is enforced, but both coach and player are accountable to the rule and both can be sanctioned for training or playing with a another squad without a release.

At this point, there are no easy ways to get a practice release without declaring your intentions or misleading (which will be known as "lying, "manipulating", or "cheating" later on) your current coach. Your current coach or team may be undesirable or a not good fit, but, being such a small community, your actions will be noted and remembered by more than the old coach down the road. Being respectfully, straight forward with the coach, may anger him now, and if he holds a grudge, that is his issue. Most will not.

Good Luck!

So what happens if a player goes out to practice with a team without having a release?

A smart coach will not allow her to practice for fear that his team would be sanctioned.