Player Releases

Has anyone had any luck obtaining a player release (other than a release to rec) this season? Has anyone heard of anyone being successful obtaining one? If so, how did they go about it?

Just ask the coach..... Some of them will do the right thing...

I would think to have any chance of a full release, you will need to make sure your balance is zero.

I know of one. Contract was paid in full.

The release is not that hard to get, but getting added to another team CAN BE the hard part. Stigma is that no coach is going to release a solid player that is contributing to the team's success without first trying to work it out with player and parents. Released this early labels player as potential problem player to the other coaches. Best advise suck it up and finish out season and move when more players are changing teams.

Definitely depends on the coach. Last year, we offered to pay the full contract in exchange for a full release and the coach flat out refused. So a zero balance isn't a guarantee if a coach wants to hold a player hostage.

tacosoccer1 wrote:The release is not that hard to get, but getting added to another team CAN BE the hard part. Stigma is that no coach is going to release a solid player that is contributing to the team's success without first trying to work it out with player and parents. Released this early labels player as potential problem player to the other coaches. Best advise suck it up and finish out season and move when more players are changing teams.

Not even this is happening, which would be a great start.

Last year, I spoke with a well-respected coach in NTX soccer regarding our situation. What he said to me, if you are unhappy and your kid is miserable and refuses to even train with him/her, then leave. Granted, in our case, it had nothing to do with playing time. My dd was a starter, played the entire match, etc. So the highly respected coach told us to take that money we would have paid (remember he refused to give us a release even if we paid the full amount) and walk. We invested that money in private training through the fall. Come Dec 1, we went to NTX soccer, paid our $25 and she was released.

I posted in the guest player forum here and instead of signing with another team for spring league play, my DD guest played with five different coaches in six tournaments from January through May. Would have been seven, but she chose not to travel to Houston. Most of those coaches invited her to train with their squad throughout the spring as much as she wanted. Many more were emailing me, wanting me to bring her out to practice.

Many people like to instill this fear of a stigma, but I can honestly say we do not regret our decision. Most coaches/managers asked about the situation regarding our leaving and that was it. We kept our mouths shut while watching games and our DD brought it while on the field. Actions speak louder than words and more coaches are willing to give a kid the benefit of the doubt than you might expect.

DD is an '04, so don't have any personal experience with this, but another option would be to let her spend the season with the twins at city futsal. Not sure if it's too late for that too be an option.

txtransplant wrote:Last year, I spoke with a well-respected coach in NTX soccer regarding our situation. What he said to me, if you are unhappy and your kid is miserable and refuses to even train with him/her, then leave. Granted, in our case, it had nothing to do with playing time. My dd was a starter, played the entire match, etc. So the highly respected coach told us to take that money we would have paid (remember he refused to give us a release even if we paid the full amount) and walk. We invested that money in private training through the fall. Come Dec 1, we went to NTX soccer, paid our $25 and she was released.

I posted in the guest player forum here and instead of signing with another team for spring league play, my DD guest played with five different coaches in six tournaments from January through May. Would have been seven, but she chose not to travel to Houston. Most of those coaches invited her to train with their squad throughout the spring as much as she wanted. Many more were emailing me, wanting me to bring her out to practice.

Many people like to instill this fear of a stigma, but I can honestly say we do not regret our decision. Most coaches/managers asked about the situation regarding our leaving and that was it. We kept our mouths shut while watching games and our DD brought it while on the field. Actions speak louder than words and more coaches are willing to give a kid the benefit of the doubt than you might expect.

That sounds like a good plan.

Haven't been on here in a while - interesting read.
NTX will give you a release at the break - but, the full release is not so easy to get.
Just make sure all your bills are paid and you are on super terms with the coach (assuming it's just not a good fit).

Any coach she's going to will call the former coach (even if they can't stand each other). Everyone wants to know what they are getting into, so, they tend to communicate.

I like txtransplant's advice - you are, in essence, only missing 8-10 games - not the end of the world. And, there's a fresh start next year.

I've seen several team hoppers (each year for 4+ years). There is always a home as teams always need/want players of better skill than current players on their roster.

I would hesitate to talk to the coach until after the season as it may not turn into a friendly discussion. I've seen some 'announce' they were leaving in Nov/Dec and the following season turned into a bench warming affair every weekend.

hmmmm... Is this the player that is unhappy or the parent?

I hear the parent wants to be the coach (see OP avatar name) and has never been happy with a team. Buyer beware- there seems to be a pattern with this one.

How many teams have you been through Coach? DTS, Solar Red, Sting 03, DT 03 more???

herradura wrote:hmmmm... Is this the player that is unhappy or the parent?

I hear the parent wants to be the coach (see OP avatar name) and has never been happy with a team. Buyer beware- there seems to be a pattern with this one.

How many teams have you been through Coach? DTS, Solar Red, Sting 03, DT 03 more???

No herradura. It's not about wanting to be the coach. It's about the bait and switch. Don't say one thing and do another. Don't have double standards.

Plus, my daughter hasn't been on all those teams. Also, I'd like for you to show me a kid that hasn't been on multiple Academy teams. That's what Academy is about.

Coach&Ref wrote:

herradura wrote:hmmmm... Is this the player that is unhappy or the parent?

I hear the parent wants to be the coach (see OP avatar name) and has never been happy with a team. Buyer beware- there seems to be a pattern with this one.

How many teams have you been through Coach? DTS, Solar Red, Sting 03, DT 03 more???

No herradura. It's not about wanting to be the coach. It's about the bait and switch. Don't say one thing and do another. Don't have double standards.

Plus, my daughter hasn't been on all those teams. Also, I'd like for you to show me a kid that hasn't been on multiple Academy teams. That's what Academy is about.

Please elaborate!! RM and RS bait and switch? Ok... spill it coach.

Also, I apologize Coach. Never paid to be on any of those teams right? Just participated until they asked for money right? What's wrong DT03 only give you a half scholarship? Oh snap... I've gone too far. 

There is nothing to elaborate on in this manner. I simply asked about releases and the reasons are my own. It's not about my daughter not starting (she does). It's not about playing time (she plays all game). Nor is it about any of the typical reasons parents might expect.

There have been good answers to this post which I am grateful for. That's all I asked for, so please herradura, keep the conjecture to yourself.

Haha! Never paid? Wow! You are way off the mark. If I added up everything soccer related I have paid for over the years, I would drown myself in whatever liquor you are drinking to give you such ideas. Lol!

It's a small community Coach... Be careful.

It may be a small community, but I don't hide behind multiple screen names to say my peace, flygirl.

Coach&Ref wrote:It may be a small community, but I don't hide behind multiple screen names to say my peace, flygirl.

Everyone who needs to know who I am, knows who I am. Goodnight Coach.

Goodnight and thanks for ceasing to troll my thread.

Have you ever thought of getting back into coaching?
I'm not sure that you will ever find a team that meets your expectations better than the ones that you set. If you are not looking to get back in the dance, then you are going to have to learn how to take that coaching hat off and enjoy the beautiful game. Life is too short.

Coach&Ref wrote: Also, I'd like for you to show me a kid that hasn't been on multiple Academy teams. That's what Academy is about.

I know of at least 4 on my DD's U13 team (including my DD).

Barca wrote:Have you ever thought of getting back into coaching?
I'm not sure that you will ever find a team that meets your expectations better than the ones that you set. If you are not looking to get back in the dance, then you are going to have to learn how to take that coaching hat off and enjoy the beautiful game. Life is too short.

I am Barca, just not in the capacity of heading up a Select team. It is mostly just skills training at the moment.

I don't have any issue with taking a backseat to any coach. In fact, I think that it can be a good thing to have perspectives from many different coaches. It allows me to learn things that I didn't know or even experience better ways of doing things.

However, what I do have problems with are being sold on one thing and being delivered another. I have problems with lack of transparency and double standards when it comes to players. I have the motto that you practice like you play and play like you practice. I believe that should be followed no matter what the result. I believe that the definition of a successful season is not determined by a win/loss record, but by evaluating where my daughter was at the beginning of the season and where she is at the end. With that being said, I don't want to waste a year in an environment where I am not getting that and then kicking myself for not seeing the proverbial writing on the wall.

I don't think that principles of ethics are things to be rationalized. Coaching styles will differ, which is a good thing, but ethics, transparency and conduct should not.

bwgophers wrote:

Coach&Ref wrote: Also, I'd like for you to show me a kid that hasn't been on multiple Academy teams. That's what Academy is about.

I know of at least 4 on my DD's U13 team (including my DD).

Seriously Gopher, don't try to tell me that that is the norm and not the exception. I suppose none of those girls ever guest played in tourneys with other teams or even practiced with others. However, if those girls have truly never done any of those things, I suppose I shouldn't have made it sound like such an absolute in my original post.

Coach&Ref wrote:

bwgophers wrote:

Coach&Ref wrote: Also, I'd like for you to show me a kid that hasn't been on multiple Academy teams. That's what Academy is about.

I know of at least 4 on my DD's U13 team (including my DD).

Seriously Gopher, don't try to tell me that that is the norm and not the exception. I suppose none of those girls ever guest played in tourneys with other teams or even practiced with others. However, if those girls have truly never done any of those things, I suppose I shouldn't have made it sound like such an absolute in my original post.

We have 7 U13s who started academy in 2nd or 3rd grade who have stayed with the same coach. The only guest playing was to help out another team in the same club when they needed players.