changing clubs mid year, "old" club expects to be paid in full before requesting letter of release form league. New club is in a different league... SHort of a possible checkbox on webpage that might have said "you agree to terms and conditions, blah , blah, blah... " there really is no contract or clear wording that it isnt sort of pay as you go via the payment installments. I'd like to fight it as club was not player focused but simply casts the net out far and wide for $$$$ Anyone fought this fight before?
Depends on the club. Also depends on the player. I think most clubs will not release you unless you pay. But if you are moving from NISL to IWSL/YSSL they cannot stop you technically since (as you mentioned) those are entirely different leagues. But the world of soccer is a small world - word travels fast and sometimes you can get bit on the back end.
I'll answer this from the clubs perspective: I'd say most clubs would ask that you fulfill any obligations to your former club. Regardless of the league the organizations play in, most clubs in Northern Illinois dual register players (US Club/IYSA) as a sort of security measure in order to keep this situation from happening. Registering players in both means they can't be registered on two different clubs in two different leagues. If the new club was at all concerned about their standing with either governing body, they wouldn't try to register a new player without full release as the player could still be registered in one league or the other. Attempting to register a player currently enrolled with another club can be considered "tampering", and the new club could potentially be held accountable (i.e. suspended, fined, kicked from league). So if your new club isn't asking you to get a full release, either they don't know any better or they don't mind running the risk.
There is that and the possibilty that you may wish to come back? Not saying this is the case but here is an example. Player A is a 2006 and not picked for DA at a large club. Player A and parents are upset so they leave for a smaller or different club with no DA. Player A gets better and wants to play DA but the only location nearby is the club they left without paying the bill. Secondly - as a parent, I know it's hard to get past anger if you feel your kid is not getting what they need. Soccer is strange in that you are a paying customer but yet more often then not, we feel we are not allowed to talk to coaches or club managers. I would make sure those avenues are exhausted completely before you make a decision. Hard place to be in for sure.
Correct me if I am wrong here but in Illinois IWSL and YSSL are seperate - even if they are under IYSA.
Both are IYSA-sanctioned leagues (USYS). All players registered in YSSL/IWSL/IYSA State Prem fall under the same umbrella.
You mean all clubs expect parents to shut up ? Great. Thx for the input. My inclination was to just take the high road, pay in full, and move forward bu tknew I'd get good feedback here.
So I do think a good club works with reasonable parents - or at least takes time to listen to their concerns. There are a good deal of helicopter parents out there who can be very un-realistic. There are also many coaches who are not approacable.
Regarding the bolded, I would expect that checkbox to BE part of the contract. Just because you checked it and didn't read it doesn't mean it's not enforceable. Unless something changed from the time you signed up to the time you want to leave, if there's something you don't like about the club, I feel that's on you for not doing your due diligence. I think the thing to do is talk to the coach, the manager, the DOC, and then the board about your concerns. I've never been told "don't talk to the coach". I've been told to wait 24 hour after a game, but not that I'm never allowed to have a conversation. If you've talked to everyone (or haven't) and still decide to leave, yes, I think barring a physical move, you are responsible for paying the full year.
I tend to agree with most of the above... is this your first year with this club? Why did you pick it, under what terms did you arrive and how have you handled the potential move? I've seen a lot over the years. I've seen families who have done everything right be granted some slack if the move was for the right reasons. I've also seen opportunistic families get caught in their own machinations. Remember, the clubs also have a responsibility to be consistent...their lawyer will tell them not to refund any money due to wanderlust, lest they set a precedent. Unless there is a hardship or some mitigating event I would expect the club to hold fast to the blah, blah, blah clause.