Mid-season Eagles DPL contract

A friend at Eagles SC asked me to post this. As if that club doesn't have enough problems to deal with, they are now forcing their DPL teams to sign the attached contract. Anyone refusing to sign doesn't get to play. This was just sprung on them midseason.

There's a lot of BS in there about forcing kids to play DA when they don't want to, but as an outsider, the clause that jumped out at me was the one where they require new season registration payments in May, or else you don't get to play the May, June, July of the old season.

Do any other DA clubs require this kind of contract? Ours does not.
 

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This is horrifying. Plain and simple
FOR A B TEAM!!!!!!

The financial stuff I get. From the tryouts and school mandates though absolutely not. No way would I sign this
 
A friend at Eagles SC asked me to post this. As if that club doesn't have enough problems to deal with, they are now forcing their DPL teams to sign the attached contract. Anyone refusing to sign doesn't get to play. This was just sprung on them midseason.

There's a lot of BS in there about forcing kids to play DA when they don't want to, but as an outsider, the clause that jumped out at me was the one where they require new season registration payments in May, or else you don't get to play the May, June, July of the old season.

Do any other DA clubs require this kind of contract? Ours does not.
I'm not an attorney, but this is so poorly written that I can't imagine that it would hold any validity in a court of law. Nevertheless, the spirit of the contract is mean and adversarial and clearly directed at forcing players to stay with Eagles rather than allowing them to look for other opportunities. Only a losing club would need to write up such a document. I feel for the players and the parents.
 
That is a truly horrible and onerous contract. It isn't about what is best for Eagles' players. It is solely about controlling players and families. According to the contract, players have literally no say in choosing their team or coach, even after they are assigned to a team or a coach, they are contractually precluded from practicing or trying out for other teams, they may not participate in any school sports, they are not allowed to miss games for any reason, they have to pay for chaperones ... and there are a number of other restrictions as well.

Without question, it is the most onerous and one-sided contract I have ever seen in youth sports, and believe me, I have seen a lot of them.
 
Wow. They're asking kids/families to sign their life away to the club. The worst part is that is that they're asking 2nd teamers to sign their life away.
 
First, DPL and DA is 2 very different things. You are right about a lot of BS however. Club came out with something they want and sent it out. Parents and players are free to choose NOT to sign this document, right?
 
First, DPL and DA is 2 very different things. You are right about a lot of BS however. Club came out with something they want and sent it out. Parents and players are free to choose NOT to sign this document, right?
I'm guessing you wrote the document?
 
I will not play in any school athletic events while playing for my clubs B team...so nothing. Let's not just stick with what US SOCCER wants let's make it ALL SPORTS. This should be sent to US SOCCER as an example of what a club is doing who has DA. No kidding I wouldn't miss a beat.
It really gets worse as you look at it. This is EPIC!
 
First, DPL and DA is 2 very different things. You are right about a lot of BS however. Club came out with something they want and sent it out. Parents and players are free to choose NOT to sign this document, right?

I don't see how anyone can justify springing this on the players mid-season. This sort of thing needs to be front and center when registration fees are asked for.
 
I wouldn't sign this at all. Poorly executed. Guess they need this to secure players since their teams aren't doing that well.
 
A friend at Eagles SC asked me to post this. As if that club doesn't have enough problems to deal with, they are now forcing their DPL teams to sign the attached contract. Anyone refusing to sign doesn't get to play. This was just sprung on them midseason.

There's a lot of BS in there about forcing kids to play DA when they don't want to, but as an outsider, the clause that jumped out at me was the one where they require new season registration payments in May, or else you don't get to play the May, June, July of the old season.

Do any other DA clubs require this kind of contract? Ours does not.
Threatening if they don't sign they don't play is BS. Season started in May so that is when they should have given them this contract. I would request a full refund and if not I will see you guys in court buddy
 
If that was written by a lawyer, they should get their money back.

And while it is unconscionable, many of those provisions are actually followed by other clubs and coaches. For example, I am sure all of us have stories of players being benched because they did not do what the coach wanted them to do . . . more private lessons, giving up other sports to focus on soccer even though no soccer commitments are missed, finding out that a player is trying out at another club or that they are not coming back next season and thus benched etc. At least the Eagles are stupid, I mean, honest enough to spell it out for the naive.
 
I has to be some kind of backstory to this contract. Did Eagles couldn't field DPL team? Not enough commitment?
 
Goes to show you that club soccer is really a business that's using nonprofit as a shield.

I would venture to guess that eagles is not doing all that great in DA and/or DPL and this is a attempt to hold onto or force players into something that might only benefit the club not the player(s).

You can't borrow players in DA so this is poorly thought out, nor can you prevent players from participating in other school athletic events or explore other training or tryout options. This is America we have the right to choices.

DPL is a house of cards, when the cards don't fall like what was promised clubs get desperate like this one.
 
There are two goals behind this contract:

(1) Make it clear to parents that the players play for the club and not a particular coach. It sets up an "interference with contract" claim if a coach leaves the Eagles and tries to take players.
(2) Put the Club first above the players.

Fundamentally, I don't have a problem with the first, but have serious problems with the second goal. I would not sign this agreement, rather, I would immediately begin looking for another club and bring this matter to the attention of Cal South and the appropriate Commissioner.
 
I has to be some kind of backstory to this contract. Did Eagles couldn't field DPL team? Not enough commitment?

Except for the 2004s, all of the Eagles DPL teams are doing well (.500 or better records).

All of the Eagles DA teams are below .500, with the 2003s at 0-7 with 4 GF and and 33 GA.

I think this is about forcing DPL players to play up on the DA team. One of the first clauses of the contract is "you will play on the team we select for you". I have never heard of such a thing. so often the players on the top team are told how they have to be committed. And that's fine, but it's not for everyone. And that's why we have B teams.
 
Threatening if they don't sign they don't play is BS. Season started in May so that is when they should have given them this contract. I would request a full refund and if not I will see you guys in court buddy
I truly hope that you meant "Buddy" in the literal sense as Robert "Buddy" Kelley is a lawyer and his wife Kathleen Kelley happens to be President of the Eagles Soccer Club, so your "Buddy" term is quite ironic, funny and sharp witted!
 
Except for the 2004s, all of the Eagles DPL teams are doing well (.500 or better records).

All of the Eagles DA teams are below .500, with the 2003s at 0-7 with 4 GF and and 33 GA.

I think this is about forcing DPL players to play up on the DA team. One of the first clauses of the contract is "you will play on the team we select for you". I have never heard of such a thing. so often the players on the top team are told how they have to be committed. And that's fine, but it's not for everyone. And that's why we have B teams.

Moving players to DA from DPL is not as simple as borrowing players from one SCDSL or CSL team to another. DA allow certain number of players on the roster and once added as a full time player, player cannot play for any other teams. DP players can, but every club allowed only small number of DP players. So once player moved from DPL to DA full time, there is no turning back and there is no HS sports either.
 
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