Oh my, let the totally one sided pay to play hockey contracts begin! A parent’s worst nightmare…..hockey contracts are not a democracy, they are completely designed to get our money and protect the bottom line of the team owner. Where is the side in the contract that protects the paying adult? Hmmm, there does not seem to be one.
Here is why! No one challenges these one-sided contracts. Parents are afraid to write in changes and challenge the contract. Why? Because we are all in fear of the secretive code that “it will make things bad for my kid, they will ruin the players career.” Please enough with the threats to young adults, with dreams, who trust you as their coach and team owner. Oh and if the parent has a ligament challenge, we are labeled as “difficult parents” and that word spreads through the “Secret Club”.
We are all not independently wealthy! And a contract needs to be adhere to for all parties involved. Some of us have to gather and save and sacrifice to allow our kids to play the expensive game they love. I am not saying team owners do not deserve have a budget and make some money, they do, this is America. I for one, respect a contract and the budget. But some parents need time to pull funds together and need longer than 48 hours to give a commitment, along with the “non-refundable” first payment.
Allow me to digress, here is a scenario happening right now: A new, first year, Tier III team, just out of the gate this year charging $11,000 with the added pressure of signing your contract within 48 hours after letting you know your AA Midget player is now junior caliber and if you do not commit within 48 hours your player will not be signed and his spot will be offered to someone else. Yeah, OK! I am sure their are flocks of high caliber Junior players waiting in the rafters to pay $11,000 for a first year team. Oh and the non-refundable deposit is $2500. Yikes. I say move on parents… there are other good teams with history, less expensive, and willing to take your player.
In all my years of writing contracts for a living, believe me, I understand the one sided design and protecting the company. Companies write contracts, then someone finds a loop hole, we go back the next year write in more protection by changing the language and evolve to protect ourselves. I get it.
This is why they are one-sided. There are bad parents out there! Yes, you know the ones that promise to pay, coach lets the player continue to play because they are a key player and then wham, they end up not paying and the team has no recourse. Trust me team owners, I absolutely get this.
However, what about us “good” parents spending our hard earned money and working harder or a second job to pay our bill. The same needs to hold true for us. We pay and sign and then wham! We get screwed by the organization our kid is playing for. The team is a nightmare, the coach leaves and parents are left with empty expensive promises. And now that we have paid all of our monies on the front end, there is no recourse and there is never ever a refund! Bam! I am out $7000, ouch!
It gets better. The next season the team that just basically stole the $7000 goes on by changing its name and coaches and heads to do it again this season, poor parents. Oh and forget getting help from the higher powers that be, so called sanctioning bodies, board members, etc. That is the “secret club,” no one ever tells on any one and the sanctioning body never does anything to help, they just keep passing the baton. Call so and so and then you get the run around. You know why, because it is so incestuous and the big boys club, those “secret club members” never know when they will need each other for players or favors, so they turn their heads and do not help the parents fight for anything. Deaf ears, blind eyes! For shame. Oh yeah, sanctioning body, your no better, you need to start helping too, you know, help those that pay dues every year. If we have a formal complaint, stop passing us along to those that will not help us. Put policy and sanctions in place. If a team does wrong hold them accountable and have repercussions and follow through with them. If teams were held accountable and had got punished for bad behavior, then maybe things will start to change.
I say enough! There has to be a advocates for the parents, you know the ones who pay, so you can own a team, coach a team and continue to participate in the sport you love. For those of us who will pay and respect a contract and for the teams who want the players and the money for the budget, we need to protect each other and our sport.
What is the happy medium? I wish I had a magic crystal ball, but I do not. Many of us are thinking it, I am just brave enough to hide behind my handle and write it.
Here is the deal, if you are promised anything, put it in writing, write it into the contract. If they say you will get gloves, write it in. If you are promised a trainer, write it in. Any verbal commitment, write it in and then sign that version and hold them accountable. They use the contract to hold you accountable, now use it on them.
Red Flag, if you have a team not willing to work with you by “writing it in” or work on a better payment plan….RUN and run fast. But if you have a respectful team owner who responds to your polite demands, then I say stay, they are far and few between in this crazy Junior Hockey world.
Double Red Flag: Please be very careful – if it is a first year team you are signing on with. Be sure that they are financially sound and they have up front funding, ask them to see the statements, do not be afraid to ask. Make sure they are not waiting for 25 players to pay and then a budget is set. Take it from this hockey mom who learned the hard way. Can you believe that coaches/owners play of your emotions and that of your kid. There are so many reputable teams out there. Choose wisely, do your homework.
It is OK to ask questions, you should, it’s your money and it is your kid. Yes, teams are in the business to make money and they deserve to in exchange for their services. But they must have the services performed as promised.
Hockey Mom
