WWYD: Soccer practice/agency dilemma

[JustMe]

So, we have a local agency that is very good and reasonable in price for kids' soccer. I have never signed my kids up before b/c they don't tell you when the practices are until they form teams, assign a coach, etc. Since I work almost FT and am single, there are some days I can take the kids to practice, some I can't. This season I decided to take a gamble and sign my kids up because they both wanted it and there is a partial refund if you pull out before first game.

I also encourged a friend/mom of ds' friend to sign her ds up. She did and assured me she could help with getting my ds to games; I was thrilled. Dd gets assigned to a team and wonderfully its at times I can take her. Yay! Ds still is not assigned a team. His friend is assigned, which confuses me as kids from the same school are usually on the same team. I call the agency. My ds will be on another team; he is one grade level younger, and although these are grades sometimes are on the same team together not always. Practices started last week and I still had not heard from ds' coach. I call the agency; coach is a college student, she will set up practices and be in touch soon. Nothing until last night (practices are already one week in). She e-mails with a schedule, but says it is only for the first week, it may change. I can make it but it will be very difficult, and I still dont know when future practices will be.

Now, I know the coach my friend's ds has (our 3 boys are actually very good friends). I call him and he tries to get ds on his team, but says the person in charge said no. He said he would be more open to it, but my ds' team is down low in numbers. FWIW, I believe ds is the only kid from his school on the other team (the coach's e-mail cc'd all the parents with the boys' names included).

So, here is my dilemma. Do I stick with our assigned team, and hope we can make the future practices? Or do I call, say my ds can't participate with an unknown schedule and hope they say he can be on the other team? I did e-mail our coach and ask for any info she has on future practices, even if they are not written in stone. Ds will be crushed if he doesn't get to play, as soccer is his love...and he will still have to watch dd play. WWYD?

[niccig]

So, here is my dilemma. Do I stick with our assigned team, and hope we can make the future practices? Or do I call, say my ds can't participate with an unknown schedule and hope they say he can be on the other team? I did e-mail our coach and ask for any info she has on future practices, even if they are not written in stone. Ds will be crushed if he doesn't get to play, as soccer is his love...and he will still have to watch dd play. WWYD?

I would call. You'll probably get a better response than the coach did. Explain that you NEED to know the schedule and if you can't be given that, you want your son swapped to the other team. If they won't swap him, you'll need to pull him from his team.

I got DS changed to another baseball team. My emails got no response, so I got the head of the league's phone no. from a friend, whose husband is also a coach. And called him. They made the change.

Oh, and as kids get older, the practice times get later. Don't know if that will help in the future, but DS's soccer practices now start at 5.30 which is easier for me to get him too. We're still late, get there about 5.45, but much easier than a 4.30 practice.

[squimp]

I agree with the PP, I would explain the situation. Our local league doesn't put you in the team you want unless you are coach or team manager, so I understand the uncertainty, it makes it tough for me too.

[JustMe]

Thanks so much!

I did call once before the coach sent this week's schedule and told them ds might not be able to do it depending upon the schedule. They said to call back if he can't do it, once the schedule is out. FWIW, it is atypical that the schedule is not known at this point. Its b/c the coach is a college student, was on spring break, and I think they are trying to fit in their practices where they can. So, do I call now and say the unpredictable schedule wont work and risk that he doesnt get to play? I dont think the will consider putting him on the other team unless I outright say he cant do the team he is on. Or just wait it out and hope it works out?

[JustMe]

Update: Thanks again to those who respond. There has been a lot going on here lately, so decisions seem tougher. I did hear back from the coach that part of what she will do at the first practice/tomorrow will be to get an idea of potential conflicts from parents. Then on Tuesday they have a coach's meeting and they should know the schedule by then. So, if that actually happens, this won't drag out too much longer and I will be able to make a more informed choice!