ComplaintsforLittle Neck Douglaston Youth Club

• Initial Complaint

  09/20/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I signed up my almost 13-year-old son to soccer with ***** for 2 seasons at a cost of $350, in advance because we have been looking for a very long time, for not only an affordable place but any existing soccer place for his age range. When I signed him up to ***** I was told he will be put on the senior division. Kids born 2010-1012. ****, hoping there are some kids his age there, that was great. First day came Around and we walked over to the age group that looked age appropriate for him thinking that was his team, but we were pointed to a different direction. As I approached the team, I realized I was looking at a bunch of kids who are much shorter and smaller, and apparently much younger than my almost 13 year old teen. The whole reason for my son to join a group of kids similar to his age is so that he can make friends and talk on the same age level because thats hard to do these days and maybe playing soccer and having fun with kids his age will make him feel good. When I approached his soccer coach, he agreed with me and called over a soccer coach for the older kids. Both coaches agreed he was on the wrong team and and when I asked if he can join the older kids team, I was told there is no room. Obviously my son and I felt the only solution to this was that I had to take him out . When I had emailed ***** for a refund, they initially wanted to give me back $175 (half of what I payed) and when I showed them proof of receipt, they gave me back $300.00. I emailed them asking them why they had not given me back $350 and they told me because we bought the uniform. Totally understandable, if this was a decision I just decided to pull him out for personal reasons, AND they had notified me about all the kids being much younger. However, that was not the case. They never asked me if my son, or I was OK that he would be placed in a group of only kids younger than him. This would give me a chance to say no and not agree to bring him to first practice. They deceived me from the beginning and were not communicating clearly with me. I should have been told from the very beginning that they have no room to put him in with kids, his age and ask me if we wanted to proceed. I told them I would gladly give their uniform back clean. They did not want. Im sorry but this is completely unethical. My son was basically forced to leave and now hes forced to keep a uniform he can no longer use. So they killed my sons spirit and the excitement of joining a team and making friends, which hes been looking forward to since *****. All I ask for is the $50 I am owed for the uniform and I can give it back. If it was my mistake and decision to leave them, I would gladly pay them for it, but these circumstances gave me no choice and its like what they wanted from the very beginning.

  Business response

  09/25/2023

  Good afternoon,

   

  This is a very simple manner. This individual signed up for a combo package which included both our fall and winter season.  There is a discount for signing up for a combo package.  Therefore the fee was $300 plus an additional $50 fee for uniform.  The player was placed on a team for players born in the years 2010-2012.  After the first day *********** mom was unhappy because her son was bigger than the other players on the team.  Due to her unhappiness we offered her a refund of $300, and did not charge her for the game that her son played.  For obvious reasons we do not refund the cost of used uniforms.

  Customer response

  09/26/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ********, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

  If I had been notified at the beginning before the first game that all the kids on my sons team would be couple years younger than him,  I would not agree to keep him on the team. It is obvious for any parent why they would want to put their child on a team with teammates that are closer to their age, so they can make friends and have things in common and be able to talk about things that are close to the same age. My son will be turning 13 in March and all the other teammates will only be turning 11. Also when his coach had told me he is on the wrong team and should be placed on a team with older kids. I was told there is not enough room for him. This should have been told to me from the very beginning not to just see if I will stick around. It is not fair to break my sons excitement down and he could no longer attend soccer and then expect me to pay for the uniform when he wont even be wearing it , like I have stated before I would have gladly kept the uniform if this was my own choice to take him out of the team, but since I have no other choice because I want my son to have teammates that are closer to his age, and not to play with little kids and be forced to leave the team it is not fair for me to keep a uniform for $50  And tease my son about not being able to play soccer which he was looking forward to .I will gladly return the uniform that my son wore the first day for one hour. The point is, I should have been advised and asked if it was OK for my son to play with kids that are smaller and younger than him because that is not the point for kids to be joining sports teams. It is not only that he is way bigger in size but also in age and that is not usual when you join a sports team. Even though it is a senior division, most of the players if not all are not anywhere close to my sons age a teenager playing with 10 at 11 year olds is not acceptable for a sports team or for a parent to be OK with when they want their child to make friends on the same level. Thank you

   

   

   

   

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  Sincerely,
  
  *****************
  
  
  
  
   
  

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