[Goose]

I don't think you are wrong. Isn't this like every contract I sign?  'Consultant is an independent contractor and in no way shape or form considered employees of [client]?'  We get paid and 'work' for the client, but we don't work for the client.

Right. Presumably you have several clients many of which provide a "substantial" part of your income. But if you have only one client and/or that client provides the vast majority of your income, you are a "statutory employee", no matter what the contract says. Lots of companies and contractors have been in this situation and they lose the battle trying to claim "independent contractor" status. I have (in the past) lost contractors because we were getting into a gray area about becoming such an employee, and neither the company nor the contractor wanted that to happen. Obviously the vast majority of student athletes would be in that situation, unless they have another real lucrative client :-).

[Goose]

I don't think you are wrong. Isn't this like every contract I sign?  'Consultant is an independent contractor and in no way shape or form considered employees of [client]?'  We get paid and 'work' for the client, but we don't work for the client.

Right. Presumably you have several clients many of which provide a "substantial" part of your income. But if you have only one client and/or that client provides the vast majority of your income, you are a "statutory employee", no matter what the contract says. Lots of companies and contractors have been in this situation and they lose the battle trying to claim "independent contractor" status. I have (in the past) lost contractors because we were getting into a gray area about becoming such an employee, and neither the company nor the contractor wanted that to happen. Obviously the vast majority of student athletes would be in that situation, unless they have another real lucrative client :-).