WAG Coaches Fees. Why?

[Aero]

So I've learned that coaches charge a coach's fee from the parents in addition to the registration fee for each meet. Can someone tell me why? How do I explain to my girls' parents what it is? I really don't know myself, and I want to be prepared when I tell them that they're going to need to pay another fee. Also, if this is something I should be doing, how much do I charge them? Feeling quite curious right now.

 

[mariposa]

I think that most coaches are reimbursed for their time, travel expenses and food.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

that ^^^^^^^^^^

 

[Aussie_coach]

For the coach working with the gymnasts is their job, they need to get paid for their job.

 

[LucysMom]

Yes, exactly what the previous posters have said. At our gym, coaches' fees are a touchy subject with parents. I am not sure why. They do allow it to be paid over 3 payments by November. This year they let us know the amount much earlier than in previous years, so I think that helps parents stomach it better. I think you have to be as straight forward as possible.

 

[Gymkateer]

Coach's fees are because team gymnasts tend to get a discount for practice time. To take up the slack, you get fees for competitions. The gyms that really make out are the ones that have profitable teams. They charge meet fees anyway since it's standard.

 

[GymMom4]

Exactly what has been said- to pay for time, travel expenses, etc.

 

[Aussie_coach]

Yes, exactly what the previous posters have said. At our gym, coaches' fees are a touchy subject with parents. I am not sure why. They do allow it to be paid over 3 payments by November. This year they let us know the amount much earlier than in previous years, so I think that helps parents stomach it better. I think you have to be as straight forward as possible.

It is strange that it is a touchy subject with parents. I am sure they would never cope with it if their bosses said to them "well on top of your normal working hours you will have to work many Sundays, but you want get paid to do that, and if you need to travel or stay somewhere you'll need to pay for that as well"

 

[my4buffaloes]

I would never consider not paying for that time. But when we first started I thought it was included in my lump sum meet fees that I paid at the beginning and was surprised to find out differently later.

 

[profmom]

Rest assured that no sane parent would object in the slightest to having your travel and hard work at meets appropriately compensated! Coaches, I don't know how you manage those long days with multiple sessions, sometimes without much of a break in between sessions and sometimes with only concession-type food available. We parents are grateful, especially when we have that unlucky group with the 7:30 AM or the 6:00 PM report times! Frankly, I would be willing to pay more than what our gym tacks on . . .

 

[cbifoja]

Also keep in mind that if the coach usually works on Saturdays and the meet session is on Saturday, they are likely missing income. Absolutely not okay to expect a coach to give up income for the pleasure of coaching our kids!

 

[2G1B]

I'll be honest here, I don't understand why the employer (the gym) isn't paying the coaches' fees for meets. I mean, I don't expect them to donate their time; but that does seem like a kind of integral part of their job. I would rather the gym charge me per month what is needed to run my portion of their business than always be hit with yet another fee.

Our old gym didn't charge coaches fees. The hc said all of that was covered with tuition. There was no booster club, we just paid each meet fee as needed and we got the schedule of those a few months before season started. (Except for o e coach, I really liked that gym. I wish that they would get rid of that one coach.)

 

[vagymmomma]

I'll be honest here, I don't understand why the employer (the gym) isn't paying the coaches' fees for meets. I mean, I don't expect them to donate their time; but that does seem like a kind of integral part of their job.

You just hit on the key reason that parents object to the coaching fees for meets (I personally have no problem with it). I think that there's an expectation that the gym owners should be paying this. The reality is that parents pay one way or another.

OP - first, let the parents know that this is very standard in the industry. Our old gym (through the parents association) used to pay "session fees" instead of hourly fees paid to coaches for meets . A session can go many hours so even though the meet coaching fee seems higher (say a $60/hr session fee), I doubt it's higher than paying on an hourly basis (it just seems higher). Many of these coaches are part time and are paid hourly. They should get paid for time worked and it's fair to say that it's difficult to build coaching fees for meets into a monthly rate. Some meets break the schedule by age group (so L4 could be across 2 or 3 sessions). Some meets have L8 - L10 in one session or one day. Others have the levels separate days or sessions. And it can easily vary at a meet by year.

 

[LucysMom]

It is strange that it is a touchy subject with parents. I am sure they would never cope with it if their bosses said to them "well on top of your normal working hours you will have to work many Sundays, but you want get paid to do that, and if you need to travel or stay somewhere you'll need to pay for that as well"

The complainers were parents of upper level girls. I don't know past gym history, but all the new team parents seemed OK with it. It ended up averaging out to about $50 per meet and 3 were out of state. We had 3-4 coaches at each meet. I thought it was a good deal for parents.

 

[Seeker]

The "touchy subject" around coaching fees is generally due to a lack of transparency and a lack of understanding of what it is for, how it is calculated, when it is paid, etc. A little explanation on the front end will go a long way to easing any of that on the back end.

Coaches need to be paid for their time and expenses while away from the gym. Time, mileage, hotel, meals, etc. depending on where meet is and those fees are generally split between those gymnasts competing at a particular meet.

 

[LucysMom]

The $50 average per meet is per gymnast.

 

[poodlemomma]

It is strange that it is a touchy subject with parents. I am sure they would never cope with it if their bosses said to them "well on top of your normal working hours you will have to work many Sundays, but you want get paid to do that, and if you need to travel or stay somewhere you'll need to pay for that as well"

Actually anyone who works salary has to work when their job expects them to, they are already paid for it. My husband works multiple weekends for his job. Right now he is averaging 60 hours a week. Now, he does get paid for travel if it is out of area. I am not saying that our coaches should be expected to do the same unless the coach is owner of the gym. She/he is already salaried and compensated for it and as owner all their expenses should be able to be claimed on taxes.

However, I am sure that the coaches would need higher incomes to compensate for their extra time working to accomplish what the normal salaried employee's income does for the extra time. This would surely result in higher tuition prices. Either way, we as parents pay.

I try to tell myself that I am actually the employer for these coaches and thus they have to be paid some way. Makes it easier to chew.

 

[skschlag]

Have you seen a coaches' salary? And some are hourly that work at meets....

I guess I don't mind it. I mean, I like keeping my money, but I am salaried, and if you told me you were adding weekends and I was to work 2 10 hour days over a weekend with no extra money, I think I would be looking for a new job. As it is, I think what they get isn't much for their time.

Our gym does show us what we are paying for, and never has it been unfair. It has always been to the penny. Still some parents complain. Our coach was "salaried" at 20 hours a week. Add 20 hours of meet on top of that and without those fees you are expecting him to work double for nothing.

 

[gymmomtoo]

Most coaches arent' salaried, they get paid by the hour. It only makes sense to me that they get paid for meet time as well. As someone else said, I think the main problem is making sure everyone knows what the fees are all for. The meet fee goes directly to the hosting gym--doesn't pay at anything to your coaches for being there. The monthly fee (in most cases), goes to pay coaches at the gym for regular practice time. The gym could (and I'm sure some do) increase the monthly fee to cover expenses for coaches at meets too, but that makes everyone pay for it, rather than just the ones going to the meets (some aren't ready to compete or are injured or whatever).

 

[Committed]

Ditto everything everyone said, especially about the transparency.

Our fees are all written on one big printout. Costs are broken down cost by cost and (if traveling) by meet. So, as a parent, I can see EVERYTHING I am being charged for: from coach fees to driving milage.
I like that it's spelled out for me, especially since the "bill" is so darned big!