Parents losing out on meet fees

[sportyfam5]

I am just wondering if any gyms return meet fees for injured or sick gymnasts. Luckily this has only happened to us twice in 7 years. So we lost out on $85 ( due to illness) and then today (due to injury) $70. I am pretty sure our gym not not refund either. Perhaps it would be nice if a half back for illness or injury.
Thoughts?

 

[kandkfunk]

Usually refunds are not offered when a last minute illness or injury occurs. This is because the fee to the host club has already been paid and the coach's fees have been set based on the number of gymnasts attending. Giving any type of refund would require the host gym to refund the money or the coach's to miss out on some of the pay that they had been promised. If you know that you will be skipping a meet enough in advance, you may be able to get a refund of the meet fees, but that isn't always possible. It's a bummer, but it's definitely part of this sport. Sorry to hear about your gymnast's injury. I hope it's nothing too serious and he/she is back in the gym soon

 

[gymcoach26]

If we have not sent the check to the host meet then you can get it back (it stays on your gyms account but gets put towards tuition or something else). If we have already sent the entrance fee in, than we do not refund.

 

[OzZee]

You aren't paying your gym, you're paying for the competition, at least here the fees have to be paid to the comp gym well in advance. So I'd never expect a refund for illness or injury, once the fees are paid they are sent off and that's that.

 

[profmom]

Yep, over the years DD has had to scratch three meets and we didn't get the money back. Our gym pays meet fees up front and we reimburse them. Two years ago, our gym tried to get the meet host gym to refund a meet fee when DD broke her arm just beforehand, but no dice. Last year, it was so close out we didn't bother trying, and we knew this fall that when she got sick during warmups that it was hopeless. The host gym still has to pay the judges, arrange the schedule, buy the right number of medals, etc., so I think once the rotation sheet's set, it would not be reasonable to ask for a partial refund.

 

[Moxiegrl83]

What they said ^^^. Once we send the money to the host gym, it's pretty much impossible to get back. So to refund it would have to come out of the gyms pocket. If it's early enough, and we haven't sent the check yet, it will be refunded or put towards tuition.

 

[my4buffaloes]

It seems if there is advance notice it can be refunded usually, but last minute stuff is a no.

 

[GymBee97]

Its not the norm for meet fees to be refunded mostly because these fees are paid to the host group way in advance and the funds are used to pay for things like judges, venue location, gymnast gifts, awards etc. So if you pull a gymnast last min that money is well spent for the event. We were snowed out 2 years ago and didn't get ours back. We had to fly out to the location and the airport at my end was closed but our destination was open. We lost the meet fee ($125) , the hotel fee (1 night + cancelation fee total $175), and only got the availability to get a new flight within the next 12 months for the air fare which did not end up getting used (lost $400ish). What we got was the leotard they gave the gymnasts as a gift for that - the coach grabed one for all that paid to go. That is usually what does happen the coach will get the gift for those he paid for and that is about it.

the gym doesn't have the money anymore to refund once its paid so if they don't get the refund they can't pass it on to you. If they do get the refund then they can (I have had that happen too)