Parents What to expect at our very first meet

[TumbleTimes4]

Thank you all very much for your advice, information, and input. I feel a little more prepared now. I have a feeling we have many years of gymnastics meets ahead of us.

 

[mommyof1]

That is interesting--we have been to 11 compulsory meets so far, have always gotten a meet gift of some sort, and have never been charged admission when the meet was held at a gym. Our gym tells parents that those are the expectations. It must vary geographically.

If I had to pay $20-30 per parent to watch my kid compete after paying at least $100 to register her I would be livid!

 

[gymdoc]

Bring CASH - like, actual bills. Most placed don't have a credit card machine and the nearest ATM is usually at least 5 miles away
We've been going to meets for 5 years now, compulsories and optionals and I have paid admission at every single one!

 

[Deleted member 18037]

If I had to pay $20-30 per parent to watch my kid compete after paying at least $100 to register her I would be livid!

5 years we have been doing it and my husband is still not over it. Bugs him every time.

 

[MILgymFAM]

5 years we have been doing it and my husband is still not over it. Bugs him every time.

One of the reasons my husband doesn't typically do meets. He says he can see my videos for free, and not have to sit through hours of boredom in the mean time.
The only one that still bugs me is t&t regionals. Three events can mean three different sessions and even different days. Even more $$$.

My ODD loves to cheer on her friends at local meets and I usually just drive her and wait in the car. Too much money if it's not my kid.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

The only one that still bugs me is t&t regionals. Three events can mean three different sessions and even different days. Even more $$$.

Oh my husband would completely snap.

 

[Texasmomof3]

Our gym told us that USAG sets the admission fee every year. Maybe it is just for Region 3? But yes, T&T was such a pain when we would have to pay each day. Especially the convention center meets at $30 a pop and they have to be there multiple days. We once threatened to have dd wear her competition leo and team jacket to watch her brother compete, so they would think she was an athlete and not charge admission for her, too.

Last year we took all the kids with us to an out of town meet in San Antonio, to make a fun family weekend of it. The cost of admission to the meet plus the Feista Jam (the level 10 event finals) cost more than our dinner for 6 at Ruth's Chris Steak House.

 

[Sasha]

The least expensive meets we've been to (hosted in gyms) were $6 for adults, $4 for children.

The typical/average price we have paid is $10-15 adults, $7-10 children (hosted in gyms or local rec centers)

The most expensive meets were $25-30 adults (single session) and $15 children (hosted in convention centers)

All required cash.

When I have volunteered, I have gotten in free for that session, but my family had to pay (even the gymnast if not her session).

My gymmie has received some sort of "gift bag" at maybe 20% of meets. Meet T shirts are usually an extra expense (either paid for in advance so they 'seem' like they are a freebie to the gymmie, or by cash/card at meets).

 

[skschlag]

Most of our instate meets are $5-$6 each. Big invitations can run $15-$25 (thank you Disney). D's old gym hosts 4 girls' meets a year, and charge no admission. Parents love it!

 

[e'smum]

i was so confused with my dd's first meet. that particular meet did the child category all at once. i didn't understand how my dd, who didn't get any medals but qualified for an AA trophy, got something when her teammates didn't get anything but of course had much higher scores (they'd been competing all year plus had trained the year before as non-compete level 3s). then they went to the next age category and it clicked.
most meets go by event and do all the age categories for that event at awards and then move on to the next event. but a couple i've been to do the entire age category all at once before moving on to the next age category.

def. bring cash for the meet fees. and snacks and electronics for any siblings who you have to drag along. i've also never been to a free meet and have also had family pay for our hosted meet. you only get in free if you are working that session.

as far as the photos go, a lot of meets have photographers but not all. i usually purchase the ones at our meet b/c the photographer, who also photographs at the olympics, does bars. it's the only meet where he does bars and he started doing it last year. that is how i got the my profile pic of my dd doing a cast handstand. i told her before the meet i could care less about scores but get up into a straight handstand on bars for the photo op - haha! but she did. and then i buy at states. a couple of meets we have gone to hand out cd's with photos on them as meet gifts. these are a nice gift but the photos aren't as good as the meets where you purchase them so i still purchase at two meets. it's expensive though. i think ours are around $75 for floor/beam.

expect there to be nerves for you and your dd. it can be overwhelming walking into a meet for the first time. once the gymmies start to warm up with their teammates, it should be better for her. not so much for you. i'm a sweaty nervous ball of stomach ache by the end of our meets.

best of luck to you and your gymnast!!!!!

 

[3rd_time_around]

It's good to know that you will have to pay admission. I did not know when I went to my daughter's first meet (2005). I was shocked when I walked in and they asked for money. I was like "really? You're serious?" And they looked at me like I was a crazy person on the loose, mixed with pity for my ignorance. I said, "but i've already paid for her to be here." And they said, "yes, but you have to pay to come in." I said, "Why?" They said, "because you do." I didn't have any cash on me, none, because we never had a lot of extra money, and I just didn't bring any with me. I had to write a check! I wish someone had told me before I got there.

And as I said in that weirdly quoted post, don't expect a gift at the door, and PLEASE don't ask them what the freebie will be. That could be embarrassing for both of you. A gift at a meet is a nice surprise, just don't expect one and it's like "Hey, cool!"

I've never been to a free meet, ever, in 14 years all over the country. One of my daughters was even on the "rec team" that went to other gyms for informal meets with coaches as judges and no one scored less than 8.00--we still had to pay admission.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

We are debit card folk.

As we are driving to the meet its always........................ "Did you get cash?"

 

[Flyaway]

We are debit card folk.

As we are driving to the meet its always........................ "Did you get cash?"

Us too! We stopped at a gas station this morning and I ran in to buy gum and get cash back. Haha.

 

[duyetanh]

That is interesting--we have been to 11 compulsory meets so far, have always gotten a meet gift of some sort, and have never been charged admission when the meet was held at a gym. Our gym tells parents that those are the expectations. It must vary geographically.

If I had to pay $20-30 per parent to watch my kid compete after paying at least $100 to register her I would be livid!

Where do you live so we can move there, lol!
You would not believe the fees we pay. Gymnastics is the gift that keeps on giving...even when you don't want it to!

 

[duyetanh]

We are debit card folk.

As we are driving to the meet its always........................ "Did you get cash?"

That would be a great bumpersticker- with the pic of a gymnast on it- "Got cash?"
...More like, not got cash....I remember seeing this one t-shirt a dad was wearing at a meet that made me choke on my water:
"Dad carries no cash, his daughter is a gymnast."

 

[duyetanh]

One thing I don't think anyone has mentioned (sorry, haven't scanned the whole thread) is you will also see is psycho gym parents who feel their level 2 is Olympic bound....some of their comments will floor you, and you will wonder if they are sane. You might find yourself staring without meaning to....because trust me, it's wild.
Repeat to yourself that you will never become one of them. Repeat. Repeat. Lol.
And try not to get on the crazy bus, because at one time or another, almost all of us on here have at least contemplated buying a ticket to ride it....

 

[mommyof1]

And as I said in that weirdly quoted post, don't expect a gift at the door, and PLEASE don't ask them what the freebie will be. That could be embarrassing for both of you. A gift at a meet is a nice surprise, just don't expect one and it's like "Hey, cool!"

All I meant in the post that you quoted was that if you have already paid for a t-shirt as part of the meet fee, you don't want to buy another t-shirt. Because I have come close to doing that once or twice. I don't think it's terrible to ask at check-in or at the t-shirt stand, "Hey, if I buy a t-shirt, it's not going to duplicate something she's already getting, right?"

 

[3rd_time_around]

All I meant in the post that you quoted was that if you have already paid for a t-shirt as part of the meet fee, you don't want to buy another t-shirt. Because I have come close to doing that once or twice. I don't think it's terrible to ask at check-in or at the t-shirt stand, "Hey, if I buy a t-shirt, it's not going to duplicate something she's already getting, right?"

I understand. But usually the meet entry form states if there's a t-shirt or a gift. But if you walk in a meet that isn't giving a gift and ask "what's the freebie today?" Or "what's the gift going to be?" it could lead to a very awkward moment, and you will be talked about amongst the meet people.

And weirdly quoted meant the whole thing ended up in the quote box, including my replies.

 

[3rd_time_around]

I've never been to a free admissions meet over years of women's JO and T and T meets. Local gyms are $7 per person, usually cash only. Convention centers are $20-30 per person, and they are sometimes equipped with a card reader.

We never had a single compulsory meet with a gift/freebie. About half of our optional meets have gifts. We only had one T and T meet with a gift. So it really does just depend.

Tiger Paw was $30. I almost had a stroke! I was mad! I tried to get it reduced, I whined. I told him how unfair that was. He just said, "sorry."

This is probably why upper level meets are poorly attended (in general). The compulsories are more often in gyms at $5-$8, but more and more optional meets are at arenas and auditoriums where they charge $20-$30. Only parents are crazy enough at that point to spend that kind of money to watch a non-Olympic meet.

 

[MILgymFAM]

Tiger Paw was $30. I almost had a stroke! I was mad! I tried to get it reduced, I whined. I told him how unfair that was. He just said, "sorry."

This is probably why upper level meets are poorly attended (in general). The compulsories are more often in gyms at $5-$8, but more and more optional meets are at arenas and auditoriums where they charge $20-$30. Only parents are crazy enough at that point to spend that kind of money to watch a non-Olympic meet.

We went to the San Francisco Classic yesterday. $10 to park with no in/out privileges, $20 pp, and only 36 competitors to watch. It was also (the venue) freezing, slightly depressing, and smelled of urine. All around unpleasant imo and I completely understand why the stands were nearly empty.