Parents Informal poll - What does your gym require for volunteer work for parents?

[wandrewsjr]

So, its sounds like your gym owner is using the hosted meets/fundraisers as part of his business model(or he is really inefficient at running meets). There is nothing inherently wrong with it, but as you can tell by the response you are getting its not the norm in this business. Just as if a gym were charging much more than others for tuition, you as a consumer can weigh that as part of your gym choice. If the excessive amount of "volunteer" time were balanced with lower tuition, there are many families that would value that choice, others that would rather just pay more and not spend the time. If your gym is requiring all this AND charging similar tuition to others in your market, than you are being overcharged. But if it is in all other ways an environment that you love for your kid, you may be willing to pay it.

 

[Amusibus]

So you work for the gym for free. And you pay through the nose for the "honor" (read with extreme sarcasm).

I'm with your husband.


Yep. KMA comes to mind

What’s KMA?

For the record, I am also in agreement with my husband, but he gets really mad about it (think Louis Black’s “Anger” character from the movie Inside Out) whereas I am mostly resigned. I still think it’s wrong, when I think about it. The boiling-a-frog analogy comes to mind.

 

[Flyaway]

I cannot believe that you do not get discounted fees, etc for all that "volunteer" work! That is a horrible way to run a business! I'm surprised there hasn't been a mutiny already! Do the other gyms in your area do it this way too, so that people think it's "normal"?

 

[John]

Our Requirements for our hosted meet are equal to yours. The gym and parent organization host it together. Last year after the meet, January, all parent organizational fees were waved for the remainder of the year. That's 4 months of 150 a month.

 

[Amusibus]

So, its sounds like your gym owner is using the hosted meets/fundraisers as part of his business model(or he is really inefficient at running meets). There is nothing inherently wrong with it, but as you can tell by the response you are getting its not the norm in this business. Just as if a gym were charging much more than others for tuition, you as a consumer can weigh that as part of your gym choice. If the excessive amount of "volunteer" time were balanced with lower tuition, there are many families that would value that choice, others that would rather just pay more and not spend the time. If your gym is requiring all this AND charging similar tuition to others in your market, than you are being overcharged. But if it is in all other ways an environment that you love for your kid, you may be willing to pay it.

Well... I pay 275$ for 7 hours a week. I recall some threads on Chalkbucket a while back where all us parents were comparing fees, and as I recall, it was on the higher end of the scale. We are in the Northeast USA though so that is a relatively expensive part of the country.

Gym-wise, it is a very good gym with an elite program and several members of the national team. I am content with the atmosphere and our coach is pretty good. I can’t say gymnastics is my daughter’s passion, but it does seem to be part of her identity, meaning she feels being a gymnast is something special about her, she has always done it, and she likes the sense of community, important because in school she doesn’t have any new friends yet (new school this year). So...I dunno, I just wish it wasn’t so expensive.

Any advice? I know some other parents feel like we do, but others seem totally brainwashed and would never complain.

 

[Amusibus]

I cannot believe that you do not get discounted fees, etc for all that "volunteer" work! That is a horrible way to run a business! I'm surprised there hasn't been a mutiny already! Do the other gyms in your area do it this way too, so that people think it's "normal"?

I don’t know. I’m not sure if I would get a straight answer if I was to just call around. That’s why I’m asking it here.

 

[Amusibus]

Our Requirements for our hosted meet are equal to yours. The gym and parent organization host it together. Last year after the meet, January, all parent organizational fees were waved for the remainder of the year. That's 4 months of 150 a month.

Parental organizational fees? That’s a new one on me. What is it, exactly? $150 a month seems like a lot. Is that the coaches’ fees? That we pay in one lump sum in September, and the amount varies by level/program.

 

[mom2newgymnast]

That sounds insane to me too. We host one meet a year (a smallish compulsory meet) and they ask for parent volunteers if you can, but no penalty if you can't. I volunteered for about 3 hours doing gate admission this year. That's it.

 

[wandrewsjr]

Well... I pay 275$ for 7 hours a week. I recall some threads on Chalkbucket a while back where all us parents were comparing fees, and as I recall, it was on the higher end of the scale. We are in the Northeast USA though so that is a relatively expensive part of the country.

Gym-wise, it is a very good gym with an elite program and several members of the national team. I am content with the atmosphere and our coach is pretty good. I can’t say gymnastics is my daughter’s passion, but it does seem to be part of her identity, meaning she feels being a gymnast is something special about her, she has always done it, and she likes the sense of community, important because in school she doesn’t have any new friends yet (new school this year). So...I dunno, I just wish it wasn’t so expensive.

Any advice? I know some other parents feel like we do, but others seem totally brainwashed and would never complain.

Hmm, it's a tough one. If you are in a high cost area of the country, $10 per hour for team training is too not bad. I live in a high cost area, too, and would say $8-$12 per hour is average.(usually costs go down per hour as hours increase) If the gym is successful, and has always done it this way, no words are likely to make them change, they likely aren't worried about losing your business. It's got to come down to what you are personally willing to "pay". Are you willing to pay $275 plus all the extra's for what your daughter is receiving?

 

[strawberries]

I am all for gym owners being innovative about ways to make profit (running a good rec program primarily, or birthday parties, or daytime open gyms) as gym ownership is not generally a super profitable occupation. However this is just sneaky and lazy and manipulative.

 

[Amusibus]

I am all for gym owners being innovative about ways to make profit (running a good rec program primarily, or birthday parties, or daytime open gyms) as gym ownership is not generally a super profitable occupation. However this is just sneaky and lazy and manipulative.

My husband is always saying “I wish they would just charge what they need to charge and not slip in all these extra surprise fees constantly”. So yeah.

 

[Amusibus]

Hmm, it's a tough one. If you are in a high cost area of the country, $10 per hour for team training is too not bad. I live in a high cost area, too, and would say $8-$12 per hour is average.(usually costs go down per hour as hours increase) If the gym is successful, and has always done it this way, no words are likely to make them change, they likely aren't worried about losing your business. It's got to come down to what you are personally willing to "pay". Are you willing to pay $275 plus all the extra's for what your daughter is receiving?

Sigh. Yes and no. I fear it may come to an end in the not too distant future, and not for the right reasons. We often struggle financially and also have two other children who are getting the short end of the stick.

 

[Gymmommy71]

You are the only one so far who even comes close. Your assessment and uniform fees are much higher, but I am assuming it’s for JO with some travel meets? My child is xcel silver and practices 7 hours a week. Our “volunteer” time (I LOVE that you used quotes here, I do that too) for this weekend is 28 hours plus six hours set up. We do get free food, mostly, at the meet.

It is for JO. Our Xcels pay “only”~$1500 in assessments cause more of their meets are local. The JO meets are almost all travel that is far enough to require a hotel in most cases, but I still think it’s WAY too much money and our volunteer requirements are ridiculous.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

What’s KMA?

Kiss my .........................................

 

[bookworm]

You are the only one so far who even comes close. Your assessment and uniform fees are much higher, but I am assuming it’s for JO with some travel meets? My child is xcel silver and practices 7 hours a week. Our “volunteer” time (I LOVE that you used quotes here, I do that too) for this weekend is 28 hours plus six hours set up. We do get free food, mostly, at the meet.

There is zero chance I would "volunteer" all those hours for a sport my kid does 7 hours a week...Xcel is supposed to be more manageable time commitment wise. Do you pay any tuition on a monthly basis? With all the fundraisers and volunteering your gym has you doing, someone is definitely profiting from this scheme.

I personally would investigate other Xcel options in the area that would not engage in this.

 

[Sourkey]

We have to volunteer for 48 hours per year (number is based on how many hours per week your gymnast trains X 3, but kids who train 6 hours or less don't trigger volunteer requirements) or pay a penalty of $20/hr. Purchasing food/drinks to be sold at meets also counts towards the hours.

We are hosting a meet this weekend and parents can earn volunteer hours, but no one is forced to sign up. Gymnasts 12 and over can also complete the hours. The entire meet is run by parent volunteers.

Our gym is a not for profit, board of directors consists of parents.

I loathe the volunteer hours and last year we paid out all of them. This year we are trying to do a bit more but we both work full-time.

 

[profmom]

If I'm right about the gym, I would guess that your very small team is basically subsidizing the elite program by doing all of this work so that the fundraising through the meet and the golf tournament have very low expenses to deduct from the profit. The question for you and other parents is whether you think this is worth it. I'm sure they could have a bigger team to spread out the costs of the elite program if they wanted to go that route, but clearly they do not.

 

[Seeker]

Wow — that is a tall order. I would likely not be too pleased either. We run 3-4 meets every year, so I get it. But the back-to-back 14-hr days for every family is a bit much.

 

[SMH]

We host one invitational meet per year, and usually host one level(s) state meet.

Each family (so if you have 1 gymnast or 4 it’s the same) is responsible to do one set up or tear down and 12 volunteer hours at the meets. You can also buy out your hours, but I can’t recall the cost for that.

 

[kipnastic mom]

We are asked to volunteer for at least 1 session at our hosted meets. Many sign up for multiple shifts during the weekend. We earn money towards our escrow for each session we are there for. Amount is dependent on how long and what you do. In our handbook it does say we could be charged if we don't volunteer, but that isn't not enforced as we normally have more people than spots.