Injuries and competition refund

[momocay]

I was wondering if there was a USAG policy on getting a refund on the meet if your child is injured. I had heard somewhere that you could get a refund with a note from a doctor. Is this true? Or do you just suck it up?

 

[cher062]

I don't know if there is an actual USAG rule on this but most of the meets I've been to it would depend on how far in advance of the meet you requested it. Once they purchase the ribbons, gymnast goodie bags, paid for the judges etc you are usually out of luck. I don't think I know anyone one that has ever received a refund but it can't hurt to ask.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

that ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[Gymdad2]

DD was injured one season and was out for 6-8 weeks. Our booster club requested refunds from meets she had been entered in. We did get refunds from some of the gyms depending on their refund policy. No doctors note was required. Just a letter from the booster club.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

that too ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[fruitcake]

Usually if the deadline for entries has not passed,you can get a refund. Usually if you are past the deadline for entries, no refund. The gym hosting the meet has to order awards, goodies, etc well in advance of the meet and they can't give back money they spent in good faith. It always amazes me how people want money back at the last minute--I see it with scouts also. I budget and spend based on entries and cant give back money already spent

 

[JBS]

We give refunds at all of our meets. Although we do have an official refund cutoff, we many times will go past it...especially for injuries. I remember one year we had an entire team from out of state that could not make the meet due to a snow storm. Although we were unable to give them a refund, we did give them full credit towards the next year. They came the next year and had a blast!

 

[momocay]

I completely understand that money is laid out by the gym for goody bags, judges, awards etc.... But it seems to me that if you have a gymnast who breaks a leg, that the refund will not make or break the meet. I understand that pulling out of a meet for no reason should not be reason for a refund. I was considering the gymnast who breaks a bone and misses 2-3 meets that they were registered for. Thats like throwing $300 in the garbage. If you have a meet with 800 gymnasts and 2 injuries, that money shouldnt hurt the competition. I think it would be a nice "good faith" thing to do.

 

[JBS]

Being flexible with refunds is something that will help a meet grow larger in size in the future.

EDIT: And no...it won't hurt the bottom line of a well run meet.

 

[fishchimes]

Once I sprained my ankle 2 days before a meet, unfortunately no refund. I think it has to be a couple weeks in advance, depending on the meet. They might be more generous if it's a serious injury.

 

[3rd_time_around]

Once I sprained my ankle 2 days before a meet, unfortunately no refund. I think it has to be a couple weeks in advance, depending on the meet. They might be more generous if it's a serious injury.

My daughter broke her elbow in level 5 after 2 meets. She was already entered in 2 more. One gym wrote a refund check on the spot. (Gymnastix, Buford, GA). Another gym wouldn't budge, even with a hot pink cast and a doctor's note. And for those of us who are doing well to just to keep our girls in gym in these hard financial times (who don't have booster clubs to help defray the cost), it IS like throwing money away when something like that happens. I understand pulling out for no reason, or whatever, but a serious injury should receive some kind of refund. I always remember how nice the gym was that refunded the money, AND they still gave her the meet T-shirt. Conversely, I and our owner/HC also remember that mean old gym that wouldn't--it's kept a negative feeling towards them to this day. So JBS is absolutely correct.

 

[bookworm]

I understand that you feel that if your daughter is already entered and gets injured you are "throwing money away" but if you are past the refund deadline, the hosting gym has already laid out money for the costs that are fixed, no matter how many gymnasts come..the awards, judges, food for judges, venue cost, goodie bags. I know people feel a "doctor's note" should trump all but that doesn't change the bottom line for the host gym...I know it's a feel-good story when they give back the money when they don't have to but I wouldn't hold it against the gym who didn't refund the money after the scratch date if it is a well run meet....injuries are a risk in this sport and so is "throwing away money" unfortunately...