Is this normal?

[flips123]

So a week or so ago the gym told us they needed meet payments because i joined the team right before competition season.No big deal right?Well unfortunatley after i brought in the first check on monday i tore/shifted my ACL,meniscus or caralige (still waiting for diagnosis) and was unable to compete the following weekend,i had an mri on saturday and we will know how long im out for tomorrow.My mom called the gym right after we found out no gym for atleast a month due to swelling from the orthopedic doctor on wednesday and asked what she should do for payments as i cannot compete in 2 more meets.They said that we should still pay the 600 dollars of meet fees even though i cannot compete in over half of them...?I personally find this out of the norm but maybe it is normal.So what do you think?

 

[Deleted member D3987]

team fees are just that. and divided amongst the whole. yes, it is normal or it would cause everyone's fees to go up because yours were taken out.

 

[cher062]

Not normal for our gym. If you know you can't do a meet here you don't pay for it. If you have paid for it and they can't get the money back then you lose out. But otherwise you only pay for the meets you attend. If I were your mom I would fight that one to at least not include the actual meet fee - maybe pay the coach fee portion but not the actual entrance fee for the meet there is no need since you won't be there and they don't have to pay for you.

 

[gymgal]

This is common. Remember that entry fees are usually sent 2 months before the meet and are nonrefundable. That money is already gone.

Sorry to hear of the injury.

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

 

[bogwoppit]

For us we can get a refund if it is not too late. A doctors note is submitted to the hosts of the meet and they issue the refund directly. But once a certain date has past the money is spent and cannot be refunded. The cost for the coaches is paid by the attending gymnasts.

But every club has different rules.

 

[MaryA]

Not normal for our gym. If you know you can't do a meet here you don't pay for it. If you have paid for it and they can't get the money back then you lose out. But otherwise you only pay for the meets you attend. If I were your mom I would fight that one to at least not include the actual meet fee - maybe pay the coach fee portion but not the actual entrance fee for the meet there is no need since you won't be there and they don't have to pay for you.

Same at our gym... No refunds unless the hosting gym is really kind (keeping in mind they've probably already ordered medals, gift bags, etc.) but if you know that you can't go before the meet fees are paid, then, at iur gym, you don't have to pay them. I could maybe see having to pay coaches fees because, as Dunno says, everyone's fees would have to go up because the coaches are still paid the same... And possibly your share of the team fees, for the same reason. But the meet fees themselves shouldn't need to be paid, I wouldn't think, if they're not going to register you for the meet. IMO

 

[flips123]

team fees are just that. and divided amongst the whole. yes, it is normal or it would cause everyone's fees to go up because yours were taken out.

I realize about the team fees but i want even supposed to compete this year so they were going to send in my meet fees+late fees this week.I dont see how if i havent even been entered why we cant be refunded?If that makes sense to anyone aside from me...But the other odd thing is 2 of the three meets i already know i am missing my gym is hosting?So shouldnt it be eaiser to a)get refunds or b)make sure we dont have to waste money on meets i cant even compete in?Maybe im just crazy but i feel bad making my parents pay 600+ dollars on meets i cant even compete in.

My mom was also wonder if its possible that its a commitment fee to make sure im not a gym hopper and that im going to stay with them for the season?This could be possible too.

 

[bogwoppit]

Only your parents can clarify why, tell them to call the gym and talk to the coach or the person who handles the bills.

 

[gymgal]

I realize about the team fees but i want even supposed to compete this year so they were going to send in my meet fees+late fees this week.I dont see how if i havent even been entered why we cant be refunded?If that makes sense to anyone aside from me...But the other odd thing is 2 of the three meets i already know i am missing my gym is hosting?So shouldnt it be eaiser to a)get refunds or b)make sure we dont have to waste money on meets i cant even compete in?Maybe im just crazy but i feel bad making my parents pay 600+ dollars on meets i cant even compete in.

My mom was also wonder if its possible that its a commitment fee to make sure im not a gym hopper and that im going to stay with them for the season?This could be possible too.

Well, I guess it really depends on what the written team policies are. But personally, I would be more than a little irritated if we were in your situation. It's one thing if you have been registered at another gym meet and the money has been sent in but if they still haven't sent in your registration, then this is ridiculous. and especially the ones at your own gym. That's just not good business - policy or not.

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

our meet fees are paid a little over a month in advance of each meet. we are not expected to pay the entire season up front. We have gotten meet fee's refunded due to injury by providing a Dr note to the host gym. we have also lost meet fees when an injury/ illness occurred close to the meet date.

I guess it depends on how your particular gym handles meet fees. We pay a flat fee per meet. we are expected to do all meets but if there is a conflict (wedding etc) HC is understanding. we are not expected to pay for meets we are not attending.

 

[Quadqueen]

That is not normal for our gym. If you haven't paid the meet fee and can't go, you don't have to pay. We do not have to pay a coach's fee for meets. Now, if you are paid and registered and get sick or injured, we only get our money back if it's one of our own meets, usually.

 

[Granny Smith]

I would say if it is passed the scratch date for the meet, then you do need to pay. BUT, if it's before the scratch date, then the gym (who in some cases fronts the money) should be able to get their money back and you shouldn't owe anything. Have your parents talk to your gym and get the scratch dates. This is also something that they can find out on their own, by either researching the meet online or calling the host gym and asking for the scratch date. It all comes down to that date.

 

[shelovestoflip]

We pay all fees at the beginning of the season to our parent's assn. It is a 'flat fee' which includes meet fees, team fees, coaches fees etc. The treasurer bills each girl based on the number of meets for that level during that season but the coaches fees are divided equally among all the girls.

If at the beginning of the season you know your daughter won't be at a particular meet, they will deduct that meet fee from your total, but not the other flat fee to cover coaches travel etc.

If you are injured and need to scratch, they will refund you only if the scratch date has not passed.

It seems fair that all parents pay the same amount for coaches etc whether your child competes or not but I would not be happy to pay meet fees if I knew before a scratch date and my daughter did not compete.

Our level 4 girls compete less meets and often less expensive than our optional girls. So it seems fair that they pay a different amount that the optional girls.

 

[Gymmonkeymomma]

We pay a flat fee per level... whether you compete or not (DD missing 3 meets now due to injury) or leave the team, the $ is gone. That is the policy, which we were made well aware of and accepted as part of joining this team.

At our old gym, we paid per meet, then coaching fees were divided between the girls who competed. If you scratched before the meet deadline/refund date, then the $ would be refunded by host gym back into your individual account.

So, whether you get $ back depends on your team policy.

 

[flips123]

Well it turns out i wont even get to compete this year as i tore my ACL.Im out for 4-6 months,so i wonder if we will have to pay this fee anyways.Thanks for all your comments

 

[Deleted member D3987]

ouch. very sorry to hear that.

 

[profmom]

Well it turns out i wont even get to compete this year as i tore my ACL.Im out for 4-6 months,so i wonder if we will have to pay this fee anyways.Thanks for all your comments

Oh, geez. I am so sorry to hear this! When will you be having the surgery? I hope it goes well and that the rehab is not too bad.

 

[flips123]

Oh, geez. I am so sorry to hear this! When will you be having the surgery? I hope it goes well and that the rehab is not too bad.

Hopefully soon!My orthopedic doctor wants the swelling to go down as much as possible because it will make rehab easier.We meet with the surgeon on feb 13 so crossing my fingers its somewhere around there!

 

[Muddlethru]

First of all, if you signed an agreement/contract with your gym and as part of your membership with the team you agreed that meet fees are non-refundable no matter what, then you may be stuck. The contract is binding. You can only hope for the mercy of the gym owners. But if you did not sign a contract or was not told of this policy, then there may be some leeway to try to get some or all of your money back. If this is the case, I would check with the coaches which meets they already have sent payment and request a refund on those they have not sent payment. You have many legitimate arguments, i.e., was not aware of this policy or there is no set or written policy, was injured even before the season started, etc. I hope you reach a happy resolution for both your family and the gym. If I was the gym owner, I would reimburse you because I feel bad enough you are hurt, then you cannot compete and now to have you pay. It just does not seem fair to me. But then, I do not own a gym and I do not know the ins and outs of managing a gym or a team. Good luck.