Parent participation at meets

[Southern Girl]

I would just like to get an idea of how other gyms handle parent participation at meets.

Does your gym fine the family if they don't meet the requirement to work shifts.

Please share how this is handled in your gym.

 

[GasnGoMum]

Our gym doesn't "fine" the family for not working the meet...they understand that sometimes you have other obligations that prohibit you from spending 4+ hours doing concessions, timing, set-up, etc. What they DO ask is that you compensate for your time by way of a donation, or bringing in extra food items if you can't be there. They also request that you participate in at least two meets (so you can pick which ones work for your schedule). Everyone is pretty good about pitching in, since their kids are usually going to be competing. I have heard of other gyms where there is an "assessment fee" for non-participation at meets---usually this occurs when they can't get enough parents to pull things together.

 

[gymgymgymnast08]

Every gymnast brings a case of soda and a food item. If you volunteer you bring a large food item like pasta salad or fruit salad or soft pretzels. Our parents aren't required to work but most do. We have committees which call the parents and ask them to work at the concession stands. Us gymnasts are the ones who time and do all the stuff with the judges.



Sorry I didn't realize this was for parents until I already typed out my response. You can delete it if you want to.

 

[Panda-girl's Mom]

We do one meet a year which is required it ususally is not a problem. My other daughter swims and I am often required to work more than one swim meet. I look at it like school, you should be involved with your childs activites and show your support and interest but I am sure other parents may feel otherwise.

 

[rachmeal03]

The gym I was at, you had to sign up for 2 to 3 meets per year to work. This allowed most people to figure out and plan in advance which weekends they'd need to be working. everyone had to chip in for concessions food and drinks. If you couldn't work at all or couldn't work the required amount of hours there was a fee involved. The booster club set everything up and was in charge of all the meet organization. Hope that helps. Sounds like it's pretty similar to the other postings.

 

[eeyoretumbles]

Our gym had you volunteer for 2 or 3 meets, and only one parent of course. A lot of the working parents just did that, and the other free parents were very generous about helping out. Of course the team girls always love doing ribbons and things

 

[gymnafreak]

we host like 3 meets a year. Team 1 has to do set up the night before, and team 2 has to do teardown when the meet is over. Everyone has to bring some sort of food item. You also have to work concessions or admissions sometimes. You don't even get to watch your own kid compete! If you can't be there, you have to find someone to fill in for you or... there is no other option. Our meets aren't fancy, so there's just some equipment moving and bleacher moving, but not much. We host one big meet per year though, where we have to move everthing to the highschool and stuff. It's really annoying, and you have to help with everything then too. It's a lot of work.

 

[Tim_Dad]

That's a new one on me. We PAY our gym to do all the things they need to do. We aren't asked to volunteer for anything except write checks. In fact, I'm sure many of the coaches would rather us 'ethusiasic parents' stand further away from the observation wall.

I for one loath the notion that I must "volunteer". Shouldn't volunteering -- be voluntary?

 

[gym law mom]

We have parents and coaches do set up/tear down. Does help to have the coaches in there since they know exactly how the gym needs to be set up and while mats are being moved, 1 or 2 coaches are taking down a set of bars. Day of meet, parents work the floor, concessions, hospitality, accounting and awards. One coach is a USAG meet rep and is walking around checking to make sure everything is ok. Team kids are used as runners and flashers.

Tim_Dad, I do envy you not having to move balance beams or a huge group effort to lift a tumble trak! I have learned alot being a scorer on the floor during meets though. Many times judges are very willing to answer "parent" questions during breaks for rotation. Now that my gymmie is at L8, they comment about having seen her at this meet or how her fx or something has improved over last year. It is tiring, but rather fun to work on the floor---hospitality is not for me!!! We never have parents working when their kids compete(unless they want to!)

 

[Tams Mom]

The parents organization at our gym hosts the meets, so we are in charge of everything, with gym set up supervised by the coaches. They don't want their equipment harmed.

We have to sign in at all meets with the time we worked. After the meet budget is done and all judges paid, receipts reimbursed, etc... we then come up with a profit. We then add up all the hours worked and divide it into the profit and come up with an hourly wage. What ever you earn, that money is deposited into the gymnasts accounts to be used for assessments, meet fees etc... If you don't work you don't get penalized, you just don't earn any money. Some families might work only 4 hours, others 10 or more. So the more you work the more you get paid. We pay any gymnast over 12 if they work timing or checking in gymnasts. We don't pay the little ones for handing out medals, running raffle, etc.

this works well at our gym, as there are always ones who don't want to work and would rather just pay as they go. I like to earn my money, and have not had to pay any assessment or meet fees out of pocket in over 7 years.

 

[mariposa]

The booster club is in charge of our home meets. Each family has to work a set number of hours over the course of the weekend the meet is held and also make a $50 donation towards concessions foods. Ugh. This year, we have to work 15 hours. Very hard for single parents. Not so bad if you have a spouse or other family that can help. The parents do all the jobs, concessions, admissions, raffle, timers, score posters, etc. It is usually pretty hectic, but it usually works out in the end. Luckily we only do this 2 times a year.