WAG What is the norm for payments during time off due to injury?

[Amusibus]

My 7 year old level one daughter has a knee injury. It started as Osgood-Schlatters then was severly exacerbated by an incident at home (but that is another story). Her orthopedist wrote a note for her to stay out of gym completely for 2 weeks, during which time she will be doing physical therapy. The goal is to get her off crutches and just walking, and reverse the disuse atrophy and fears that have started to set in. My question is, what is the norm for whether or not the gym would give me any kind of break on her tuition payment in this situation? she did go just to condition for these last 2 weeks, but was able to do so little that the doctor felt that time was better spent in PT, and he is a doc who is regularly accustomed to treating gymnasts and athletes. Just wondering if any of you have experience in this kind of situation.

 

[skschlag]

When my son was out they did cut his tuition to 50%, and then it went up as he started coming back more. At level 1, I would think you would be able to just take a month or so off. Just tell them you will be back, but you are taking a break. that is what happens with the level 1-2 girls at our gym, but they are considered pre-team. Best thing to do is to ask the coach and/or the owner.

 

[bogwoppit]

Normally full payment. She has a place on team, coaches need to be paid.

 

[MaryA]

At our gym, as long as you are on team, you are supposed to pay. As Bog said, the gym isn't using any less electricity, paying any less rent, or paying their coaches any less when your DD isn't in class. Frankly, if it was an extended leave of absense (a couple of months) I might ask to see if something might be arranged. But for anything a month or less, I wouldn't even ask.

 

[mariposa]

Both gyms my daughter has been at it is full tuition, even if out for injury or vacation.

 

[Natasha]

Most gyms figure tuition on a year round payment and do not pro-rate. My dd has been limited to conditioning only on 3 separate occasions spanning from 1-3 months due to injuries, and never had a break on tuition.

 

[Amusibus]

Well as much as that sucks, I guess that's what I expected to hear. Part of the reason I posted this question is just to get an idea of what the norm is, because my husband is not a big fan of gymnastics to put it mildly and this gym in particular. He takes every opportunity to complain to me about how unusually evil they are, and I can just see more ranting coming about this issue. So please, keep the responses coming, I need to get a good picture of what is normal in this situation so as to defend myself/this gym.

 

[skschlag]

I am really glad our gym does give us a break! We were paying $70/session for PT and there is no way we could afford both. I guess we are really lucky!!

 

[Committed]

DD is on pre team and was able to go out on medical leave with a Dr note... no tuition due. From what I understand, a team girl shattered her arm and paid hourly for conditioning.
However, only being out 2 weeks, I wouldn't make an issue of it.

 

[Amusibus]

Sometimes a disability can be a blessing- my daughter's adhd etc qualifies her in our state to receive medical assistance. So her secondary insurance, a medicaid based plan, covers whatever her primary insurance does not, meaning we pay zero copays provided the primary doc provides a referral for the service, and the provider is in network. Yay adhd!! My kids see many doctors quite often so it has been a real blessing having that coverage. It's based on diagnosis, not income.

 

[juststartingout]

Our gym does not charge when out for injury. Some girls even come in and condition still and there is no charge. I don't think our situation is common though, we also don't have a contract.

 

[hawaii_gymnast]

More than 2 weeks off completely for injury or illness with doctors note= get money back for time need to be missed.

 

[Amusibus]

Hmmmmm..... so we're about 50/50 so far...... keep 'em coming!

 

[thefellowsmom]

My guess is that we are kind of in the middle. Most injured gymnasts at our gym continue to come to practice and do what the can. They are given work to do outside of the group and do tons of extra conditioning, although may only be there part of practice. They also work on what they can like dance throughs. I even saw one girl standing in a corner once running her floor routine in her head with just arm movements and body wiggles. I do think that if you were to need to be out of the gym completely for more than a month they would give you a break. But at that point it is almost like a leave and although they keep your spot for you and are super supportive I don't think it is automatically assumed you will be back at all so they stop charging you. If it is at all possible to be in the gym doing something, anything, that is where they want you. No meet fee refunds though no matter what.

This is all team girls though (3-10). For developmental levels they are still on sessions not monthly and the policies clearly state no refunds for sessions (8-10 weeks or so) so I don't think there would be any break at that level.

 

[emilykatherine]

When I broke my ankle my coach didn't make us pay for one month and then as I was allowed to go back to gym my mom started paying again but it was right at the beginning of meet season so we also got most meet fees back

 

[AV24]

We are allowed 'injury status' which means no tuition with a dr note stating the medical need for leave...but my DD is not on team, so I don't know if you can compare that or not.

 

[Amusibus]

Thank you for all your replies! Fellowsmom, at this gym her level is team and we do pay monthly, not in sessions. I would still take her in to gym, but doctor told us not to and that is in the note.

 

[gymdog]

For rec we would let them do makeups if it was two weeks, not refund. No one on team misses ever more than 1-2 days due to injury so I don't know. It's not like a stated policy, it just doesn't happen. When I was a kid I broke my foot one day, literally got it casted and went to the gym the next afternoon. I didn't miss any days.

If you missed two weeks for going on vacation or something, you'd still need to pay full team tuition. If you were going to miss an entire month for some reason, then you'd be taking a break and that would be different, no tuition due for the month but your spot isn't guaranteed. If the parent missing two weeks wanted to do makeups with another appropriate group after returning, likely that could be arranged for the kid.

 

[Aussie_coach]

A lot would depend on how long she will be out with the injury. If it is just a few weeks most gyms won't give you a break in fees. They have a maximum number of kids to a coach so they need to have all of those kids paying their fees to cover the costs. Basically you are paying to have a spot in the team, not just for attending the team. Which makes sense because would fill her spot otherwise.

But if it is a more long term injury, like a month off or more. I would expect a break in tuition.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

You are either on a team or not. That being said, keep your kids in the gym when injured. Very beneficial to stretch condition and just take it all in mentally.