All-Star Special Treatment From Ep's & Vendors

[xpressjag]

I am not a fan of the end of year discount programs that companies give back to gym owners at the end of the year for going to their competitions or buying their products. I don't hate that it happens I just don't like that the money comes from the parents but the year end discount ends up with the gym owner.

Special reps, free uniforms, discounts for large amounts of athletes (as long as it happens up front and parents aren't charged full price) and all the other perks don't bother me.

Yes the money comes from the parents, but like any other business your paying for a service.

 

[SarahS]

I do understand the view of wanting to know as much detail behind the cost decisions. I am curious about how many service businesses arrive at their cost myself. It is our experience, however, that breaking down the costs ALWAYS lead to much more headache, time, and upset parents than if we just estimate/average the costs and be done with it. Besides, I really do believe that it averages out better for most of the customers in the long run if we do it that way.

<<deleted lengthy digression into economic theory>>

Further complicating the issue is that we often don't know which events we will attend or what the cost of those events will be until after the season starts.

I would rather the company do all the calculations and then give me a monthly total. I would like to know, however, if there will be additional things I'll need to purchase (ie, your monthly fee is $200, which includes all fees and the cost of practice wear. On top of this, you need to purchase shoes ($80) and a uniform ($250).) I DO NOT need/want to know music/choreo/insurance/etc fees because it will just annoy me - these fees are usually set before teams are filled, so I KNOW that an exact average cost per kid is not actually charged. I would rather the gym do the hard work and then lay out for me the costs for participation in total.

(ETA - sounds like this is the way you do it, or similar to this - I'm just confirming that, as a parent, I would prefer it this way.)

 

[cheer8]

Do you get an individual price list for each part of a car you buy?

not getting in this but actually you do...!!!

 

[CGAcheer]

I do understand the view of wanting to know as much detail behind the cost decisions. I am curious about how many service businesses arrive at their cost myself. It is our experience, however, that breaking down the costs ALWAYS lead to much more headache, time, and upset parents than if we just estimate/average the costs and be done with it. Besides, I really do believe that it averages out better for most of the customers in the long run if we do it that way.

<<deleted lengthy digression into economic theory>>

Further complicating the issue is that we often don't know which events we will attend or what the cost of those events will be until after the season starts.

I agree, our simple pricing is actually one of our selling points vs other after school girl focused sports/activities that will give you a cheaper tuition at the beginning but the nickel and dime you with entry fees, coaches fees, costumes, tap shoes, jazz shoes, ballet shoes, grips, choreography, music etc.

When you sign up with us you know what you are getting and what your total each month will be.

 

[12stepCheermom]

No worries. I do hate how crowded the bathrooms get. I know all the best or "secret" bathrooms for every venue we go to lol.
I make my kids arrive dressed and ready. I make it very clear that they are to arrive completely ready to go one hour ahead. If they have to be there earlier (say for a siblings performance) they're to be dressed and ready. I don't want my athletes hogging the bathrooms. Plus I think it's stressful to the kids to have to get ready in a corner.

That's how we roll. I've occasionally gone into the bathroom with my younger CP to change her out of her uniform when she's done with awards (ours stay competition ready brought awards and if they come early or stay late there is a required outfit to wear, which I love). If we spread out anywhere it's at our team room. In the larger competitions we almost always have our own team room that is one of the convention center meeting rooms. People will hang out outsid elf it to do hair and make up (it'd athletes only inside, that's where they start our wraps before our official warm up time) its a good set up. I am sure we probably rent that room though.

 

[L5cheermom]

I see your point but shouldn't the real customer be the cheerleader??

I see it like other service type industries. For example a restaurant; although I am the ultimate consumer the restaurant's vendors do not see me as their customer. Can my response to their product effect their relationship with their customer - the restaurant? Certainly, but their loyalty and relationship remains with the entity that writes the check.

 

[L5cheermom]

I don't have a problem at all with gyms receiving preferred pricing or rebates based on the number of teams registered, their loyalty, their reputation, etc. Many businesses do the same thing. In addition I do not expect my gym to rebate that money back to me. Those $$$ are used in the calculation of their annual budget and are used to determine my monthly fees. In my eyes it's like the businessman who travels and uses his personal credit card for expenses that are reimbursed. In the process he receives frequent flyer miles or some other "rebate". Would you expect him to return those credits to his employer?

As a parent I decide if my children's participation in this sport has value compared to the $$$ I spend for them to do so. After I write the check it is up to my gym owner to allocate those dollars as he sees fit. If I don't feel that I am getting my money's worth so to speak I move on. Our gym does break down costs specifically and we have a separate competition fees charge that is divided over 7 months. We are given refunds if we do not attend a specific competition, but not anything to reflect the rebates I am fairly certain they do get.

The scoring bias is another subject. We do choose to participate in a sport that has a subjective scoring system. As a result there will always be questions when a high visibility gym receives a score that does not seem to correlate with what was put on the mat. Is it intentional? Only the individual judge knows for certain. There should never be arranged scoring preference and any proof of such should be publicly exposed.

 

[King]

I don't have a problem at all with gyms receiving preferred pricing or rebates based on the number of teams registered, their loyalty, their reputation, etc. Many businesses do the same thing. In addition I do not expect my gym to rebate that money back to me. Those $$$ are used in the calculation of their annual budget and are used to determine my monthly fees. In my eyes it's like the businessman who travels and uses his personal credit card for expenses that are reimbursed. In the process he receives frequent flyer miles or some other "rebate". Would you expect him to return those credits to his employer?

As a parent I decide if my children's participation in this sport has value compared to the $$$ I spend for them to do so. After I write the check it is up to my gym owner to allocate those dollars as he sees fit. If I don't feel that I am getting my money's worth so to speak I move on. Our gym does break down costs specifically and we have a separate competition fees charge that is divided over 7 months. We are given refunds if we do not attend a specific competition, but not anything to reflect the rebates I am fairly certain they do get.

The scoring bias is another subject. We do choose to participate in a sport that has a subjective scoring system. As a result there will always be questions when a high visibility gym receives a score that does not seem to correlate with what was put on the mat. Is it intentional? Only the individual judge knows for certain. There should never be arranged scoring preference and any proof of such should be publicly exposed.

So to prevent any perceived bias (it's not just if there is bias, but also people if they think there is) than the people who score cannot receive any added monetary benefit if one gym brings more teams than another. Because an EP is affected they must let someone else score to remove all real and perceived bias. Hence the USASF hiring out scoring and rules teams.

 

[L5cheermom]

So to prevent any perceived bias (it's not just if there is bias, but also people if they think there is) than the people who score cannot receive any added monetary benefit if one gym brings more teams than another. Because an EP is affected they must let someone else score to remove all real and perceived bias. Hence the USASF hiring out scoring and rules teams.

I'm all for an independent judging body. Then again, I think there should be professional jurys in medical malpractice cases so I'm probably not the most mainstream thinker when it comes to those kinds of things.

 

[King]

I'm all for an independent judging body. Then again, I think there should be professional jurys in medical malpractice cases so I'm probably not the most mainstream thinker when it comes to those kinds of things.

I look at the fiasco of last weekend and ask how it could have been prevented? True or not the environment allowed the perception to arrive. The judging body has to be independent and people need to start asking for it.

 

[yojaehs]

I look at the fiasco of last weekend and ask how it could have been prevented? True or not the environment allowed the perception to arrive. The judging body has to be independent and people need to start asking for it.

Ok, I've been to several "meetings" this summer. This is one of many GREAT ideas that has come up several times, (along with Universal Score Sheet, ID's etc. etc.) WHAT is it going to take to actually get this stuff done?

 

[King]

The EPs view good and fair judging as a way to separate themselves from the other Eps and increase business. So it's not really in their best interest to lose a business advantage. This one has to be gym driven.

 

[cupieqt]

Ok, I've been to several "meetings" this summer. This is one of many GREAT ideas that has come up several times, (along with Universal Score Sheet, ID's etc. etc.) WHAT is it going to take to actually get this stuff done?

And there it is. The question I have for every wonderful, life-changing, great idea I've seen on the many threads discussing numerous topics. How do we put this into action? Who do I need to talk to? What do I personally need to do to help make this happen?

 

[5-6-7-8]

Ok, I've been to several "meetings" this summer. This is one of many GREAT ideas that has come up several times, (along with Universal Score Sheet, ID's etc. etc.) WHAT is it going to take to actually get this stuff done?

Not sure, but I am willing to do what I can.

And I agree, there have been some great discussions on here how to improve aspects of the sport.

 

[yojaehs]

@cupieqt and @5-6-7-8 I know it's the EP's that don't let these things happen for some reason or another. I WISH, WISH, WISH that voting would be made public so I could NOT attend events where EP's slowed the positive process.