Our club has reached a size and stage of development where we need to better organize our travel plans to out-of-town tournaments. Could you share your rules on team travel, including attaching files of any rules or handbooks that govern team travel?
On a related point, I would like to know how you allocate costs for having coaches at the tournament.
Last, how do you determine which tournaments will be "team travel"? Is that generally identified by whether the coach comes along? At what point in the season do you identify your "team travel" tournaments?
These are important questions for us, and your input is greatly appreciated.
On a related point, I would like to know how you allocate costs for having coaches at the tournament.
you mean you actually WANT those coaches of yours screaming at JY, CH and the other kids at away tournaments as well?? (actually he doesn't need to scream at those 2 for that matter)
foildad how old are the kids you get to sign that document? It seems rather restrictive to stop adults from having a few beers or a smoke (or setting off some fireworks) when they are on a fencing trip, it is meant to be fun afterall.
foildad how old are the kids you get to sign that document? It seems rather restrictive to stop adults from having a few beers or a smoke (or setting off some fireworks) when they are on a fencing trip, it is meant to be fun afterall.
The kids were 11-15 at the time, travelling on a three day trip to Las Vegas without their parents. I probably should have mentioned that.
BTW, the funniest line on the trip came from a kid commenting on all the billboards for "adult bookstores"; "Gee, adults in Las Vegas must really like to read.
The fencers pick up all the coach's travel expenses: airfare or mileage, hotel, food , cab from the airport plus pay a coaching fee. Fencers/parents make their own travel plans. If a parent cannot travel with their child then they make arrangements for someone to be in charge of their child. Those traveling frequently arrange to stay at the same hotel, share a rental car, etc. The club does not get directly involved in this--handles only the caoch's travel arrangements. I think it opens a whole new can of worms if the club undertakes chaperoning kids to tournaments--just a look at the BoD thread points this out.
That is what we have been doing. Our club is going through some significant changes. We have so many people planning to compete in Summer Nationals that we are talking about chartering a bus. So the old system of splitting coach costs and letting everybody fend for themselves doesn't make as much sense anymore.
My oldest son is a swimmer with a 200-swimmmer club. Swim meets are frequent, kind of like fencing or many other sports involving school-aged kids. They generally have a team hotel at every out-of-town meet, meet entry fees are done through an escrow account that is separate than the monthly fees account. There are a couple of "team travel" meets where kids age 11 or older can go together by bus, which takes two charter buses. I think the cost of the last one, for travel and hotel and fees, was $175.
As you get bigger, the parents have different expectations as well. Sure you can continue to basically wing it, but it makes for a better team experience when they can get together and plan the trip as a group. That is the process happening now.
I know some fencing clubs already do this, but I don't think it is very common yet. The best example I know is Northern Colorado Fencers.
Anyway, that's the kind of information and experience I am looking for.
Originally Posted by mlr2fence
The fencers pick up all the coach's travel expenses: airfare or mileage, hotel, food , cab from the airport plus pay a coaching fee. Fencers/parents make their own travel plans. If a parent cannot travel with their child then they make arrangements for someone to be in charge of their child. Those traveling frequently arrange to stay at the same hotel, share a rental car, etc. The club does not get directly involved in this--handles only the caoch's travel arrangements. I think it opens a whole new can of worms if the club undertakes chaperoning kids to tournaments--just a look at the BoD thread points this out.
Of course, that's screaming "with" or screaming "for"... never screaming "at" :-)
Did you read the new FOC rules about taping off a box at the end of the strip where the coach MUST stay or receive a card? That will be tough on Coach Wang. We might need to buy cement shoes.
Originally Posted by glowstix
you mean you actually WANT those coaches of yours screaming at JY, CH and the other kids at away tournaments as well?? (actually he doesn't need to scream at those 2 for that matter)
Of course, that's screaming "with" or screaming "for"... never screaming "at" :-)
Did you read the new FOC rules about taping off a box at the end of the strip where the coach MUST stay or receive a card? That will be tough on Coach Wang. We might need to buy cement shoes.
nah, he's a nice guy..i met him at he vulcan open last year. it was my 3rd tournament. i was glad to hear that he liked my fencing. i've since quit foil though.
btw, what do you guys do to those kids up there??? you have like 1000 C's in the club it seems!?!?? can coaching make that much of a difference??
I tried to answer this a couple of different ways. Here is the short answer. Coaching has a tremendous impact on the results our kids (and adults) achieve in competition. I would guess that most clubs would say the same thing. What really gives me goosebumps are the dozens of kids that are in our beginning and intermediate classes.
Originally Posted by glowstix
nah, he's a nice guy..i met him at he vulcan open last year. it was my 3rd tournament. i was glad to hear that he liked my fencing. i've since quit foil though.
btw, what do you guys do to those kids up there??? you have like 1000 C's in the club it seems!?!?? can coaching make that much of a difference??
Originally Posted by Zara_athlen 
