Is this normal?

[savilerow]

Hi, everyone--

Is it unusual for a coach to ask a student's family to pay for his airfare to a national event (in this case, JOs)? This student is his only one going, and he's never asked us to do it for a NAC, but it somehow doesn't seem quite right.

Thanks in advance.

[occasionalfencer]

If you want your coach to go, you have to make it worth his while as part of his job. Pay his airfare, hotel, and for his time coaching. If you have not had to do this before, consider yourself lucky. Of course it is important for a good coach to love his work, but remember that this is his JOB. Would you want your job to send you on a trip and expect you to pay for all your own expenses? He not only has the expense of the trip, but lost wages from the lessons he would have been teaching. So yes, it is normal for you to pay for his trip.

[Inquartata]

Pretty standard practice.

[passata_sotto]

Hi, everyone--

Is it unusual for a coach to ask a student's family to pay for his airfare to a national event (in this case, JOs)? This student is his only one going, and he's never asked us to do it for a NAC, but it somehow doesn't seem quite right.

Thanks in advance.

We are fortunate in that our coach is not the $1000 per tournament kind of coach but we do split the cost of hotel, food, and airfare (and just recently very small extra amount) between the fencers going based on number of events fenced. If my son is the only one going then we pay it all.

[fencer92]

This is standard practice. You have been lucky if you haven't been charged before. Perhaps you were lucky and he had been refereeing at the previous events.

[erooMynohtnA]

On the other end of the spectrum, I have known a coach who abused this sort of thing, so certainly make sure it's in your interest or you at least want the coach there. But yes, for having the coach there to coach, you're expected to make it worth their while.

[Allen Evans]

Every coach who might travel with a student should have in place a written policy of what charges and fees the student has to cover when the coach travels and the duties the coach will be responsible for at "away" events. I've found that having this policy in writing goes a long way towards avoiding any mis-understandings.

[Superscribe]

make sure ... you at least want the coach there.

This is quite important.

[noodle]

This student is his only one going, and he's never asked us to do it for a NAC

probably because he has multiple students at a NAC and figures the travel cost into the individual payments he asks from you. here is difference, since you're the only one going, and he wants to make it clear what he's asking of you.

[Inquartata]

This is quite important.

Shrewd coaches could insist on being paid NOT to be there...

[TBean]

This is all together fair, and many coaches do it. Most of the times the cost is shared by all the athletes attending the event, with your son being the only one going you are having to carry the full share. When my coach only has a handful of athletes attending an NAC he usually speaks to them asking if they are willing to bear the cost of having him there, or are they willing to go it alone.

Ultimately, speak with your son's coach regarding the request. Ask that when he has traveled to other tournaments how this been handled as you do not recall this fee. Perhaps you missed something when there were multiple athletes at the event or it is somehow built into fees another way. Speaking to him will hopefully clarify things and not lead to hard feelings.

Your decision is simple -is having the coach there for your son going to be worth the cost of shipping - so to speak. What is riding on your son's JO results that might be worth this extra expense. If you don't have a strong answer to that question then maybe it is not worth it.

[Fiat Slug]

Hi, everyone--

Is it unusual for a coach to ask a student's family to pay for his airfare to a national event (in this case, JOs)? This student is his only one going, and he's never asked us to do it for a NAC, but it somehow doesn't seem quite right.

Thanks in advance.

I think this depends on the relationship between the student/family and the coach. For example, is the coach a freelance coach or is he employed by a club? If he is a freelancer, then he can negotiate his fees/expenses with the student's parents/guardians. If he is employed by a club/school, then he should not ask the student's parents/guardians for any money. In the latter scenario, the student's parents pays the club and the club pays the coach. The coach is not employed by the student's parents so it would be unusual to ask for payment.

.

[RebelFencer]

I think this depends on the relationship between the student/family and the coach. For example, is the coach a freelance coach or is he employed by a club? If he is a freelancer, then he can negotiate his fees/expenses with the student's parents/guardians. If he is employed by a club/school, then he should not ask the student's parents/guardians for any money. In the latter scenario, the student's parents pays the club and the club pays the coach. The coach is not employed by the student's parents so it would be unusual to ask for payment.

.

That is retarded. So in your opinion the coach should have to pay all his own expenses to travel to a tournament and work. Put yourself in their shoes for a minute.

[Superscribe]

Fiat's saying that the fee's a parents pay a club might already be covering the Coach to travel. The Club and the Coach might already have an understanding that the coach is required to travel to certain events, and he/she receives appropriate compensation.

[RebelFencer]

Fiat's saying that the fee's a parents pay a club might already be covering the Coach to travel. The Club and the Coach might already have an understanding that the coach is required to travel to certain events, and he/she receives appropriate compensation.

If this is the case then I retract above comment and will attempt to pull my foot from my mouth.

[Bonehead]

If there are 3 fencers or more going, my club subsidizes travel, hotel and gives a allowance for food etc.

If there are less, the club policy is to not send a coach (which I think is reasonable, depending how far, it can be a lot of money for the club to cover).

[brtech]

I think that is a pretty generous policy. Not many clubs can afford to do that.

I think the most common policy is that the cost of the coach is shared by the fencers who get coaching. What varies more is what "cost" means.

I think it's very reasonable for the fencers to pay the expenses of the coach. Whether there is also a charge for the "professional" part of the coaching depends on the normal club fee schedule and the coaches agreement with the club. If the fee schedule is based on activities (classes, lessons, etc) primarily, and the coach is paid by the hour, then I would expect that strip coaching at a tournament would cover the hourly rate of the coach, plus something for travel time. If the club gets most of it's income from fixed membership fees, and the coach is on a salary, then you might not be charged much more than the travel expenses to be paid by the fencers attending a tournament.

However, the club has a policy, you should understand the policy, and if you don't like it, either discuss it with the club management or find another club. Most clubs that I know of have ways to help families who can't afford the normal rates and have dedicated fencers who should be going to tournaments but otherwise couldn't afford to.

[twohands]

When I travel to a competition as a coach, I´m always paid by the fencing club I´m working at. If the event takes place in the town I´m living, it is included in my salary. That is something I negotiated before signing my contract. The club does not charge any of my expenses to the fencers. They have the right to be coached. I think it works differently in the USA. I don´t think there are freelance fencing coaches here. Of course, If you are a freelance, you have to charge extra for your extra work. (And if you are on a monthly salary too, I mean someone has to pay for your work, either the fencer or the fencing club, depending on the agreements).

[Purple Fencer]

I've never been asked to travel to coach anyone, as I'm usually selling and no one I've taught has competed yet. But I HAVE been asked to coach various fencers from my salle in bouts if I happen to be there.

I'm always happy to do it...never asked for funds, but have haad money put into my hands afterwards.

Heck, I stepped up in the round of 8 at the novice sabre in our scholastic league this year for a kid who I thought I could help...I like think I helped get him into the gold medal bout (lost 15-14...SO close!). He and his parents appreciated it.

[Muddskip]

Our club sends the coaches to all national tourmanments, anything else we are on our own. We went to our very first tournament last weekend, and went without a coach. He helped us choose one that would be good for us to start with. I did not feel like we needed him for that tournament, and he had us video my son, and they went over it upon our return. I could not imagine our club ever asking us to pay for our coaches to attend a T with us.