Coach Taking advantage

[Sk8terM0M]

As I am new to the skating world I have a question as to what I should deem acceptable and when I feel I am being taken advantage of. If anyone can help, I would appreciate it.

To explain further, my daughter has a private coach who we signed up with a couple of months ago and she loves the coach. My dd's coaching lessons are 30 mins long. A couple of weeks ago, the coach gave my dd a shortened lesson as she didn't have 30 mins available, yet charged me the price for a reg 30 minute lesson. This doesn't sit well with me. (This sport is expensive enough without being overcharged for lessons.) I don't want to upset the coach and risk having her drop my dd, but I strongly feel there should be mutual respect for one anothers time and resources. For example, I would never dream of paying the coach a penny less than what she deserves for her time with my dd - her time and expertise is invaluable for my dd. However, should't this respect work both ways?

I don't want to switch coaches as I have heard this is frowned upon, and we love this coach. But does that mean I have to be at the mercy of accepting this?

Thanks

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

As I am new to the skating world I have a question as to what I should deem acceptable and when I feel I am being taken advantage of. If anyone can help, I would appreciate it.

To explain further, my daughter has a private coach who we signed up with a couple of months ago and she loves the coach. My dd's coaching lessons are 30 mins long. A couple of weeks ago, the coach gave my dd a shortened lesson as she didn't have 30 mins available, yet charged me the price for a reg 30 minute lesson. This doesn't sit well with me. (This sport is expensive enough without being overcharged for lessons.) I don't want to upset the coach and risk having her drop my dd, but I strongly feel there should be mutual respect for one anothers time and resources. For example, I would never dream of paying the coach a penny less than what she deserves for her time with my dd - her time and expertise is invaluable for my dd. However, should't this respect work both ways?

I don't want to switch coaches as I have heard this is frowned upon, and we love this coach. But does that mean I have to be at the mercy of accepting this?

Thanks

How much shorter was the lesson?

 

[Sk8terM0M]

How much shorter was the lesson?

10 minutes shorter. So a 20 minute lesson

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

10 minutes shorter. So a 20 minute lesson

It may have just been an innocent mistake or she's too busy to realise what happened and that it's a big deal to some. You, yourself are going to have to sit down and do the math and figure out if the difference in amount is worth it. You also might nicely ask the coach if they realised that this has happened, b/c again it may be innocent mistake and she could say ok I owe you extra 10 mins on next lesson.

Good luck!

 

[Sk8terM0M]

It may have just been an innocent mistake or she's too busy to realise what happened and that it's a big deal to some. You, yourself are going to have to sit down and do the math and figure out if the difference in amount is worth it. You also might nicely ask the coach if they realised that this has happened, b/c again it may be innocent mistake and she could say ok I owe you extra 10 mins on next lesson.

Good luck!

Thanks, I’d like to think it was an innocent mistake also. If it happens again I will deal with it.

 

[WednesdayMarch]

Hopefully the coach will make up the time next lesson. If not, watch for it happening again and stamp on it if it does.

 

[mskater93]

A lot of coaches float short/over on lessons based on availability and what they are working on with the student. See if the coach goes over from time to time and you may find it's a wash

 

[christy]

Just out of interest did she acknowledge that it was a shorter lesson to you? From you OP it looks like she may have done?

Personally if it's only happened once then I'd give her a second chance. Watch to see if she extends another lesson to compensate, and also if it happens again. Keep a track of lessons with dates and times, then if there is a pattern you have the information to support a discussion.

 

[jersey1302]

That’s a tough one off the bat. Maybe just bring it up to the coach and say I noticed you had a shorter lesson this time, does that mean she will beta longer one to compensate and then you don’t have to do any invoice adjustments.. say it innocently like that. I’m Sure you will get an answer. Lots of coaches do that.. or they may of just forgot. I’d ask in case to put a halt to any thinking you’ll go crazy with lol

 

[backspin]

If it only happens the once I'd let it go -- coaches generally put in an awful lot of extra time for students, and I wouldn't worry about 10 minutes of time -- again, if it's not a regularly occurring thing. If it continues to happen, then yes, discuss it with the coach.

 

[Diana Delafield]

10 minutes shorter. So a 20 minute lesson

You're new to this coach, and 10 minutes under is not a big deal *if* you realize as time goes on that this is that coach's pattern -- your daughter gets a shorter lesson this week, next week her coach goes over with your daughter's time because they've hit an important point in a particular skill, so the next skater after her gets a shorter lesson as a result, and so on. Very few coaches work exactly to the clock, unlike at school where a bell rings and class stops. I'd say give it at the very least a month, preferably more, and keep track of overs and unders and exact lengths and see how it all works out. If you see that she's getting consistently shorted because the pupils before and after her need extra work, you could ask to reschedule her lesson for a different time-slot if your daughter is still as enthusiastic about this particular coach. Pulling her abruptly after one shortened lesson and moving to another coach in the same club is not a good move, diplomatically speaking. I think you need to give the situation a chance and see how it works out over a wider perspective.