Can coaches do this? | Golden Skate

Can coaches do this?

Justadad

Spectator
Joined
Sep 29, 2003
Can coaches do this? Advice welcomed.

A boy pair skater leaves his partner but continues to train with his coach. There is an opportunity for him to skate with a girl. The boy tells his coach he wants his new partner if it works out to be trained under his coach. The boy is invited to tryout with the girl and his coach says great go for it. Both coaches say they will try to work as a team sharing the coaching. It becomes apparent to the boy after the first time on ice with his new partner and his old coach that there is no way the two coaches will work effectively together. Far to much head butting and turf wars by the coaches. The boy really wants this girl and tells his coach he is leaving. All his bills are 100% paid and always have been paid. There never was any talk of contracts or agreements beyond his parents just paying bills on time as they came. The parents always believed they were just paying for services rendered. Now the boy’s X coach sends a bill to his parents for thousands of dollars for lost income. Can this be done? Obviously the coach will say there is an implied contract but it really seams ridiculous given the parents were always up to date and there was never any discussion about guaranteed future earnings or contracts. Does this coach have a leg to stand on and do these parents owe the coach anything.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
I'm not a lawyer, but I know this. Anybody can send a bill to anyone else for anything whatever. It doesn't mean it will be paid.

You could get advice from Skate Canada or from the officers of the skating club where the coach is under contract. Nine times out of ten, once everybody simmers down, the coach will move on to other students even as the skater moves on to another coach.

Mathman
 

Norlite

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Justadad said:
I'm from Canada. Norlite why not in Canada?

Because Skate Canada regulates it's coaches more than just about any other federation.

Did you contact your section office?
 

Justadad

Spectator
Joined
Sep 29, 2003
Norlite said:
Because Skate Canada regulates it's coaches more than just about any other federation.

Did you contact your section office?

I will shortly but what do you believe they can do for me?
 

dfj

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 5, 2003
I am assuming that you reside in Canada. If I were you, I'd carry on with Skate Canada, but in the meantime contact your local "Lawyer Referral Service" and explain the situation. They will put you in touch with a lawyer whose expertise is this area of the law. For a nominal (very nominal and more often than not free of charge) you can see him/her for some initial advice. Don't drag it on - deal with it straight away. At least that way you will have a better idea of the strength of your position in this matter.
 

Lee

Rinkside
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
If all bills (for services already rendered) are paid, and you told the coach you were leaving, that's all you owe the coach, according to the SC 'code of ethics' for coaches.

Unless there is a signed contract in place for a specified period of time, the coach doesn't have a leg to stand on. Call his/her bluff and tell him/her to go pound sand -- and that you will be reporting his/her conduct to your Section Coaching Representative.

As someone else mentioned, just because you received this bill doesn't mean you have to pay it. Just make sure you make a LOT of noise (through proper channels, not gossip in the stands) about receiving it at all -- to your club executive, your section office...whatever it takes to make it clear that you are NOT at fault here.

Totally, completely unacceptable....
 
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