- Joined
- Sep 9, 2016
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Hello Joel, I must tell you that your situation is not uncommon.
Yeah I'm surprised by any club that isn't willing to take on a member, as long as that member hasn't been disruptive or anything like that. I mean, aren't they getting money from membership dues out of it? What are the reasons why a club would deny membership? Are there some membership privileges that they don't want to give out to someone willing to pay the membership dues?
I am astonished. Aren't these clubs in business to make money? How can they turn a paying member away?
In my club at least. There was a difference between members as the levels were all different prices. They would have a test once a month that you could take to move up to the next level. Believe it or not, the advanced classes were the cheapest because they figured that the students had been paying the higher fees for a longer time. Now, I started skating way back in the 80's. Right after the battle of the Brian's in 1988. The prices back then were $10.00 for advanced, $15.00 for intermediate and $20.00 for beginning.
The advanced and intermediate classes were 2 hours long and included a 15 minute off ice warm up, then figures (Remember those) and then a training session on a featured element such as spins, spirals (When they used to mean a lot more than they do now) and jumps.
Do you mean those classes were included as part of the membership package? That may be a benefit of membership. I suppose if they wanted to keep class sizes small they may want to not take some members. But even then, it seems odd, because I'd imagine the membership prices would reflect the cost of those classes, and thus they're getting more money.
At my rink membership allows you to take tests (you still pay for the tests yourself) and some occasional club ices (around 1-2 per year). You don't need to be a member to take classes (which the skater pays for) or go to the freestyle sessions (which the skater pays for). So for the most part, it really is more for if you're doing the tests, and of course if you're entering competitions (which the skater pays for). So that's why I'm a bit confused as to why a club would turn down membership, since it's basically just free money. That's why I'm confused.
I guess the real issue is, Joel probably has to say something about the conditions of the club and the rink, what are the benefits of joining a club, etc. Otherwise it's difficult to figure out why a club would not want a paying member.
mrrice, are you sure that the sessions you describe were run by a figure skating club? They sound more like what would have been run directly by a rink in my experience.
None of the USFSA clubs I've belonged to have offered ice time or lessons to the public or earned any money from concession sales. Those functions all belonged to the rinks.
But as I've said, there are many different configurations of rink and club relationships within the US, and probably different ones elsewhere.
For Mathman, the thing to keep in mind is that figure skating clubs are nonprofit clubs, not money-making businesses. Many in the US have 501(c)3 or similar status and thus have requirements to spend money on the club mission to maintain that tax-exempt status.
Ok - I think I understand what is going on. We are using the same terminology but we are taking about two different things.
In the US, skaters join local clubs. Most clubs do not own their rink but they rent ice time from "for profit" rinks. Coach are employed by the local "for profit" ice rinks, not the local clubs. Local clubs provide testing sessions and some "ice time" but these are for a fee. In the US, I guess there are about 1000 clubs that all feed into US Figure Skating (USFS). Most skaters will never come into direct contact with USFS except to receive their magazine, get a certificate that they passed a test, or maybe attend an event hosted by USFS. Only the very top skaters are followed by USFS and only those skaters are invited to attend their camps.
Joel is in Luxembourg. From what he described, there are only 2 rinks and only 1 offers a "club." I think what he is referring to the "club" is actually the equivalent of USFS, let us call that the Luxembourg Skating Federation. So the Luxembourg Skating Federation has told him that they don't think it makes sense for them to invest in an 18-year old beginner skater who has some talent.
If this scenario is correct, I would go back and ask if there is more of a "fun club" rather than a "competition track club."
Hi,
my name is Joel Becker and I'm new to this forum so I hope that this is the right place to share my "story".
I started skating 3 years ago and figure skating about 8 months ago...though 18 isn't the best age to start Figure Skating, but I really want to do it. So I went to my local Figure Skating Club in March and they told me that they don't see any sense in taking me into their club. But I could join their beginner lessons where you learn how to skate forward and backwards. So I went to those beginner lesson once with the hope that they would see some "talent" (I was already able to master some jumps at that time) but that wasn't the case at all. The thing is simple, I don't want to become the next World Champion but at least I want to practise something I really enjoy...another problem is that I live in Luxembourg (country between Germany, Belgium & France) and we only have one club here.
So what do you guys think I should do? Just stop and go skating around a bit or is there maybe any possibility I may haven't thought of yet?
Best regards,
Becker Joel