Gate Fee

[Isk8NYC]

The PSA just sent out a survey and used a term that I've never heard before.

What's a "gate fee" that a coach would charge a student at a competition?
Is it a fee for putting kids on the ice before each event?

[AshBugg44]

That would be what I assume it to mean, but I've never heard that term before!

[dmmains]

Speaking of competition fees, what's typically? At our rink some of the coaches charge a fee for each event of a competition and some charge one fee for the whole competition. My son's coach happens to charge for each event. I've always wondered what the standard is. Adding her fee to each event can really make a competition expensive.

[mikawendy]

For competitions and tests, in my area I've usually heard of a fee that is somewhere in the range of the equivalent of a 15- to 20-minute lesson or sometimes a bit less. If there are significant mileage and tolls involved, I've heard of the coach's skaters at that event or test splitting some of those fees to cover those costs. If there is a practice session before the test or competition, sometimes the fees may be a little higher to reflect the additional actual coaching.

(Sometimes, though, given the mileage or time involved, I've noticed that it almost seems that the coach is not fully reimbursed for their expenses, and they definitely aren't making as much money as they would be for lost lessons during that time, especially the coaches with higher hourly rates.)

ETA: I've more often seen skaters pay a competition coaching fee per competition rather than per event, though I have known some skaters to skate in 5/6/7 events (esp. if they dance). I don't know what arrangement they work out, as it seems the amount of coaching (and/or dance partnering) time would be much higher for someone doing that many events as opposed to one FS event and a few smaller events such as spins and compulsory moves.

[dmmains]

Thanks for all the great info. My son's coach charges her standard 30 minute coaching rate for each event he's in. Doesn't matter whether it's a solo or comp. They each get charged the same. We don't reimburse her for travel and tolls, but she generally has many skaters in the same competition so she's probably does OK on the financial end of things.

[Isk8NYC]

The PSA just sent out a survey and used a term that I've never heard before.

What's a "gate fee" that a coach would charge a student at a competition?
Is it a fee for putting kids on the ice before each event?The reply from the PSA is that it is a charge for "standing at the gate" with a student for an event.

[AshBugg44]

I don't want my students to ever not have me put them on the ice for a competition because they can't afford. Therefore, I charge $12.50 for one event, and $25.00 for two or more events, flat. You could do 10 events and I would only charge $25.00 The cost of a fifteen minute lesson is $12.50.

[Isk8NYC]

I had a coach who would take her expenses for overnight competitions and divide them by the number of events for which she was scheduled to "put skaters on the ice." Then, each skater paid the (average amount * the number of events) they were skating. She charged that in lieu of a "competition fee."

Some coaches charge one regular lesson fee for local competitions, but those kids usually skate 1 or 2 events at most and the coach can get back to their regular schedule afterward. If they had to spend the entire day there for one student, they might reconsider that fee.

For me, attending a Saturday competition really costs me a lot of money since that's my main teaching day and I lose all that lesson income if I'm away at even a local competition. None of my kids are competing until later this season, after the seasonal rinks close, so hopefully I won't feel the lost income too much.

At our rink, we're supposed to team-coach to provide competition and test session coverage so that our group lessons aren't impacted by having too many coaches out on the same day.

[jskater49]

For me, attending a Saturday competition really costs me a lot of money since that's my main teaching day and I lose all that lesson income if I'm away at even a local competition. None of my kids are competing until later this season, after the seasonal rinks close, so hopefully I won't feel the lost income too much.



Our coach charges a "lost income" fee, in addition to per event, practice and expenses. The expenses are divided among the students competing, and she may even divide the lost income...but I can't remember. Seems fair.

At my old club we only had one coach and we all went to the same competitions and just about the whole club went so there was no issue of lost income.

j