FEE REFUNDS yes or no?

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I say no refund.

It is the end of March, and our team has already paid for ALL of our tournaments except Nationals.

In addition, if we had a player leave, replacing her would be difficult. This fall, there was a girl left standing without a spot on our team so that another girl could have a spot. That is an opportunity cost that can't be recovered.

 

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Thanks so much for all the opinions...This has helped the decision easier...

 

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This is not a Yes or No answer. After 12 years it is a common sense answer. Each case is different and if you have a player agreement form that they and the parents sign, it spells it out. Let's take a kid that can no longer plays because parents lost a job, or they lost a parent in an accident? You going to tell me you are not going to help that kid? Then you have the other extreme, they just liked greener pasture and stuck it to you.

 

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Wanting to get others input on refunding fees.When do you refund a player's fees or do you? If a player has signed their committment letter & a statement saying all fees are NON-REFUNDABLE then leaves on their own should they be asking for a refund of the fees they have already paid? Keep in mind the player has played 2 fall tournamnets and a winter league prior to leaving on their own free will. Looking for as much helpful feedback as possible....

Based on this example, it is a straight "no" to a refund.

 

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Was this policy a signed agreement by the parents, players & coaches?

 

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[Was this policy a signed agreement by the players, parents and coaches?]I just experienced this. A player commited to our team in August of 08. we practiced all winter and played some indoor ball along with a winter tournament. This month this player left our team for another. Parents asked for a refund. I said NO. Our policy is: If we as an organazation ask a player to leave then we will give a refund based on money not spent. If a player leaves of their own free will there will be no refund .[/QUOTE]

 

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Burg
Fair enough

 

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This is my point exactly.

If you make a commitment, stick with it. It is not fair to the team a player leaves. The team has come to expect everyone to be there. We have yet to fill the vacated spot. We do have a player that can play half of the tournaments but she is not full time with us. I truly wish the young lady who left our team the best of luck this Summer. She will defiantly be able to help the team she went to. I will never wish anyone ill will for leaving our organization. After all we are all here to help these young ladies get to the next level.

In my opinion, this is a COMMITMENT and nothing should be refunded. I don't think people understand what it does to a team/coach when someone quits an organization. Not only has the organization already paid for their uniforms, insurance, tournament fees, but the rest of the girls are left without a team member that they have grown to know and bond with. We were in a situation last year when we, as parents, were not happy with our DD's team/coach, but quitting was NOT even an option. Our opinion was that we chose to play for this organization and we made a commitment to this team, we'll tough it out and NOT come back next year. And that's exactly what we did...no hard feelings...my dd made some very good friends and stays in touch with them and the coach as well. There has to be some deterrent or everyone would feel that they could quit anytime they get mad about something. I'm sorry, but NO REFUNDS!

 

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If you fully refund a girl's fees who leaves this late in the year, what's not to stop other girls from jumping ship and leaving for greener pastures?

 

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Moral of thread is to drag your asss paying your fees.

 

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Since I am one of the persons being spoken about in this thread I think it's only fair that all the details come out. First of all, it was a mutual decision for our dd to quit. Uniforms had not been ordered, and the things we were told when we entered the agreement over fees were changed several times as to what they included. Without airing all the dirty laudry, the 2nd player left because it was not financially possible for her parents to continue, without us there. Mom lost her job due to medical reasons and dad had also lost his job. A very unfortunate set of events had really hurt this family, without us being there it was impossible for them to continue. All their fees had been paid and neither of us had received any of the equipment or uniforms the fees were said to cover. We did not ask for our fees back, simply the $30.00 we had given the coach to get my dd a team sweatshirt that she never received and the $400 the 2nd parents had paid in fees for their dd. We have made several attempts to contact you ninercoach, and you have not returned our calls to clarify exactly what we were asking for, ragen4ball you weren't even a coach at the time we left, so I'm not sure what your decision is even for...
I would like to think that with the economy the way it is and the fact that this family has already been through enough that people would be good enough to do the right thing rather than punish a family for leaving the team.

 

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Even without knowing the every detail it sounds like one family should get all fee returned and if the sweatshirt is not ordered then the coach owes the other $30.00.

 

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Since I am one of the persons being spoken about in this thread I think it's only fair that all the details come out. First of all, it was a mutual decision for our dd to quit. Uniforms had not been ordered, and the things we were told when we entered the agreement over fees were changed several times as to what they included. Without airing all the dirty laudry, the 2nd player left because it was not financially possible for her parents to continue, without us there. Mom lost her job due to medical reasons and dad had also lost his job. A very unfortunate set of events had really hurt this family, without us being there it was impossible for them to continue. All their fees had been paid and neither of us had received any of the equipment or uniforms the fees were said to cover. We did not ask for our fees back, simply the $30.00 we had given the coach to get my dd a team sweatshirt that she never received and the $400 the 2nd parents had paid in fees for their dd. We have made several attempts to contact you ninercoach, and you have not returned our calls to clarify exactly what we were asking for, ragen4ball you weren't even a coach at the time we left, so I'm not sure what your decision is even for...
I would like to think that with the economy the way it is and the fact that this family has already been through enough that people would be good enough to do the right thing rather than punish a family for leaving the team.

If this is all true, then I would refund the other girl's $400, and the $30 for the sweatshirt that was never received and call it a day. Good luck to the family who are out of work.

 

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Unfortunately...it's not all true...both players participated in fall tournaments (which cost money), were given tshirts and socks for the tournaments as well as participated in 15 weeks of indoor ball (which cost money). We also paid to practice twice in an indoor facility...all of which the players benefitted from. Some tournaments have been paid for or deposits made,and uniforms WERE ordered, as well as bat bags. The $30 cannot be refunded for the sweatshirt as it has been ordered and made, it's yours to pick up. all4softball is speaking for another parent that has made no effort to contact our team. The parent you want us to refund has made no effort to contact us...discussing their fees with another parent is not policy. Nobody is being punished, the players that left have already used teams funds.

 

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Funds already used then there is nothing to refund! That's life.

 

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There you go. There's always two sides to every story and somewhere in the middle lies the truth. It does sound like there was a lot of participation and money spent. Good luck figuring the whole thing out. I'm glad I'm not a coach.

 

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I don't want to punish anybody, but keep in mind a lot of money has been put out over the past several months, money which these players benefitted from. I am sorry for the unfortunate set of events that has happened to the player in question, but I was told a different story as to the reason she was leaving, not the reasons outlined here, which I don't think it's necessary to air all of that on an internet forum.

 

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Yeah ok...that makes sense...except for a few facts... even at $600 in tournaments in the fall that's $50 considering 12 players on the team. Which we were told were paid for out of funds left over from last year. Shirt and socks, $20 ok, even get that. 15 weeks of indoor ball, which you told us cost you nothing due to your affiliation with the facility...now your saying costs you...ok even take it up to $100.00. Uniforms were not ordered, the day we left you were just getting the girls sizes... Actually one indoor practice... that we were told from the begining that would be free for the team, then you changed it later that it would cost...What about the left over $300?
That parent did make attempts to call you, from our house even...to no avail. We even left messages for you explaining that and what she wanted.
I spoke to you about the sweatshirt last time we were there, it was not made and you did not have it...but that's ok, use the change from the money given you and mail it to me, you have my address.
We were not looking to make a big issue out of this, nothing ever would have been posted if it were not for you starting this thread. The fact of the matter is that we are not asking for anything of our fees back, and the little girl that is being hurt here has nothing to do with whatever personal vendetta you have against us. Her family is just in a bad situation and I would have thought that you could have done the right thing by her as none of this was her fault. Not her fault leaving the team and not her fault what her parents are going through. I would think you could understand that. I'm sure you'll have money from the players replacing them, as well as what my dd paid and raised in fundraising and sponsorships, seems to me that you could have just done the right thing by this player, and you still can, you have her address, simply cut a check and mail it, nothing more said, no hard feelings.

 

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i am sorry u didnt attend some of the parent meetings and hear everything that was told in regards to fees...it was explained that the indoor league was free last year but the facility could not do that for us again this year..a check was written to pay 4 the league...if the parent called me she left no message. uniforms were ordered the very next day after sizes were taken. it was also explained on numerous occasions that practice at the facility was no longer free..and had to be paid. everyone signed papers that said the fees were non refundable. the player also requested a sweatshirt which they said they would pay 4 when it came in..it was ordered and made but they never paid. i really dont think there is any more to discuss on this issue..best of luck to u guys this season.

 

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You are correct that I am not a coach this year however I have been a travel coach and know how the system works. My daughter chose to leave a team she has had for several seasons to play for ninercoach because she feels he has something she can benefit from as well as he genuinely cares about the well being of EVERY girl he has had or has on his team. Now if things had gone your way all4softball as to you deciding who played where an who was getting the ooh's & ah's then i'm sorry to say you would still be with this team, however ninercoach who happens to be the coach made the decisions therefor you made yours.To take nothing away from your daughter she is a fantastic athlete and the girls on this team treated her with the utmost respect just as she did them.But reguarding fees being returned simply you signed the fee waiver fully knowing it stated ALL FEES NON-REFUNDABLE......