I'm not really sure what I can add to this discussion, since I'm still feeling out the details of how things work. The adults are very much shafted at my club. We pay the same fee structure as everyone else, but only get one hour of ice time/week (that supports levels from pre-pre to pre-silver), most of the adults compete solo, too. Other levels get at least 2, and probably 3 hours/week. In synchro we get one hour less coaching/ 2 weeks since we don't have any off-ice practice. Lordy we need it, too. We've been complaining. Adults can buy more ice time, but the choice of sessions is limited. So there are definitely issues chez moi as well.
But here's how it's set up. Note, this is for the serious recreational skaters who've moved beyond the LTS equivalent to what I'd call freestyle/dance sessions. The fee structure for LTS is different, I think as it is for the Division 1 ("elite") skaters.
We have three coaches on salary by the club and a fourth who is a substitute. She's paid by the club too, but I suspect differently as she's not full time. There are always at least 2 coaches, at least for the adults. There might be all three for the other levels (certainly for LTS) but I don't see so I can't comment. Synchro has one coach/team.
I pay two fees each year, one is called "cotisation statuaire", which I suppose is for membership/ice access, then I pay a second cotisation "disciplinaire" which I guess is for coaching. These two costs are the same for all levels. Then, we have a meeting at the beginning of the year, and synchro skaters are hit up for a "donation". I think it's called that for tax purposes, so the skaters can get a tax reduction; it's a mandatory fee or you don't skate. This covers our and the coach's competition fees (hotels, transport, entrance fee and most meals on the road), dresses and/or accessories for hair and make up.
On the ice, this manifests as such: all the skaters are restricted to their level sections (except the adults, as I've mentioned above). Most of the levels have at least two on ice trainings/week, possibly more. Everyone, including the adult LTS skaters, can participate in off ice physical training 1hr/week. Synchro teams all have two hours on ice/week (never alone, there's always at least 2 teams, or 1 team/ 1 group sharing the slab). Coaching is done as a group. On the level sections it is a real group lesson. They all run the same dance (or two dances.....there are 2 levels/group eg pre-bronze and bronze....we really don't have enough ice time as you can see), then they'll all work on moves or spins or something together with the coaches helping everybody. Some do get more attention than others on a given day, but it seems that everybody gets attention. On the adult session were there are so many levels, I usually get a private for my dances (but its a personality thing with the substitute coach- I'm the most advanced skater on the session, very serious, and work, some of the others kind of froof around so when she's there she grabs me), while the other coach takes pretty much the rest of the skaters and does moves with the pre-pre and I dance patterns with the prelim and pre-bronze skaters. When they do moves or spins it's all of us together. For me it works, but I have that coach thang going on. I suspect some of the other adults wish they got more attention. Those that really need it though, do get it, every week.
The drawback of the system for me is that I don't get enough solo ice time, and what I could buy would be either on the same day I already skate, or the following day, so it's all clumped together. But I think overall it works. If I can compete solo next year, I'll pick up another session, but then it'll be 3 hours one day on the ice, and nothing for the rest of the week outside synchro practice. It's not perfect, but we need a second slab so we make do with what we can get from Hockey. I pay so much less here than my parents did in the US that I have zero complaints about the fee structure. Well, except the unfairness of the ice time allotment regarding the adults.
Ok, I wrote this quickly because I'm off for a competition today!!!! I hope this makes sense. If you find this interesting and want clarification let me know.
Physics you have a compet this weekend too. GOOD LUCK!!!!! Skate with your heart first and everything will fall into place. You'll be awesome.