standard coaching fees for local competition / tests?

[jjane45]

I vaguely remember we talked about this before, if so, feel free to merge the threads mod

in your area, is there an generally accepted rate for coaching fees at local competition / tests? e.g. fixed rate linked to regular lesson rate, or variable rate depending on how many students does the coach have at the competition / test, number of events / tests, or (gasp) depending on the results? what about other factors like convenience (what distance is considered local) or opportunity cost (cancelled lessons etc).

there will always be outliers like elite coaches charging more or friendly coaches doing a favor, I'm more interested in the standard process. really looking forward to hear from everyone!

ETA: is there a significant difference between competitions and tests?

[Skittl1321]

At my rink, the coaches who charge generally charge the fee of a 30 minute lesson.
Many coaches do not charge for local competitions, considering that taking kids to them is part of what attracts students to their services.

For us, I would say a local competition is anything within a 2 hour drive.  For these competitions, the coaches I'm thinking of generally have over half their kids attending, so there are no lessons canceled that day- lessons just don't happen on competition weekends.

It should also be noted that we only have a few competitions each year in state, so most coaches would take their students to 4-5 competitions yearly.

Out of state, the coaches expect their expenses to be covered. I haven't been involved in that, so I'm not sure how it works exactly.

[DrillingSkills]

My non-partnering coaches generally charge the equivalent of a 15-minute lesson for tests, while my dance coaches who also partner the test generally have a test fee per dance, usually around 10$. I don't compete so I can't comment on that aspect.

[fsk8r]

I've always paid about 15min lesson per test (unless it wasn't the home rink when it needs to cover travel so is more likely to be 30min lesson). For local competitions I would expect to pay 30min lesson, although that varies by coach and there is also travel expenses to consider. Some coaches are better business people with charges than others.

[taka]

I have no idea what the coaches at my rink do for competitions, sorry! I've not competed yet!

The 2 dance coaches at my rink differ for dance tests - one charges a 15min lesson fee (£7 I think?) and my coach doesn't charge at all as she (passionately!) feels it is part and parcel of her job as a skating coach! Not sure what they charge for their free skaters or what the other free coaches charge...

[TreSk8sAZ]

For competitions, each event is a 30 minute lesson fee. Practice ice is extra, obviously, and depends on how many skaters coach has on the ice at the time. Considering my coaches are with me for at least an hour before my event and then wait for results and talk afterwards, that's more than fair.

For tests, it depends on which coach I have. Primary (so FS and MITF) is a 30 minute lesson fee. Dance coach charges 15 minute lesson fee for low level dances (prelim-bronze) and 30 minute lesson fee for all other tests (including standing in for primary at FS or MITF tests). Luckily, she also does the partnering so I don't have a separate partnering fee.

For out of town competitions, generally my primary coach is the one that takes us. Her skaters split hotel, food, gas, plane, etc. depending on how far we travel. This is in addition to our per-event fee. That's simply expected in our area, and my coach is really good about going to competitions where a large number of her skaters go. The smallest group we've had when we traveled has been three, and that was a competition that we drove to, so we only owed her hotel and bought her meals. 

[~Twinkies~]

My daughter's coach charges a variable rate based on how many skaters are participating in a competition and how far she has to travel.  She's has not revealed her formula, but I think it comes pretty close to: # of hours she spends at the rink [times] hourly rate [divided by] number of skaters.  In our case I feel the cost is high because it figures out to between $75 and $100 for her to put the group through a 20 minute warm up and spend 5 - 10 minutes with each skater.

[Nate]

At my old Rink/Club, everything was covered by the skaters.  It was split up evenly between that coach's skaters and the less skaters who attended, the more you had to pay.

One parent who was in the know that I was quite friendly with told me that when her daughter did a competition in CO Springs (@ Broadmoor) she got billed for almost $600.  A lot of parents did not go to competitions if there weren't a decent amount of skaters going, because otherwise the costs skyrocketed.

Air Fair, Meals, Rental Car, Hotel, and of course Lesson Fees for Practices and a Fee for putting the skater on the ice in the competition was charged to her or split between her and other parents (to that above mentioned total she owed).  The only thing the coach paid for was whatever they did on their own time, sight-seeing, going out in the evening, etc. - vacation style things.  All the necessities for being in that place was covered by the skaters.

Some coaches were very good about being economical with it (this encouraged parents to do a lot of competitions).  Others flew First Class and stayed in the Hilton, and some parents switched coaches because of it.

[sarahspins]

For my 3 tests last summer (at the rink, coach was already there for another lesson before/after) I didn't pay any gate fee, but I did offer.

For silver moves I paid a gate fee that was about the same as a 30 minute lesson.  Considering my coach went through a lengthy off-ice warm up with me, and calmed my nerves throughout my on ice warmup, through the test before mine, and my own test, I feel like she definitely earned it

I've never done a competition with her but the gate fee is the same per event.  Any travel expenses are shared between all of her skaters at the comp.

[CaraSkates]

I pay a 30min lesson fee for tests and competitions (per event/test) for both freestyle/moves and dance.

My dance coach charges a 15min lesson fee for low level dances (Prelim-Bronze), then switches to 30min fee at Pre-Silver.
My freestyle/moves coaches do an off ice warmup and then of course the on ice warmup and event. They charge the same if it's one of them or both of them and it's totally worth it to me! They split other expenses (travel/hotel if needed, etc) between skaters...last competition that turned out to be only an additional $10.

[AgnesNitt]

Locally the only male dance coach charges a coach/partner fee for a dance test. Since there's no other male dance coaches locally, I don't know if that's the norm, or skaters are getting a bargain.

[PinkLaces]

The first event at a competition is usually a 30 minute lesson fee. Additional events are a 20 minute lesson fee each. If you want practice ice, it is a lesson fee for however much time she spends with the skater. 2 or more skaters, she splits the cost.

Most of the competitions are local, but there is one 2.5 hrs away that everyone stays for the weekend...2 nights of hotels. The cost for the coach is split between her skaters. I will say that my Daughter's  coach has always been great about keeping the costs down. When her own daughter is skating, she counts her as one the shares of her expenses. When coach's daughter is not competing, she shares a room with another coach.

Moves and FS Tests are 30 minute lesson each.  Partners for dance tests range from a 15-30 minute lesson depending on the level of the dance. It cost my DD over $100 to take her Silver Tango between test fees and partner fees

[jjane45]

From what I hear, over here local tests are generally 30 minutes lesson fee. Some coaches charge 60 minutes.

[AgnesNitt]

I'll tell you what I find off putting is when I ask a coach about a test fee and the coach acts like the fee just flew in from out of the blue. I didn't know if I was being charged a standard fee or I was getting screwed. I asked a few of the coach's other skaters and our fee was the same.

Coaches should have this stuff all on a card for the skater.

[ChristyRN]

I haven't competed with my current coach, but her fee for testing was $30/test. When I tested, she had at least two others (sisters) doing Pre-pre MITF and FS. At the same time as me.  We did our Moves separately, but FS together.

[Live2Sk8]

Coaches should have this stuff all on a card for the skater.

I agree.  My first coach had a rate sheet.  The coach asked me not to share it with anyone but it outlined all the fees and policies for lessons, tests, competitions, competitions involving an overnight stay, cancellation policies, etc.  It was great to have it all spelled out as I was brand new to all of this.

I don't think any of the coaches where I live now have rate sheets.  It all seems to be a mystery.  Once when I asked a parent whether or not I should pay coach for a recital (where at most you might get a good luck and a good job as you got on/off the ice), I got a shocked look that I had asked and a 'It varies by coach' response, not a response to my question.  I felt like I'd violated a cardinal rule.

[jjane45]

Do coaches generally keep their lesson rates secret? or at least not "broadcasted" on business cards, website etc.? I vaguely remember seeing coach rates on a rink brochure though.

back to topic, it appears that test rates around here are by session instead of by number of tests. I don't know whether things change if the events / tests are hours apart on super long sessions! (would make sense to factor in the time coach actually spends!)

[Query]

Do coaches generally keep their lesson rates secret?

Several of the rinks in my area openly publish (on a hand-out) the rates of all the coaches who teach there.

BTW, tut those hand-outs don't discuss test and competition rates.

[phoenix]

I think having a rate sheet is a good idea & probably something I should put together! 

I tend to do it by lesson rate but there are variables, & I often charge less for certain things (ex: sisters testing, I might charge one fee so it's not so expensive for the family, if I were there the same amount of time as if only one were testing).

[Query]

One local rink posted coach rates on their WWW site. Not much privacy!

Is the original poster a new figure skating director? So many questions about policies and financial arrangements.

Since skating organizations don't provide much definite guidance on coach/rink/skater relations (I vaguely remember something about the information desk not driving business towards a specific coach, but perhaps I mis-remember), there must be a huge variation on policies, from rink to rink, program to program, and region to region. The FSD is God, and makes whatever rules she pleases. Those rules may or may not prove financially successful.

Edit: When I said
"skating organizations don't provide much definite guidance on coach/rink/skater relations"
I meant to say
"skating organizations don't provide much definite guidance on coach/rink and skater/rink relations"
They say a lot about coach/skater relations.