QuestionMy grandaughter was in a volleyball club and injured herself about the 3 week into practice sessions. We found out that she has a torn meniscus and torn ACL and will require surgery, will be unable to play volleyball for 6 months. I am the one who pays her club volleyball fees. Since the accident, both her mom and I have tried to contact the volleyball club director via phone calls and e-mails. No one has responded. Her coach has not called to find out the prognosis. I have no idea what is the policy when a member has to drop out due to injury-are parent's still liable for paying the fees if the child cannot play the season? I don't want to hurt her chances for trying out and making this club for next season by blowing off paying, but I don't see that we should have to pay when she cannot play. Hoping you can give me idea of what guidelines are in this type of situation.
AnswerGood afternoon and welcome to www.allexperts.com.
Your situation is not rare. But I've never had it happen to one of my players. I guess it will eventually. :(
* First, the club not contacting you back is .... what's a good way to put it .... low? jerk-ish? I don't know. But I've been coaching club ball since 1991, and clubs .... well, many of them don't understand much about leadership. I'm not saying I'm an expert at leadership, but a few things I'm pretty sure about:
a) if you tick off your customers, you'll lose five times that many!
b) if you tick off enough customers, your competition will becomes more and more successful!
c) if your customers don't feel valued, they will get their product from someone who does make them feel valued.
I'm a coach, a high school teacher, and I give volleyball lessons. My "customers" are my kids and their parents. I must be prompt & reliable, I must give my best effort, I must protect, respect and teach the children, and I must be professional and courteous to the parents. Otherwise, they will take their business elsewhere.
Your club needs to read some of what I just wrote.
Customers are like teeth: Ignore them, and they'll go away.
* Second, I don't know their policy about injuries and payments.
a) I can say for 100% fact: If they have found someone to take your daughter's place, then NO WAY should that kid have a spot on the team w/o paying the same share everyone else did. In other words, she may not & cannot be allowed to play using your granddaughter's fees. If you tell someone at the club what I just typed, the response you get may be, "But the new girl just moved up from a lower team." Then did someone take that girl's place on the lower team? You will want to see names. (Go to the club website, and print off the rosters of all teams NOW! I hope your daughter's name hasn't been deleted. If so, did you happen to have printed them before your daughter's injury?) If ANY previously cut player was added to ANY team so that your daughter's old spot can be filled, then your daughter should get a pro-rated portion of her money back AND the new girl's parents are responsible for the rest.
b) But.... suppose the team had 13 girls. And now they are just going to go with 12, and not bring up a 13th girl. W/o a clear-cut policy, here's the issue the club now faces: the club split the entire money requirement up 13 ways. OK, let's say your share was $1500. Now, if they give 80% ($1200) back to you, then the team is now $1200 short. That's entry fees into two large tournaments. Or that's the head coach's entire stipend. Hmmmmmm. Now what? No, the club doesn't want to "steal" your money; but, if they give you $1200, then should they now charge everyone else on the team $100 more to make up for it? So the club may be between a rock and a hard place. The club will try it's BEST not to take your money or charge everyone else extra.
Third: The coach not contacting you? OK, that's REALLY a bummer! The team should have been texting, calling, Facebooking, etc. SO SHOULD THE COACH!! I've always thought that a coach who doesn't contact an injured player gives the appearance that the player is just another consumable to be used and tossed aside like yesterday's garbage. Is the coach really thinking, "Oh, well, another one bites the dust."
I preach and preach "team," but when one of our team goes down with an injury, she is not forgotten. She actually gets more attention than ever! :)
Suggestion:
* the club probably has a copy of it's bylaws for anyone to see. The copy may be on its website. See if your particular situation is mentioned. And then send me a copy at
[email protected]! :)
* If you can't get a hold of them, just keep on trying. When you do get to speak to someone, be reasonable. Be calm. Write down all that you're told! Maybe they'll offer 50% reimbursement. I doubt it.
* If they continue to ignore you, (a) document each and every contact (b) keep each and every page of notes about each contact; (c) you may consider taking them to small claims court, then (d) tell the truth of what has happened to you to anyone who asks. You are indeed a pretty unhappy customer. You can tell people that the issue is that the club is either:
--> it's too big to deal with the little problems that arise (like my BANK! grrrrr);
--> it doesn't care enough about a girl who got hurt to return emails from the family;
--> it hopes that disgruntled "customers" will just go away. Like teeth.
I'm so sorry for your daughter. I'm sure she is crushed. In 2008, one of my OH's went up for a ball, and then crashed, hollering and screaming. Torn ACL. It was the most horrible moment I've experienced while on the sidelines. My team would love to send your granddaughter a get well card in the mail, or by internet. If you want, you can give me her email or mailing address. You can reach me at
[email protected]. We do this stuff all the time.... it makes being on a team more fun!
I don't know if I've helped you out or not. W/o knowing more about the club, I can't tell you anything definite. I can tell you one thing for sure: The club directors and your daughter's coach have a lot to learn about leadership. When all the good players leave, when another club starts attracting more and more of the players, when coaches start leaving, maybe your daughter's club will get the picture. But I doubt it.
Please contact us again if we can do anything for you.
Hope all goes well!
Coach Houser
www.coachhouser.com
p.s. And if this affects your daughter's chances to play next season.... oh oh .... that would make the maddest YET! They won't resolve or even speak of this issue, they don't like you pressing them on it, then they punish your grandchild. Oh, my.
We have directed 16 camps the past 2 summers and have seven already scheduled for next summer!! I still have 4 weeks available to direct summer camps: June 20-23, July 18-21, Aug 1-4 and Aug 8-11. If we can help you, please us know.
