[Informal and detailed Breakdown]
At the end of term the question of missed sessions and catch-ups always pops up. We have tried to explain the policy below.
A bit of background to offering catch ups for missed sessions
- It is TSTs intention is that all players get to all the sessions they have paid for (and hopefully more) so we have tried to be really fair in meeting players halfway in this regard.
- We can offer catch-up credits for missed sessions but not unconditionally.
- Please understand that carrying forward missed session credits 'unconditionally' into the next term is not possible. Here is why:
- There are fixed costs to every session which need to be paid regardless of attendance. So for each session, a large part of the term fee gets spent immediately on locking in coaches/venue/equipment/admin for the term. After this there is a small profit left over. Say $5 per player per session.
- If a full refund is given for a session, then not only is this small profit being given back (which could be argued is ok since a player didn't do the session), but also the money that has already spent (on fixed costs) is also refunded (even though it is no longer available to be given back).
- It is one thing to return the profit made off 1 player when they are absent, but to also then give them the profit from 5 other players as well is a different thing altogether. This is clearly therefore not a viable catch up method.
- So unless:
- You have completed a LTI/LTH/special exemption form (attached to the T&Cs), and your application for credits has been accepted, no credits will be carried forward into next term.
- A player misses a session for a prolonged period (LTI /LTH) please do not ask for a catch up credit. Sorry if this is an issue but it is non negotiable.
Why do we do it this way?
We run TST groups at just above cost per player. Most of the fee per player per session goes towards the coaches/venue/admin/equipment/insurance and these have to be paid whether a player attends a session or not, and there is not much else left on top. Due to the fact there are over 100 players in the program, this little bit per player adds up to a viable business. But it would only take a couple of players missing a session per group per session (which happens) to turn it into a non viable business model (if full credits were given unconditionally).
In a nut shell : TST operates on a tight rope.
Groups are also based on who has committed for the term. Once we have committed players we can lock in a group, and lock a coach in for the term, and ensure that each group/session runs at above cost. [Hence why i need to know who is continuing next term at the end of each term].
If we were then to offer a player in a group an unconditional catch-up credit (for next term), it means that the expected income for a group/session becomes reduces significantly , this breaks the financially viable base on which that the group was initially formed upon.
Other times a player only gets to half the sessions for the term and can't catch-up these missed sessions during the term or the holidays, and so credits are asked for. But here it is important to note that if a player had not have committed to the group/program, we would have structured the groups differently to ensure group viability. So offering such players unconditional credits after committing to the program, simply breaks the viability of the group and potentially the program.
So this is why :
When you get involved in TST you pay for a spot in a group and not for the session itself.
Once you have this spot locked in,
it becomes your choice as to whether you attend or not.
And please note that the fixed costs of each session need to be paid regardless (in fact, a large chunk of the session fee gets spent at the start of the term for the full term and so is not actually available to be carried forward - it has been spent already.
But with this said, we want players to get to all the sessions they have paid for (and more) so we try really hard to offer ways of catching up missed sessions without destabilizing the viability of the program.
Preferred Catch-up options
So our first question in regards to missed sessions is always, can your child do doubles, either this term or in future terms, to make up the missed sessions. We have no problem using multiple terms to catch up missed sessions. Even if it takes all year. In fact we sometimes run an extra coach in sessions to accommodate doubles.
Or can your child use the holiday sessions to catch-up missed sessions? For example, the Camberwell Mid week Holiday sessions offer 6 hours (4 sessions) of potential catch up sessions per holiday period. Again, we do not mind if it takes multiple holidays to catch-up the missed sessions and note that by doing all 4 sessions in one holiday it might in fact catch-up a whole years worth of missed sessions
What about Cancelled sessions / Long term Injuries[LTI] / Holidays [LTH]
The only sessions unconditionally carried forward are cancelled sessions.
Long term Injury credits (LTI) or Long term holidays credits [LTH] can be applied for. The forms for these are attached to the TST Full T&C (or you can use the online application form) and need to be completed to get these credits, but also note that if these can be caught up by doing doubles or the holiday sessions, then it helps the program viability enormously.
Fair both ways
If a player is in surplus in terms of credits from past holiday sessions these will be used to accommodate future LTI/LTHs. I am sure you agree it would unfair on the program to give players free holiday sessions and then also LTI/LTH credits.
So hopefully, you understand the difficulty of carrying forward missed sessions credits unconditionally and are happy to follow the standard process.
So with this said and not meaning to be rude:
- Please do not ask for 'normal' missed sessions to be carried forward into next term. The answer is no.
- You must complete and return a LTI/LTH form (T$Cs link above) if you wish to get credits for these. Without a form, completed at the appropriate time, no credits will offered.
What about Cancelled sessions
If you continue next term then you will get a credit for the cancelled session that is carried into next term, unless you caught up the cancelled session in the holidays or by doing a double session.
If you do not continue in the following term, then you get a credit to use in the following term without committing to the term, subject a space being available in an appropriate group.
If you do not continue in the following term and you can't get to the session (you normally do) for what ever reason (E.G. session is full, there is a session time change, there is a venue change, the session doesn't run anymore) then you will need to attend whatever session you can. This maybe a session at a different time at the same venue or at different venue.
Why is there a fee for the Holiday sessions at all if they are meant to be catch ups?
The holiday sessions are not free to run. The coaches and venues are expensive and the admin is significant. If we make the all holiday sessions free, to accommodate missed sessions that were missed for a reason not in the programs control, it would be a significant cost to the program and be unfair on the program.
Again i think you would agree, a player missing a session in the term should not then add an unfair cost to the program later, [and note again, a big chunk of the term session fees gets spent on program costs at the start of term, so getting a full credit for a missed session during the term means a big chunk of that credit, has already been spent on term session costs, and so becomes a clear cost to the program].
So in a nutshell , there is a charge for the holiday program to ensure the holiday session expenses are covered (or close to) and missed session credits do not become a significant financial burden to the program, whilst still being available.
Also note that this system is designed to encourage players to do more football over the holidays. The over-riding program goal is that players get to every session during the term, and every holiday sessions to maximize contact with the ball and game.
Although the above is complicated it is all about encouraging and maximizing contact with the ball and the game.
This is what TST is all about.
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