Mark,

Thank you for your thoughts. 

Although the coaching statement goes out quarterly you can pay by the month as most of our members do.  The information sheet I gave you, before or just after you joined, designates the fee is either quarterly or monthly.  I’ve attached another copy for your reference.  If you will look up the last coaching statement you received you will see the item is called “Monthly Pre-paid Coaching Fee”.  At the bottom of the invoice there is a text box containing the following: “If you want to take advantage of the unlimited pre-paid coaching plan for the quarter, please pay this amount along with your quarterly dues.  You can also select a combination of months or pay month to month @ $65 per month.  If you are paying less than three months please specify months with your payment.”  This was established for those who have months in which they row more than others and appears to work well for most of our members who are frequently away or who are subject to schedule changes.  It’s as flexible as we can make it and still have it be manageable.

Regarding per session payment, all we are asking here is for our members who use this option to make a habit of paying the coach as they arrive at the boathouse, unsolicited.   Many of our members have demonstrated an ongoing willingness to do this.  It is a fixed amount.  I kept a ten dollar bill in my glove box in case I was caught without one in my wallet.  If it helps, the coaches will take checks.  If everyone, who is paying by the session, will take this small responsibility it gives us the way to pay our coaches with the least possible muss and fuss.

Gary Gookin

        I'd rather be...

-----Original Message-----
From: garmasters@yahoogroups.com [mailto:garmasters@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Mark Dubose
Sent: Friday, July 03, 2009 11:54 AM
To: garmasters@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [garmasters] RE: Coaching fees

Gary,

 Since the coaching amounts can be paid monthly, and because it is my understanding one can skip a month, why not make it (call it) a monthly charge.   I already view it as a monthly charge, but because it is billed as a quarterly amount it’s not clear.  Persons, like myself, who have to leave town for weeks at a time, could avail themselves to the monthly fee on months we will able to row often, and use the per row fee on other months. 

Another idea may be to have a sign in book at the boat house for those who are not paying the prepaid coaching fee.  Persons could sign in, and then either the treasurer (you) or they themselves, could add up the rows at the end of the month and pay.  That would save the coaches the uneasy position of asking for money at the beginning of the row, and make it more convenient for members to pay at the end of the month (instead of at the beginning of each row).  The coaches would only need to remind people to sign in if they haven’t prepaid. 

Mark Dubose 

From: garmasters@yahoogroups.com [mailto:garmasters@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Gary Gookin
Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 11:57 PM
To: garmasters@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [garmasters] RE: Coaching fees

No you don’t.  There are no back coaching fees.  The coaching fees are a completely separate issue from the dues.  The organization needs to have a stable member base and dues income to allow it to provide the equipment, facilities and services that make a rowing club work for its members and make sure the club is still there when absent members return.  Because of that, we encourage our members to maintain their memberships even if they are going to be away for a period.  The club’s expenses go on.  In order to keep our dues affordable and in fairness to those of who are not able to row frequently, we have made paying our coaches a separate part of the obligation of the members.  If you take a coached row, you should pay the coach for it.  If not, you have no obligation to the coach.  The coaching pre-payment is in lieu of paying by the session.  The reason it was implemented was to both give an alternative to “pay as you row”, which is inconvenient for many, and to make it more economical for our members who row frequently.  It’s a positive thing for the club to have a high level of participation in its rows and the pre-payment is one of the ways we promote that participation.  Everyone can choose which is best.  What it boils down to is; if you don’t row you don’t have to pay the coaches.  If you do, you have a choice as to how to pay them. 

Gary Gookin

        I'd rather be...

 -----Original Message-----
From: garmasters@yahoogroups.com [mailto:garmasters@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of jayma holliman
Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 8:05 PM
To: garmasters@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [garmasters] Coaching fees

Please clarify what is expected if you are out for a while.  When you come back, do you owe those back fees?