Parents State vent

[aerials]

Our state meet is in two weeks and we don't have a schedule yet! It could be on any of three days and we have to book rooms. Sorry just venting here.

 

[wallinbl]

The upshot is that hotels are nicer than airlines, and you can book the whole period and then trim down to just the nights you need without penalty.

 

[MaryA]

Yes, States is always hard because they like to set the qualification date as late as possible to give kids every chance to qualify. And even after the qualification date they sometimes will let kids register late if they pay a late fee, so I'm sure that the teams that host are scrambling to make the schedule at the last minute. Great if you are the kid who is "this close" to qualifying for States and just needs one more chance. Not so great if you're a parent trying to make plans for the meet. My DD's state meet was this past weekend and I think we knew the schedule about a week in advance. Luckily it was in an area with lots of hotel choices, and hers could have only been Saturday or Sunday so we knew she wouldn't have to miss school/work for it. It all worked out.

 

[MeetDirector]

So, would you like to have a schedule that is correct and final or one that has to have changes made after publishing? As I have said on here before, building a meet schedule is not an instant thing. First, you have to get all of the entries in and if you are going to push qualifying as late as possible then that means the schedule will be late. The goal is about 2 weeks out from the meet. But with State meets, you have to get all of the numbers nice and balanced among the age divisions which can lead to some different age groups than you have seen all season. Rules also govern how many gymnasts in a session, so that has to be balanced as well which can lead to splitting a level between sessions. After the meet session schedule is done, there is a ton more work that the meet director has to do to get rotations done for each session and get the scoring software configured. There is a whole bunch that goes into putting a meet together.

Good Luck.

 

[aerials]

I know, I know....I'm just venting and since I am a huge planner this is just really bugging me today. Please don't take me so seriously. I'm also a little bit off because the date on their website for schedule to be published was last week. Again it's just me and I'm not mad just going crazy because I like to have things settled.

 

[MeetDirector]

Aerials -
I am right there with you on wanting things planned out. That is one of the reasons I decided to become a meet director so that I could control some things. Our problem is magnified 3 times with State meet, then Regionals, then Westerns and all of the uncertainty that goes with that. Not a good time of year for those that like to plan ahead.

 

[StringBean'sMom]

Are you in Ohio too? We have the same issue - the website said schedule would be available around the 7th, so we've now been checking...and checking...and checking....nothing yet. I think I'd have an easier time not caring about when the schedule was posted if they hadn't given a date to expect it - lol!! Thankfully we don't have to travel but I'm trying to juggle work schedules so more notice is helpful for that. Oh well, I respect that immense amount of work that must go into the planning, so I'll maintain patience as long as I can though!

 

[aerials]

StringBean'sMom
Yes I'm in Ohio and I agree if they had not posted that it would be available on the 7th I probably would not care as much. ha ha All of us at our gym keeps on checking and checking too

 

[kmc]

Last year, we did what wallinbl said - we booked Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights about 6 weeks before state, and then once we knew the day we were competing, we cancelled the nights we did not need. In our case, we got a great session time and the drive was only 2 hours, so we ended up cancelling the entire stay.

 

[gymmomtoo]

Last year, we did what wallinbl said - we booked Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights about 6 weeks before state, and then once we knew the day we were competing, we cancelled the nights we did not need. In our case, we got a great session time and the drive was only 2 hours, so we ended up cancelling the entire stay.

This is what I always do--book the maximum I would need, then cancel what I don't.

 

[shelovestoflip]

I always book way ahead for the total nights I might need and then cancel when I know exact schedule. Much easier that way! Generally you have 24 hours to cancel and you always know a meet schedule 24 hours ahead!! I do this at the beginning of the season for all meets that are far enough that I know I don't want to drive home that late or wake up too early! Good Luck!

 

[Midwestmommy]

I travel a lot for work--read the fine print because many hotels can trip you up on the cancellation policy and could get charged a night or more. Big resort properties, Hilton properties, any lower pay-ahead rates, bargain rates from some travel sites, certain blackout times in big cities--check carefully when you book. Marriotts (other than the big resort properties) usually have good/liberal cancellation policies.

 

[wallinbl]

I travel a lot for work--read the fine print because many hotels can trip you up on the cancellation policy and could get charged a night or more. Big resort properties, Hilton properties, any lower pay-ahead rates, bargain rates from some travel sites, certain blackout times in big cities--check carefully when you book. Marriotts (other than the big resort properties) usually have good/liberal cancellation policies.

This is especially true for the travel websites - Orbitz, Expedia, etc. They're a nuisance if you want to change anything, and sometimes they will have significant change fees.

 

[StringBean'sMom]

Aerials - the Ohio states schedule is available! The separation of the levels by age and American/National groups is making my head hurt....

 

[aerials]

I know, this schedule is hard to figure out. Yea we have a schedule!!

 

[wnl256]

This is especially true for the travel websites - Orbitz, Expedia, etc. They're a nuisance if you want to change anything, and sometimes they will have significant change fees.

Yes! Many of the travel sites get you low rates because they are pre-paid and not refundable or changeable! Read the fine print on any reservation you make.

Having said that, I regularly book the entire weekend (with a rate that isn't pre-paid and that has a favorable cancellation policy) then trim the reservation down once I know the schedule. I almost always do that directly on the hotel's web site or over the phone.