Parents Can meets be cancelled/postponed due to heavy snowy weather?

[munchkin3]

We don't get much snowy weather in our parts, however we are going north a few times for some competitions. Have you had any experience with very snowy weather and meet delay, or outright cancellations???
Obviously, some snow is no big deal, I'm wondering about the big messy weather.
Thanks!!!

 

[cbifoja]

I'm sure they can but I doubt they will. Equipment has already been rented, venue fees have been paid, etc. no way a meet is just eating those expenses

 

[munchkin3]

Ok....so worst case scenario is some delay due to judges, coaches, athletes 'getting there' because of horrid weather......
Thanks!

 

[raenndrops]

We had a small meet once that was pushed back 4 hours due to an unexpected bad snow storm the night before - we were already in our hotel when it hit and there was about 10 inches of snow in the morning.
They delayed it so road crews could clear roads and judges could get in.
There were a lot of scratches in the later sessions (most first session people that had a distance to travel stayed at a hotel just down the street).
Our gym was supposed to have 14 girls in the last session...we had 2 girls there.

 

[momof2gymmies]

We cancelled our gyms home meet once. It ran Friday and Saturday and was cancelled for Sunday and Monday. Now granted we had 20 inches of snow from Saturday on, and our area had no heat or power for 10 days, so that might have had something to do with it.

We went to a meet last year that changed all Saturday sessions to either Friday or Sunday because of the expected snow.

 

[profmom]

Not around here! Our hosted meet went ahead as scheduled a few years ago with 10+ inches on the ground. I think it would take a completely disabling blizzard to cancel a meet.

 

[duyetanh]

In a word, yes.
But it truly depends on where the gym hosting it is located and how hard it is to get there. One of my dd's meets was in the middle of nowhere and the amount of snow was so bad, people couldn't get through (no plow). Another meet only half the teams showed. So...yes, it can happen.

 

[Empowered]

In our region, barring a catastrophe where people are told to shelter in place, the meet will go on as scheduled.

Our gym always watches the weather. If something major is expected arrangements are made to travel early or stay longer. We are reminded constantly to have extra hotel days on hand to make fluid air arrangements (if we're flying), just in case of a weather event.

 

[suebee]

States can declare state of emergencies when the snow/weather is really bad. This means that everything is closed, including roads, highways, stores, public transportation - everything. Everyone stays at home until the weather condition improve. I would imagine that a meet would need to be canceled in such a situation but it would be such a nightmare for everyone involved.

 

[profmom]

States can declare state of emergencies when the snow/weather is really bad. This means that everything is closed, including roads, highways, stores, public transportation - everything. Everyone stays at home until the weather condition improve. I would imagine that a meet would need to be canceled in such a situation but it would be such a nightmare for everyone involved.

We joke that under these circumstances, the announcement would be, "A winter storm emergency has been declared. Please stay off the roads unless you are a first responder driving an emergency vehicle or you are a gymnastics parent."

 

[skschlag]

We joke that under these circumstances, the announcement would be, "A winter storm emergency has been declared. Please stay off the roads unless you are a first responder driving an emergency vehicle or you are a gymnastics parent."

That is so true! We have driven thru some serious stuff here. we went to one meet, at a ski resort town....it took us 3 hours to get there, and 8 hour to get home. There are 3 ways to go. Interstate, Mountain Pass 1 or Mountain Pass 2. All 3 took 8 hours. I made Hubby go interstate so at least we got to eat!

 

[Gymmomto2]

We have had 2 meets where the last few sessions were cancelled. We got a refund & was thankful we weren't traveling.

 

[duyetanh]

That is so true! We have driven thru some serious stuff here. we went to one meet, at a ski resort town....it took us 3 hours to get there, and 8 hour to get home. There are 3 ways to go. Interstate, Mountain Pass 1 or Mountain Pass 2. All 3 took 8 hours. I made Hubby go interstate so at least we got to eat!

We did this last year at more than one meet. Never again. If we have to, we take vacay days or even mental health ones and leave a day earlier or stay a day later...had too scary of an experience last year. It changed our starategy.

 

[skschlag]

We could have stayed another day. but it would have been worse. it was either leave then, or be stranded for 2-3 days. they ended up closing all the passes around the resort. And we didn't have our skis! And we would have had to sleep in the car...all the hotels were sold out (it was spring break)

 

[Mish]

We traveled to one last year that should have taken about 90 min. A freak storm closed all bridges and roads, accidents everywhere; took over 3 hours. All of the sessions were pushed back by 1-2 hours, and we still got there just as warmups were beginning. Two of our girls got there after our session ended but before awards, and they let them compete. They felt very out of sorts, however, just the two of them going from event to event while everyone else was done. Turned out they all did very well in then end, but they were all a little frazzled (not to mention the parents!). It changed the way I plan ahead for meets. I'd rather pay a little extra and go the night before rather than be stressed out.

 

[profmom]

So do you keep chains in your car for such happy occasions, Skschlag? I guess we can figure that pushing a car out of a snowbank would qualify as good strength training for our kids, right?

We didn't go to the relevant meet last year, thank goodness, but here's a video of what was going on in Buffalo on that date. All sessions happened as scheduled.

 

[skschlag]

usually take hubby's truck...4 wheel drive, snow tires. No chains needed. My car, however, I need to check. I might have to have chains now with the new laws. I will have to see!

 

[raenndrops]

We did this last year at more than one meet. Never again. If we have to, we take vacay days or even mental health ones and leave a day earlier or stay a day later...had too scary of an experience last year. It changed our starategy.

Leaving the bad meet last year (hc sent me home b4 the last session because she didn't need me for just 2 girls), my brother decided we would take the interstate instead of the usual state highways he prefers. We hit some black ice under slush and we spun... across 4 lanes... did a 530° spin to the shoulder of the road. Thankfully, we didn't hit anyone and nobody hit us.
Of course, we were facing the wrong way. My brother calmed down, then slowly worked the car around so that when all 4 lanes were clear, we could get back on the road - the right way.
It was very scary for about 2 minutes.
Of course, we

 

[munchkin3]

Wow! Some stories! You are all so brave to battle through this weather for meets!
No more taking easy travel to meets for granted!

So far, the weather up in the northeast has been warm. I hope the NY and Chicago meets have easy in and out....
Thanks!

 

[Gymmommy71]

I've driven in some crazy stuff to get to meets - once arriving pretty much everyone else was either there or on their way and close as well, so we all do it. You need to have a vehicle that goes well in the snow if your kid does gymnastics (or all star cheerleading, cause that season runs simultaneous) around me . Grandparents and aunts/uncles think we're insane for driving in what we do to get to meets.