Through no one's fault, a local swim meet was recently cancelled in our area due to the northeast snow storm. This is the first time in my 8 USMS years I know of a meet being cancelled at the last minute (some past were cancelled with notice).
Several of our team members sent in registrations for the meet. Of course there are expenses with organizing/planning a meet that must be paid, but the meet directors have indicacted that no fees paid will be returned. Needless to say, this has upset some members, especially those paying more by entering the maximum number of events.
I ask what past experience others have had when a meet is cancelled at the last minute. Did meet directors make contingency plans, especially for winter meets? Were there partial refunds? (It would seem that some expenses would not exist - mailing results, officials, pool rental) Were other types of redress offered if money was not refunded? How did swimmers affected understand and accept their forfeit if any? Do host teams share some/all/none of the risk of hosting meets? How usual or unusual is this?
Charlotte Masters, North Carolina had a close call in which they almost had to call off a meet the next to last weekend in January. Fortunately the roads were clear and they were able to proceed with the meet. They emailed everyone they could and called representatives from each team to let us know the meet was on. Several years ago they did have to cancel a meet due to weather, but again they made every effort to call. They rescheduled the meet 2 weeks later and refunded any money to those who could not attend. Most meet entries in our area ask for an email address, day and evening phone, so swimmers can be contacted, especially for those who are traveling from out of state. I did not want to drive from Atlanta to Charlotte for nothing, so I called the meet director who was very easy to reach by phone. By the way that had a great meet in a very good 50 meter pool with ample warm up and down lanes.
Charlotte Masters, North Carolina had a close call in which they almost had to call off a meet the next to last weekend in January. Fortunately the roads were clear and they were able to proceed with the meet. They emailed everyone they could and called representatives from each team to let us know the meet was on. Several years ago they did have to cancel a meet due to weather, but again they made every effort to call. They rescheduled the meet 2 weeks later and refunded any money to those who could not attend. Most meet entries in our area ask for an email address, day and evening phone, so swimmers can be contacted, especially for those who are traveling from out of state. I did not want to drive from Atlanta to Charlotte for nothing, so I called the meet director who was very easy to reach by phone. By the way that had a great meet in a very good 50 meter pool with ample warm up and down lanes.
