Introduction
Presentation purpose: to provide you with the details associated with Team Travel for the 2011 season.
Upon completion, you should know what is needed and expected of our parents with regard to competition travel.
Youth Team Travel Managers: Andrea Danucalov: Beginner Danny Gianaris: Pre-Juvenile, Juvenile Alycia Hannum: Intermediate, Novice
Youth Team Coordinator Deirdre Fulham Walsh
DSS Travel Coordinator Nancy O’Brien
2
Agenda
Hierarchy of Competition Travel How Competition Staff and Team Travel Coordinators manager
the process
Delaware Synchronized Skating (DSS) Policies The why, where, what, and when of it all
Parent/Skater Responsibilities Reservation Process
3
Hierarchy of Competition Travel
Each competition is sanctioned by the USFSC Each Competition utilizes a Local Organizing Committee
(LOC) for overall competition activities and planning There is always a contact on the LOC who is responsible
for the following: Evaluating and obtaining hotel accommodations for the event Working with the Travel Coordinators of each organization to
determine potential room requirements for the competition Determines the timelines for completing reservations Assigns the hotels and works with Travel Coordinators to
document reservations and practice needs etc Is the only individual the Travel Coordinators may contact
4
Hierarchy of Competition Travel
The LOC receives general numbers for hotel rooms from the organizations very early in the process
The LOC’s next step is to negotiate contracts with hotels They are requesting that hotels hold a large number of rooms These requests are made several months prior to the event These contracts are made on behalf of the USFS These contracts provide group discounts not only for the rooms
but also use of conference and banquet facilities for both off-ice activities as well as Team events
Each team is held accountable to these contracts Attempts to break the contract, negotiate outside the LOC, or
misconduct at the hotel could result in: loss of the rooms, our of practice time at an event, or even the opportunity to participate.
5
Team – LOC – Hotel Interaction
6
LOC
DSS Travel Coordinator
10 Teams
> 150 Skaters plus parents , relatives, friends, and coaches
2009 Easterns
Travel Coordinators
64 Different Organizations
126IndividualSkating Teams
Over 2,500IndividualsRequiring hotelAccommodationand practice rooms
Pre-Juvenile
Juvenile
Collegiate
Adult
Masters
Open Adult
Team Travel Manager
Beginner
Team Travel Manager
Team Travel Manager
H 3
H 5
H 2
H 4
H 1
Team Travel Manager
Intermediate
Novice
Team Travel Manager
Team Travel Manager
Youth Team Coordinator
5 Teams
> 50 Skaters plus parents , relatives, friends, and coaches
Open Collegiate
Hierarchy: Wrap-up
All hotel reservation activity is structured to move from a Team Travel Manager, to Youth Team Coordinator, to an organization Travel Coordinator, to the LOC of an event
LOC travel coordination starts months prior to the event There can be several hundred rooms reserved for each
competition – this hierarchy process ensures clear communication for reservation activity
Contracts made with the hotels are done in the name of the USFSC and as such, any attempts to break, re-negotiate, or adversely impact the hotel can impact the skating organizations official ice time or even it’s ability to participate in an event.
7
Delaware Synchronized Skating (DSS) Policies
Team Travel Coordinator receives reservation deadline dates and hotel information for the 2011-2012 season
Information is provided to Team Travel Managers to determine their timelines to meet the dates
Team Travel Managers will provide Skaters/Parents with hotel information and the deadline for reservations
Team Managers provide Competition dates and locations to skaters and/or parents early in the season Take this opportunity to start scheduling vacation etc as needed Take opportunity to inform family members who may want to go Coordinate rooming needs/potential roommates if appropriate Be sure to adhere to Handbook regulations
8
Delaware Synchronized Skating (DSS) Policies In recent years, reservation requests from the LOC have
occurred PRIOR to the coaches receiving information regarding practice and competition schedules
IF this occurs, we will submit reservations for the entire practice and competition time based on historical timelines. we will work with the LOC to make one time adjustments to
these reservations once schedule information is released
The coaches provide the “Required Attendance Dates” to the Team Manager and Travel Manager Please do not question coaches or managers on this – it will be
provided as soon as they get it
9
Delaware Synchronized Skating (DSS) Policies Wrap Up
Team Travel Coordinator receives dates to submit reservations and hotel information
Team Travel Managers are responsible for gathering information and forwarding to meet the deadlines
Competitions provide the coaches with dates and times of practice and performance
Coaches communicate the “Required Attendance Dates” to Team Managers and Travel Managers
Information regarding required dates is communicated to the skaters and parents via the Team Manager
Reservations are made ONLY through the Team Travel Manager
10
Parent/Skater Responsibilities Your Team Travel Manager will request the following information from you
when reservations are required:
11
Number of Adults and Children in room Arrival Date Departure DateRoom Options (2 beds ,1 King) Special RequirementsCredit Card # Expiration Date Card holder Name
We are requesting that you provide one Credit Card Number in the beginning of the season that can be used for ALL reservationsExpiration Date must extend past March 2012This card will NOT be charged to hold a roomThis is REQUIRED for holding your room – NO EXCEPTIONS
•IF you are uncomfortable providing an existing card number we suggest purchasing a pre-paid VISA or AAA card and load with funds to cover the hold
If you choose to room with another family, please obey the occupancy rules of the hotel. Most standard rooms are made for 4, and can usually hold 5 but a cot request is not a guarantee. Any more than that can be a Fire Regulation issue (even 5 is an issue in NYC) – please remember you are representing an organization and “pushing the envelope” can adversely impact us as a whole. It is also important that our skaters get a good nights sleep as they are there to compete
Parent/Skater Responsibilities You may make reservations for additional family members
as part of your reservation You may make reservations to stay longer
enjoy and support all of the competing DSS Teams
You may NOT contact anyone other than your Team Travel manager regarding reservations This includes hotels – NO DIRECT CONTACT
You may NOT make changes to your reservation once submitted to the LOC except in the following situations: the coaches do not have practice and competition times and dates prior to
required reservation date Special circumstances that must be discussed with the Team Manager
and the Team Travel Manager12
Parent/Skater Responsibilities You are responsible for getting your skater and self to
the competition by the time set by the coaches Some skaters chose to carpool depending upon where the competition is, some may chose to fly –
coordination can still be made with others for car rentals
Do not make travel reservations too early(especially if you chose to fly) until we have the Required Attendance Dates and Times You will be required to change your reservations should they not match
up with the practice or performance times
13
Parent/Skater Responsibilities Parents are responsible for their minor children
If you, as a parent, cannot attend a competition YOU are responsible for coordinating the travel and rooming accommodations of your minor child
You, as the parent, should be the communicating party with the other parent – not your child Please remember – you are asking this parent to be your child’s
guardian at that competition, responsible for their activities as well as health and well-being
For those skaters that are 18, we would still prefer that they not room by themselves for safety reasons Some travel activities (car rental) require an age higher than 18 Many hotels require you to be 21 to make a reservation
14
Parent/Skater Responsibilities While at these hotels, we all represent both Delaware
Synchronized Skating and The University of Delaware – we are the ambassadors for these organizations and, as such, our behavior defines their reputation to others The kids are excited to be at the competition and to have some
time away with their friends and those halls look like fun! Parents are excited to be at the competition and to have some
fun with THEIR friends (and the halls look like fun) Please remind your child of who they represent and please
make sure a parent is with them or watching them There is nothing more frightening to the other folks in the hotel than a
pack of girls running down the hall, or more annoying to the hotel personnel than a bunch of girls riding the elevators up and down or opening and closing the automatic doors over and over
15
Parent/Skater Responsibilities Wrap-up
Be proactive –plan travel and reservations ahead of time Provide all reservation data on time
Please respect the Team Travel Manager’s time and effort
Be sure of your reservation needs – no changes once handed to the LOC
You are responsible for your transportation needs Make sure they are in line with the Required Attendance Dates
You are NOT to speak to or contact any hotels regarding reservations as this could jeopardize the DSS reservation and future competitions
We all represent DSS and UD
16
Parent Participation – 2011/12
I have attended the Parent Meeting and was present for the DSS Rules of Travel presentation
Any questions I had at the time have been addressed I understand the rules and my responsibilities as they
pertain to travel
Parent Signature _______________________________
Skater Team___________________________________
Date __________________17