Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

What does GTS stand for?
Gardner Training System

Remote Coaching

Coach Availability and Responsiveness
Access to your coach is a critical component of the Remote Coaching program. For the Elite option, daily phone conversations will generally last between 5 and 10 minutes. For the less frequent calls of the Intermediate and Advanced options, they will usually last 20-30 minutes. These are welcome and encouraged so that we can plan and review training sessions or make adjustments to the programme as needed. If your call is missed, you can expect a call back between 9 am and 4 pm on weekdays (we will endeavor to call back ASAP). On weekends you will receive a call back as soon as your coach is available, but you should understand that they will prioritize family committments over work on these days. To avoid "phone tag," you should provide a couple of options for a call back windows along with your message.
Athletes are expected to respect the time of their coach and to not abuse this system. It is not unusual for conversations to extend beyond 5 to 10 minutes. If the athlete is regularly extending conversations to 20, 30 minutes without consent, your coach may need to place a time limit on those calls. Emails and text are also welcome for any quick questions but discouraged for any conversation that would benefit from realtime back and forth diaglogue.
Does this include in-person coaching?
Local athletes may be invited to complete their training sessions with their coach from time to time in order to allow the coach to provide direct technical feedback and coaching interventions. However, in-person coaching is not explicitly included in your Remote Coaching product and should not be expected. Athletes that would like to pursue this option further are welcome and encouraged to use the on-site coaching services available on the Consulting Services page. Depending on your location and the type of session required, Remote Coaching clients may even be eligible for discounted rates. Inquire with your coach for more information.
Who will be coaching me?
At this time GTS Rowing services are provided exclusively by Travis Gardner, 3-time National Champion Sculler, 3-time National Champion Coach, and coach to dozens of recruited Division I, II, and III student-athletes. To learn more about Travis' background in the sport please visit the About page.
What happens if I cannot complete my training due to illness, injury, etc.?
Unless you are a professional athlete it is expected that you will miss training sessions from time to time. When this happens your coach will adjust your plan in realtime as needed.
Illness is a normal aspect of human life however inconvenient it may be. GTS does not believe in "training through" illness (or injury) and will adjust your training to accomodate your body's needs both during and following an illness. In the event of any injury, GTS will coordinate with the athletes based on the specific situation. It is nearly unheard of for one of Travis' athletes to develop a training related injury that prevents them from rowing, and when it has happened it is generally because the athlete did not communicate their issue until long after it manifested.
No amount of skillful coaching can prevent injuries unrelated to your training activities. If you are unable to complete your training because of uncontrollable circumstances, GTS will adjust your programme and billing as appropriate and as determined between coach and client.

Consulting and On-Site Coaching

Do I call you or will you call me?
GTS will call you for any prearranged consult at the number and time provided. Please note that GTA is based in Eastern Standard Time and will communicate call times based on that standard. Clients may request a video conference and should do so by email once the call has been confirmed. International calls will be subject to additional fees as appropriate, though apps like WhatsApp are great for connecting without additional expense.
What will we talk about?
GTS encourages you to provide a list of topics when confirming your call so that adequate preparation can be made to ensure your questions are answered quickly and efficiently. This call is your time however, and you are welcome to deviate from those topics to whatever degree you wish. Exectutive Consults will benefit from the same flexibility, though will usually stay a little closer to script.
What is considered a "session" for on-site coaching services?
Sessions up to 120 minutes are expected for on-site coaching. Your coach will endeavor to arrive at least 15 minutes early to these sessions and that time is not included for billing purposes. If the coach arrives late, the session's end time will be extended as appropriate. Adjustments will not be made if the client is late to arrive.

Registration and Billing

Payment Processing
GTS Rowing uses PayPal Merchant Services for online payments. Google Pay, Venmo, Cash and Check are also accepted. Please contact GTS at info@gtsrowing.com if you would like to coordinate payment through one of these alternate mediums.
The program I want is full. Is there a waitlist?
Yes, we will maintain a waitlist for any and all programs with a fixed capacity. In the event of cancellations, athletes on the waitlist will be contacted in the order they were received until the vacant position is filled.
Cancellations and Refunds
Cancellations and refund policies vary between each product. See the detailed section below for more details by product type.

Cancellations and Refund

Cancellations Policy - Remote Coaching
Remote Coaching is billed on a monthly basis and once payment is received it will generally not be refunded. Exceptions to this policy include unique circumstances outside of the control of the client. These may include, loss of job, extended family emergencies, and chronic or severe health issues (specifically excluding regular interruptions such as colds or seasonal flu, etc.) The client is welcome to choose to defer their remote coaching to a later period in the event that a disruption occurs which is not eligible for refund. These deferrals are subject to approval by the coach.
Cancellation Policy - Intensive Camps
Intensive Camps include any camps that utilize 2 or more daily training sessions. These camps require a non-refundable deposit, the amount of which will be specified in the registration process. If, and only if the spot that you vacate is filled by another athlete, this non-refundable deposit will be reduced to an administrative fee not to exceed $100, and the balance will be returned. Cancellations within one month of a camp's start date will result in the forfeiture of the entire registration fee. These include no shows.
Cancellation Policy - Standard Camps
Standard Camps include any camps that feature a single daily trainging session. Cancellations will be accepted up to one week before the camp is scheduled to begin and an administrative fee of $50 will be deducted from your refund. Cancellations within one week of the start date will not be eligible for a refund but may reschedule their attendence for a future camp with availability along with a $100 administrative fee. No shows will result in the forfeiture of their registration fee as well as the option to reschedule.
Cancellation Policy - Consult Calls
Consult Calls can be cancelled anytime up to 48 hours prior to the scheduled call. An administrative fee of $15 (general consult) or $45 (executive consult) will be deducted from any refunded payment. Calls cancelled within 48 hours are not eligible for a refund, but may be rescheduled to a later date with an administrative fee of $25. Calls cancelled within 4 hours of the scheduled time are not eligible for a refund. These may be rescheduled at the discretion of the consultant.
Cancellation Policy - On Site Coaching
On Site Coaching can be cancelled anytime up to 48 hours prior to the scheduled session. An administrative fee of $50 will be deducted from any refunded payment. Sessions cancelled within 48 hours are not eligible for a refund but may be rescheduled to a later date with an administrative fee of $50. Sessions cancelled after 5 pm on the day preceding the session are not eligible for a refund and may be rescheduled for a fee only a the discretion of the consultant.
Will you make exceptions to the cancellation policies?
GTS will consider any refund request on a case by case basis. Please ask and let us know any circumstances we should consider. For example, if your child fell at the playground and broke their arm the day you had a consult call scheduled, we're not going to hold you accountable for failing to cancel the call within the given window. Please ensure any request for special consideration is clear and comprehensive so that we are in the best position to make the right decision.

Still have Questions?

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