Sportball Ontario-Kids programs Sportball-over promised and under delivered-Kid hates it, no refund! Coach had heat exhaustion-Can't keep my kid safe! Toronto Ontario Canada

Sportball Camp at John Ross Robertson last week:

So hot it was scandalous. Unsafe. The coach had heat exhaustion at end of first day and got very ill from sun. The classroom they had for 'crafts' for break time was hotter than the outdorrs with one lame fan blowing hot air. I measured it at 40 degrees.It was unfit for children. They didn't have gym access-so it was oppressively hot outdoors or hot indoors . Waterplay consisted of the coach spraying the kids down with one hose. Even though my kid was signed up for ages 5-8, Sportball only had 3 kids in that age so for most of the class (crafts, and hose play) he was with 3 and 4 year olds. The school yard where they ran had no shade. They didn't have a 'permit' to play in the shady yard. Finally after complaining, on day 3 they got a cooler class (not in direct sun) and permission to play in the hallways of school since it was too hot to be outdoors for 3 hours. This is after 2 days of dangerously hot conditions that Sportball campers suffered through.

When I contacted Sprotball's head office I was met with denial, and talk about how the coaches are professional (yes, they coaches were wonderful, but if he got sick from the sun, how can he keep my 5.5 year old safe??). They made changes for day 3 to make it safe, but the first 2 days were beyond bad. My son said he doesn't want to be with babies-I signed him up to be with 5-8 year olds and he was at least 50% of the time with the young ones, and when he wasn't-who wants to be with only 2 other kids??? Sportball was a terrible camp experience. I had signed him up for 3 weeks total and asked them to give me a credit for the next 2 weeks that we would use for an afterschool program during the year...NO REFUND, NO CREDIT-

Sportball said I missed the cut off for cancelling for the following week, and that for the week in August I get a refund less $25. I argued that he doesn't want to be with babies, that I am willing to ignore the abhorrent conditions of the first 2 days, but that he wants to be in camp with his peer group...nope, according to Rita in the office, he is with his peer group 80% of the time. Then she made up some stories about the classrooms..true, it was ok on day 3..Well, I stayed for the first half hour, and came for pick up a half an hour early..and he was always with the 3 year olds.

I have been a Sportball client off and on for years, and never had a complaint...but the camp experience was AWFUL,  and I feel swindled...and my kid, who loves everything, refuses to return to 'baby camp'.  I would have hoped we could have just received a credit for a suitable program...but they just wanted to take the money. No credit for the fall winter, no refund. They were disgusting to deal with.

BUYER BEWARE of Sportball: You are not getting what you signed up for. And you will never get a credit. They are clearly desperate and care more about the bottom line than child enjoyment. We've had very positive experiences with Sportplay...I would suggest you go to them first. We had a horrible experience with Sportball this summer.