All-Star Relays -- Why Was the NVSLs Premier Event Such a Disaster

[Anonymous]

I know that that All-Star Relays is a logistical nightmare, but I've been to a lot of them, and this one was by far the worst run meet I've ever been to, bar none. You'd think one of the largest and most prominent leagues in the country would put its best foot forward for one of its two signature meets, but this year's ASR was a complete disaster.

No one thought about simple logistics. They brought in three measly sets of bleachers for a meet that was going to feature almost a thousand swimmers. There were 3 port-a-potties for the swimmer area when there are hundreds of swimmers. I counted - at one point the line was 40 deep. Because the number of port-a-lets was so inadequate, the whole site reeked of port-a-potty half-an-hour into the meet. The walk to clerk was perilous for kids, and there had been no forethought given to putting down any sort of mat to protect kids from stumbling over tree roots, rocks, etc.

The Hamlet personnel were rude, abrasive and obviously never wanted to host the meet. I am not sure I blame them. There has got to be a better way to run this meet. Charge every team a $100 relay entry fee and use the money to rent bleachers and to entice a pool that actually wants to host as opposed to the outright hostility of the Hamlet folks.

The NVSL should be utterly ashamed tonight. What a travesty....

[Anonymous]

Not a Hamlet family, but an attendee of the meet, and my question to you is: Has your pool offered to host this meet? It sounds like you would be great at spearheading this effort!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not a Hamlet family, but an attendee of the meet, and my question to you is: Has your pool offered to host this meet? It sounds like you would be great at spearheading this effort!

yep. Your turn.

[Anonymous]

It's a league problem more than a Hamlet problem. League needs to provide more support.

Seems like Hamlet got stuck with the meet and they weren't happy about it and it showed...

[Anonymous]

I’ll pay you $100 to do it.

[Anonymous]

How do they decide who has to host the meet?

[Anonymous]

What Hamlet personnel did you come in contact with and why? The volunteer parking staff at the elementary school for swimmer drop off, the lifeguards? The meet volunteers (judges, timers, marshall’s etc) were from every division, not just Hamlet.

[Anonymous]

Hamlet volunteered because guess what - NO OTHER POOL STEPPED UP.

So if they had not had it - it would have been virtual again. The league is still volunteers and a lot of the senior leadership left and never trained replacements. Did not even occur to them.

I actually like your idea of an entrance fee - $50 a team with part of the money going for port a potties/bleachers/water stations, etc. And part of it going to the host team to make money - because concession sales will be great, but added money is better.

[Anonymous]

It was a terribly run meet. Just awful. It was as if the Hamlet people had never been to an ASR meet before. They did not think through basic logistics of how many people and swimmers would be in attendance and just basic flow and seating. The team rep area - which for some bizarre reason was limited to 2 reps, was empty all night. Unfortunately that was the only area where if they rented bleachers (or used bleachers that were offered to them!) could have sat people. And how about the mud?? Any thoughts to putting down a mat in the very limited spectator area - which Hamlet tried to direct all of the team coaches to have to walk through the mud to get to coach’s area instead of opening the other side entrance which was concrete?? A mess.

Agree something needs to be done by the NVSL. Cannot have another meet like this. Not fair to the spectators. And not fair to Hamlet. They were not prepared to host a meet of this magnitude.

[Anonymous]

Wow, all this on the shoulders of 2 volunteer moms who have never been part of this event in the past?

[Anonymous]

Exactly the point. Hamlet was very unprepared.

[Anonymous]

I'm laughing at "one of the largest and most prominent leagues in the country" -- it's summer swimming! Utterly meaningless in the big picture, and no one in "the country" cares a whit about how your kid does in summer swim team relays. Simmer down, OP, and just have fun with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm laughing at "one of the largest and most prominent leagues in the country" -- it's summer swimming! Utterly meaningless in the big picture, and no one in "the country" cares a whit about how your kid does in summer swim team relays. Simmer down, OP, and just have fun with it.

+1. OP is ridiculous. And one senses this is just one in a series of ridiculous threads OP has started.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm laughing at "one of the largest and most prominent leagues in the country" -- it's summer swimming! Utterly meaningless in the big picture, and no one in "the country" cares a whit about how your kid does in summer swim team relays. Simmer down, OP, and just have fun with it.

+1. OP is ridiculous. And one senses this is just one in a series of ridiculous threads OP has started.

+2, this is rec league summer swim, FFS.

[Anonymous]

I agree, it is a rec league summer sport. However, kids put in tons of time and work so hard to get to ASR. It is a huge deal at our pool to get into ASR and kids work so hard every year to qualify. Such a shame to work so hard and then have the event run so poorly.