Pool water temps? How hot is too hot? NVSL guidance needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As our temperatures consistently stay above average for several days, the pool water has become excessively hot, making it uncomfortable and unsafe for swimming. We have had to splash cold water on our kids to ensure safety during practice.

We are almost at the end of NVSL's regular swim season. There is one more A meet, followed by Divisionals and All-Stars. As a community, we have to ensure the safety of our children, so it is imperative that NVSL develop safety standards.

One thing is to brave unusually high temperatures; another is to expect our children to swim in such overheated pools.

What are the standards? How can we make it safe?

Step 1 is whether any pool is meeting health and safety metrics for the entire community. Only if the water is a safe temperature and quality for recreation do you even have the luxury to start interrogating swim team.

So let's assume that the pool is legitimate for recreation but that it might be on the hot side for exertion. Let's also assume that we are interested in temperature only, not contamination or chemical balance (which is a whole separate set of problems).

Yes, ice, water cannons, or water intakes can cool things down temporarily, but as others have noted, cooler weather is going to be a lot more efficient, and there is only so much that anyone can do. Outdoor sports take place under less-than-ideal conditions all the time, and athletes, coaches, staff, and spectators deal as best they can. It is important that everyone knows their individual limits, because no policy can protect someone from the needs and limitations of their own personal physiology. Some athletes may have to drop out in temperatures where others can win without damaging themselves, because no two human beings are the same.

Now, kids are minors, and parents and guardians have to make decisions that are best for their children. If a kid is going to push themselves past the point of health and safety, the parent or guardian has to be the one to draw the line and say, "No practice today - it's just too hot."

Those who are worried about their individual kids should withdraw them as needed. But it seems very hard to expect NVSL or any umbrella organization to just hold off an event until it is cool enough in the water for everyone to not be concerned. Meets involve very little actual swimming anyway! And no one has to practice if they don't want to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is an issue. People don’t realize how much you sweat while swimming laps and with such high temperatures becoming dehydrated and overheating is a real risk.

How many NVSL teams have their swimmers doing significant sets? Our large team usually has half a dozen kids in a lane. Longest they do in any stretch is a 100, but much of what they do are 50s and even 25 sprints. Much of this is also in the form of drills. The kids all have water bottles.

My teen is a casual club swimmer, meaning doesn't do summer long-course. According to Apple watch the average summer swim team workout is 1,000m or less over the span of an hour.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As our temperatures consistently stay above average for several days, the pool water has become excessively hot, making it uncomfortable and unsafe for swimming. We have had to splash cold water on our kids to ensure safety during practice.

We are almost at the end of NVSL's regular swim season. There is one more A meet, followed by Divisionals and All-Stars. As a community, we have to ensure the safety of our children, so it is imperative that NVSL develop safety standards.

One thing is to brave unusually high temperatures; another is to expect our children to swim in such overheated pools.

What are the standards? How can we make it safe?

Volunteer for a board seat and offer to develop standards. That’s how you can make it safe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is an issue. People don’t realize how much you sweat while swimming laps and with such high temperatures becoming dehydrated and overheating is a real risk.

How many NVSL teams have their swimmers doing significant sets? Our large team usually has half a dozen kids in a lane. Longest they do in any stretch is a 100, but much of what they do are 50s and even 25 sprints. Much of this is also in the form of drills. The kids all have water bottles.

My teen is a casual club swimmer, meaning doesn't do summer long-course. According to Apple watch the average summer swim team workout is 1,000m or less over the span of an hour.

I'm not NVSL, but an adjacent league and my 10 yo swimmer told me she did 1600m at practice this week. She said they did a 200m warm up and then "a 1400m pyramid." I'm not a swimmer, but this is what she told me when she was falling asleep in her dinner plate at 7 PM.

[Anonymous]

oh please. If you don't want your kids to swim, pull them out but stop advocating for stopping my kids from swimming. We have enough of a nanny state, no need for more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is an issue. People don’t realize how much you sweat while swimming laps and with such high temperatures becoming dehydrated and overheating is a real risk.

How many NVSL teams have their swimmers doing significant sets? Our large team usually has half a dozen kids in a lane. Longest they do in any stretch is a 100, but much of what they do are 50s and even 25 sprints. Much of this is also in the form of drills. The kids all have water bottles.

My teen is a casual club swimmer, meaning doesn't do summer long-course. According to Apple watch the average summer swim team workout is 1,000m or less over the span of an hour.

I'm not NVSL, but an adjacent league and my 10 yo swimmer told me she did 1600m at practice this week. She said they did a 200m warm up and then "a 1400m pyramid." I'm not a swimmer, but this is what she told me when she was falling asleep in her dinner plate at 7 PM.

Sounds like a club coach, coaching summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your pool should have water cannons to shoot cold water across the pool. Most do, and the temps are not a huge problem. They are worth the investment.

What?
No.

[Anonymous]

Our backyard pool is 92F. We have a cover on it (for safety) when not in use and that absorbs heat too. I may open it up overnight to let it cool down.

In places like Arizona, they sell pool coolers for your pool. It's basically a reverse heat pump for your pool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your pool should have water cannons to shoot cold water across the pool. Most do, and the temps are not a huge problem. They are worth the investment.

I have never seen a pool in this area with a water cannon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your pool should have water cannons to shoot cold water across the pool. Most do, and the temps are not a huge problem. They are worth the investment.

I have never seen a pool in this area with a water cannon.

My pool in MoCo has a water cannon that shoots out 2 big streams of water over the pool.

[Anonymous]

The teen group who swim hard at practice looked rough yesterday or the day before, with several complaining of nausea which is a symptom of heat exhaustion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your pool should have water cannons to shoot cold water across the pool. Most do, and the temps are not a huge problem. They are worth the investment.

I have never seen a pool in this area with a water cannon.

Several pools in the area have water cannons. You wouldn't typically see them as they are put out at night after close and put away before opening for safety reasons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Water temp unsafe? GTFO.

You obviously are not a swimmer. I am a master swimmer swimming outdoor with other folks, and the temps were just like those in S Florida. Yuk

Yeah, but how many of these kids are then spending the whole day at the pool for fun – and this mom just wants to complain about a 30 minute practice.

It is different doing a real workout in the pool in warm water versus just playing around.

Yes. Imagine kids who may not be physically fit sprinting in a sauna… Heat stroke is no joke..

[Anonymous]

Any temperature concerns should be moot with this morning’s rain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your pool should have water cannons to shoot cold water across the pool. Most do, and the temps are not a huge problem. They are worth the investment.

I have never seen a pool in this area with a water cannon.

A routine part of our pool staff’s evening routine is setting up the water cannon to run overnight.