Swim Team Volunteering - it helps if you are nice

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The current gen are annoyed they can't pay people to do the work volunteers used to do. Hilarious how they want to outsource every aspect of their life...can't grill, gotta have food trucks. Can't time, need ot hire teenagers or off suty life guards. Heck they try to use on duty life guards as baby sitters.

Also, there is no need for 3 timers for 6 year olds swimming.

This, and I think it's one of the reasons kids sports in general are dying out. No one wants to be involved or make a commitment any more.

Just an observation from a non-swimmer parent...I swam growing up- wasn't particularly good, though placed in the top 5 in a few high school events- but even in our competitive summer swim league, we didn't have 3 timers per lane. You got one and you lived with the time they clocked for you. It's been fascinating reading these swim threads.

Did you have touch pads though? High schools when I grew up had a touch pad and one timer as a backup. Most summer pools rely solely on timers, and that's why there are 3.

Wouldn’t that mean maybe having 2 timers max? Honestly 3 adults crouched over a lane as a 6 year old struggles to the finish is such a ridiculous sight.

You keep saying a six year old and failing to acknowledge that’s not what the majority of swimmers actually are. You can’t make different rules that are easily applied to six year olds as well as a 17-18 almost to the cut off for something important. If you don’t like the rules, are too busy to sign up, or whatever the case may be, don’t participate in swim team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The current gen are annoyed they can't pay people to do the work volunteers used to do. Hilarious how they want to outsource every aspect of their life...can't grill, gotta have food trucks. Can't time, need ot hire teenagers or off suty life guards. Heck they try to use on duty life guards as baby sitters.

Also, there is no need for 3 timers for 6 year olds swimming.

This, and I think it's one of the reasons kids sports in general are dying out. No one wants to be involved or make a commitment any more.

Just an observation from a non-swimmer parent...I swam growing up- wasn't particularly good, though placed in the top 5 in a few high school events- but even in our competitive summer swim league, we didn't have 3 timers per lane. You got one and you lived with the time they clocked for you. It's been fascinating reading these swim threads.

Did you have touch pads though? High schools when I grew up had a touch pad and one timer as a backup. Most summer pools rely solely on timers, and that's why there are 3.

No, our summer league pools didn’t have touch pads- they had ONE mom or dad holding a stop watch.

I don't know if rules have changed but I'm pretty sure at least two are currently required in order for the time to "count" for placing at A meets, individual standings, etc. Of course this is irrelevant for most 6 year olds, but some are really fast. You can't just randomly change the policies for the 6 and under heats because 1) you never know if a 6 year old will have a fast swim that needs to "count", and 2) the heats before and after will need 2-3 timers per lane anyway.

Swimming has always required a high level of parent commitment. I remember the signup posters at my pool growing up in the 80s and 90s (ah, the good old pre-Internet days). It takes a lot of people to run a swim meet and there are a lot of them in a short season. Honestly if you can't commit to helping out you shouldn't sign your kids up for summer swim. I know plenty of parents who don't because they are realistic about their time while working full time. There are plenty of other activities that don't require so much from parents.

I hear you and agree that if 3 timers are required, you can't go rogue and only have one. But, does anyone get a college scholarship from swimming summer league? Serious question as my kids are not on swim team (as you said, we could never do it due to being a two working parent family). Do the times/standings ever impact anything beyond the end of July?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The current gen are annoyed they can't pay people to do the work volunteers used to do. Hilarious how they want to outsource every aspect of their life...can't grill, gotta have food trucks. Can't time, need ot hire teenagers or off suty life guards. Heck they try to use on duty life guards as baby sitters.

Also, there is no need for 3 timers for 6 year olds swimming.

This, and I think it's one of the reasons kids sports in general are dying out. No one wants to be involved or make a commitment any more.

Just an observation from a non-swimmer parent...I swam growing up- wasn't particularly good, though placed in the top 5 in a few high school events- but even in our competitive summer swim league, we didn't have 3 timers per lane. You got one and you lived with the time they clocked for you. It's been fascinating reading these swim threads.

Did you have touch pads though? High schools when I grew up had a touch pad and one timer as a backup. Most summer pools rely solely on timers, and that's why there are 3.

No, our summer league pools didn’t have touch pads- they had ONE mom or dad holding a stop watch.

I don't know if rules have changed but I'm pretty sure at least two are currently required in order for the time to "count" for placing at A meets, individual standings, etc. Of course this is irrelevant for most 6 year olds, but some are really fast. You can't just randomly change the policies for the 6 and under heats because 1) you never know if a 6 year old will have a fast swim that needs to "count", and 2) the heats before and after will need 2-3 timers per lane anyway.

Swimming has always required a high level of parent commitment. I remember the signup posters at my pool growing up in the 80s and 90s (ah, the good old pre-Internet days). It takes a lot of people to run a swim meet and there are a lot of them in a short season. Honestly if you can't commit to helping out you shouldn't sign your kids up for summer swim. I know plenty of parents who don't because they are realistic about their time while working full time. There are plenty of other activities that don't require so much from parents.

I hear you and agree that if 3 timers are required, you can't go rogue and only have one. But, does anyone get a college scholarship from swimming summer league? Serious question as my kids are not on swim team (as you said, we could never do it due to being a two working parent family). Do the times/standings ever impact anything beyond the end of July?

Very interesting that you think that kids sports are only of value if you can get a college scholarship. But yes, you can.
https://www.mynvsl.com/hall-of-fame

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The current gen are annoyed they can't pay people to do the work volunteers used to do. Hilarious how they want to outsource every aspect of their life...can't grill, gotta have food trucks. Can't time, need ot hire teenagers or off suty life guards. Heck they try to use on duty life guards as baby sitters.

Also, there is no need for 3 timers for 6 year olds swimming.

This, and I think it's one of the reasons kids sports in general are dying out. No one wants to be involved or make a commitment any more.

Just an observation from a non-swimmer parent...I swam growing up- wasn't particularly good, though placed in the top 5 in a few high school events- but even in our competitive summer swim league, we didn't have 3 timers per lane. You got one and you lived with the time they clocked for you. It's been fascinating reading these swim threads.

Did you have touch pads though? High schools when I grew up had a touch pad and one timer as a backup. Most summer pools rely solely on timers, and that's why there are 3.

No, our summer league pools didn’t have touch pads- they had ONE mom or dad holding a stop watch.

I don't know if rules have changed but I'm pretty sure at least two are currently required in order for the time to "count" for placing at A meets, individual standings, etc. Of course this is irrelevant for most 6 year olds, but some are really fast. You can't just randomly change the policies for the 6 and under heats because 1) you never know if a 6 year old will have a fast swim that needs to "count", and 2) the heats before and after will need 2-3 timers per lane anyway.

Swimming has always required a high level of parent commitment. I remember the signup posters at my pool growing up in the 80s and 90s (ah, the good old pre-Internet days). It takes a lot of people to run a swim meet and there are a lot of them in a short season. Honestly if you can't commit to helping out you shouldn't sign your kids up for summer swim. I know plenty of parents who don't because they are realistic about their time while working full time. There are plenty of other activities that don't require so much from parents.

I hear you and agree that if 3 timers are required, you can't go rogue and only have one. But, does anyone get a college scholarship from swimming summer league? Serious question as my kids are not on swim team (as you said, we could never do it due to being a two working parent family). Do the times/standings ever impact anything beyond the end of July?

I had a college swimming scholarship, obviously not directly due to summer league, but it is how I fell in love with the sport. Success in summer swim also helped me build confidence that I was very much lacking as a teenage girl. I was the high point winner for my age group at my league's all star meet one summer (15 I think?). Of course none of this matters in the grand scheme of life, but it mattered greatly to me. And of course I scored a ton of points at the dual meets which contributed to my team becoming champions of the highest division for several years growing up. It was fun having the bragging rights that came from being the top team, and it made the dual meets more exciting the following year -- everyone wanted to knock us off.

[Anonymous]

Every year, little Larla joins swim team and mom or dad is outraged that they “aren’t run efficiently” and “three timers is ridiculous”. Please don’t join swim team then. It is a league rule almost everywhere. (Everywhere we have swam in the summer, chime in if you are in a league that doesn’t require it so these people can go there). Do not blame your reps, your pool, etc. it is not their choice. Unfortunately you can’t just decide it’s ridiculous and you’re not volunteering because you don’t think it’s necessary. Your pool has to follow the league rules or they will have no one to swim against.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The current gen are annoyed they can't pay people to do the work volunteers used to do. Hilarious how they want to outsource every aspect of their life...can't grill, gotta have food trucks. Can't time, need ot hire teenagers or off suty life guards. Heck they try to use on duty life guards as baby sitters.

Also, there is no need for 3 timers for 6 year olds swimming.

This, and I think it's one of the reasons kids sports in general are dying out. No one wants to be involved or make a commitment any more.

Just an observation from a non-swimmer parent...I swam growing up- wasn't particularly good, though placed in the top 5 in a few high school events- but even in our competitive summer swim league, we didn't have 3 timers per lane. You got one and you lived with the time they clocked for you. It's been fascinating reading these swim threads.

Did you have touch pads though? High schools when I grew up had a touch pad and one timer as a backup. Most summer pools rely solely on timers, and that's why there are 3.

No, our summer league pools didn’t have touch pads- they had ONE mom or dad holding a stop watch.

I don't know if rules have changed but I'm pretty sure at least two are currently required in order for the time to "count" for placing at A meets, individual standings, etc. Of course this is irrelevant for most 6 year olds, but some are really fast. You can't just randomly change the policies for the 6 and under heats because 1) you never know if a 6 year old will have a fast swim that needs to "count", and 2) the heats before and after will need 2-3 timers per lane anyway.

Swimming has always required a high level of parent commitment. I remember the signup posters at my pool growing up in the 80s and 90s (ah, the good old pre-Internet days). It takes a lot of people to run a swim meet and there are a lot of them in a short season. Honestly if you can't commit to helping out you shouldn't sign your kids up for summer swim. I know plenty of parents who don't because they are realistic about their time while working full time. There are plenty of other activities that don't require so much from parents.

I hear you and agree that if 3 timers are required, you can't go rogue and only have one. But, does anyone get a college scholarship from swimming summer league? Serious question as my kids are not on swim team (as you said, we could never do it due to being a two working parent family). Do the times/standings ever impact anything beyond the end of July?

No, they don’t, but parents in this area like to act like summer rec swim is the equivalent of the Olympics or something. I actually find the summer swim parents worse than my kid’s club parents. The kids that swim in college do so based on their results in club meets, not based on summer swim results. There are good club swimmers that swim for their summer teams, although on our summer team the top club kids seem to stop summer swim once they hit 13-14.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The current gen are annoyed they can't pay people to do the work volunteers used to do. Hilarious how they want to outsource every aspect of their life...can't grill, gotta have food trucks. Can't time, need ot hire teenagers or off suty life guards. Heck they try to use on duty life guards as baby sitters.

Also, there is no need for 3 timers for 6 year olds swimming.

This, and I think it's one of the reasons kids sports in general are dying out. No one wants to be involved or make a commitment any more.

Just an observation from a non-swimmer parent...I swam growing up- wasn't particularly good, though placed in the top 5 in a few high school events- but even in our competitive summer swim league, we didn't have 3 timers per lane. You got one and you lived with the time they clocked for you. It's been fascinating reading these swim threads.

Did you have touch pads though? High schools when I grew up had a touch pad and one timer as a backup. Most summer pools rely solely on timers, and that's why there are 3.

No, our summer league pools didn’t have touch pads- they had ONE mom or dad holding a stop watch.

I don't know if rules have changed but I'm pretty sure at least two are currently required in order for the time to "count" for placing at A meets, individual standings, etc. Of course this is irrelevant for most 6 year olds, but some are really fast. You can't just randomly change the policies for the 6 and under heats because 1) you never know if a 6 year old will have a fast swim that needs to "count", and 2) the heats before and after will need 2-3 timers per lane anyway.

Swimming has always required a high level of parent commitment. I remember the signup posters at my pool growing up in the 80s and 90s (ah, the good old pre-Internet days). It takes a lot of people to run a swim meet and there are a lot of them in a short season. Honestly if you can't commit to helping out you shouldn't sign your kids up for summer swim. I know plenty of parents who don't because they are realistic about their time while working full time. There are plenty of other activities that don't require so much from parents.

I hear you and agree that if 3 timers are required, you can't go rogue and only have one. But, does anyone get a college scholarship from swimming summer league? Serious question as my kids are not on swim team (as you said, we could never do it due to being a two working parent family). Do the times/standings ever impact anything beyond the end of July?

No, they don’t, but parents in this area like to act like summer rec swim is the equivalent of the Olympics or something. I actually find the summer swim parents worse than my kid’s club parents. The kids that swim in college do so based on their results in club meets, not based on summer swim results. There are good club swimmers that swim for their summer teams, although on our summer team the top club kids seem to stop summer swim once they hit 13-14.

The problem is these leagues (and many of the teams) are run by parents who have year-round swimmers. All of the timing rules, stroke and turn, refereeing etc. benefit year round swimmers and those parents want to keep it that way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The current gen are annoyed they can't pay people to do the work volunteers used to do. Hilarious how they want to outsource every aspect of their life...can't grill, gotta have food trucks. Can't time, need ot hire teenagers or off suty life guards. Heck they try to use on duty life guards as baby sitters.

Also, there is no need for 3 timers for 6 year olds swimming.

This, and I think it's one of the reasons kids sports in general are dying out. No one wants to be involved or make a commitment any more.

Just an observation from a non-swimmer parent...I swam growing up- wasn't particularly good, though placed in the top 5 in a few high school events- but even in our competitive summer swim league, we didn't have 3 timers per lane. You got one and you lived with the time they clocked for you. It's been fascinating reading these swim threads.

Did you have touch pads though? High schools when I grew up had a touch pad and one timer as a backup. Most summer pools rely solely on timers, and that's why there are 3.

No, our summer league pools didn’t have touch pads- they had ONE mom or dad holding a stop watch.

I don't know if rules have changed but I'm pretty sure at least two are currently required in order for the time to "count" for placing at A meets, individual standings, etc. Of course this is irrelevant for most 6 year olds, but some are really fast. You can't just randomly change the policies for the 6 and under heats because 1) you never know if a 6 year old will have a fast swim that needs to "count", and 2) the heats before and after will need 2-3 timers per lane anyway.

Swimming has always required a high level of parent commitment. I remember the signup posters at my pool growing up in the 80s and 90s (ah, the good old pre-Internet days). It takes a lot of people to run a swim meet and there are a lot of them in a short season. Honestly if you can't commit to helping out you shouldn't sign your kids up for summer swim. I know plenty of parents who don't because they are realistic about their time while working full time. There are plenty of other activities that don't require so much from parents.

I hear you and agree that if 3 timers are required, you can't go rogue and only have one. But, does anyone get a college scholarship from swimming summer league? Serious question as my kids are not on swim team (as you said, we could never do it due to being a two working parent family). Do the times/standings ever impact anything beyond the end of July?

No, they don’t, but parents in this area like to act like summer rec swim is the equivalent of the Olympics or something. I actually find the summer swim parents worse than my kid’s club parents. The kids that swim in college do so based on their results in club meets, not based on summer swim results. There are good club swimmers that swim for their summer teams, although on our summer team the top club kids seem to stop summer swim once they hit 13-14.

The problem is these leagues (and many of the teams) are run by parents who have year-round swimmers. All of the timing rules, stroke and turn, refereeing etc. benefit year round swimmers and those parents want to keep it that way.

You are welcome to become an official and get involved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The current gen are annoyed they can't pay people to do the work volunteers used to do. Hilarious how they want to outsource every aspect of their life...can't grill, gotta have food trucks. Can't time, need ot hire teenagers or off suty life guards. Heck they try to use on duty life guards as baby sitters.

Also, there is no need for 3 timers for 6 year olds swimming.

This, and I think it's one of the reasons kids sports in general are dying out. No one wants to be involved or make a commitment any more.

Just an observation from a non-swimmer parent...I swam growing up- wasn't particularly good, though placed in the top 5 in a few high school events- but even in our competitive summer swim league, we didn't have 3 timers per lane. You got one and you lived with the time they clocked for you. It's been fascinating reading these swim threads.

Did you have touch pads though? High schools when I grew up had a touch pad and one timer as a backup. Most summer pools rely solely on timers, and that's why there are 3.

No, our summer league pools didn’t have touch pads- they had ONE mom or dad holding a stop watch.

I don't know if rules have changed but I'm pretty sure at least two are currently required in order for the time to "count" for placing at A meets, individual standings, etc. Of course this is irrelevant for most 6 year olds, but some are really fast. You can't just randomly change the policies for the 6 and under heats because 1) you never know if a 6 year old will have a fast swim that needs to "count", and 2) the heats before and after will need 2-3 timers per lane anyway.

Swimming has always required a high level of parent commitment. I remember the signup posters at my pool growing up in the 80s and 90s (ah, the good old pre-Internet days). It takes a lot of people to run a swim meet and there are a lot of them in a short season. Honestly if you can't commit to helping out you shouldn't sign your kids up for summer swim. I know plenty of parents who don't because they are realistic about their time while working full time. There are plenty of other activities that don't require so much from parents.

I hear you and agree that if 3 timers are required, you can't go rogue and only have one. But, does anyone get a college scholarship from swimming summer league? Serious question as my kids are not on swim team (as you said, we could never do it due to being a two working parent family). Do the times/standings ever impact anything beyond the end of July?

Very interesting that you think that kids sports are only of value if you can get a college scholarship. But yes, you can.
https://www.mynvsl.com/hall-of-fame

"But yes, you can" what? Great, a handful of swimmers out of thousands got a small amount of $ from their summer swim league.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The current gen are annoyed they can't pay people to do the work volunteers used to do. Hilarious how they want to outsource every aspect of their life...can't grill, gotta have food trucks. Can't time, need ot hire teenagers or off suty life guards. Heck they try to use on duty life guards as baby sitters.

Also, there is no need for 3 timers for 6 year olds swimming.

This, and I think it's one of the reasons kids sports in general are dying out. No one wants to be involved or make a commitment any more.

Just an observation from a non-swimmer parent...I swam growing up- wasn't particularly good, though placed in the top 5 in a few high school events- but even in our competitive summer swim league, we didn't have 3 timers per lane. You got one and you lived with the time they clocked for you. It's been fascinating reading these swim threads.

Did you have touch pads though? High schools when I grew up had a touch pad and one timer as a backup. Most summer pools rely solely on timers, and that's why there are 3.

No, our summer league pools didn’t have touch pads- they had ONE mom or dad holding a stop watch.

I don't know if rules have changed but I'm pretty sure at least two are currently required in order for the time to "count" for placing at A meets, individual standings, etc. Of course this is irrelevant for most 6 year olds, but some are really fast. You can't just randomly change the policies for the 6 and under heats because 1) you never know if a 6 year old will have a fast swim that needs to "count", and 2) the heats before and after will need 2-3 timers per lane anyway.

Swimming has always required a high level of parent commitment. I remember the signup posters at my pool growing up in the 80s and 90s (ah, the good old pre-Internet days). It takes a lot of people to run a swim meet and there are a lot of them in a short season. Honestly if you can't commit to helping out you shouldn't sign your kids up for summer swim. I know plenty of parents who don't because they are realistic about their time while working full time. There are plenty of other activities that don't require so much from parents.

I hear you and agree that if 3 timers are required, you can't go rogue and only have one. But, does anyone get a college scholarship from swimming summer league? Serious question as my kids are not on swim team (as you said, we could never do it due to being a two working parent family). Do the times/standings ever impact anything beyond the end of July?

No, they don’t, but parents in this area like to act like summer rec swim is the equivalent of the Olympics or something. I actually find the summer swim parents worse than my kid’s club parents. The kids that swim in college do so based on their results in club meets, not based on summer swim results. There are good club swimmers that swim for their summer teams, although on our summer team the top club kids seem to stop summer swim once they hit 13-14.

The problem is these leagues (and many of the teams) are run by parents who have year-round swimmers. All of the timing rules, stroke and turn, refereeing etc. benefit year round swimmers and those parents want to keep it that way.

How do ref and stroke and turn judges only benefit year round swimmers? In any sport there are refs. Stroke and turn are there to let kids know if they aren't doing a stroke properly. May kids start out in summer league, love swimming and go on to swim year round. Some kids may also swim in high school even if they don't do year round swim.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The current gen are annoyed they can't pay people to do the work volunteers used to do. Hilarious how they want to outsource every aspect of their life...can't grill, gotta have food trucks. Can't time, need ot hire teenagers or off suty life guards. Heck they try to use on duty life guards as baby sitters.

Also, there is no need for 3 timers for 6 year olds swimming.

This, and I think it's one of the reasons kids sports in general are dying out. No one wants to be involved or make a commitment any more.

Just an observation from a non-swimmer parent...I swam growing up- wasn't particularly good, though placed in the top 5 in a few high school events- but even in our competitive summer swim league, we didn't have 3 timers per lane. You got one and you lived with the time they clocked for you. It's been fascinating reading these swim threads.

Did you have touch pads though? High schools when I grew up had a touch pad and one timer as a backup. Most summer pools rely solely on timers, and that's why there are 3.

No, our summer league pools didn’t have touch pads- they had ONE mom or dad holding a stop watch.

I don't know if rules have changed but I'm pretty sure at least two are currently required in order for the time to "count" for placing at A meets, individual standings, etc. Of course this is irrelevant for most 6 year olds, but some are really fast. You can't just randomly change the policies for the 6 and under heats because 1) you never know if a 6 year old will have a fast swim that needs to "count", and 2) the heats before and after will need 2-3 timers per lane anyway.

Swimming has always required a high level of parent commitment. I remember the signup posters at my pool growing up in the 80s and 90s (ah, the good old pre-Internet days). It takes a lot of people to run a swim meet and there are a lot of them in a short season. Honestly if you can't commit to helping out you shouldn't sign your kids up for summer swim. I know plenty of parents who don't because they are realistic about their time while working full time. There are plenty of other activities that don't require so much from parents.

I hear you and agree that if 3 timers are required, you can't go rogue and only have one. But, does anyone get a college scholarship from swimming summer league? Serious question as my kids are not on swim team (as you said, we could never do it due to being a two working parent family). Do the times/standings ever impact anything beyond the end of July?

No, they don’t, but parents in this area like to act like summer rec swim is the equivalent of the Olympics or something. I actually find the summer swim parents worse than my kid’s club parents. The kids that swim in college do so based on their results in club meets, not based on summer swim results. There are good club swimmers that swim for their summer teams, although on our summer team the top club kids seem to stop summer swim once they hit 13-14.

The problem is these leagues (and many of the teams) are run by parents who have year-round swimmers. All of the timing rules, stroke and turn, refereeing etc. benefit year round swimmers and those parents want to keep it that way.

........ what? You mean, USA Swimming rules for stroke and turn? Parents aren't just making these up.

How does having three timers benefit year-round swimmers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I swear every summer swim team post makes me more and more glad that my kids don't want to do it.

Our summer swim team is nothing like most of these posts. When I volunteered to be a clerk of course last year as a total newbie, one of the OG parents took me under her wing and taught me everything she knew. Other parents chimed in. Everyone is super supportive. This year, the team reps have been SO thankful to me for volunteering as head clerk of course, and I have tried to pass on what I know.

All that said, I wouldn’t (and don’t) live in many of the neighborhoods prized by DCUM. I have a hunch that’s part of it.

Same!

[Anonymous]

Three timers make the job easier for those that have to enter the times into the computer (which is a really tedious job)...you can then take the middle time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The current gen are annoyed they can't pay people to do the work volunteers used to do. Hilarious how they want to outsource every aspect of their life...can't grill, gotta have food trucks. Can't time, need ot hire teenagers or off suty life guards. Heck they try to use on duty life guards as baby sitters.

Also, there is no need for 3 timers for 6 year olds swimming.

This, and I think it's one of the reasons kids sports in general are dying out. No one wants to be involved or make a commitment any more.

Just an observation from a non-swimmer parent...I swam growing up- wasn't particularly good, though placed in the top 5 in a few high school events- but even in our competitive summer swim league, we didn't have 3 timers per lane. You got one and you lived with the time they clocked for you. It's been fascinating reading these swim threads.

Did you have touch pads though? High schools when I grew up had a touch pad and one timer as a backup. Most summer pools rely solely on timers, and that's why there are 3.

No, our summer league pools didn’t have touch pads- they had ONE mom or dad holding a stop watch.

I don't know if rules have changed but I'm pretty sure at least two are currently required in order for the time to "count" for placing at A meets, individual standings, etc. Of course this is irrelevant for most 6 year olds, but some are really fast. You can't just randomly change the policies for the 6 and under heats because 1) you never know if a 6 year old will have a fast swim that needs to "count", and 2) the heats before and after will need 2-3 timers per lane anyway.

Swimming has always required a high level of parent commitment. I remember the signup posters at my pool growing up in the 80s and 90s (ah, the good old pre-Internet days). It takes a lot of people to run a swim meet and there are a lot of them in a short season. Honestly if you can't commit to helping out you shouldn't sign your kids up for summer swim. I know plenty of parents who don't because they are realistic about their time while working full time. There are plenty of other activities that don't require so much from parents.

I hear you and agree that if 3 timers are required, you can't go rogue and only have one. But, does anyone get a college scholarship from swimming summer league? Serious question as my kids are not on swim team (as you said, we could never do it due to being a two working parent family). Do the times/standings ever impact anything beyond the end of July?

No, they don’t, but parents in this area like to act like summer rec swim is the equivalent of the Olympics or something. I actually find the summer swim parents worse than my kid’s club parents. The kids that swim in college do so based on their results in club meets, not based on summer swim results. There are good club swimmers that swim for their summer teams, although on our summer team the top club kids seem to stop summer swim once they hit 13-14.

The problem is these leagues (and many of the teams) are run by parents who have year-round swimmers. All of the timing rules, stroke and turn, refereeing etc. benefit year round swimmers and those parents want to keep it that way.

........ what? You mean, USA Swimming rules for stroke and turn? Parents aren't just making these up.

How does having three timers benefit year-round swimmers?

PP doesn’t sound too bright. Which is the simpler explanation… that summer leagues follow USA Swimming rules, or they make up their own in a way that benefits year round swimmers? Not a whole lot of critical thinking going on there.

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Anonymous wrote:The current gen are annoyed they can't pay people to do the work volunteers used to do. Hilarious how they want to outsource every aspect of their life...can't grill, gotta have food trucks. Can't time, need ot hire teenagers or off suty life guards. Heck they try to use on duty life guards as baby sitters.

Also, there is no need for 3 timers for 6 year olds swimming.

This, and I think it's one of the reasons kids sports in general are dying out. No one wants to be involved or make a commitment any more.

Just an observation from a non-swimmer parent...I swam growing up- wasn't particularly good, though placed in the top 5 in a few high school events- but even in our competitive summer swim league, we didn't have 3 timers per lane. You got one and you lived with the time they clocked for you. It's been fascinating reading these swim threads.

Did you have touch pads though? High schools when I grew up had a touch pad and one timer as a backup. Most summer pools rely solely on timers, and that's why there are 3.

No, our summer league pools didn’t have touch pads- they had ONE mom or dad holding a stop watch.

I don't know if rules have changed but I'm pretty sure at least two are currently required in order for the time to "count" for placing at A meets, individual standings, etc. Of course this is irrelevant for most 6 year olds, but some are really fast. You can't just randomly change the policies for the 6 and under heats because 1) you never know if a 6 year old will have a fast swim that needs to "count", and 2) the heats before and after will need 2-3 timers per lane anyway.

Swimming has always required a high level of parent commitment. I remember the signup posters at my pool growing up in the 80s and 90s (ah, the good old pre-Internet days). It takes a lot of people to run a swim meet and there are a lot of them in a short season. Honestly if you can't commit to helping out you shouldn't sign your kids up for summer swim. I know plenty of parents who don't because they are realistic about their time while working full time. There are plenty of other activities that don't require so much from parents.

I hear you and agree that if 3 timers are required, you can't go rogue and only have one. But, does anyone get a college scholarship from swimming summer league? Serious question as my kids are not on swim team (as you said, we could never do it due to being a two working parent family). Do the times/standings ever impact anything beyond the end of July?

No, they don’t, but parents in this area like to act like summer rec swim is the equivalent of the Olympics or something. I actually find the summer swim parents worse than my kid’s club parents. The kids that swim in college do so based on their results in club meets, not based on summer swim results. There are good club swimmers that swim for their summer teams, although on our summer team the top club kids seem to stop summer swim once they hit 13-14.

The problem is these leagues (and many of the teams) are run by parents who have year-round swimmers. All of the timing rules, stroke and turn, refereeing etc. benefit year round swimmers and those parents want to keep it that way.

How do ref and stroke and turn judges only benefit year round swimmers? In any sport there are refs. Stroke and turn are there to let kids know if they aren't doing a stroke properly. May kids start out in summer league, love swimming and go on to swim year round. Some kids may also swim in high school even if they don't do year round swim.

Apparently PP thinks they should relax the rules for summer swim. I can’t even. That’s like saying soccer rules are set up to benefit travel players and that refs should just rec soccer players use their hands. So ridiculous.