Swim Team Drama

[Anonymous]

We have parents that want ribbons for 7th place and above. A ribbon for what! Being alive? 7th place is nothing to strive for. You need to do better than that, sorry!

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Parents complaining that their kid didn’t swim “X” stroke, parents telling the coach that their kid was VERY DISAPPOINTED that they didn’t make it to divisionals.

Otherwise it was a fun season.

Ugh my kid has been disappointed at not making it to divisionals and I’ve definitely mentioned that to others in conversation. It doesn’t mean I thought they should have been picked at all. The coach makes the right decisions and I’d never question them (and it’s been very clear cut) but it’s ok for kids to be disappointed!

Someone told me a parent was so disappointed, they sent a letter to the board for further investigation into how the lineup was chosen. It's ok for a kid to be disappointed. This is going to be the first of many disappointments in life. Move on. The parent needs to get a life!

DP. How do lineups get “chosen”? At our pool the top swimmers get to pick their strokes. If you have one of the top two times you are guaranteed your choice. The times can be from an A or B meet. If you’re lower down on the list you may not make it based on which strokes the top swimmers pick, but there’s not really any way to game this? Weird.

At our MCSL team for "A" meets, the coaches pick the lineups. It is always the top swimmers in those events, except for when you have swimmers are that have top 3 times in 4 events (MCSL has a 3 event max). Then it is a matter of trying to figure out how best to maximize points. For example in fly if the times for your 3 top swimmers are 27,28,29, and the other team has 24,23,24, then it's probably not worth burning that 27 swimmer in fly if they are better at their other events vs the other team. This only becomes a problem when you have a couple of exceptional swimmers in an age group and there's not a deep bench behind them. And yes, this can "hurt" that 27 fly swimmer IF they're on an improvement track and want to make individual all stars because there's only 6 meets possible (5A + divisionals) and you just "burned" one of them.

Our MCSL team does the same. The coach picks the lineup. It's all to maximize points so the team can win, not for an individual swimmer to look like a superstar. Summer swimming is different than year-round swimming which is focused on the individual.

You are missing the point that several posters are raising. The trend of year-round coaches focusing on making **their** individual swimmer(s) look like superstars in summer swim creates a conflict of interest and ultimately an unhealthy team atmosphere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have parents that want ribbons for 7th place and above. A ribbon for what! Being alive? 7th place is nothing to strive for. You need to do better than that, sorry!

7th is very good for kids who are trying. Not all can be superstars like yours. We make a big fuss over any kid who tries.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Looks like a CRE developer who ran for the board last year is now suing the pool. Docket CL23001682. Wish I could see the filing

Ding ding ding. The brainiacs hired a real estate lawyer 🤦‍♀️

Plaintiff has been in the news before

https://wjla.com/news/local/youre-ignoring-us-arlington-families-speak-out-against-proposed-school-reassignments

They had already been warned in writing the year prior that they were at risk of losing their membership based on her behavior. If I were this couple I'd be packing up and leaving town I'd be so ashamed. Instead they doubled down by suing.

Their poor kids. How mortifying.

The parents specifically were kicked out and not allowed on the property even for other events. Their kids could still go to the pool as guests of other members. Just not the parents. They waited until after swim season to kick them out so the kids could finish the season.

What did they DO?

It was nice that they let the kids stay on the team. I figured they would only do that for fast kids.

Only until the end of that season. You have to be a member of a pool to swim so the kids swam for another pool this year, but yes the revocation was effective the day after Divisionals last year.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Oh my god who cares.

The points and awards don't mean anything.

They mean something to the coaches trying to make sure their club swimmers get an award.

I find the whole “awards are meaningless” trip pretty disingenuous honestly. If they mean nothing, don’t give them out. What exactly are we teaching our kids here?

It’s really unfair to compare summer swim to club kids. However at our pool they unfairly gave awards to kids who barely swan and rude to the coaches and others as the parents control everything. The highest kids got very little recognition which also was unfair when they worked really hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looks like a CRE developer who ran for the board last year is now suing the pool. Docket CL23001682. Wish I could see the filing

Ding ding ding. The brainiacs hired a real estate lawyer 🤦‍♀️

Plaintiff has been in the news before

https://wjla.com/news/local/youre-ignoring-us-arlington-families-speak-out-against-proposed-school-reassignments

They had already been warned in writing the year prior that they were at risk of losing their membership based on her behavior. If I were this couple I'd be packing up and leaving town I'd be so ashamed. Instead they doubled down by suing.

WHAT DID THEY DO? I don’t understand why you keep referencing this without actually saying what their transgressions were.

Since they’re suing the pool for kicking them out for whatever it was, I’m guessing no one can comment on it.

This- since all members are part of the suit technically.

Outside of this situation... she's a piece of work.

[Anonymous]

This drama makes my team drama look like light work

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looks like a CRE developer who ran for the board last year is now suing the pool. Docket CL23001682. Wish I could see the filing

Ding ding ding. The brainiacs hired a real estate lawyer 🤦‍♀️

Plaintiff has been in the news before

https://wjla.com/news/local/youre-ignoring-us-arlington-families-speak-out-against-proposed-school-reassignments

They had already been warned in writing the year prior that they were at risk of losing their membership based on her behavior. If I were this couple I'd be packing up and leaving town I'd be so ashamed. Instead they doubled down by suing.

WHAT DID THEY DO? I don’t understand why you keep referencing this without actually saying what their transgressions were.

Since they’re suing the pool for kicking them out for whatever it was, I’m guessing no one can comment on it.

This- since all members are part of the suit technically.

Outside of this situation... she's a piece of work.

I can’t imagine they would send documents to the entire membership and then instruct them to remain silent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looks like a CRE developer who ran for the board last year is now suing the pool. Docket CL23001682. Wish I could see the filing

Ding ding ding. The brainiacs hired a real estate lawyer 🤦‍♀️

Plaintiff has been in the news before

https://wjla.com/news/local/youre-ignoring-us-arlington-families-speak-out-against-proposed-school-reassignments

They had already been warned in writing the year prior that they were at risk of losing their membership based on her behavior. If I were this couple I'd be packing up and leaving town I'd be so ashamed. Instead they doubled down by suing.

WHAT DID THEY DO? I don’t understand why you keep referencing this without actually saying what their transgressions were.

Since they’re suing the pool for kicking them out for whatever it was, I’m guessing no one can comment on it.

This- since all members are part of the suit technically.

Outside of this situation... she's a piece of work.

From her Facebook pic it looks like it crosses over into soccer too.

[Anonymous]

I swear some of you just don't understand trying to win meets.

My kids was the fastest in 3 strokes this year (free, back, and breast). At the start of the season she was swimming free and breast in A meets (her two best). Then in the third meet the coach switched her to back and breast. She came in second in back, but would have easily won free. Were we mad? No, of course not. Looking at the times from our team and the other team it was obvious that the second fastest swimmer on our team in free was going to easily win and that our daughter had a chance to win back while the second fastest back swimmer on our team had no chance. Our coach was trying to win the meet.

It "cost" my kid a chance to have a perfect season and win every race in every A meet. But it was what was best for the team. It was an awesome learning opportunity for her. When we explained it to her she had no problem with it because she wanted to do what was best for the team.

I can create the lineup for our team for A meets just by looking at our ladder and looking up the other teams times in mynvls.com. Clearly I spend way too much time on this, but I'm usually pretty close each week to what our coach picks. The places where I get it wrong are almost always minor judgment calls that could go either way.

The best part about this is there is no drama because the meet lineups follow two rules:
1. Do what is best for the team
2. Fastest swimmer swims

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I swear some of you just don't understand trying to win meets.

My kids was the fastest in 3 strokes this year (free, back, and breast). At the start of the season she was swimming free and breast in A meets (her two best). Then in the third meet the coach switched her to back and breast. She came in second in back, but would have easily won free. Were we mad? No, of course not. Looking at the times from our team and the other team it was obvious that the second fastest swimmer on our team in free was going to easily win and that our daughter had a chance to win back while the second fastest back swimmer on our team had no chance. Our coach was trying to win the meet.

It "cost" my kid a chance to have a perfect season and win every race in every A meet. But it was what was best for the team. It was an awesome learning opportunity for her. When we explained it to her she had no problem with it because she wanted to do what was best for the team.

I can create the lineup for our team for A meets just by looking at our ladder and looking up the other teams times in mynvls.com. Clearly I spend way too much time on this, but I'm usually pretty close each week to what our coach picks. The places where I get it wrong are almost always minor judgment calls that could go either way.

The best part about this is there is no drama because the meet lineups follow two rules:
1. Do what is best for the team
2. Fastest swimmer swims

You are way over invested. Sometimes switching a kid to make them more comfortable or better in that stroke is not a bad thing. Our lineup made no sense but mine just swim what they are told. The relays sucked as my kid was the only one who could swim fast in the bunch but it is what it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I swear some of you just don't understand trying to win meets.

My kids was the fastest in 3 strokes this year (free, back, and breast). At the start of the season she was swimming free and breast in A meets (her two best). Then in the third meet the coach switched her to back and breast. She came in second in back, but would have easily won free. Were we mad? No, of course not. Looking at the times from our team and the other team it was obvious that the second fastest swimmer on our team in free was going to easily win and that our daughter had a chance to win back while the second fastest back swimmer on our team had no chance. Our coach was trying to win the meet.

It "cost" my kid a chance to have a perfect season and win every race in every A meet. But it was what was best for the team. It was an awesome learning opportunity for her. When we explained it to her she had no problem with it because she wanted to do what was best for the team.

I can create the lineup for our team for A meets just by looking at our ladder and looking up the other teams times in mynvls.com. Clearly I spend way too much time on this, but I'm usually pretty close each week to what our coach picks. The places where I get it wrong are almost always minor judgment calls that could go either way.

The best part about this is there is no drama because the meet lineups follow two rules:
1. Do what is best for the team
2. Fastest swimmer swims

You are way over invested. Sometimes switching a kid to make them more comfortable or better in that stroke is not a bad thing. Our lineup made no sense but mine just swim what they are told. The relays sucked as my kid was the only one who could swim fast in the bunch but it is what it is.

The point of A meets is to win, not make a kid more comfortable in a stroke. That’s what B meets are for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I swear some of you just don't understand trying to win meets.

My kids was the fastest in 3 strokes this year (free, back, and breast). At the start of the season she was swimming free and breast in A meets (her two best). Then in the third meet the coach switched her to back and breast. She came in second in back, but would have easily won free. Were we mad? No, of course not. Looking at the times from our team and the other team it was obvious that the second fastest swimmer on our team in free was going to easily win and that our daughter had a chance to win back while the second fastest back swimmer on our team had no chance. Our coach was trying to win the meet.

It "cost" my kid a chance to have a perfect season and win every race in every A meet. But it was what was best for the team. It was an awesome learning opportunity for her. When we explained it to her she had no problem with it because she wanted to do what was best for the team.

I can create the lineup for our team for A meets just by looking at our ladder and looking up the other teams times in mynvls.com. Clearly I spend way too much time on this, but I'm usually pretty close each week to what our coach picks. The places where I get it wrong are almost always minor judgment calls that could go either way.

The best part about this is there is no drama because the meet lineups follow two rules:
1. Do what is best for the team
2. Fastest swimmer swims

Actually, most of us DO understand. Some of us have seen this done the wrong way and that’s what the drama is about. Duh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I swear some of you just don't understand trying to win meets.

My kids was the fastest in 3 strokes this year (free, back, and breast). At the start of the season she was swimming free and breast in A meets (her two best). Then in the third meet the coach switched her to back and breast. She came in second in back, but would have easily won free. Were we mad? No, of course not. Looking at the times from our team and the other team it was obvious that the second fastest swimmer on our team in free was going to easily win and that our daughter had a chance to win back while the second fastest back swimmer on our team had no chance. Our coach was trying to win the meet.

It "cost" my kid a chance to have a perfect season and win every race in every A meet. But it was what was best for the team. It was an awesome learning opportunity for her. When we explained it to her she had no problem with it because she wanted to do what was best for the team.

I can create the lineup for our team for A meets just by looking at our ladder and looking up the other teams times in mynvls.com. Clearly I spend way too much time on this, but I'm usually pretty close each week to what our coach picks. The places where I get it wrong are almost always minor judgment calls that could go either way.

The best part about this is there is no drama because the meet lineups follow two rules:
1. Do what is best for the team
2. Fastest swimmer swims

This right here. No one is moving kids so they can get the high point trophy. At least not in MCSL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I swear some of you just don't understand trying to win meets.

My kids was the fastest in 3 strokes this year (free, back, and breast). At the start of the season she was swimming free and breast in A meets (her two best). Then in the third meet the coach switched her to back and breast. She came in second in back, but would have easily won free. Were we mad? No, of course not. Looking at the times from our team and the other team it was obvious that the second fastest swimmer on our team in free was going to easily win and that our daughter had a chance to win back while the second fastest back swimmer on our team had no chance. Our coach was trying to win the meet.

It "cost" my kid a chance to have a perfect season and win every race in every A meet. But it was what was best for the team. It was an awesome learning opportunity for her. When we explained it to her she had no problem with it because she wanted to do what was best for the team.

I can create the lineup for our team for A meets just by looking at our ladder and looking up the other teams times in mynvls.com. Clearly I spend way too much time on this, but I'm usually pretty close each week to what our coach picks. The places where I get it wrong are almost always minor judgment calls that could go either way.

The best part about this is there is no drama because the meet lineups follow two rules:
1. Do what is best for the team
2. Fastest swimmer swims

Actually, most of us DO understand. Some of us have seen this done the wrong way and that’s what the drama is about. Duh.

You have seen the coach try to win the meet the wrong way?