lack of volunteers

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a single mother with 100% custody and a demanding job. I absolutely pay my way out of volunteering at club swimming. I am paying thousands of dollars in fees for swimming, plus the payment in lieu of volunteering. For summer swim, I immediately sign up to bring food in lieu of timing and work double shifts for food-related events to complete all of the pool-required hours without timing. I don't do anything for the meets besides bringing food. I can't feel bad about this - in addition to expensive pool fees - there's also an assessment for basically a complete rebuild of the pool. My kids are young enough that they want to see me cheering for them during their events. If teams can't work on timing without relying on the unpaid labor of women - because it's usually the mothers doing these roles - they should find a way to hire teens or become community service hours venues for teens.

So the “unpaid labor of women” is ok for providing food but not timing? Isn’t providing food more expensive than working the event?

If I work a BBQ food line, it's not at a meet - so I always sign up for other pool events that requiring buying or serving foods. And yes, bring food for judges is way more exensive than timing for a race - but timing for a race requires separate training and possibly missing your own kids races. My point is only the judging tone of parents is misplaced. We don't all have the same privileges in time or money or whatever. Being on a swim team on a private club or team is a very big time and money suck - and no- there are not always "cheaper pools available" - there are huge waitlists for pools, actually, and most of the clubs are charging a lot per year. I am fufilling the requirement of voluteer hours for the pool - but that's it - I am doing extra volunteer shifts for the team.

If you can’t afford $5 a week for a tray of water bottles then why put your kids on the swim team? It’s not a right, a necessity, it’s just a fun thing to do. Not required for living.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I sign up to volunteer for another type of organization. I did so because I thought I’d build a community while supporting my kid. The only jobs available jobs clearly no one else wanted and required me to work alone. So didn’t meet anyone. Like it was so clicky there only friends did “team work” items - like planning events.

I volunteer a lot for another organization and am one of the few. It is so much better because as a volunteer you get to know people by working together and get to influence decisions about the organization and learn how things work.

For the first I’m going to do the bare minimum next year to not get fined. Sucks for them as they are now begging for volunteers.

When my daughter does swim for the first time this year and will only do the bare minimum. First organization ruined it for me.

Your bad experience at another organization has nothing to do with swim. Even if you have a bad team rep (and we've had several) still not an excuse.

I didn’t say I wouldn’t volunteer. I will do is required and nothing more. Maybe swim will surprise me.

Perhaps clubs/teams/NVSL might reconsider why so many volunteers are required in the first place. Requiring 3 adults per lane (18 adults) for B meet timing and providing 5th place ribbons etc. would seem to be two areas ripe for process re-engineering.

We've run B meets with two timers before, but it requires averaging times which was a pain in the butt. Although with Swimtopia now, I think it would be easier? I'm not sure as our team hasn't used it yet. And if you are doing ribbons at all, it's no harder to do them for everyone. It's all automated and just requires printing and sticking the labels on.

I'd be fine with 1 timer per lane for B meets.

At the end of the day, there are non-volunteering families who free load off of those who do. A meets, B meets, activities, etc. Everyone knows who these people are.

You say that until a bad timer keeps your kid out of an A meet or kicks them down the ladder. 3 timers keeps the process fair. It is what it is.

Nah. my kids are too busy racking up IMX points and skipping A-meets to prep for Futures, TYR Pro series, etc. etc.

Well that's the team spirit!

Are you also a single mother and thus exempt from volunteering from a sport you voluntarily signed up for?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are seeing that it is a lack of commitment. My kids have seen swimming on our summer team for 15y and DH and I have been very involved (stroke and turn, on the board, timing, etc.)

When my kids started, nearly 100% of parents made every effort to get their kids to practice/meets. It was rare to have kids missing at meets. Now we are seeing MANY younger families whose kids *maybe* make 2-3 meets. We have stressed the importance of meets (both on an individual level and as a team.) We have offered rides, brought breakfast items so parents wouldn't have to deal with that, etc with little to no avail. When talking to parents I hear "it was hot", "it was cold", "I didn't sleep well and didn't want to wake up", "it is too much to get the kids out of the house on a Sat AM",

And if they do make it, they sit and watch while others are scrambling. We have asked for help directly "Hey, Larlo, we need you to time today. Even half the meet would be helpful.", we have tried the 'fine' for not volunteering (they are happy to pay), we have explained the importance of volunteering to keep things running....

Honestly, I am worried about the existence of the team past the next few years when older kids/families age out. I am hoping that the younger families become more invested and step up.

We have seen this as well but something else I noticed is the "my kid did not feel like it" or "we will ask my kid their thoughts/opinion on going to a meet/practice/etc" "we discussed it, and Larla decided she wanted to sleep in" and I am like WHAT!?! They are asking from input/feedback from a six year old who developmentally cannot make these decisions. Then on the flip side, they do not seem to understand what making a commitment actually means when they do.

We have soooo many of these people. I cannot stand them. Probably a solid 1/4 of the roster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are seeing that it is a lack of commitment. My kids have seen swimming on our summer team for 15y and DH and I have been very involved (stroke and turn, on the board, timing, etc.)

When my kids started, nearly 100% of parents made every effort to get their kids to practice/meets. It was rare to have kids missing at meets. Now we are seeing MANY younger families whose kids *maybe* make 2-3 meets. We have stressed the importance of meets (both on an individual level and as a team.) We have offered rides, brought breakfast items so parents wouldn't have to deal with that, etc with little to no avail. When talking to parents I hear "it was hot", "it was cold", "I didn't sleep well and didn't want to wake up", "it is too much to get the kids out of the house on a Sat AM",

And if they do make it, they sit and watch while others are scrambling. We have asked for help directly "Hey, Larlo, we need you to time today. Even half the meet would be helpful.", we have tried the 'fine' for not volunteering (they are happy to pay), we have explained the importance of volunteering to keep things running....

Honestly, I am worried about the existence of the team past the next few years when older kids/families age out. I am hoping that the younger families become more invested and step up.

We have seen this as well but something else I noticed is the "my kid did not feel like it" or "we will ask my kid their thoughts/opinion on going to a meet/practice/etc" "we discussed it, and Larla decided she wanted to sleep in" and I am like WHAT!?! They are asking from input/feedback from a six year old who developmentally cannot make these decisions. Then on the flip side, they do not seem to understand what making a commitment actually means when they do.

We have soooo many of these people. I cannot stand them. Probably a solid 1/4 of the roster.

This is recreation swimming, the exact place that is supposed to be low commitment. If a 6 year old doesn’t feel like going to practice, why would you need to force them to go? I understand if a kid keeps bailing on A meets because they are limited in the people that can attend, etc., but a 6 year old not going to practice or B meets is not a big deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a single mother with 100% custody and a demanding job. I absolutely pay my way out of volunteering at club swimming. I am paying thousands of dollars in fees for swimming, plus the payment in lieu of volunteering. For summer swim, I immediately sign up to bring food in lieu of timing and work double shifts for food-related events to complete all of the pool-required hours without timing. I don't do anything for the meets besides bringing food. I can't feel bad about this - in addition to expensive pool fees - there's also an assessment for basically a complete rebuild of the pool. My kids are young enough that they want to see me cheering for them during their events. If teams can't work on timing without relying on the unpaid labor of women - because it's usually the mothers doing these roles - they should find a way to hire teens or become community service hours venues for teens.

So the “unpaid labor of women” is ok for providing food but not timing? Isn’t providing food more expensive than working the event?

If I work a BBQ food line, it's not at a meet - so I always sign up for other pool events that requiring buying or serving foods. And yes, bring food for judges is way more exensive than timing for a race - but timing for a race requires separate training and possibly missing your own kids races. My point is only the judging tone of parents is misplaced. We don't all have the same privileges in time or money or whatever. Being on a swim team on a private club or team is a very big time and money suck - and no- there are not always "cheaper pools available" - there are huge waitlists for pools, actually, and most of the clubs are charging a lot per year. I am fufilling the requirement of voluteer hours for the pool - but that's it - I am doing extra volunteer shifts for the team.

If you can’t afford $5 a week for a tray of water bottles then why put your kids on the swim team? It’s not a right, a necessity, it’s just a fun thing to do. Not required for living.

Maybe you are the cheap one? I spent $400 on food for meets last year. I would estimate that summer swim costs around $4000 for membership, asessment, team fees, food contributions, team suit. I am not including stroke and turn, pool events, or gas to meets in this. Club swimming and meet fees for the year is around $5000. That's not an insignificant amount of money for us - and it si fun for our kids, but let's not pretend that everyone has the same ability to volunteer. It's not true or fair. We should be capable of having grace for others with different lives and family structures.

[Anonymous]

Our swim team buys the food sold at meets. This sounds weird to me.

People bring in things for like, a pasta potluck, but they don't donate things sold at the meet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a single mother with 100% custody and a demanding job. I absolutely pay my way out of volunteering at club swimming. I am paying thousands of dollars in fees for swimming, plus the payment in lieu of volunteering. For summer swim, I immediately sign up to bring food in lieu of timing and work double shifts for food-related events to complete all of the pool-required hours without timing. I don't do anything for the meets besides bringing food. I can't feel bad about this - in addition to expensive pool fees - there's also an assessment for basically a complete rebuild of the pool. My kids are young enough that they want to see me cheering for them during their events. If teams can't work on timing without relying on the unpaid labor of women - because it's usually the mothers doing these roles - they should find a way to hire teens or become community service hours venues for teens.

So the “unpaid labor of women” is ok for providing food but not timing? Isn’t providing food more expensive than working the event?

If I work a BBQ food line, it's not at a meet - so I always sign up for other pool events that requiring buying or serving foods. And yes, bring food for judges is way more exensive than timing for a race - but timing for a race requires separate training and possibly missing your own kids races. My point is only the judging tone of parents is misplaced. We don't all have the same privileges in time or money or whatever. Being on a swim team on a private club or team is a very big time and money suck - and no- there are not always "cheaper pools available" - there are huge waitlists for pools, actually, and most of the clubs are charging a lot per year. I am fufilling the requirement of voluteer hours for the pool - but that's it - I am doing extra volunteer shifts for the team.

If you can’t afford $5 a week for a tray of water bottles then why put your kids on the swim team? It’s not a right, a necessity, it’s just a fun thing to do. Not required for living.

Maybe you are the cheap one? I spent $400 on food for meets last year. I would estimate that summer swim costs around $4000 for membership, asessment, team fees, food contributions, team suit. I am not including stroke and turn, pool events, or gas to meets in this. Club swimming and meet fees for the year is around $5000. That's not an insignificant amount of money for us - and it si fun for our kids, but let's not pretend that everyone has the same ability to volunteer. It's not true or fair. We should be capable of having grace for others with different lives and family structures.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a single mother with 100% custody and a demanding job. I absolutely pay my way out of volunteering at club swimming. I am paying thousands of dollars in fees for swimming, plus the payment in lieu of volunteering. For summer swim, I immediately sign up to bring food in lieu of timing and work double shifts for food-related events to complete all of the pool-required hours without timing. I don't do anything for the meets besides bringing food. I can't feel bad about this - in addition to expensive pool fees - there's also an assessment for basically a complete rebuild of the pool. My kids are young enough that they want to see me cheering for them during their events. If teams can't work on timing without relying on the unpaid labor of women - because it's usually the mothers doing these roles - they should find a way to hire teens or become community service hours venues for teens.

So the “unpaid labor of women” is ok for providing food but not timing? Isn’t providing food more expensive than working the event?

If I work a BBQ food line, it's not at a meet - so I always sign up for other pool events that requiring buying or serving foods. And yes, bring food for judges is way more exensive than timing for a race - but timing for a race requires separate training and possibly missing your own kids races. My point is only the judging tone of parents is misplaced. We don't all have the same privileges in time or money or whatever. Being on a swim team on a private club or team is a very big time and money suck - and no- there are not always "cheaper pools available" - there are huge waitlists for pools, actually, and most of the clubs are charging a lot per year. I am fufilling the requirement of voluteer hours for the pool - but that's it - I am doing extra volunteer shifts for the team.

If you can’t afford $5 a week for a tray of water bottles then why put your kids on the swim team? It’s not a right, a necessity, it’s just a fun thing to do. Not required for living.

Maybe you are the cheap one? I spent $400 on food for meets last year. I would estimate that summer swim costs around $4000 for membership, asessment, team fees, food contributions, team suit. I am not including stroke and turn, pool events, or gas to meets in this. Club swimming and meet fees for the year is around $5000. That's not an insignificant amount of money for us - and it si fun for our kids, but let's not pretend that everyone has the same ability to volunteer. It's not true or fair. We should be capable of having grace for others with different lives and family structures.

expensive is a privilege?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a single mother with 100% custody and a demanding job. I absolutely pay my way out of volunteering at club swimming. I am paying thousands of dollars in fees for swimming, plus the payment in lieu of volunteering. For summer swim, I immediately sign up to bring food in lieu of timing and work double shifts for food-related events to complete all of the pool-required hours without timing. I don't do anything for the meets besides bringing food. I can't feel bad about this - in addition to expensive pool fees - there's also an assessment for basically a complete rebuild of the pool. My kids are young enough that they want to see me cheering for them during their events. If teams can't work on timing without relying on the unpaid labor of women - because it's usually the mothers doing these roles - they should find a way to hire teens or become community service hours venues for teens.

So the “unpaid labor of women” is ok for providing food but not timing? Isn’t providing food more expensive than working the event?

If I work a BBQ food line, it's not at a meet - so I always sign up for other pool events that requiring buying or serving foods. And yes, bring food for judges is way more exensive than timing for a race - but timing for a race requires separate training and possibly missing your own kids races. My point is only the judging tone of parents is misplaced. We don't all have the same privileges in time or money or whatever. Being on a swim team on a private club or team is a very big time and money suck - and no- there are not always "cheaper pools available" - there are huge waitlists for pools, actually, and most of the clubs are charging a lot per year. I am fufilling the requirement of voluteer hours for the pool - but that's it - I am doing extra volunteer shifts for the team.

If you can’t afford $5 a week for a tray of water bottles then why put your kids on the swim team? It’s not a right, a necessity, it’s just a fun thing to do. Not required for living.

Maybe you are the cheap one? I spent $400 on food for meets last year. I would estimate that summer swim costs around $4000 for membership, asessment, team fees, food contributions, team suit. I am not including stroke and turn, pool events, or gas to meets in this. Club swimming and meet fees for the year is around $5000. That's not an insignificant amount of money for us - and it si fun for our kids, but let's not pretend that everyone has the same ability to volunteer. It's not true or fair. We should be capable of having grace for others with different lives and family structures.

Grace for those in difficult circumstances, not for free riders. If you can’t volunteer, don’t choose activities that are only available because people volunteer. This isn’t hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a single mother with 100% custody and a demanding job. I absolutely pay my way out of volunteering at club swimming. I am paying thousands of dollars in fees for swimming, plus the payment in lieu of volunteering. For summer swim, I immediately sign up to bring food in lieu of timing and work double shifts for food-related events to complete all of the pool-required hours without timing. I don't do anything for the meets besides bringing food. I can't feel bad about this - in addition to expensive pool fees - there's also an assessment for basically a complete rebuild of the pool. My kids are young enough that they want to see me cheering for them during their events. If teams can't work on timing without relying on the unpaid labor of women - because it's usually the mothers doing these roles - they should find a way to hire teens or become community service hours venues for teens.

So the “unpaid labor of women” is ok for providing food but not timing? Isn’t providing food more expensive than working the event?

If I work a BBQ food line, it's not at a meet - so I always sign up for other pool events that requiring buying or serving foods. And yes, bring food for judges is way more exensive than timing for a race - but timing for a race requires separate training and possibly missing your own kids races. My point is only the judging tone of parents is misplaced. We don't all have the same privileges in time or money or whatever. Being on a swim team on a private club or team is a very big time and money suck - and no- there are not always "cheaper pools available" - there are huge waitlists for pools, actually, and most of the clubs are charging a lot per year. I am fufilling the requirement of voluteer hours for the pool - but that's it - I am doing extra volunteer shifts for the team.

If you can’t afford $5 a week for a tray of water bottles then why put your kids on the swim team? It’s not a right, a necessity, it’s just a fun thing to do. Not required for living.

Maybe you are the cheap one? I spent $400 on food for meets last year. I would estimate that summer swim costs around $4000 for membership, asessment, team fees, food contributions, team suit. I am not including stroke and turn, pool events, or gas to meets in this. Club swimming and meet fees for the year is around $5000. That's not an insignificant amount of money for us - and it si fun for our kids, but let's not pretend that everyone has the same ability to volunteer. It's not true or fair. We should be capable of having grace for others with different lives and family structures.

$4,000? I'm the poster above who said I spend $1438, and I pay an extra fee for an extra adult in the household, and four swimmers. I guess I didn't include the food I bring for social events, or the suits, but those are not costing me $2562.

Our pool has plenty of options for parents who absolutely have to see their kid swim every race, and don't want to pay for food. If someone has a young child and they're timing, another parent will usually offer to time the races your kid is in. Same, if you're doing something like ribbons. You can also reset the deck after a meet, or do things at a social event.

[Anonymous]

This post has gotten 250 anonymous replies in a week? What a cesspool of spineless cowards

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a single mother with 100% custody and a demanding job. I absolutely pay my way out of volunteering at club swimming. I am paying thousands of dollars in fees for swimming, plus the payment in lieu of volunteering. For summer swim, I immediately sign up to bring food in lieu of timing and work double shifts for food-related events to complete all of the pool-required hours without timing. I don't do anything for the meets besides bringing food. I can't feel bad about this - in addition to expensive pool fees - there's also an assessment for basically a complete rebuild of the pool. My kids are young enough that they want to see me cheering for them during their events. If teams can't work on timing without relying on the unpaid labor of women - because it's usually the mothers doing these roles - they should find a way to hire teens or become community service hours venues for teens.

So the “unpaid labor of women” is ok for providing food but not timing? Isn’t providing food more expensive than working the event?

If I work a BBQ food line, it's not at a meet - so I always sign up for other pool events that requiring buying or serving foods. And yes, bring food for judges is way more exensive than timing for a race - but timing for a race requires separate training and possibly missing your own kids races. My point is only the judging tone of parents is misplaced. We don't all have the same privileges in time or money or whatever. Being on a swim team on a private club or team is a very big time and money suck - and no- there are not always "cheaper pools available" - there are huge waitlists for pools, actually, and most of the clubs are charging a lot per year. I am fufilling the requirement of voluteer hours for the pool - but that's it - I am doing extra volunteer shifts for the team.

If you can’t afford $5 a week for a tray of water bottles then why put your kids on the swim team? It’s not a right, a necessity, it’s just a fun thing to do. Not required for living.

Maybe you are the cheap one? I spent $400 on food for meets last year. I would estimate that summer swim costs around $4000 for membership, asessment, team fees, food contributions, team suit. I am not including stroke and turn, pool events, or gas to meets in this. Club swimming and meet fees for the year is around $5000. That's not an insignificant amount of money for us - and it si fun for our kids, but let's not pretend that everyone has the same ability to volunteer. It's not true or fair. We should be capable of having grace for others with different lives and family structures.

Does your team require parents to provide food for concessions? If so, that's outrageous. Our little team pays all overhead for concessions and makes sure to price items so that we at least make some money from them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This post has gotten 250 anonymous replies in a week? What a cesspool of spineless cowards

Says the person with an anonymous post 🙄

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a single mother with 100% custody and a demanding job. I absolutely pay my way out of volunteering at club swimming. I am paying thousands of dollars in fees for swimming, plus the payment in lieu of volunteering. For summer swim, I immediately sign up to bring food in lieu of timing and work double shifts for food-related events to complete all of the pool-required hours without timing. I don't do anything for the meets besides bringing food. I can't feel bad about this - in addition to expensive pool fees - there's also an assessment for basically a complete rebuild of the pool. My kids are young enough that they want to see me cheering for them during their events. If teams can't work on timing without relying on the unpaid labor of women - because it's usually the mothers doing these roles - they should find a way to hire teens or become community service hours venues for teens.

So the “unpaid labor of women” is ok for providing food but not timing? Isn’t providing food more expensive than working the event?

If I work a BBQ food line, it's not at a meet - so I always sign up for other pool events that requiring buying or serving foods. And yes, bring food for judges is way more exensive than timing for a race - but timing for a race requires separate training and possibly missing your own kids races. My point is only the judging tone of parents is misplaced. We don't all have the same privileges in time or money or whatever. Being on a swim team on a private club or team is a very big time and money suck - and no- there are not always "cheaper pools available" - there are huge waitlists for pools, actually, and most of the clubs are charging a lot per year. I am fufilling the requirement of voluteer hours for the pool - but that's it - I am doing extra volunteer shifts for the team.

If you can’t afford $5 a week for a tray of water bottles then why put your kids on the swim team? It’s not a right, a necessity, it’s just a fun thing to do. Not required for living.

Maybe you are the cheap one? I spent $400 on food for meets last year. I would estimate that summer swim costs around $4000 for membership, asessment, team fees, food contributions, team suit. I am not including stroke and turn, pool events, or gas to meets in this. Club swimming and meet fees for the year is around $5000. That's not an insignificant amount of money for us - and it si fun for our kids, but let's not pretend that everyone has the same ability to volunteer. It's not true or fair. We should be capable of having grace for others with different lives and family structures.

Does your team require parents to provide food for concessions? If so, that's outrageous. Our little team pays all overhead for concessions and makes sure to price items so that we at least make some money from them.

Yes, parents bring food for concessions and for judges. Not cheap at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a single mother with 100% custody and a demanding job. I absolutely pay my way out of volunteering at club swimming. I am paying thousands of dollars in fees for swimming, plus the payment in lieu of volunteering. For summer swim, I immediately sign up to bring food in lieu of timing and work double shifts for food-related events to complete all of the pool-required hours without timing. I don't do anything for the meets besides bringing food. I can't feel bad about this - in addition to expensive pool fees - there's also an assessment for basically a complete rebuild of the pool. My kids are young enough that they want to see me cheering for them during their events. If teams can't work on timing without relying on the unpaid labor of women - because it's usually the mothers doing these roles - they should find a way to hire teens or become community service hours venues for teens.

So the “unpaid labor of women” is ok for providing food but not timing? Isn’t providing food more expensive than working the event?

If I work a BBQ food line, it's not at a meet - so I always sign up for other pool events that requiring buying or serving foods. And yes, bring food for judges is way more exensive than timing for a race - but timing for a race requires separate training and possibly missing your own kids races. My point is only the judging tone of parents is misplaced. We don't all have the same privileges in time or money or whatever. Being on a swim team on a private club or team is a very big time and money suck - and no- there are not always "cheaper pools available" - there are huge waitlists for pools, actually, and most of the clubs are charging a lot per year. I am fufilling the requirement of voluteer hours for the pool - but that's it - I am doing extra volunteer shifts for the team.

If you can’t afford $5 a week for a tray of water bottles then why put your kids on the swim team? It’s not a right, a necessity, it’s just a fun thing to do. Not required for living.

Maybe you are the cheap one? I spent $400 on food for meets last year. I would estimate that summer swim costs around $4000 for membership, asessment, team fees, food contributions, team suit. I am not including stroke and turn, pool events, or gas to meets in this. Club swimming and meet fees for the year is around $5000. That's not an insignificant amount of money for us - and it si fun for our kids, but let's not pretend that everyone has the same ability to volunteer. It's not true or fair. We should be capable of having grace for others with different lives and family structures.

Does your team require parents to provide food for concessions? If so, that's outrageous. Our little team pays all overhead for concessions and makes sure to price items so that we at least make some money from them.

Yes, parents bring food for concessions and for judges. Not cheap at all.

No one is bringing concessions for judges (assuming you mean stroke & turn?) except for winter club swims or high level meets like all-stars. If you have an all-stars swimmer and aren't doing your volunteer shifts - shame on you.