Freeloading swim team parents suck

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Every single thing I hear about swim teams makes me happy my kids are not on a swim team.

I am so sorry that you hear such bad things. My kids have made some of their best friends at summer swim and the team camaraderie, leadership of the older kids and generally happiness is like nothing I have seen in any other sport my kid has played. No one gets cheered for more than a first legal swim who was extremely nervous or a swim up. Of course there are lots of great activities for kids out there but so would rank swim team among the top for the kids at our summer pool.

[Anonymous]

Maybe those that don’t want to volunteer can hire someone on task rabbit to fulfill their hours. Lame but whatever...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When the team says prior to registration that volunteering is mandatory to make swim team work, they don’t mean everyone but YOU.

You suck and I judge you. Don’t give excuses, no one forced you to register your kid.

That’s all.

This is why my kids don’t swim. Congrats on your superiority.

Because you refuse to volunteer for your kid's sport? Yeah, the PP probably is superior to you.

I volunteer for tons of sports, spouse coaches, lead things at school, etc. The lady who runs my pool’s swim team doesn’t volunteer at soccer, and I don’t judge her like OP is judging in his/her post. That’s what I’m referring to. When people aren’t super involved in one thing or another, instead of being a judgmental turd about it, I assume they’re doing the best they can, when they can. Some years you can run the school PTA, some years you have a newborn at home or a dying parent or a big trial at work. Part of being in a community is having grace with other human beings.

And for swim in particular, the organizers ask for far too many volunteers. Sorry, I’m not getting a babysitter so I can be one of three timers per lane for 8 year olds swimming in a B meet. It is just silly.

Then find another sport for DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When the team says prior to registration that volunteering is mandatory to make swim team work, they don’t mean everyone but YOU.

You suck and I judge you. Don’t give excuses, no one forced you to register your kid.

That’s all.

This is why my kids don’t swim. Congrats on your superiority.

Because you refuse to volunteer for your kid's sport? Yeah, the PP probably is superior to you.

I volunteer for tons of sports, spouse coaches, lead things at school, etc. The lady who runs my pool’s swim team doesn’t volunteer at soccer, and I don’t judge her like OP is judging in his/her post. That’s what I’m referring to. When people aren’t super involved in one thing or another, instead of being a judgmental turd about it, I assume they’re doing the best they can, when they can. Some years you can run the school PTA, some years you have a newborn at home or a dying parent or a big trial at work. Part of being in a community is having grace with other human beings.

And for swim in particular, the organizers ask for far too many volunteers. Sorry, I’m not getting a babysitter so I can be one of three timers per lane for 8 year olds swimming in a B meet. It is just silly.

Then find another sport for DC.

This. I’ve had to bow out from signing up my kids sometimes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every single thing I hear about swim teams makes me happy my kids are not on a swim team.

I am so sorry that you hear such bad things. My kids have made some of their best friends at summer swim and the team camaraderie, leadership of the older kids and generally happiness is like nothing I have seen in any other sport my kid has played. No one gets cheered for more than a first legal swim who was extremely nervous or a swim up. Of course there are lots of great activities for kids out there but so would rank swim team among the top for the kids at our summer pool.

This. I moved to this area never having swum a race and knowing nothing about summer swim culture. I dreaded volunteering the first year, enjoyed it for the next 3 years, and then served as team rep for 4 years. It is one of the best things that has happened to our family and I will be genuinely sad when my youngest ages out. YMMV. If so, don't do it and find a sport where you just dump your kid for 2 hours while you do something that is more personally fulfilling for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When the team says prior to registration that volunteering is mandatory to make swim team work, they don’t mean everyone but YOU.

You suck and I judge you. Don’t give excuses, no one forced you to register your kid.

That’s all.

This is why my kids don’t swim. Congrats on your superiority.

Because you refuse to volunteer for your kid's sport? Yeah, the PP probably is superior to you.

I volunteer for tons of sports, spouse coaches, lead things at school, etc. The lady who runs my pool’s swim team doesn’t volunteer at soccer, and I don’t judge her like OP is judging in his/her post. That’s what I’m referring to. When people aren’t super involved in one thing or another, instead of being a judgmental turd about it, I assume they’re doing the best they can, when they can. Some years you can run the school PTA, some years you have a newborn at home or a dying parent or a big trial at work. Part of being in a community is having grace with other human beings.

And for swim in particular, the organizers ask for far too many volunteers. Sorry, I’m not getting a babysitter so I can be one of three timers per lane for 8 year olds swimming in a B meet. It is just silly.

Why are you even here? You are clearly not a swim family as you understand nothing about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Superior beings,
If you don't want kids with non-volunteer parents on your swim team, then make it SUPER CLEAR that enrollment is limited to parent volunteer families only. Drop kids whose parent doesn't occupy a volunteer role in the first A or B meet.

I feel like the leagues are shaming me because I can only volunteer part-time. I can't volunteer for every B meet during the season. I can't commit to judge training, like stroke and turn. But I do what I can with the time I have available.

Teams absolutely make it super clear. And give numerous chances to back out. People know and just don’t care. Takers gonna take.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't really understand the focus on timers. Timing swim meets was one of the more enjoyable things I did to support my child's sports. You get to sit down, chat with other parents and every few minutes stand up and push a button. Plus you get to see excited kids pop out of the pool. I actually only timed a few meets a year because I normally worked the hated Clerk of the Course. I even enjoyed that because the vast majority of the kids were a lot of fun.

I'm glad it was enjoyable for you. When I started timing, I had a 5 year old swimmer, a toddler who loved nothing more than to run headfirst towards the pool, and a first responder husband who worked shift work.

So, I'd go to B meet, because my kid still needed help, and then pay for childcare so I could go time other people's kids at the A meet. I would happily have taken that money and given it to someone to time for me or to be used for touch pads or something else.

This makes no sense. If your kid isn't swimming in an A Meet, you don't have to volunteer. There are also other ways to volunteer and not be on the pool deck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Superior beings,
If you don't want kids with non-volunteer parents on your swim team, then make it SUPER CLEAR that enrollment is limited to parent volunteer families only. Drop kids whose parent doesn't occupy a volunteer role in the first A or B meet.

I feel like the leagues are shaming me because I can only volunteer part-time. I can't volunteer for every B meet during the season. I can't commit to judge training, like stroke and turn. But I do what I can with the time I have available.

Teams absolutely make it super clear. And give numerous chances to back out. People know and just don’t care. Takers gonna take.

No the system is enabling them to take. Don’t hate the player - hate the game. And maybe volunteer to be the volunteer coordinator / enforcer if it’s a major issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Superior beings,
If you don't want kids with non-volunteer parents on your swim team, then make it SUPER CLEAR that enrollment is limited to parent volunteer families only. Drop kids whose parent doesn't occupy a volunteer role in the first A or B meet.

I feel like the leagues are shaming me because I can only volunteer part-time. I can't volunteer for every B meet during the season. I can't commit to judge training, like stroke and turn. But I do what I can with the time I have available.

Teams absolutely make it super clear. And give numerous chances to back out. People know and just don’t care. Takers gonna take.

My kid wants to swim, so I sign him up. I have other kids that play other sports, I have elderly parents that I’m the caretaker for, and I have a job. So I don’t volunteer. I offer to write a check for whatever, but I’m not denying my son an opportunity to swim because his grandparents are dying or I have to work. If it comes back to bite me, as previous posters have threatened, than that’s fine with me.

What exactly are we paying for with swim team sign up fees anyway? It’s not cheap. My other son plays little league, and for the $125 sign up fee they get a uniform, paid umpires, and an end of year party budget. For swim team I buy the swimsuits, volunteers run everything, and concession sales pay for social events.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids have played lots of different rec sports. There are on occasion clueless parents who don't understand that kids sports run on parent volunteers. They think they are getting a paid adult soccer or baseball coach for $100/season. Then there are other parents who know things run on volunteers but hope to freeload as much as possible. This is especially true for parents who are used to outsourcing everything. Had a mom two years ago offer to pay $25 to get out of her 5 swim meet volunteer gigs. LOL! No.

To be fair to that mom, every rec sport my kids have participated in has a fee you can pay to not volunteer. It’s usually $30-35. All I’ve ever done is bring snacks and my kids have played every sport I can think of in the area, except swim. DD said she wanted to try it next summer but no way. This thread is one of many reasons.

I have only seen this for baseball, and it was $50 to opt-out. Fairfax County and have done several different community sports leagues.

Mine play VYI soccer and lacrosse. It’s offered for both of those. And most parents don’t pay the fee and sign up for some random job because nothing is actually needed. The refs are paid. The games are organized by the overall leave. You have 1-2 coaches per team and that’s it. The snacks stop at a young age, thankfully, so no one does that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Superior beings,
If you don't want kids with non-volunteer parents on your swim team, then make it SUPER CLEAR that enrollment is limited to parent volunteer families only. Drop kids whose parent doesn't occupy a volunteer role in the first A or B meet.

I feel like the leagues are shaming me because I can only volunteer part-time. I can't volunteer for every B meet during the season. I can't commit to judge training, like stroke and turn. But I do what I can with the time I have available.

Teams absolutely make it super clear. And give numerous chances to back out. People know and just don’t care. Takers gonna take.

My kid wants to swim, so I sign him up. I have other kids that play other sports, I have elderly parents that I’m the caretaker for, and I have a job. So I don’t volunteer. I offer to write a check for whatever, but I’m not denying my son an opportunity to swim because his grandparents are dying or I have to work. If it comes back to bite me, as previous posters have threatened, than that’s fine with me.

What exactly are we paying for with swim team sign up fees anyway? It’s not cheap. My other son plays little league, and for the $125 sign up fee they get a uniform, paid umpires, and an end of year party budget. For swim team I buy the swimsuits, volunteers run everything, and concession sales pay for social events.

You're paying for the coaches and the pool time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Superior beings,
If you don't want kids with non-volunteer parents on your swim team, then make it SUPER CLEAR that enrollment is limited to parent volunteer families only. Drop kids whose parent doesn't occupy a volunteer role in the first A or B meet.

I feel like the leagues are shaming me because I can only volunteer part-time. I can't volunteer for every B meet during the season. I can't commit to judge training, like stroke and turn. But I do what I can with the time I have available.

Teams absolutely make it super clear. And give numerous chances to back out. People know and just don’t care. Takers gonna take.

My kid wants to swim, so I sign him up. I have other kids that play other sports, I have elderly parents that I’m the caretaker for, and I have a job. So I don’t volunteer. I offer to write a check for whatever, but I’m not denying my son an opportunity to swim because his grandparents are dying or I have to work. If it comes back to bite me, as previous posters have threatened, than that’s fine with me.

What exactly are we paying for with swim team sign up fees anyway? It’s not cheap. My other son plays little league, and for the $125 sign up fee they get a uniform, paid umpires, and an end of year party budget. For swim team I buy the swimsuits, volunteers run everything, and concession sales pay for social events.

If you’re offered the choice to volunteer or pay, and you pay - don’t worry if that annoys anyone in this post. I do volunteer for swim, but I pay for baseball and IDGAF if that annoys anyone. My husband coaches baseball and for some reason that doesn’t count for volunteer hours - we are not also going to work the snack bar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Superior beings,
If you don't want kids with non-volunteer parents on your swim team, then make it SUPER CLEAR that enrollment is limited to parent volunteer families only. Drop kids whose parent doesn't occupy a volunteer role in the first A or B meet.

I feel like the leagues are shaming me because I can only volunteer part-time. I can't volunteer for every B meet during the season. I can't commit to judge training, like stroke and turn. But I do what I can with the time I have available.

Oh c’mon - shaming you? If you continue to sign your kid up for an activity that requires a certain amount of parental involvement, and you can’t fulfill your end of the bargain, you’re pretty much making yourself look bad, no shaming from anyone else necessary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

the system is bloated and they should look into ways to reduce that demand

Agree. I feel like the current volunteer requirements are from 25 years ago when there were fewer 2-working-parent and single-parent households.

I'd be happy to write a check to hire part-time timers and judges. Just like soccer doesn't expect parents to ref games.

Hahaha. You know hard it is to even find paid officials for a few meets a year?!?

DP. There aren’t any teens or retired people who can do this? My kids participate in every other sport I can think of except swim. All have paid volunteers. Depending on the sport and their ages, it is always teens or retired individuals. Every game or tournament. And from reading this thread, it sounds like so many of these volunteer hours are about concessions. Why not get rid of them all together? I don’t understand how many of these jobs are really necessary vs. nice to have.

Whoever suggested using taskrabbit for volunteer hours was brilliant.