All-Star Relays -- Why Was the NVSLs Premier Event Such a Disaster

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But pools don't want to host these events. Members of these pools hate them. Division events are tough - league events are really tough.

There are pools out there with large grounds and nearby parking. These pools should be scouted and then NVSL throw $$$ at it to make it worth the pool/membership trouble.

Entry fees to the pool to rent the pool for the day.

I feel like pools do want to host them because they can rake in money with concession sales.

While they make a bunch in concessions, pools don't volunteer for these and usually have to be begged to do it. So they don't make enough money to entice pools to do it.

[Anonymous]

I was at the meet and applaud Hamlet for stepping up to host, especially as the last ASR meet was in 2019. I do not belong to Hamlet.

My observations:

The volunteer marshals in the “one event viewing” bleacher area did their best trying to keep traffic moving in one direction and having people move all the way down to fill in as best as possible. Parents didn’t make their lives easy by not listening, arguing, not moving down, and trying to enter via the exit. All of this was clearly communicated as well by the marshals.

The one perm bleacher area was once again taken by Division 1 teams (namely Chesterbrook, Tuckahoe and Overlee), and there were more swimmers than parents in the bleachers. If seating was an issue, maybe OP can ask the division 1 teams to back off in future years?

Yes, it was unfortunate it rained the night prior and there was mud. The volunteers did put down a walkway near the bleachers and Coach area, the mud just overpowered it after awhile.

Someone commented on the team rep area only allowing two team reps, and that is normal for NVSL meets as most pools have 1-2 reps. If your pool chose to have more than two, well then you will need to figure that out and share time instead of arguing.

Finally, I heard the livestream was great. Great camera angles and just a short delay to the actual meet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hamlet volunteered because guess what - NO OTHER POOL STEPPED UP.

So if they had not had it - it would have been virtual again. The league is still volunteers and a lot of the senior leadership left and never trained replacements. Did not even occur to them.

I actually like your idea of an entrance fee - $50 a team with part of the money going for port a potties/bleachers/water stations, etc. And part of it going to the host team to make money - because concession sales will be great, but added money is better.

The league already pays for those.

The same entry fee whether you have 1 or 20 relay entries?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, looking at the pictures, it looks like the pool is just not big enough. Some pools has built in bleachers or very wide decks so they an accommodate a lot of spectators.

And when specifically asked they said no. The league had to beg for a club to host All-Stars too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was at the meet and applaud Hamlet for stepping up to host, especially as the last ASR meet was in 2019. I do not belong to Hamlet.

My observations:

The volunteer marshals in the “one event viewing” bleacher area did their best trying to keep traffic moving in one direction and having people move all the way down to fill in as best as possible. Parents didn’t make their lives easy by not listening, arguing, not moving down, and trying to enter via the exit. All of this was clearly communicated as well by the marshals.

The one perm bleacher area was once again taken by Division 1 teams (namely Chesterbrook, Tuckahoe and Overlee), and there were more swimmers than parents in the bleachers. If seating was an issue, maybe OP can ask the division 1 teams to back off in future years?

Yes, it was unfortunate it rained the night prior and there was mud. The volunteers did put down a walkway near the bleachers and Coach area, the mud just overpowered it after awhile.

Someone commented on the team rep area only allowing two team reps, and that is normal for NVSL meets as most pools have 1-2 reps. If your pool chose to have more than two, well then you will need to figure that out and share time instead of arguing.

Finally, I heard the livestream was great. Great camera angles and just a short delay to the actual meet.

D1 taking up bleacher space is a problem at both all start meets. Unless NVSL does something drastic like start DQing swimmers and teams whose fans don't move after each swim, it will continue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jesus, OP, thanks for the PTSD. It is parents like you that made the whole NVSL thing so awful. I am so glad all of that is behind us. I hated every second of NVSL, primarily because of the parents. Why does EVERYTHING around here have to be a competition?

We are in Division 13. I heard no complaints. Kids and families were just happy to be there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why not split these all star meets...

8 and unders and 9-10 at one pool,

11-12, 13-14, and 15-18 at a second pool.

Then the next day have all the mixed age relays at a third pool.

Staffing would be near impossible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was at the meet and applaud Hamlet for stepping up to host, especially as the last ASR meet was in 2019. I do not belong to Hamlet.

My observations:

The volunteer marshals in the “one event viewing” bleacher area did their best trying to keep traffic moving in one direction and having people move all the way down to fill in as best as possible. Parents didn’t make their lives easy by not listening, arguing, not moving down, and trying to enter via the exit. All of this was clearly communicated as well by the marshals.

The one perm bleacher area was once again taken by Division 1 teams (namely Chesterbrook, Tuckahoe and Overlee), and there were more swimmers than parents in the bleachers. If seating was an issue, maybe OP can ask the division 1 teams to back off in future years?

Yes, it was unfortunate it rained the night prior and there was mud. The volunteers did put down a walkway near the bleachers and Coach area, the mud just overpowered it after awhile.

Someone commented on the team rep area only allowing two team reps, and that is normal for NVSL meets as most pools have 1-2 reps. If your pool chose to have more than two, well then you will need to figure that out and share time instead of arguing.

Finally, I heard the livestream was great. Great camera angles and just a short delay to the actual meet.

My spouse is an official who was very involved and agrees.

Perhaps all bleachers will be one event viewing at future meets.

[Anonymous]

I was there. Div 2 team with a lot of relays participating. I had 3 kids swimming in 6 events. I applaud Hamlet for stepping up. All of their volunteers did the best they could, especially the marshals running the bleachers. The drop-off area was great. It was brutally hot, but there was plenty of space for teams to hang out. The clerk of course was at least in the shade.

If parents would follow the rules and get out when their kids aren't swimming, it would have made everything better. The bleachers were tight but there was enough room for each event if people would move. Maybe they give out tickets for each event and you need one to be in the spectator area. Otherwise, you hang out outside the pool.

What about using the Saint James? Or another indoor facility? Or just get rid of parents all together. Parents just make everything worse. If you want to see the meet, you volunteer. Otherwise, stay home and watch the livestream. I heard it was good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was there. Div 2 team with a lot of relays participating. I had 3 kids swimming in 6 events. I applaud Hamlet for stepping up. All of their volunteers did the best they could, especially the marshals running the bleachers. The drop-off area was great. It was brutally hot, but there was plenty of space for teams to hang out. The clerk of course was at least in the shade.

If parents would follow the rules and get out when their kids aren't swimming, it would have made everything better. The bleachers were tight but there was enough room for each event if people would move. Maybe they give out tickets for each event and you need one to be in the spectator area. Otherwise, you hang out outside the pool.

What about using the Saint James? Or another indoor facility? Or just get rid of parents all together. Parents just make everything worse. If you want to see the meet, you volunteer. Otherwise, stay home and watch the livestream. I heard it was good.

None would be big enough. I think splitting the event amongst pools would be the smart move. Two day event. Two or three pools for the different age groups day one and day two the mixed age.

[Anonymous]

Why doesn't, or why can't, NVSL rent out facilties at GMU or another local college?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hamlet volunteered because guess what - NO OTHER POOL STEPPED UP.

So if they had not had it - it would have been virtual again. The league is still volunteers and a lot of the senior leadership left and never trained replacements. Did not even occur to them.

I actually like your idea of an entrance fee - $50 a team with part of the money going for port a potties/bleachers/water stations, etc. And part of it going to the host team to make money - because concession sales will be great, but added money is better.

The league already pays for those.

The same entry fee whether you have 1 or 20 relay entries?

Of course not. You charge a fee per team. Perhaps it is $20 per team in the event. That would be 8K to the host pool. If you divide the event amongst pools you divide the amount. This would be the rental fee.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hamlet volunteered because guess what - NO OTHER POOL STEPPED UP.

So if they had not had it - it would have been virtual again. The league is still volunteers and a lot of the senior leadership left and never trained replacements. Did not even occur to them.

I actually like your idea of an entrance fee - $50 a team with part of the money going for port a potties/bleachers/water stations, etc. And part of it going to the host team to make money - because concession sales will be great, but added money is better.

The league already pays for those.

The same entry fee whether you have 1 or 20 relay entries?

Of course not. You charge a fee per team[b]. Perhaps it is $20 per team in the event. That would be 8K to the host pool. If you divide the event amongst pools you divide the amount. This would be the rental fee.

Sorry per RELAY team not swim team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why doesn't, or why can't, NVSL rent out facilties at GMU or another local college?

Because that would cost a lot of money and participation would end up being limited to teams willing to pay. NVSL is supposed to be about neighborhood pools swimming against each other at neighborhood pools. All star relays have always been crazy, but that's part of the fun. If you ask your kids, the odds are they had a great time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was there. Div 2 team with a lot of relays participating. I had 3 kids swimming in 6 events. I applaud Hamlet for stepping up. All of their volunteers did the best they could, especially the marshals running the bleachers. The drop-off area was great. It was brutally hot, but there was plenty of space for teams to hang out. The clerk of course was at least in the shade.

If parents would follow the rules and get out when their kids aren't swimming, it would have made everything better. The bleachers were tight but there was enough room for each event if people would move. Maybe they give out tickets for each event and you need one to be in the spectator area. Otherwise, you hang out outside the pool.

What about using the Saint James? Or another indoor facility? Or just get rid of parents all together. Parents just make everything worse. If you want to see the meet, you volunteer. Otherwise, stay home and watch the livestream. I heard it was good.

None would be big enough. I think splitting the event amongst pools would be the smart move. Two day event. Two or three pools for the different age groups day one and day two the mixed age.

I think the split makes sense. But maybe instead of multiple venues, which would be hard on the league, it is a one day event with three sessions: 12& unders are in the morning. There is a mixed age session after that. And the third session is 13 and ups. That way the mixed age can overlap. One big, long day, but much more manageable.

But I think there should also be more money available to pools to entice them to host. There were 396 relay teams last night. If each team entry were $20, you'd have almost $7000. $5000 to the host pool on top of concessions might cause some more pools to step up. With the remaining $2000, you rent bleachers, port-a-lets, etc.

All of the miscues yesterday were foreseeable, and it sounds like a bigger budget could have gone a long way to solving some of these issues.