Families that never volunteer - swim team

[Anonymous]

I'm glad our team is low key, but still I don't think many people know who is doing a lot of the silent backend work like shopping and organizing storage areas and website updates and data entry.

I've also found people step up when it's clear there's a need. It's hard to know if the usual timers really like timing (I know a few who do) or if they feel put out for always being on deck. If they send out a clear note saying "we need more people for XX role," there generally are more volunteers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm glad our team is low key, but still I don't think many people know who is doing a lot of the silent backend work like shopping and organizing storage areas and website updates and data entry.

I've also found people step up when it's clear there's a need. It's hard to know if the usual timers really like timing (I know a few who do) or if they feel put out for always being on deck. If they send out a clear note saying "we need more people for XX role," there generally are more volunteers.

I enjoy timing, but if I could take a meet off every now and then it would be nice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I volunteered when my kids where on swim team, but I really dislike this whole concept. It shuts out a entire group of families who cannot volunteer or afford the fee.

In my opinion, kid swimming should be pared WAY down (no need for all this food, awards, blah blah blah). Kids who are talented and want to compete should be able to do so without depending on parent availability or income. We should not have to incentivize swim team for kids who perhaps wouldn't want to participate without the grub and medals.

There is no reason to claim people can’t afford it. Summer swim is dirt cheap!
If you want pared down swimming without all the extras, do winter swim. You’ll realize it’s a slog and all the extras is what makes summer swimming fun and enjoyable.
You can find a way to volunteer! If you don’t like the concept, it’s simple - don’t sign up for summer swim. I have been a parent of five with a husband deployed and managed to make it happen. Stop with the excuses.

[Anonymous]

Yes, you are chumps.

[Anonymous]

Our team has a minimum amount of points to fulfill and those who don't won't get priority registration next year. With a big team, that means wait list.

Agree with PPs that there are lots of "silent" jobs - concession shopping, spirit committees, fundraising, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I did the book and web page for our team. How would you know?

This is a good point and why I think it would be helpful for my team, at least, to make more public who is doing what and give more shoutouts to people doing the silent invisible work. People just have no clue. Can’t really blame new parents for it but even some of the older parents are completely oblivious.

Then again, some people just like to be martyrs and won’t do the things that make life easier for themselves, or they’re control freaks who can’t delegate. It is what it is!

Almost done folks! Hang in there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I did the book and web page for our team. How would you know?

What is “the book”?

[Anonymous]

New poster:

I was a team rep a few years ago. We had a family that hs 3 kids on the team, the youngest of whom was 8 (meaning no infants or toddlers). The parents never volunteered. I called and asked them to volunteer at the whole meet for Divisionals, as they hadn’t done anything and they had swimmers throughout all events. The mom said she was going to be out of town for work. I asked about her husband and she said he had work out of town, too. At Divisionals, I was walking past the swimmer drop off area and who is dropping her kids off - the mom. She tried to turn her head but I saw. Then, 30 min later I saw her watching from a distant spot. I came up to her and asked what happened to the work trip. She said it had just cancelled. In all the subsequent years- the family has never volunteered…and we don’t charge for it but should.

So when people say some people don’t volunteer - they don’t. Take take take.

[Anonymous]

Other behind the scenes jobs
- pick up cofffee/donuts for A meets
- food manager (for Team lunches)
- volunteer at progressive dinner
- donate chips, candy, water, Gatorade

I’ve done all of these the summer I was a single parent.

I also donate my volunteer fee for the coaches tip/bonus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you know they aren't? I do things that no one knows I do.

What kinds of things? I know some jobs are not necessarily visible (ie bringing snacks for the timers/officials), but most really are obvious to the rest of the team.

There are so many examples.
Ordering needed items like food, pep rally supplies, ribbons, etc. It's not just a simple click and order it takes time to try to figure out the most inexpensive way to do some of these things. Making sure all the supplies from stopwatches are in working order, and replenishing what is broken or missing. You would not believe how many things are needed and if some things are needed at the last minute it can take a couple of hours to rush to the store and get the things that are needed.
There are people who spend hours meeting with the league to go over new rules and communicate that to the coaches and officials.
Updating the web sites, and backend computer work. This is a big one. The meet managements systems are always buggy and there are changes so things might break and it takes a lot of time to deal with all that data and set up the meets and track individual times.
Our team reps spend a lot of time each week personally calling and begging for volunteers because there are always positions that are unfilled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:New poster:

I was a team rep a few years ago. We had a family that hs 3 kids on the team, the youngest of whom was 8 (meaning no infants or toddlers). The parents never volunteered. I called and asked them to volunteer at the whole meet for Divisionals, as they hadn’t done anything and they had swimmers throughout all events. The mom said she was going to be out of town for work. I asked about her husband and she said he had work out of town, too. At Divisionals, I was walking past the swimmer drop off area and who is dropping her kids off - the mom. She tried to turn her head but I saw. Then, 30 min later I saw her watching from a distant spot. I came up to her and asked what happened to the work trip. She said it had just cancelled. In all the subsequent years- the family has never volunteered…and we don’t charge for it but should.

So when people say some people don’t volunteer - they don’t. Take take take.

There are always some families that do this. I can actually think of a few right now - all private school families as a matter of fact. But for the most part I do find that families volunteer.

[Anonymous]

Blame the people in charge. When I am in charge I enforce the volunteer rule. No free rides - I’m busy too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I volunteer to be a timer when I can get a babysitter (probably every third meet) but when I don’t I have a 4 year old that cannot be unsupervised near a pool. When my other kid is older, I will volunteer more. I assume that many of the U8 families also have other little kids. Their time will come when their kids are older.

This is not an excuse. You need to find something your family can do for the team other than being an on deck official during the meet.

It's really fine to sit out from volunteering at the meets, but you should do some of the backend work like shopping or organizing the closet or counting ribbons. That's what most of the parents with littles ones do.

[Anonymous]

Our team does a good job of recognizing the people who do behind the scenes work, so we have an idea who isn't on deck at every meet.
Announcing on the Fb page is one way.

[Anonymous]

I have been a team rep for a long time and most folks volunteer. I have a few people I have to contact mid season to make sure they sign up for something. As others have said, there are a lot of behind the scenes jobs. I would MYOB. The people you think aren't volunteering probably are doing something. If you are concerned about people volunteering offer to coordinate it.