Just opt out. No thank you! |
Unfortunately, we are on a team in a mid/lower division where one of the reps a few years ago put her child on a medley relay at divisional relay carnival, excluding a very fast child. Time-wise, this never should have happened. In fact, the free relay, which did not have the team rep’s child and had said fast child plus three other fast children, won a medal at all-star relays. The medley relay with the team rep’s child placed like 70th in all of the league. Had the top four been on the medley relay, they probably would have gotten a medal at all star relays too. My child is older, but everyone was murmuring and looking around, knowing exactly what happened. It was both embarrassing for the team rep’s child, who was a nice kid, and shined (or is it shone?) a big ugly light on the integrity of the team. That team rep left, we never knew why, but that was a stain for sure. |
So many crazy swim parents that it’s hard not to notice sometimes! So I feel for OP.
1) our team reps automatically make their kids first in line for coaching and private lesson slots, even if their kids are horrible swimmers 2) not summer swim but HS swim: a parent was working automation and manually changed their child’s time so that they qualified for a bigger meet Insane. What are these parent teaching their kids? |
Not arguing with your point, because I agree about the fall off, but to the kid at age 10, it means so much. Let’s stop denigrating the hard work young swimmers do — and the meets they make/accolades they get — when they are young just because it may not/does not equate to the same level of success when they go through puberty. This is especially true for those of us with Asian or part-Asian children. Lots of earned success in 12U, but puberty often is not kind to swimmers who have Asian genes. |
The parents and coaches are all nutso. I'm so glad we're doing another sport now. |
Seriously? That is crazy. I am a team rep and our coaches pick swimmers for Saturday meets and relay carnival. This includes sometime putting my kids in the spots where they can score point even if it's not a stroke they want to swim. I just tell the coaches who is and isn't available to swim at given meet. |
Summer swim used to be so much fun. Now you have the arrogant, can’t-be-bothered club parents, the crazy intense parents too invested in their swimmers, the dead weight parents who complain and try everything to weasel out of volunteering. |
The best part is when the various parents from the above groups are all confused why the team keeps getting smaller as people leave and aren't replaced by new families. |
Sounds like there’s drama at every pool. Is anyone at a pool where the vibe is generally relaxed and friendly? |
We don’t have issues with the club parents. I will take the can’t be bothered, yet will pick up a stopwatch to fill their volunteer requirements over the crazy 10 and under summer swim only parent every day of the week. We understand club parents could not care less about game night, or the pep rally, etc., but if they are volunteering to time that’s all we care about. Signed, team rep. |
This is all 100% correct. |
Yes! I am on a wonderful team in division 15. It's so fun and very little drama. We don't post a ladder and coaches make all the decisions about who swims in a meet. However, we are very small and, due to rules set by the HOA, are limited in how many outside members we can have. It's still a struggle to fill lanes |
The one summer we did swim team, I got no competitive vibe at all. Maybe it's because we were just not competition material ![]() But seriously, everyone appeared very relaxed with each other, not just with my kids and me. |
At our club (D1-3), the club parents largely serve as officials and team reps. |
I can see how posting a ladder can take all the fun out of summer swim. What a great idea and a positive environment. I hope people are taking notes. No reason to post a team ladder so people can boast about their little swimmers. |