Regular Cancelations of Swim Practices

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When the University of Maryland pool is closed, Machine cancels. So if they are closed for a federal holiday or a football game, practice is canceled, and if Fairland is not available - there is no practice. Simarily, if the staff are busy with meets for HP, they cancel practice for non-HP teams. They may or may not offer an alternative practice. Moreover, most kids have multiple activities so "bring them on a Sunday morning" when there is church or bring them on different days when they have other expensive pre-paid activities is not always possible. Yes, the snow was a freak event, but the non HP kids were not a priority for them. They have cancelled 20 practices this year. That's a lot. They could rebate back to parents - they could offer an extra make-up week - they could arrange stroke and turn clinics - they have options. They could also do a better job ahead of time in communication with the college (lots of last minute "it's Spring Break so we are meeting earlier or later or at Fairland." They could also send reminders to parents when they have moved the practice to Fairland. Digging through my email every week to find one email per month with practice updates is frustrating.

20 practices? is this real?

DP - I have a non-HP (High Performance) kid at UMD with Machine and no, they have not cancelled 20 practices this year. Especially not during weekdays. Last year they did offer a make up week and make up practices throughout the year. The head site coach sent out an email last week laying out all the practice changes for March. It's not as hard as this person is making it out to be.

Also, all Machine sites are OFF entirely for spring break, so the claim that this person is receiving last minute "it's Spring Break so we are meeting earlier or later at Fairland" is utter BS. Like, an actual fabrication. They're not meeting anywhere because they take spring break off entirely from swimming.

I think they meant when UMD had spring break, not when K-12 kids do.

Correct - they say they do not get timely information from MD on when the school is closed for federal holidays/weather (which means pool is totally closed) or how the schedule may be adjusted when MD is itself on winter or spring break - so they tell parents late. Something in that relationship is not working if you are not able to anticipate and alter practice schedules with adequate notice. No program is perfect, but the weird boosterism on this forum is just not helpful. There are multiple parents here saying that practices are fairly regularly cancelled for whatever reason, and adequate make-ups are not offered. There was one practice where they had a make-up during the day on a Friday in Laurel because some kids were off school - but other kids had school. That is not a substitute for a normally scheduled and cancelled practice.

Seriously- you mean when there was unprecedented snow and an option was offered because many schools were out?
So either way you complain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ Machine is not perfect, as no swim club is. But slander is not okay.

I assume you mean libel? They have cancelled 20 UMD practices this year since the beginning of the year. And they said at the beginning of the year, not to bring your kids to other days as make-ups. There are other clubs that have a "you can come any night model," but Machine does not do that. Maybe they make exceptions for older kids, don't know. At other clubs in NoVa, they have make-up weeks, or have enough coaches that even if there is a meet for older/faster kids, the other kids can still practice. Machine is also very expensive compared to some other clubs. With the pricetag, it is reasonable to expect that they allow for drop-in or offer stroke and turn or some other way of indicating that they understand the financial sacrifice parents are making. Instead, they do not hire enough coaches or timers at any meet, and yell at parents for not wanting to time miss their kids' events and time. The Machine qualifier meets are always a mess.

If you’re timing, how exactly are you missing your kid’s event? You’re literally on deck watching the pool.

How was the qualifier a mess? You already stated you are a machine parent and the qualifier was 90% machine swimmers and you are saying not enough timers, so you are relying on the rest of us to time your kid so you can watch them swim? Guessing it is fair to assume you are missing you are apart of the problem here.

Machine has more coaches on deck than almost any other club at almost every meet and I appreciate it. Maybe Machine just isn’t the place for you and you should try out another Maryland team and have those parents time your child.

[Anonymous]

This sounds infuriating! I can’t imagine receiving a monthly email outlining all the practice cancellations and reschedules, especially given how much you’re paying for the privilege.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ Machine is not perfect, as no swim club is. But slander is not okay.

I assume you mean libel? They have cancelled 20 UMD practices this year since the beginning of the year. And they said at the beginning of the year, not to bring your kids to other days as make-ups. There are other clubs that have a "you can come any night model," but Machine does not do that. Maybe they make exceptions for older kids, don't know. At other clubs in NoVa, they have make-up weeks, or have enough coaches that even if there is a meet for older/faster kids, the other kids can still practice. Machine is also very expensive compared to some other clubs. With the pricetag, it is reasonable to expect that they allow for drop-in or offer stroke and turn or some other way of indicating that they understand the financial sacrifice parents are making. Instead, they do not hire enough coaches or timers at any meet, and yell at parents for not wanting to time miss their kids' events and time. The Machine qualifier meets are always a mess.

If you’re timing, how exactly are you missing your kid’s event? You’re literally on deck watching the pool.

How was the qualifier a mess? You already stated you are a machine parent and the qualifier was 90% machine swimmers and you are saying not enough timers, so you are relying on the rest of us to time your kid so you can watch them swim? Guessing it is fair to assume you are missing you are apart of the problem here.

Machine has more coaches on deck than almost any other club at almost every meet and I appreciate it. Maybe Machine just isn’t the place for you and you should try out another Maryland team and have those parents time your child.

The Qualifier was objectively a mess. There were not enough coaches on deck, such that some kids did not get in their lanes, the board didn’t work, the app didn’t work, and Machine is already charging parents a fee for not volunteering- which some of us have to pay out of necessity. Not every family looks like yours - or has your family wealth, health, multiple family members able to attend, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This sounds infuriating! I can’t imagine receiving a monthly email outlining all the practice cancellations and reschedules, especially given how much you’re paying for the privilege.

No, the monthly email doesn’t lay out all of the practice changes and cancellations, that would be nice. It lays out what it is anticipated at the beginning of the month - and there are many many changes after that initial email - time, date, location, etc. This is our lived experience over several years at Machine. Yours may be -different - but doesn’t negate the experiences of others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ Machine is not perfect, as no swim club is. But slander is not okay.

I assume you mean libel? They have cancelled 20 UMD practices this year since the beginning of the year. And they said at the beginning of the year, not to bring your kids to other days as make-ups. There are other clubs that have a "you can come any night model," but Machine does not do that. Maybe they make exceptions for older kids, don't know. At other clubs in NoVa, they have make-up weeks, or have enough coaches that even if there is a meet for older/faster kids, the other kids can still practice. Machine is also very expensive compared to some other clubs. With the pricetag, it is reasonable to expect that they allow for drop-in or offer stroke and turn or some other way of indicating that they understand the financial sacrifice parents are making. Instead, they do not hire enough coaches or timers at any meet, and yell at parents for not wanting to time miss their kids' events and time. The Machine qualifier meets are always a mess.

Yes, I meant libel.

Go to another team, PP. Please. We looked at a lot of different clubs, asked about a lot of different team cultures. This is very much a you problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This sounds infuriating! I can’t imagine receiving a monthly email outlining all the practice cancellations and reschedules, especially given how much you’re paying for the privilege.

Clear communication is infuriating? Really?

Eppley is highly in demand for large meets. I completely understand a new parent not knowing that their first year at that site and being frustrated. Makes sense. I didn’t think to ask about practice cancellations/reschedules during my kids’ first year of club swim.

What does not make sense, at least not for an adult, is sticking with that site for multiple seasons and repeatedly trashing the team on an anonymous forum. That behavior is diagnostic. There are lots of other teams from which to choose if someone doesn’t like Machine and the UMD site in particular.

[Anonymous]

It’s clear that some Machine staff members are present here. Please take the feedback seriously and work toward better communication with UMD, and reconsider the timing of the April 10 staff planning meeting.

If anonymous discussion forums are uncomfortable, you might consider asking families to evaluate their experience at the end of the season. I’m confident you’ll hear many things people love about Machine, as well as areas that could benefit from further consideration and improvement.

And to those who simply tell people to find another team if they’re unhappy—this feels similar to the mindset of telling someone who doesn’t like something about their country to just move somewhere else. Feedback is how communities improve, and it shouldn’t be dismissed so easily

[Anonymous]

I don’t think there is staff on here commenting. Sitting in the stands at UMD for the meet that caused our practice to be moved, it is parents who are happy and offering you a different perspective.

My experience with Machine is they are very open to feedback. Maybe you should contact your site director or Paris to share your feedback vs an anonymous forum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s clear that some Machine staff members are present here. Please take the feedback seriously and work toward better communication with UMD, and reconsider the timing of the April 10 staff planning meeting.

If anonymous discussion forums are uncomfortable, you might consider asking families to evaluate their experience at the end of the season. I’m confident you’ll hear many things people love about Machine, as well as areas that could benefit from further consideration and improvement.

And to those who simply tell people to find another team if they’re unhappy—this feels similar to the mindset of telling someone who doesn’t like something about their country to just move somewhere else. Feedback is how communities improve, and it shouldn’t be dismissed so easily

I’m the PP above you and I can assure you I am not a Machine staff member. Just a parent of multiple Machine swimmers, who has overall been happy with the experience, while also recognizing the team isn’t perfect.

Likening a swim team to the *country* in which someone lives is an absurd comparison. There are a lot of swim teams in this area. It’s not that hard to change teams. This is more like keeping your kids in the same private school for years, while complaining incessantly about it and not switching to one of the many other available options.

[Anonymous]

I have a Machine swimmer at a Virginia site. Facility closures due to meets are known and planned for in advance. In my experience, when practices have been unexpectedly canceled due to weather or other issues, machine has made an effort to offer alternative practices to all swimmers. I’ve appreciated this, as our former club only did this for their faster groups.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s clear that some Machine staff members are present here. Please take the feedback seriously and work toward better communication with UMD, and reconsider the timing of the April 10 staff planning meeting.

If anonymous discussion forums are uncomfortable, you might consider asking families to evaluate their experience at the end of the season. I’m confident you’ll hear many things people love about Machine, as well as areas that could benefit from further consideration and improvement.

And to those who simply tell people to find another team if they’re unhappy—this feels similar to the mindset of telling someone who doesn’t like something about their country to just move somewhere else. Feedback is how communities improve, and it shouldn’t be dismissed so easily

I’m the PP above you and I can assure you I am not a Machine staff member. Just a parent of multiple Machine swimmers, who has overall been happy with the experience, while also recognizing the team isn’t perfect.

Likening a swim team to the *country* in which someone lives is an absurd comparison. There are a lot of swim teams in this area. It’s not that hard to change teams. This is more like keeping your kids in the same private school for years, while complaining incessantly about it and not switching to one of the many other available options.

So you recognize the team isn’t perfect but don’t want people talking about the imperfect parts. Why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ Machine is not perfect, as no swim club is. But slander is not okay.

I assume you mean libel? They have cancelled 20 UMD practices this year since the beginning of the year. And they said at the beginning of the year, not to bring your kids to other days as make-ups. There are other clubs that have a "you can come any night model," but Machine does not do that. Maybe they make exceptions for older kids, don't know. At other clubs in NoVa, they have make-up weeks, or have enough coaches that even if there is a meet for older/faster kids, the other kids can still practice. Machine is also very expensive compared to some other clubs. With the pricetag, it is reasonable to expect that they allow for drop-in or offer stroke and turn or some other way of indicating that they understand the financial sacrifice parents are making. Instead, they do not hire enough coaches or timers at any meet, and yell at parents for not wanting to time miss their kids' events and time. The Machine qualifier meets are always a mess.

If you’re timing, how exactly are you missing your kid’s event? You’re literally on deck watching the pool.

How was the qualifier a mess? You already stated you are a machine parent and the qualifier was 90% machine swimmers and you are saying not enough timers, so you are relying on the rest of us to time your kid so you can watch them swim? Guessing it is fair to assume you are missing you are apart of the problem here.

Machine has more coaches on deck than almost any other club at almost every meet and I appreciate it. Maybe Machine just isn’t the place for you and you should try out another Maryland team and have those parents time your child.

The Qualifier was objectively a mess. There were not enough coaches on deck, such that some kids did not get in their lanes, the board didn’t work, the app didn’t work, and Machine is already charging parents a fee for not volunteering- which some of us have to pay out of necessity. Not every family looks like yours - or has your family wealth, health, multiple family members able to attend, etc.

Machine is 3x the cost of other clubs. If you can aford this craziness you can afford the fee or have someone time for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ Machine is not perfect, as no swim club is. But slander is not okay.

I assume you mean libel? They have cancelled 20 UMD practices this year since the beginning of the year. And they said at the beginning of the year, not to bring your kids to other days as make-ups. There are other clubs that have a "you can come any night model," but Machine does not do that. Maybe they make exceptions for older kids, don't know. At other clubs in NoVa, they have make-up weeks, or have enough coaches that even if there is a meet for older/faster kids, the other kids can still practice. Machine is also very expensive compared to some other clubs. With the pricetag, it is reasonable to expect that they allow for drop-in or offer stroke and turn or some other way of indicating that they understand the financial sacrifice parents are making. Instead, they do not hire enough coaches or timers at any meet, and yell at parents for not wanting to time miss their kids' events and time. The Machine qualifier meets are always a mess.

If you’re timing, how exactly are you missing your kid’s event? You’re literally on deck watching the pool.

How was the qualifier a mess? You already stated you are a machine parent and the qualifier was 90% machine swimmers and you are saying not enough timers, so you are relying on the rest of us to time your kid so you can watch them swim? Guessing it is fair to assume you are missing you are apart of the problem here.

Machine has more coaches on deck than almost any other club at almost every meet and I appreciate it. Maybe Machine just isn’t the place for you and you should try out another Maryland team and have those parents time your child.

The Qualifier was objectively a mess. There were not enough coaches on deck, such that some kids did not get in their lanes, the board didn’t work, the app didn’t work, and Machine is already charging parents a fee for not volunteering- which some of us have to pay out of necessity. Not every family looks like yours - or has your family wealth, health, multiple family members able to attend, etc.

You do understand that Machine, or any other team, can’t control a facilities scoreboard?? Meet Mobile is a 3rd party platform that no club or meet admin has jurisdiction over. No club can help the fails of meet mobile. As an official who gets the nasty comments from parents sitting in the stands- I wish parents understood this. I encourage you to go join the various social media groups about the challenges meet director are having with MM. Or do a quick search of Active Network and Meet Mobile and you will see the program has no IT support.

I was an official at the qualifier and there were very few missed swims and the ones that did were 13 & Over, but it is clear your child was one that missed. I also know any child who missed, ended up swimming. We are there for the kids and ensure they can swim.

As an official, we get “paid” in tuition credit for our sessions worked by Machine, many clubs don’t do this. You also get the volunteer refunded to you as soon as you complete the volunteer hours.

All clubs have challenges and room for improvements, but Machine runs some of the best meets in our LSC in my opinion and I work lots of meets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s clear that some Machine staff members are present here. Please take the feedback seriously and work toward better communication with UMD, and reconsider the timing of the April 10 staff planning meeting.

If anonymous discussion forums are uncomfortable, you might consider asking families to evaluate their experience at the end of the season. I’m confident you’ll hear many things people love about Machine, as well as areas that could benefit from further consideration and improvement.

And to those who simply tell people to find another team if they’re unhappy—this feels similar to the mindset of telling someone who doesn’t like something about their country to just move somewhere else. Feedback is how communities improve, and it shouldn’t be dismissed so easily

I’m the PP above you and I can assure you I am not a Machine staff member. Just a parent of multiple Machine swimmers, who has overall been happy with the experience, while also recognizing the team isn’t perfect.

Likening a swim team to the *country* in which someone lives is an absurd comparison. There are a lot of swim teams in this area. It’s not that hard to change teams. This is more like keeping your kids in the same private school for years, while complaining incessantly about it and not switching to one of the many other available options.

So you recognize the team isn’t perfect but don’t want people talking about the imperfect parts. Why?

I don’t care what people talk about. I’m pointing out that it’s not normal adult behavior to post repeatedly on anonymous website because you’re furious about an activity you repeatedly choose to sign your kid(s) up for. Plenty of us have pointed out that these criticisms aren’t particularly grounded in reality, either.