Families that never volunteer - swim team

[Anonymous]

This whole thread makes me so glad I left DC.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:So that we are clear: some of you believe A meet (only) parents should volunteer more than required because their kids are in A meets and B meet parents should volunteer less? My kids don’t do a single B meet. If the A meet swimmer does no B meets, then the kids are all in the same number of meets. Regardless, at most pools the rule is: your kid is in the meet, you volunteer. That’s pretty fair, isn’t it? Kids who swim both A and B meets will cause more volunteer requirements.

It’s baffling why anyone is okay being so narcissistic that they disregard rules as being inapplicable to them because they (alone) can determine what is okay or not.

- former team rep

Then how do they have times to swim a meets?

My kids get times at Time Trials to qualify for the first A meet, and then use their times at the A meets to qualify for the next A meet. Isn't that how it usually works?

We consider time trials B meets for volunteering purposes

I see. In that case I would assume that the team rep above who says their kid doesn't swim B meets they mean B meets that aren't time trials.

None of it matters: B meets that include or exclude time trials. A meets only. A and b meets only. B meets only.

The only thing that matters is the parents chip in and meet their volunteer obligations or willingly pay the penalty. Parents who self-title their minimal efforts “sufficient” when it’s less than the required volunteer hours are selfish.

My kid is an A meet swimmer. When they were little, I timed. When they got older, I did stroke and turn and now referee. The judges at our pool want to volunteer and we have more than we can use. Timing slots fill as soon as sign up opens. For everyone to hit the required number, we would have to create so many BS positions or tell people who want to be there that people who don't want to be there are replacing them. It's much easier to have a low requirement and then not enforce it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So that we are clear: some of you believe A meet (only) parents should volunteer more than required because their kids are in A meets and B meet parents should volunteer less? My kids don’t do a single B meet. If the A meet swimmer does no B meets, then the kids are all in the same number of meets. Regardless, at most pools the rule is: your kid is in the meet, you volunteer. That’s pretty fair, isn’t it? Kids who swim both A and B meets will cause more volunteer requirements.

It’s baffling why anyone is okay being so narcissistic that they disregard rules as being inapplicable to them because they (alone) can determine what is okay or not.

- former team rep

Then how do they have times to swim a meets?

My kids get times at Time Trials to qualify for the first A meet, and then use their times at the A meets to qualify for the next A meet. Isn't that how it usually works?

We consider time trials B meets for volunteering purposes

I see. In that case I would assume that the team rep above who says their kid doesn't swim B meets they mean B meets that aren't time trials.

None of it matters: B meets that include or exclude time trials. A meets only. A and b meets only. B meets only.

The only thing that matters is the parents chip in and meet their volunteer obligations or willingly pay the penalty. Parents who self-title their minimal efforts “sufficient” when it’s less than the required volunteer hours are selfish.

My kid is an A meet swimmer. When they were little, I timed. When they got older, I did stroke and turn and now referee. The judges at our pool want to volunteer and we have more than we can use. Timing slots fill as soon as sign up opens. For everyone to hit the required number, we would have to create so many BS positions or tell people who want to be there that people who don't want to be there are replacing them. It's much easier to have a low requirement and then not enforce it.

It's clear from this thread there's a difference between the bigger teams and the smaller ones. As someone on a smaller team, this didn't really occur to me. But I think it's important that people reading your post understand that just because your team doesn't run out of volunteers, other teams do, and it's not because we're doing things wrong. It's because we literally have fewer people to recruit.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I have 3 shrimpers and a baby and a husband that works in another state so I truly cannot volunteer at meets but I guarantee you I donate more money than any other family.

I have been there. When I got pregnant with my fourth, the plan was for me to SAH, but by the time the baby was born, things happened that he had to do some additional training 900 miles away while I stayed at home, took care of the kids, and financially supported my family.

It was only one year, but it was a hard year. Anytime I had free time, I slept.

I feel for you. Kids will get older and more independent! Take care!

Right, but these types of families don’t sign their kids up for summer swim team. The volunteer requirements are spelled out in advance. Our team does not allow paying your way out of volunteering.

That's sad that it's exclusive to privileged families.

The alternative is for it to not exist for anyone. I don’t think volunteering is privileged. It is the exact opposite.

Correct. We are an 8 lane pool. That’s 24 timers right there. We literally cannot run a meet without 40+ volunteers. It’s not possible. Sorry if that hurts PP’s feelings. It’s not privilege, it’s reality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have 3 shrimpers and a baby and a husband that works in another state so I truly cannot volunteer at meets but I guarantee you I donate more money than any other family.

I have been there. When I got pregnant with my fourth, the plan was for me to SAH, but by the time the baby was born, things happened that he had to do some additional training 900 miles away while I stayed at home, took care of the kids, and financially supported my family.

It was only one year, but it was a hard year. Anytime I had free time, I slept.

I feel for you. Kids will get older and more independent! Take care!

Right, but these types of families don’t sign their kids up for summer swim team. The volunteer requirements are spelled out in advance. Our team does not allow paying your way out of volunteering.

That's sad that it's exclusive to privileged families.

The alternative is for it to not exist for anyone. I don’t think volunteering is privileged. It is the exact opposite.

Correct. We are an 8 lane pool. That’s 24 timers right there. We literally cannot run a meet without 40+ volunteers. It’s not possible. Sorry if that hurts PP’s feelings. It’s not privilege, it’s reality.

This x 10000

[Anonymous]

I struggle with depression. DH is deployed or TDY ALL the time. So. Yeah. We pay the extra no-volunteer fee and donate more on top of that. I don't care if you have a problem with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I struggle with depression. DH is deployed or TDY ALL the time. So. Yeah. We pay the extra no-volunteer fee and donate more on top of that. I don't care if you have a problem with it.

If your team has a no-volunteer fee then you're living up to your comittment.

I hope you find a solution for the depression or the deployments soon!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I struggle with depression. DH is deployed or TDY ALL the time. So. Yeah. We pay the extra no-volunteer fee and donate more on top of that. I don't care if you have a problem with it.

If your team has a no-volunteer fee then you're living up to your comittment.

I hope you find a solution for the depression or the deployments soon!

I'm doing ok now but get overwhelmed easily. No-volunteer fees are the answer to my prayers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I struggle with depression. DH is deployed or TDY ALL the time. So. Yeah. We pay the extra no-volunteer fee and donate more on top of that. I don't care if you have a problem with it.

If your team has a no-volunteer fee then you're living up to your comittment.

I hope you find a solution for the depression or the deployments soon!

I'm doing ok now but get overwhelmed easily. No-volunteer fees are the answer to my prayers.

I'm glad!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So that we are clear: some of you believe A meet (only) parents should volunteer more than required because their kids are in A meets and B meet parents should volunteer less? My kids don’t do a single B meet. If the A meet swimmer does no B meets, then the kids are all in the same number of meets. Regardless, at most pools the rule is: your kid is in the meet, you volunteer. That’s pretty fair, isn’t it? Kids who swim both A and B meets will cause more volunteer requirements.

It’s baffling why anyone is okay being so narcissistic that they disregard rules as being inapplicable to them because they (alone) can determine what is okay or not.

- former team rep

Our team is small so kids can do both an and b meets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So that we are clear: some of you believe A meet (only) parents should volunteer more than required because their kids are in A meets and B meet parents should volunteer less? My kids don’t do a single B meet. If the A meet swimmer does no B meets, then the kids are all in the same number of meets. Regardless, at most pools the rule is: your kid is in the meet, you volunteer. That’s pretty fair, isn’t it? Kids who swim both A and B meets will cause more volunteer requirements.

It’s baffling why anyone is okay being so narcissistic that they disregard rules as being inapplicable to them because they (alone) can determine what is okay or not.

- former team rep

Our team is small so kids can do both an and b meets.

Huh? Size has nothing to do with it. It’s desire (do the kids want to do the meets). A meet swimmers can do the B meet if they want; many elect not to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So that we are clear: some of you believe A meet (only) parents should volunteer more than required because their kids are in A meets and B meet parents should volunteer less? My kids don’t do a single B meet. If the A meet swimmer does no B meets, then the kids are all in the same number of meets. Regardless, at most pools the rule is: your kid is in the meet, you volunteer. That’s pretty fair, isn’t it? Kids who swim both A and B meets will cause more volunteer requirements.

It’s baffling why anyone is okay being so narcissistic that they disregard rules as being inapplicable to them because they (alone) can determine what is okay or not.

- former team rep

Our team is small so kids can do both an and b meets.

Huh? Size has nothing to do with it. It’s desire (do the kids want to do the meets). A meet swimmers can do the B meet if they want; many elect not to.

Our team has five A meets and three B meets, so yes, A meet swimmers are swimming more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So that we are clear: some of you believe A meet (only) parents should volunteer more than required because their kids are in A meets and B meet parents should volunteer less? My kids don’t do a single B meet. If the A meet swimmer does no B meets, then the kids are all in the same number of meets. Regardless, at most pools the rule is: your kid is in the meet, you volunteer. That’s pretty fair, isn’t it? Kids who swim both A and B meets will cause more volunteer requirements.

It’s baffling why anyone is okay being so narcissistic that they disregard rules as being inapplicable to them because they (alone) can determine what is okay or not.

- former team rep

Our team is small so kids can do both an and b meets.

Huh? Size has nothing to do with it. It’s desire (do the kids want to do the meets). A meet swimmers can do the B meet if they want; many elect not to.

Our team has five A meets and three B meets, so yes, A meet swimmers are swimming more.

So? What does that have to do anything. If the rule is, your kid swims in the swim meet, you volunteer: you will volunteer based on the number of meets your swimmer does. And many A meet swimmers do zero B meets. Mine do none.

[Anonymous]

Many A meet only swimmers are also club swimmers. They have enough pool time else where to do B meet. They are in top 3 of every strokes to not get stuck swimming the same 2 strokes of every meets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our swim team says parents must sign up to volunteer for every meet DC attends. We do that but noticed some families don’t sign up for anything. Even some with multiple kids. Are we chumps for signing up every time?

Get over yourself. I get it, you volunteer a lot, it's great, you're awesome. You just don't know other people's situations. Maybe they have to work 70 hours a week. Maybe they have illness, or a disabled family member, a crisis. Should their kids deserve less opportunity? The unfortunate? The poors? No. So just he grateful you have the time and health to volunteer, and know everyone appreciates it whether they properly show it or not

I don’t know what you aren’t understanding. If you can’t or won’t fulfill the volunteer requirements, you DON’T SIGN YOUR KID UP FOR SWIM. It’s very simple.

People don’t want to volunteer because of people like you who take it way too seriously and bean count every last thing. Go get a job.

I work full-time and when I sign my kid up for something requiring volunteer hours, I do them.

You fail. Want to try again?