Freeloading swim team parents suck

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't have time to read through 19 pages of this nonsense but I judge the volunteer nazis like OP who deliberately try to make people feel bad. Same person who gets into a tizzy when the volunteers' shirt isn't 100% white cotton or if someone makes a mistake when filling out those unnecessary ribbons. SMD, OP.

Riddle me this, how is a single parent with one kid swimming and two others who aren't because they aren't old enough or don't want to but aren't old enough to be at home by themselves supposed to volunteer for 5 effing swim meets, plus all of the other stupid events such as needing volunteers for tie-dying shirts, or for pancake breakfasts or for the rootbeer floats. It's so much bullshine.

Perhaps at registration allow folks to opt out from volunteering for an additionl $50-$100. Then you could hire the additional help needed to do the meets.

For B meets, why not just one or two timers? It's not important at all and if little Johnny is going to swim in 8 meets he doesn't need 24 different time samples for each stroke to figure out if he's good enough for all stars or whatever else.

Summer swim team is not for the person is this situation then.
The social culture -root beer floats and pancake breakfasts and the other stuff you deem billshine - is what makes it fun for the kids. Versus year round swimming which is a grind.

Listen to yourself: year round swimming is a grind. That's a bat signal that you've overscheduled your child and making them do something that isn't fun but is actually... a grind. That's pathetic.
Being at the pool all summer is fun for kids and it isn't only for the kids who swim year-round. It doesn't require a social culture for the swim team that isn't inclusive of the other members of your pool. It doesn't require an event every freaking week that requires additional volunteers aside from those needed to actually put on a swim meet. It doesn't require a social event every freaking week that commandeers the pool and areas of the pool that other folks are also paying to use beyond closing the pool down for the swim meets themselves.

OP and you others are creating your own problem. Ribbons aren't necessary at every meet nor for heat winners, either. Other sports don't hand out ribbons for scoring the third most points in a game. Coaches often acknowledge individual players in the team huddle after a game for something special they might have done but they don't give them a cheap ribbon. Other sports don't have a social event like this every week. They might have an end of year team party; and many just hand out their team trophies and patches in 15 minutes after the last game.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Superior beings,
If you don't want kids with non-volunteer parents on your swim team, then make it SUPER CLEAR that enrollment is limited to parent volunteer families only. Drop kids whose parent doesn't occupy a volunteer role in the first A or B meet.

I feel like the leagues are shaming me because I can only volunteer part-time. I can't volunteer for every B meet during the season. I can't commit to judge training, like stroke and turn. But I do what I can with the time I have available.

Teams absolutely make it super clear. And give numerous chances to back out. People know and just don’t care. Takers gonna take.

My kid wants to swim, so I sign him up. I have other kids that play other sports, I have elderly parents that I’m the caretaker for, and I have a job. So I don’t volunteer. I offer to write a check for whatever, but I’m not denying my son an opportunity to swim because his grandparents are dying or I have to work. If it comes back to bite me, as previous posters have threatened, than that’s fine with me.

What exactly are we paying for with swim team sign up fees anyway? It’s not cheap. My other son plays little league, and for the $125 sign up fee they get a uniform, paid umpires, and an end of year party budget. For swim team I buy the swimsuits, volunteers run everything, and concession sales pay for social events.

You’re one of the people OP is talking to then.
Swim team is absolutely cheap considering that pools are expensive and it’s a daily activity.
I had a deployed husband and six kids and still could find a way to volunteer. Everybody has a lot going on.

so do you and your spouse/child's father never come to watch your kid swim? if you can watch the meet you can volunteer.

False, I can't watch my kid swim if I'm stuck in the snack bar or timing in a lane in which DC isn't swimming in or clerking or creating stupid ribbons etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Superior beings,
If you don't want kids with non-volunteer parents on your swim team, then make it SUPER CLEAR that enrollment is limited to parent volunteer families only. Drop kids whose parent doesn't occupy a volunteer role in the first A or B meet.

I feel like the leagues are shaming me because I can only volunteer part-time. I can't volunteer for every B meet during the season. I can't commit to judge training, like stroke and turn. But I do what I can with the time I have available.

Teams absolutely make it super clear. And give numerous chances to back out. People know and just don’t care. Takers gonna take.

My kid wants to swim, so I sign him up. I have other kids that play other sports, I have elderly parents that I’m the caretaker for, and I have a job. So I don’t volunteer. I offer to write a check for whatever, but I’m not denying my son an opportunity to swim because his grandparents are dying or I have to work. If it comes back to bite me, as previous posters have threatened, than that’s fine with me.

What exactly are we paying for with swim team sign up fees anyway? It’s not cheap. My other son plays little league, and for the $125 sign up fee they get a uniform, paid umpires, and an end of year party budget. For swim team I buy the swimsuits, volunteers run everything, and concession sales pay for social events.

You’re one of the people OP is talking to then.
Swim team is absolutely cheap considering that pools are expensive and it’s a daily activity.
I had a deployed husband and six kids and still could find a way to volunteer. Everybody has a lot going on.

so do you and your spouse/child's father never come to watch your kid swim? if you can watch the meet you can volunteer.

False, I can't watch my kid swim if I'm stuck in the snack bar or timing in a lane in which DC isn't swimming in or clerking or creating stupid ribbons etc.

Now you are just being silly. Everyone takes a two minute break frrom ribbons or concessions or whatever to watch their kid swim. Timers are standing right at the pool, of course you can see you own kid swim.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't have time to read through 19 pages of this nonsense but I judge the volunteer nazis like OP who deliberately try to make people feel bad. Same person who gets into a tizzy when the volunteers' shirt isn't 100% white cotton or if someone makes a mistake when filling out those unnecessary ribbons. SMD, OP.

Riddle me this, how is a single parent with one kid swimming and two others who aren't because they aren't old enough or don't want to but aren't old enough to be at home by themselves supposed to volunteer for 5 effing swim meets, plus all of the other stupid events such as needing volunteers for tie-dying shirts, or for pancake breakfasts or for the rootbeer floats. It's so much bullshine.

Perhaps at registration allow folks to opt out from volunteering for an additionl $50-$100. Then you could hire the additional help needed to do the meets.

For B meets, why not just one or two timers? It's not important at all and if little Johnny is going to swim in 8 meets he doesn't need 24 different time samples for each stroke to figure out if he's good enough for all stars or whatever else.

Summer swim team is not for the person is this situation then.
The social culture -root beer floats and pancake breakfasts and the other stuff you deem billshine - is what makes it fun for the kids. Versus year round swimming which is a grind.

Listen to yourself: year round swimming is a grind. That's a bat signal that you've overscheduled your child and making them do something that isn't fun but is actually... a grind. That's pathetic.
Being at the pool all summer is fun for kids and it isn't only for the kids who swim year-round. It doesn't require a social culture for the swim team that isn't inclusive of the other members of your pool. It doesn't require an event every freaking week that requires additional volunteers aside from those needed to actually put on a swim meet. It doesn't require a social event every freaking week that commandeers the pool and areas of the pool that other folks are also paying to use beyond closing the pool down for the swim meets themselves.

OP and you others are creating your own problem. Ribbons aren't necessary at every meet nor for heat winners, either. Other sports don't hand out ribbons for scoring the third most points in a game. Coaches often acknowledge individual players in the team huddle after a game for something special they might have done but they don't give them a cheap ribbon. Other sports don't have a social event like this every week. They might have an end of year team party; and many just hand out their team trophies and patches in 15 minutes after the last game.

The easy solution is to not sign you kid up for a sport if you don’t like the culture around that sport

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Superior beings,
If you don't want kids with non-volunteer parents on your swim team, then make it SUPER CLEAR that enrollment is limited to parent volunteer families only. Drop kids whose parent doesn't occupy a volunteer role in the first A or B meet.

I feel like the leagues are shaming me because I can only volunteer part-time. I can't volunteer for every B meet during the season. I can't commit to judge training, like stroke and turn. But I do what I can with the time I have available.

Teams absolutely make it super clear. And give numerous chances to back out. People know and just don’t care. Takers gonna take.

My kid wants to swim, so I sign him up. I have other kids that play other sports, I have elderly parents that I’m the caretaker for, and I have a job. So I don’t volunteer. I offer to write a check for whatever, but I’m not denying my son an opportunity to swim because his grandparents are dying or I have to work. If it comes back to bite me, as previous posters have threatened, than that’s fine with me.

What exactly are we paying for with swim team sign up fees anyway? It’s not cheap. My other son plays little league, and for the $125 sign up fee they get a uniform, paid umpires, and an end of year party budget. For swim team I buy the swimsuits, volunteers run everything, and concession sales pay for social events.

You’re one of the people OP is talking to then.
Swim team is absolutely cheap considering that pools are expensive and it’s a daily activity.
I had a deployed husband and six kids and still could find a way to volunteer. Everybody has a lot going on.

so do you and your spouse/child's father never come to watch your kid swim? if you can watch the meet you can volunteer.

False, I can't watch my kid swim if I'm stuck in the snack bar or timing in a lane in which DC isn't swimming in or clerking or creating stupid ribbons etc.

Now you are just being silly. Everyone takes a two minute break frrom ribbons or concessions or whatever to watch their kid swim. Timers are standing right at the pool, of course you can see you own kid swim.

+1
This person is just looking for excuses. You can still see you child if you’re timing, also.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't have time to read through 19 pages of this nonsense but I judge the volunteer nazis like OP who deliberately try to make people feel bad. Same person who gets into a tizzy when the volunteers' shirt isn't 100% white cotton or if someone makes a mistake when filling out those unnecessary ribbons. SMD, OP.

Riddle me this, how is a single parent with one kid swimming and two others who aren't because they aren't old enough or don't want to but aren't old enough to be at home by themselves supposed to volunteer for 5 effing swim meets, plus all of the other stupid events such as needing volunteers for tie-dying shirts, or for pancake breakfasts or for the rootbeer floats. It's so much bullshine.

Perhaps at registration allow folks to opt out from volunteering for an additionl $50-$100. Then you could hire the additional help needed to do the meets.

For B meets, why not just one or two timers? It's not important at all and if little Johnny is going to swim in 8 meets he doesn't need 24 different time samples for each stroke to figure out if he's good enough for all stars or whatever else.

Summer swim team is not for the person is this situation then.
The social culture -root beer floats and pancake breakfasts and the other stuff you deem billshine - is what makes it fun for the kids. Versus year round swimming which is a grind.

Listen to yourself: year round swimming is a grind. That's a bat signal that you've overscheduled your child and making them do something that isn't fun but is actually... a grind. That's pathetic.
Being at the pool all summer is fun for kids and it isn't only for the kids who swim year-round. It doesn't require a social culture for the swim team that isn't inclusive of the other members of your pool. It doesn't require an event every freaking week that requires additional volunteers aside from those needed to actually put on a swim meet. It doesn't require a social event every freaking week that commandeers the pool and areas of the pool that other folks are also paying to use beyond closing the pool down for the swim meets themselves.

OP and you others are creating your own problem. Ribbons aren't necessary at every meet nor for heat winners, either. Other sports don't hand out ribbons for scoring the third most points in a game. Coaches often acknowledge individual players in the team huddle after a game for something special they might have done but they don't give them a cheap ribbon. Other sports don't have a social event like this every week. They might have an end of year team party; and many just hand out their team trophies and patches in 15 minutes after the last game.

You have no idea. I had one of my 6 kids who liked and wanted to do year round swim. I’m not pushing anything.
It sounds like summer swim just isn’t for you. That’s Ok!

[Anonymous]

It’s always the people who don’t volunteer who decide the system is inefficient and they could do it with fewer people!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s always the people who don’t volunteer who decide the system is inefficient and they could do it with fewer people!!

+1
No blame lies with them whatsoever. Guess what freeloaders, you suck and we all know who you are.

I’m at a verrry small organization and we have dialed way back, but you still need timers, and a few other posts, no matter what. And some people do it all the time and some never do.

But, qualifying for championships is not just times. We are also factoring participation. By kids at practices and by parents volunteering. Feels good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s always the people who don’t volunteer who decide the system is inefficient and they could do it with fewer people!!

Except several people here have commented that they do volunteer and see how it could be more efficient.

In my experience it’s the martyrs who get upset both when other people don’t volunteer and when people who do volunteer try to make suggestions.

[Anonymous]

I don't know that the people you think are freeloaders necessarily are freeloaders. There are lots of jobs that don't involve working during a swim meet and you might not be aware of how much those parents are doing. I often do the jobs that are before a meet or running other errands. I work saturdays so i can't ever be there for all of the A meets in our league.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't have time to read through 19 pages of this nonsense but I judge the volunteer nazis like OP who deliberately try to make people feel bad. Same person who gets into a tizzy when the volunteers' shirt isn't 100% white cotton or if someone makes a mistake when filling out those unnecessary ribbons. SMD, OP.

Riddle me this, how is a single parent with one kid swimming and two others who aren't because they aren't old enough or don't want to but aren't old enough to be at home by themselves supposed to volunteer for 5 effing swim meets, plus all of the other stupid events such as needing volunteers for tie-dying shirts, or for pancake breakfasts or for the rootbeer floats. It's so much bullshine.

Perhaps at registration allow folks to opt out from volunteering for an additionl $50-$100. Then you could hire the additional help needed to do the meets.

For B meets, why not just one or two timers? It's not important at all and if little Johnny is going to swim in 8 meets he doesn't need 24 different time samples for each stroke to figure out if he's good enough for all stars or whatever else.

Summer swim team is not for the person is this situation then.
The social culture -root beer floats and pancake breakfasts and the other stuff you deem billshine - is what makes it fun for the kids. Versus year round swimming which is a grind.

Listen to yourself: year round swimming is a grind. That's a bat signal that you've overscheduled your child and making them do something that isn't fun but is actually... a grind. That's pathetic.
Being at the pool all summer is fun for kids and it isn't only for the kids who swim year-round. It doesn't require a social culture for the swim team that isn't inclusive of the other members of your pool. It doesn't require an event every freaking week that requires additional volunteers aside from those needed to actually put on a swim meet. It doesn't require a social event every freaking week that commandeers the pool and areas of the pool that other folks are also paying to use beyond closing the pool down for the swim meets themselves.

OP and you others are creating your own problem. Ribbons aren't necessary at every meet nor for heat winners, either. Other sports don't hand out ribbons for scoring the third most points in a game. Coaches often acknowledge individual players in the team huddle after a game for something special they might have done but they don't give them a cheap ribbon. Other sports don't have a social event like this every week. They might have an end of year team party; and many just hand out their team trophies and patches in 15 minutes after the last game.

You sound completely miserable. If you don’t like the culture of your pool’s summer swim team the solution is really easy and costs you no time and no money, just don’t sign your kid up. Problem solved, leaving you more time to rant about the next thing in your life that is making you so miserable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If volunteer obligations are not being met - the expectations are too great. Period.

The fact that they aren't too much for some does not mean they are reasonable. If it isn't working, the answer is - it's not working.

Highly disagree. There are always moochers. If everyone contributed a reasonable share it wouldn’t be bad, but they don’t. I think that’s the OPs point.

I'm generally not going to volunteer for a task that isn't necessary (above-referenced pancake breakfasts, ribbons at every meet / heat, etc.). Swim parents sound crazy.

My kid does travel and school softball and there's little of this bullshit. Current travel team has people volunteer to bring coffee to early start games for the coaches and parents, but that's it. If you don't end up in the championship of the tournament, there's no ribbon or anything. Typically 144 (12 girls on a team x 12) girls in each age group walk away from a tournament without anything -- and that's okay. (assuming a "gold" and "silver" bracket at the end with 16 teams in the tournament). If we are going to be at a field all day, we may put together a potluck lunch, or not. Just depends. Concesssions are not always available, and we plan accordingly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If volunteer obligations are not being met - the expectations are too great. Period.

The fact that they aren't too much for some does not mean they are reasonable. If it isn't working, the answer is - it's not working.

Highly disagree. There are always moochers. If everyone contributed a reasonable share it wouldn’t be bad, but they don’t. I think that’s the OPs point.

I'm generally not going to volunteer for a task that isn't necessary (above-referenced pancake breakfasts, ribbons at every meet / heat, etc.). Swim parents sound crazy.

My kid does travel and school softball and there's little of this bullshit. Current travel team has people volunteer to bring coffee to early start games for the coaches and parents, but that's it. If you don't end up in the championship of the tournament, there's no ribbon or anything. Typically 144 (12 girls on a team x 12) girls in each age group walk away from a tournament without anything -- and that's okay. (assuming a "gold" and "silver" bracket at the end with 16 teams in the tournament). If we are going to be at a field all day, we may put together a potluck lunch, or not. Just depends. Concesssions are not always available, and we plan accordingly.

Summer swim and travel softball have literally nothing in common.

I don't get the point in comparing two completely different activities. Swim volunteering isn't for you, and that's fine. Don't sign your kids up. Easy peasy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If volunteer obligations are not being met - the expectations are too great. Period.

The fact that they aren't too much for some does not mean they are reasonable. If it isn't working, the answer is - it's not working.

Highly disagree. There are always moochers. If everyone contributed a reasonable share it wouldn’t be bad, but they don’t. I think that’s the OPs point.

I'm generally not going to volunteer for a task that isn't necessary (above-referenced pancake breakfasts, ribbons at every meet / heat, etc.). Swim parents sound crazy.

My kid does travel and school softball and there's little of this bullshit. Current travel team has people volunteer to bring coffee to early start games for the coaches and parents, but that's it. If you don't end up in the championship of the tournament, there's no ribbon or anything. Typically 144 (12 girls on a team x 12) girls in each age group walk away from a tournament without anything -- and that's okay. (assuming a "gold" and "silver" bracket at the end with 16 teams in the tournament). If we are going to be at a field all day, we may put together a potluck lunch, or not. Just depends. Concesssions are not always available, and we plan accordingly.

Concession sales help fund swim teams. That's why they are ubiquitous

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't have time to read through 19 pages of this nonsense but I judge the volunteer nazis like OP who deliberately try to make people feel bad. Same person who gets into a tizzy when the volunteers' shirt isn't 100% white cotton or if someone makes a mistake when filling out those unnecessary ribbons. SMD, OP.

Riddle me this, how is a single parent with one kid swimming and two others who aren't because they aren't old enough or don't want to but aren't old enough to be at home by themselves supposed to volunteer for 5 effing swim meets, plus all of the other stupid events such as needing volunteers for tie-dying shirts, or for pancake breakfasts or for the rootbeer floats. It's so much bullshine.

Perhaps at registration allow folks to opt out from volunteering for an additionl $50-$100. Then you could hire the additional help needed to do the meets.

For B meets, why not just one or two timers? It's not important at all and if little Johnny is going to swim in 8 meets he doesn't need 24 different time samples for each stroke to figure out if he's good enough for all stars or whatever else.

Summer swim team is not for the person is this situation then.
The social culture -root beer floats and pancake breakfasts and the other stuff you deem billshine - is what makes it fun for the kids. Versus year round swimming which is a grind.

Listen to yourself: year round swimming is a grind. That's a bat signal that you've overscheduled your child and making them do something that isn't fun but is actually... a grind. That's pathetic.
Being at the pool all summer is fun for kids and it isn't only for the kids who swim year-round. It doesn't require a social culture for the swim team that isn't inclusive of the other members of your pool. It doesn't require an event every freaking week that requires additional volunteers aside from those needed to actually put on a swim meet. It doesn't require a social event every freaking week that commandeers the pool and areas of the pool that other folks are also paying to use beyond closing the pool down for the swim meets themselves.

OP and you others are creating your own problem. Ribbons aren't necessary at every meet nor for heat winners, either. Other sports don't hand out ribbons for scoring the third most points in a game. Coaches often acknowledge individual players in the team huddle after a game for something special they might have done but they don't give them a cheap ribbon. Other sports don't have a social event like this every week. They might have an end of year team party; and many just hand out their team trophies and patches in 15 minutes after the last game.

You sound completely miserable. If you don’t like the culture of your pool’s summer swim team the solution is really easy and costs you no time and no money, just don’t sign your kid up. Problem solved, leaving you more time to rant about the next thing in your life that is making you so miserable.

+1. The rallies, team dinners, dressing up for meets, the cheers... are what my kids like about summer swim