Families that never volunteer - swim team

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeah I don't have time, happy to pay. This isn't the 90s where stay at home moms have time to do things and dads work, we are 2-4 income household and trying to make it work with these crushing costs of living. This is another boomer Genx out of touch thing that will need to change.

Oh please. Bad excuse. Maybe you should look at your expenses if you need that kind of income.

[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

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.

It depends on the team. Some only allow one meet.

And the ones that do that are usually the bigger teams, because they know if they let everyone swim B meet they won't finish at a halfway decent time.

Even with this rule half the time we still don’t finish at a decent time. I don’t think teams should allow 4 year olds to swim in B meets. Way too many heats of 8U free and back.

If a 4 year old can swim a lap yes they should. That’s what the b meet is for.

Sure if they can swim the length of a lap fine. Some teams have kids in B meets that clearly should not be swimming- Sleepy Hollow. They have coaches in the lanes with them and kick boards. Not a chance in hell am I volunteering for that meet. We show up an hour late and they’re still doing freestyle.

Our pool has that. It’s fun for the kids. And this is about the kids not younnn

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Swim team was gross and such a waste of time. Just let people enjoy the neighborhood pool instead of giving in to this insanity. Everyone knows that if you truly want your kid to be a competitive swimmer, you need to be going at the crack of dawn and practicing at an indoor olympic pool year-round.

The competitive kids are doing both. Summer swim team is about fun.

I grew up just going to the neighborhood pool with no swim team. We had tons of fun. My kids did swim team and they grew to hate it.

And my kids love doing both. Yes it sucks for us and it’s lots of driving but we put our kids needs over ours.

[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

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.

It depends on the team. Some only allow one meet.

And the ones that do that are usually the bigger teams, because they know if they let everyone swim B meet they won't finish at a halfway decent time.

Even with this rule half the time we still don’t finish at a decent time. I don’t think teams should allow 4 year olds to swim in B meets. Way too many heats of 8U free and back.

If a 4 year old can swim a lap yes they should. That’s what the b meet is for.

Sure if they can swim the length of a lap fine. Some teams have kids in B meets that clearly should not be swimming- Sleepy Hollow. They have coaches in the lanes with them and kick boards. Not a chance in hell am I volunteering for that meet. We show up an hour late and they’re still doing freestyle.

Which Sleepy Hollow?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeah I don't have time, happy to pay. This isn't the 90s where stay at home moms have time to do things and dads work, we are 2-4 income household and trying to make it work with these crushing costs of living. This is another boomer Genx out of touch thing that will need to change.

Here’s what I don’t get: how can someone say she doesn’t have time, because aren’t you at the meet watching your kids swim? Even our 16+ kids (who could drive themselves) have family members there cheering them on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Swimming comes across as so elitist. The expensive pay-to-play model is bad enough but then you have forced volunteering or an expensive payout? I can't see how my mom would have been able to handle that. I'm now married to a successful college swimmer and it is funny that she is the one who isn't interested in being involved in the toxic competitive swim culture.

That's hilarious. "elitist" would look more like having all paid people running the meets! Teams run on a shoestring, requiring volunteers for something that you will most likely be at anyway - to support and cheer on your own child. The fee for a summer season of swimming at our pool (and I would guess most are close to this) is like $100-150 per kid. Most team sports are exponentially higher than that! And all they need to buy is a suit and googles and maybe a cap! Equipment from other sports can run into the 1000s of dollars. If you absolutely can not volunteer, talk to the team rep, find some other way to pitch in. Our volunteer coordinator started a volunteer raffle this year - you get baked goods if you win! A small incentive, but nice nonetheless!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah I don't have time, happy to pay. This isn't the 90s where stay at home moms have time to do things and dads work, we are 2-4 income household and trying to make it work with these crushing costs of living. This is another boomer Genx out of touch thing that will need to change.

Here’s what I don’t get: how can someone say she doesn’t have time, because aren’t you at the meet watching your kids swim? Even our 16+ kids (who could drive themselves) have family members there cheering them on.

Sitting is way less exhausting than working.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah I don't have time, happy to pay. This isn't the 90s where stay at home moms have time to do things and dads work, we are 2-4 income household and trying to make it work with these crushing costs of living. This is another boomer Genx out of touch thing that will need to change.

Here’s what I don’t get: how can someone say she doesn’t have time, because aren’t you at the meet watching your kids swim? Even our 16+ kids (who could drive themselves) have family members there cheering them on.

Sitting is way less exhausting than working.

Right. Then a person saying she doesn’t have time is total BS.

[Anonymous]

The entitlement on this thread is insane. The fact remains that summer swim teams rely on many volunteers throughout the season. If everyone said f it, this team takes the volunteer commitment too seriously, then it won’t happen. The team shuts down.

What’s wrong with showing and investing in your kids’ activities? Summer swim is a community thing, invest in it or don’t participate.

Always the same parents that step up to help. It’s a shame, what are you teaching your children?

So selfish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The entitlement on this thread is insane. The fact remains that summer swim teams rely on many volunteers throughout the season. If everyone said f it, this team takes the volunteer commitment too seriously, then it won’t happen. The team shuts down.

What’s wrong with showing and investing in your kids’ activities? Summer swim is a community thing, invest in it or don’t participate.

Always the same parents that step up to help. It’s a shame, what are you teaching your children?

So selfish.

It's a bandwidth thing. Thankfully our team isn't run by people like you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeah I don't have time, happy to pay. This isn't the 90s where stay at home moms have time to do things and dads work, we are 2-4 income household and trying to make it work with these crushing costs of living. This is another boomer Genx out of touch thing that will need to change.

You’re so out of touch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The entitlement on this thread is insane. The fact remains that summer swim teams rely on many volunteers throughout the season. If everyone said f it, this team takes the volunteer commitment too seriously, then it won’t happen. The team shuts down.

What’s wrong with showing and investing in your kids’ activities? Summer swim is a community thing, invest in it or don’t participate.

Always the same parents that step up to help. It’s a shame, what are you teaching your children?

So selfish.

It's a bandwidth thing. Thankfully our team isn't run by people like you.

You should hear what they say about you and your fellow takers. Trust me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The entitlement on this thread is insane. The fact remains that summer swim teams rely on many volunteers throughout the season. If everyone said f it, this team takes the volunteer commitment too seriously, then it won’t happen. The team shuts down.

What’s wrong with showing and investing in your kids’ activities? Summer swim is a community thing, invest in it or don’t participate.

Always the same parents that step up to help. It’s a shame, what are you teaching your children?

So selfish.

It's a bandwidth thing. Thankfully our team isn't run by people like you.

Your team is run by volunteers like PP and me, and we all have important jobs and a million other things to do. The difference is that we invest our time and effort in our communities and our kids, while you don’t. Maybe get off DCUM and do something productive with your time.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Time to start hiring people volunteering is not possible with us millennials working triple jobs

You aren't working triple jobs and be real, if they hired people do you realize what they'd have to charge for team and most families aren't willing to pay that. Part of team is everyone pitching in.

Parenting counts as a job, am I right SAHMs?!?

Sure and one that you can hire someone to do for a few hours so you can volunteer!

If every family is hiring a babysitter for a few hours just do they can volunteer, then it would definitely be cheaper to hire out swim team staff. If I have to pay $100 a night for a sitter, it would be way easier to pay that to a timer or a clerk or whatever else they need.

This is not happening. Find a way to make it work or tell your kid no swim team. It’s that simple. There is no option C: we can’t make volunteering work for our family but will still do swim team.

I’ve been a rep. There are plenty of off deck jobs you can do, none of which require childcare. On our team that might look like: serving donuts or pancakes in the clubhouse, picking up donuts, donating food, making pancakes, etc. Alternatively, you can hire a sitter and do an on deck job or hire a teen to do the on deck job for you. It’s entitled and selfish to engage in an activity that has rules for all, but you nevertheless engage in the activity knowing you won’t follow them. Those rules are there because it makes summer swim team fun for all and competitive for some.

Well put. There is no Option C. Do the work or skip swim team.

If your kid goes to practice and swims the occasional B meet, I don't think it's a big deal if you time once a season or bring something for the concession stand to sell once. In the scheme of things, it's fine. If your kid is swimming every A meet and you can't be bothered to volunteer you're a leach.

And this is why people see you as entitled. YOU don’t think it’s a big deal to time at one meet even if your kid goes to more than one meet or bring something once. Everyone needs to meet the obligations of being in the team. It’s very, very easy: don’t want to volunteer, don’t do swim team or don’t do any meets. But it isn’t up to any of us to just think: eh, in my opinion what I did is sufficient.

PP here, I'm currently our team's starter and have worked every almost job our has other than team rep and announcer. With 200 swimmers, we really don't need everyone being forced to volunteer because there are enough people who are happy to do it. We tell parents one shift per swimmer per summer, but no one checks or cares

I think this is a good example of how pools are different. We're a much smaller team, so we need parents to do more. On the other hand, we're also a member owned pool with lower fees than many, so if a family can't volunteer, but donates, that's appreciated.

The point is - whatever the team’s volunteer requirements are, must be met. If they can’t be - then don’t join the team or don’t do meets

Imagine caring this much about swim team? Get a hobby lady.

Take your own advice, lady. Posting these cranky teenager responses to every post telling you not to be a leech isn’t a hobby. Go touch grass.

Hahaha, you do know that “touch grass” is used for people who are terminally online? AKA people on this thread like you who are being lunatics about volunteer hours? You are the one living in La La Land, thinking people care half as much as you do about summer swim.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The entitlement on this thread is insane. The fact remains that summer swim teams rely on many volunteers throughout the season. If everyone said f it, this team takes the volunteer commitment too seriously, then it won’t happen. The team shuts down.

What’s wrong with showing and investing in your kids’ activities? Summer swim is a community thing, invest in it or don’t participate.

Always the same parents that step up to help. It’s a shame, what are you teaching your children?

So selfish.

It's a bandwidth thing. Thankfully our team isn't run by people like you.

You should hear what they say about you and your fellow takers. Trust me.

I don't care what they say. I can barely get out of the bed every morning, and I'm not going to tell my kids they have to quit swimming because I don't have the energy to volunteer. Most meets, I sit with large sunglasses on and fight tears. If they're not going to be part of that solution, shut up.