Anyone else PUMPED about Time Trials

[Anonymous]

My 6 yo is on team for the first time and really excited. I'm overwhelmed by the commitment but it's really fun to see my kid having so much fun.

[Anonymous]

This post makes me a little sad. My youngest graduated last year and this is the first summer since 2005 that I don't have a swimmer. I'm not going to miss the early wakeups on Saturday mornings but I am going to miss some of the social aspects of swim team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm signed up to time for the first time tomorrow. Is it difficult? Tell me the basics, please!

It’s easy, I promise! (I’m the “rookie races” rep PP.)

Our team is MCSL, but this is the way it works: three timers with stopwatches. You start it at the flash of the strobe on the starter, you stop it as soon as the swimmer touches the wall. You three compare times and write down the middle (median) time.

A “hat trick” is when all three times are exactly the same, and it does happen!

I've always been told to write all three times and circle the middle time.

You’re right — I explained poorly. The scribe (person w clipboard) writes down all three times and circles the median time

[Anonymous]

I’m excited too! Summer swim really makes swimming fun.

[Anonymous]

I am not looking forward to it at all... long week. But reading all of these posts about other people being super into it makes me think I should suck it up and get a better attitude. It's enlightening to read that so many people actually look forward to time trials. I'll try to show up tomorrow with a smile on my face.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone give examples of the drama they are experiencing? Trying to figure out why so many people see drama in summer swim team and want to be prepared.

My team has a group of parents who try to undermine the team rep. When they didn’t get their way last year they refused to contribute to the team this year. Lots of gossip about how the team rep is unfair, blah blah blah. It’s really unfortunate to see adults damaging an activity that should be fun for kids.

all sports in DMV...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m pumped. I had to make a fuss to get my youngest on 8&U, but last night at practice they were practicing with the starting buzzer and my 7yr old swam a time that got my almost 9yr old into a few A meets last year. I am hopeful he does well tomorrow so the coach and rep will drop their snark about “giving him a chance to see how he does”.

It’s not snark to say you want to see how a 7 year old new to swim team does. The fact that you know your 7 year olds time from practice is a red flag, although you “raising a fuss” about a 7 year olds placement has already cemented your reputation as “that parent” with the coaches and reps. Please know that you are exhausting for us to deal with.

Maybe if the reps didn’t pull strings to put her friends’ kids on the team and push my kid to the junior team for another year, it wouldn’t be an issue. Be fair, don’t gossip, and let kids swim where they should based on their times. What are you going to do? Punish me by giving me a “bad” volunteer spot?

Nah, they'll prob just talk about you behind your back. Hope you didn't join for the social aspect.

[Anonymous]

Total newbie here. Do we have to stay for the whole thing, 7:15 to 9:30? Will people bring toddler sibs? Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m pumped. I had to make a fuss to get my youngest on 8&U, but last night at practice they were practicing with the starting buzzer and my 7yr old swam a time that got my almost 9yr old into a few A meets last year. I am hopeful he does well tomorrow so the coach and rep will drop their snark about “giving him a chance to see how he does”.

It’s not snark to say you want to see how a 7 year old new to swim team does. The fact that you know your 7 year olds time from practice is a red flag, although you “raising a fuss” about a 7 year olds placement has already cemented your reputation as “that parent” with the coaches and reps. Please know that you are exhausting for us to deal with.

Maybe if the reps didn’t pull strings to put her friends’ kids on the team and push my kid to the junior team for another year, it wouldn’t be an issue. Be fair, don’t gossip, and let kids swim where they should based on their times. What are you going to do? Punish me by giving me a “bad” volunteer spot?

Junior team? You have two teams?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No - I’m not looking forward to swim team this year. I have older swimmers. Drama has already begun. I’m over swim team. Kids not excited either, not sure how much we will really participate this year.

Same here. DC is a rising senior whose closest friends these days swim at other pools. Summer swim at this point is a coaching job and staying in shape for the fall club (DC is in a 9 month program that ends in late May) and winter HS seasons. We have a LOT of kids in the 15-18 group this year and DC will likely be just outside of A meet times, only swimming if others are out that week.

About how many is "a lot"? Just curious, for perspective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Total newbie here. Do we have to stay for the whole thing, 7:15 to 9:30? Will people bring toddler sibs? Thank you!

Welcome to summer swim.

At our pool, everyone is required to volunteer at time trials. Time trials is essentially a whole meet without the visiting team to provide the other half of the officials and timers. Do you have to volunteer at your time trials?

If not, generally you can leave when your child is finished swimming and watch as a spectator with toddler son. Can DC swim all four strokes or only/back? That will indicate how long you need to stay.

If you are having to volunteer, you need to stay until your job is over. Also if you are volunteering please leave sibling toddler with spouse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone give examples of the drama they are experiencing? Trying to figure out why so many people see drama in summer swim team and want to be prepared.

My team has a group of parents who try to undermine the team rep. When they didn’t get their way last year they refused to contribute to the team this year. Lots of gossip about how the team rep is unfair, blah blah blah. It’s really unfortunate to see adults damaging an activity that should be fun for kids.

i

Sounds like our team. We have a group that is trying to control the reps and not them them do their job. These parent really have not idea what the rep does but wants to control them. So moronic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Quick question. Rockville Ray time trials are SCY. Will our times count for qualifying for elite meets like JOs and Retriever Invite?

not sure if you are trolling or not... Rays time trials are SCM. The meet is outside in the long course pool but setup like all star meet.
And any SCM for summer meet doesn't count for anything. Only coaches long course meet counts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone give examples of the drama they are experiencing? Trying to figure out why so many people see drama in summer swim team and want to be prepared.

Our drama centers mainly around newcomers trying to change everything that has been tradition for years vs old timers trying to hold on to how things have historically been done. From trying to change the practice groups/times to creating new extraneous awards.

We have a veteran parent that wants to change everything. They don’t want the reps to have any say in anything. They have no idea what they are talking about. No one knows what it’s like to be a rep until they have been a rep. So sit down and shut the hell up.

[Anonymous]

If there is drama at our team, I'm blissfully unaware of it.

I am looking forward to tomorrow! My kid is in middle school. Fun to see him hanging out and having a blast with his buddies. Fun to see the other parents. Fun to watch kids get so excited about shaving a few tenths of a second off their best time. And there's music, concessions, joy all around. Bring it on.