Freeloading swim team parents suck

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate timing- I suspect I have poor reflexes and am always worried about messing it up. Happy to work concessions though.

I love timing! I really do not like S&T - so unhappy when I have to DQ a little kid.

Love this about the range of volunteer jobs. Our reps always tell us there's something for everyone. I love S&T, hate timing and clerk of course. Have never tried concessions.

There really is. If parents hate the pressure of timing or S&T they can marshal. If they don't want to stand around in the sun they can do awards which literally involves putting stickers on ribbons. yet, there are still parents who chose to do absolutely nothing at every single meet.

Exactly! I posted up thread, but I love being clerk of course. I get to know the kids and other parents, stay busy, and can keep an eye on my kids. Standing or sitting for hours is no good for me physically, but the moving around associated with CoC works well.

I'll probably get certified for S&T once all of my kids are swimming, because it sounds interesting and I'm also good at letting kids and parents down easy if I have to DQ them. And I can handle parents who might protest

I do Stroke and Turn in NVSL and while I hate DQing a kid, they don't know it's me. I write the slip and talk about it with the ref and then it goes to the table and team ref. There's something wrong with how the team is run if you're ever approached by parents or coaches about your DQ call. Those questions are directed to the ref. After B meets, I will engage with parents of kids I know well to explain why their kid DQed or I'll talk to the coaches to explain exactly what I saw on one of our kids so they can work on fixing it. Most of the time, the coaches see it too and don't question it.

You (and your ilk) are why there are more than 100 pools (and tens of thousands of swimmers) who participate in NVSL. THANK YOU!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Something is fundamentally wrong with the structure of this activity when there's this much division and b*tching.

It’s DC parents. They’re all about complaining and martyrdom.

Outside of this board, I haven’t heard any of it. All of the parents that I know like summer swim and most kids seem to love it

This whole thing is enlightening for me.

I wonder how much of this over organizing and crazy adherence to rules has to do with the DC area’s private pools’ shameful history of racism and segregation.

You always need rules to keep out the “wrong” type of people.

"Everything is racism" Mom checking in. I'm shocked it took this long.

[Anonymous]

Wow, which pools required masks at swim meets this summer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Something is fundamentally wrong with the structure of this activity when there's this much division and b*tching.

It’s DC parents. They’re all about complaining and martyrdom.

Outside of this board, I haven’t heard any of it. All of the parents that I know like summer swim and most kids seem to love it

This whole thing is enlightening for me.

I wonder how much of this over organizing and crazy adherence to rules has to do with the DC area’s private pools’ shameful history of racism and segregation.

You always need rules to keep out the “wrong” type of people.

As mentioned before, a meets are USA Swimming sanctioned meets. USA swimming rules require this people at every meet:

4 Minimum Number of Officials Required for Dual Meets 1 Referee, who may also act as a stroke and turn judge
1 Starter
1 Other Stroke and Turn Judge (may be the Starter)
1 Announcer
3 Timers per lane (one minimum if automatic timing equipment with touchpads is used) 1 Administrative Official
1 Place Judge
Relay Take-off Judges (if applicable)
Marshal(s) (number determined by the LSC)

Just FYI the USA swimming rules are not enshrined in the Constitution. If parents didn’t want it they could change it. Y’all act like it is some inviolable set of regulations. You love the nonsense and talking about how hard it is and how accomplished larla is and how your family has “no time” because of swim. Doesn’t make it important or good for your kids. Just fills up your life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Something is fundamentally wrong with the structure of this activity when there's this much division and b*tching.

It’s DC parents. They’re all about complaining and martyrdom.

Outside of this board, I haven’t heard any of it. All of the parents that I know like summer swim and most kids seem to love it

This whole thing is enlightening for me.

I wonder how much of this over organizing and crazy adherence to rules has to do with the DC area’s private pools’ shameful history of racism and segregation.

You always need rules to keep out the “wrong” type of people.

As mentioned before, a meets are USA Swimming sanctioned meets. USA swimming rules require this people at every meet:

4 Minimum Number of Officials Required for Dual Meets 1 Referee, who may also act as a stroke and turn judge
1 Starter
1 Other Stroke and Turn Judge (may be the Starter)
1 Announcer
3 Timers per lane (one minimum if automatic timing equipment with touchpads is used) 1 Administrative Official
1 Place Judge
Relay Take-off Judges (if applicable)
Marshal(s) (number determined by the LSC)

Sorry, but where are the ribbon people and pancake breakfast people and concession people listed here? Oh that’s right, they’re not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Something is fundamentally wrong with the structure of this activity when there's this much division and b*tching.

It’s DC parents. They’re all about complaining and martyrdom.

Outside of this board, I haven’t heard any of it. All of the parents that I know like summer swim and most kids seem to love it

This whole thing is enlightening for me.

I wonder how much of this over organizing and crazy adherence to rules has to do with the DC area’s private pools’ shameful history of racism and segregation.

You always need rules to keep out the “wrong” type of people.

As mentioned before, a meets are USA Swimming sanctioned meets. USA swimming rules require this people at every meet:

4 Minimum Number of Officials Required for Dual Meets 1 Referee, who may also act as a stroke and turn judge
1 Starter
1 Other Stroke and Turn Judge (may be the Starter)
1 Announcer
3 Timers per lane (one minimum if automatic timing equipment with touchpads is used) 1 Administrative Official
1 Place Judge
Relay Take-off Judges (if applicable)
Marshal(s) (number determined by the LSC)

Sorry, but where are the ribbon people and pancake breakfast people and concession people listed here? Oh that’s right, they’re not.

And those are things that make it fun for the kids, especially ones that won’t be competing at USA swimming level clubs year round. People can’t have it both ways: oh it’s too competitive, why are they even timing, who cares; but also why are there ribbons and pancake breakfasts and concessions. Jesus, just don’t sign your kid up for summer swim team.

[Anonymous]

NoVa swim team skeptic turned believer here. I am an introvert. I grew up poor in a northeastern city that had just one public pool 10 miles from my house; we never visited. I did t even learn to swim until I was 12. We don’t live in a subdivision with an HOA; I live in an old house in an area of Fairfax County that’s seen a development boom and has lots of McMansions. My spouse and I are both socially awkward government workers. If all I knew of summer swim was reading this thread, I would NEVER have signed my child up for swim. I am SO glad I did - it is my child’s most joy-filled activity and I have come to love volunteering.

Mind you, I was intimidated at every level. Our closest pool is a Div 2 NVSL team. The neighborhood is wealthy and full of seemingly cliquey SAHM’s. My kid didn’t go to the neighborhood school. I didn’t know anyone. But it was less than $200 to join both swim and dive! That’s nothing for HOURS of instruction! My kid didn’t have private coaching or do year round swim, and we had vacations planned during the season, so I didn’t expect to do A Meets. I’m Hugely busy at work and in grad school. My spouse has medical issues preventing being able to volunteer at meets, so it all fell on me. I dreaded all but my kid’s smile at being on a team.

It’s now near the end of the season and I am SO sad. I have come to llove it as much as my kid does! I hated doing concessions and meet clean up…it was too hard to be a newbie for those. I found my niche as a timer. It’s the best antidote to my constant work stress and Ben g tethered to my phone. I HAVE to be 100% in the moment. I love cheering g on the kids. I love getting triples and bonding with the other timers. And my kid has just blossomed and even swam in A meets and won a relay carnival race! We facedNO pressure or deck I stink for having to bring of town for meets. Everyone is SO supportive of the kids.

I still find some of it cringey… my kid and I are total awkward ducks at pep rallies. We don’t enjoy dress up, face paint, or cutesy stuff. Chalk drawings seem pointless. But I can see why people love that stuff.

My kid loves saving ribbons with times from every meet to track growth over time. It’s made my kid a Goal setter and SO proud of growth. The jr coaches have made my kid so happy by praising and noticing so much growth.

I was daunted by 15 hours required volunteering. I considered just letting them take my check. But I now have well over 20 hours in and have really enjoyed most of them. So grateful I tried this before reading this thread and hope otger parents aren’t turned off.

[Anonymous]

Agreed- summer swim is awesome.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow, which pools required masks at swim meets this summer?

Start a new thread

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Something is fundamentally wrong with the structure of this activity when there's this much division and b*tching.

It’s DC parents. They’re all about complaining and martyrdom.

Outside of this board, I haven’t heard any of it. All of the parents that I know like summer swim and most kids seem to love it

This whole thing is enlightening for me.

I wonder how much of this over organizing and crazy adherence to rules has to do with the DC area’s private pools’ shameful history of racism and segregation.

You always need rules to keep out the “wrong” type of people.

As mentioned before, a meets are USA Swimming sanctioned meets. USA swimming rules require this people at every meet:

4 Minimum Number of Officials Required for Dual Meets 1 Referee, who may also act as a stroke and turn judge
1 Starter
1 Other Stroke and Turn Judge (may be the Starter)
1 Announcer
3 Timers per lane (one minimum if automatic timing equipment with touchpads is used) 1 Administrative Official
1 Place Judge
Relay Take-off Judges (if applicable)
Marshal(s) (number determined by the LSC)

Just FYI the USA swimming rules are not enshrined in the Constitution. If parents didn’t want it they could change it. Y’all act like it is some inviolable set of regulations. You love the nonsense and talking about how hard it is and how accomplished larla is and how your family has “no time” because of swim. Doesn’t make it important or good for your kids. Just fills up your life.

The rules of any sport make it fair. USA swimming makes it fair whether you’re little Larla or Katie Ledecky.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agreed- summer swim is awesome.

+1! I actually love volunteering. I find it fun and I like being a part of something other than work and being a mom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NoVa swim team skeptic turned believer here. I am an introvert. I grew up poor in a northeastern city that had just one public pool 10 miles from my house; we never visited. I did t even learn to swim until I was 12. We don’t live in a subdivision with an HOA; I live in an old house in an area of Fairfax County that’s seen a development boom and has lots of McMansions. My spouse and I are both socially awkward government workers. If all I knew of summer swim was reading this thread, I would NEVER have signed my child up for swim. I am SO glad I did - it is my child’s most joy-filled activity and I have come to love volunteering.

Mind you, I was intimidated at every level. Our closest pool is a Div 2 NVSL team. The neighborhood is wealthy and full of seemingly cliquey SAHM’s. My kid didn’t go to the neighborhood school. I didn’t know anyone. But it was less than $200 to join both swim and dive! That’s nothing for HOURS of instruction! My kid didn’t have private coaching or do year round swim, and we had vacations planned during the season, so I didn’t expect to do A Meets. I’m Hugely busy at work and in grad school. My spouse has medical issues preventing being able to volunteer at meets, so it all fell on me. I dreaded all but my kid’s smile at being on a team.

It’s now near the end of the season and I am SO sad. I have come to llove it as much as my kid does! I hated doing concessions and meet clean up…it was too hard to be a newbie for those. I found my niche as a timer. It’s the best antidote to my constant work stress and Ben g tethered to my phone. I HAVE to be 100% in the moment. I love cheering g on the kids. I love getting triples and bonding with the other timers. And my kid has just blossomed and even swam in A meets and won a relay carnival race! We facedNO pressure or deck I stink for having to bring of town for meets. Everyone is SO supportive of the kids.

I still find some of it cringey… my kid and I are total awkward ducks at pep rallies. We don’t enjoy dress up, face paint, or cutesy stuff. Chalk drawings seem pointless. But I can see why people love that stuff.

My kid loves saving ribbons with times from every meet to track growth over time. It’s made my kid a Goal setter and SO proud of growth. The jr coaches have made my kid so happy by praising and noticing so much growth.

I was daunted by 15 hours required volunteering. I considered just letting them take my check. But I now have well over 20 hours in and have really enjoyed most of them. So grateful I tried this before reading this thread and hope otger parents aren’t turned off.

This made me cry. As a long time member of a team’s volunteer leadership (former rep but still very involved), I have a senior this year. I will think of you and your kid as I officiate the B meet tonight even though I don’t want to and I’m exhausted (it’s a grueling week this week with overlapping championships PVS meets for the oldest year round swimmers). I will say, I think it’s important that we periodically reevaluate what the team values. Open meeting? Survey?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Something is fundamentally wrong with the structure of this activity when there's this much division and b*tching.

It’s DC parents. They’re all about complaining and martyrdom.

Outside of this board, I haven’t heard any of it. All of the parents that I know like summer swim and most kids seem to love it

This whole thing is enlightening for me.

I wonder how much of this over organizing and crazy adherence to rules has to do with the DC area’s private pools’ shameful history of racism and segregation.

You always need rules to keep out the “wrong” type of people.

"Everything is racism" Mom checking in. I'm shocked it took this long.

"Mommy, why don't all the swimmers look like me?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NoVa swim team skeptic turned believer here. I am an introvert. I grew up poor in a northeastern city that had just one public pool 10 miles from my house; we never visited. I did t even learn to swim until I was 12. We don’t live in a subdivision with an HOA; I live in an old house in an area of Fairfax County that’s seen a development boom and has lots of McMansions. My spouse and I are both socially awkward government workers. If all I knew of summer swim was reading this thread, I would NEVER have signed my child up for swim. I am SO glad I did - it is my child’s most joy-filled activity and I have come to love volunteering.

Mind you, I was intimidated at every level. Our closest pool is a Div 2 NVSL team. The neighborhood is wealthy and full of seemingly cliquey SAHM’s. My kid didn’t go to the neighborhood school. I didn’t know anyone. But it was less than $200 to join both swim and dive! That’s nothing for HOURS of instruction! My kid didn’t have private coaching or do year round swim, and we had vacations planned during the season, so I didn’t expect to do A Meets. I’m Hugely busy at work and in grad school. My spouse has medical issues preventing being able to volunteer at meets, so it all fell on me. I dreaded all but my kid’s smile at being on a team.

It’s now near the end of the season and I am SO sad. I have come to llove it as much as my kid does! I hated doing concessions and meet clean up…it was too hard to be a newbie for those. I found my niche as a timer. It’s the best antidote to my constant work stress and Ben g tethered to my phone. I HAVE to be 100% in the moment. I love cheering g on the kids. I love getting triples and bonding with the other timers. And my kid has just blossomed and even swam in A meets and won a relay carnival race! We facedNO pressure or deck I stink for having to bring of town for meets. Everyone is SO supportive of the kids.

I still find some of it cringey… my kid and I are total awkward ducks at pep rallies. We don’t enjoy dress up, face paint, or cutesy stuff. Chalk drawings seem pointless. But I can see why people love that stuff.

My kid loves saving ribbons with times from every meet to track growth over time. It’s made my kid a Goal setter and SO proud of growth. The jr coaches have made my kid so happy by praising and noticing so much growth.

I was daunted by 15 hours required volunteering. I considered just letting them take my check. But I now have well over 20 hours in and have really enjoyed most of them. So grateful I tried this before reading this thread and hope otger parents aren’t turned off.

This made me cry. As a long time member of a team’s volunteer leadership (former rep but still very involved), I have a senior this year. I will think of you and your kid as I officiate the B meet tonight even though I don’t want to and I’m exhausted (it’s a grueling week this week with overlapping championships PVS meets for the oldest year round swimmers). I will say, I think it’s important that we periodically reevaluate what the team values. Open meeting? Survey?

Another introvert just coming off a meet-- also exhausted! Coaches and parents are amazing this year, and the kids are having a blast. You see kids grow from being unsure about the scary beep but then they jump (yes jump it's so cute) off the blocks and do what they have been doing in practice and they did it! They get a ribbon and they are so proud. I love watching the tinies who have to pause and do a bit of dog paddle before picking up again, and I love seeing the older kids with such polish and athleticism. All the littles look up to the big kids too. It's such a great activity, really.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Something is fundamentally wrong with the structure of this activity when there's this much division and b*tching.

It’s DC parents. They’re all about complaining and martyrdom.

Outside of this board, I haven’t heard any of it. All of the parents that I know like summer swim and most kids seem to love it

This whole thing is enlightening for me.

I wonder how much of this over organizing and crazy adherence to rules has to do with the DC area’s private pools’ shameful history of racism and segregation.

You always need rules to keep out the “wrong” type of people.

"Everything is racism" Mom checking in. I'm shocked it took this long.

"Mommy, why don't all the swimmers look like me?"

African American is what you mean?

“sweetie, the fastest swimmer in NVSL this year for 11-12 year old girls in three of the four strokes looks like you. She’s strong, capable and beating everyone else. She inspires all kids!”