Why is Toll still allowed to run age group champs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree with above comments, I respect this lady. She is nice if you are nice to her and she’s actually pretty funny if you talk to her. Half the people wouldn’t listen if she wasn’t the way she was. I watched her get at least 100 parents to turn and look at her and do what she asked. Sure, she yells, but it’s because she has to. She’s doing her job. Otherwise no one would listen.

This weekend she let me know I did something wrong… and I apologized and went about my day. 😱 It wasn’t a big deal. The real problem is the many parents who just don’t volunteer. Let’s not pin it on her.

I really like this lady and I never see nor understand the complaints. She and I have become quite friendly over the years, and I always tell her and the fellow who tends to work with her how grateful I am. Maybe it’s the people here complaining being jerks…and not these two people working for a living?

I saw her yelling at a 10 year old for showing up too early for warm ups. Now that kid was too early, but she was also clearly already a nervous kid, and the tone made her cry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, there is no need to treat people the way that she does. She isn’t yelling at parents who do something wrong most of the time. She’s finding reasons to yell at and condescend to parents. It’s a power trip thing and it’s awful. Let’s not support yelling at people, cutting them off when they speak and belittling them. There is no need for that and it doesn’t help the meet run more smoothly.

That’s the thing. She’s yelling at the parents who are trying to help with the meet. The official above who got yelled at or the hospitality person who didn’t get a deck pass because he/she started working before the event person was even there. The parents she’s yelling at are the ones trying to help the meet.

Her job isn’t to make volunteers feel welcome, promote volunteering, etc. She’s not part of the swim meet. She is security. Her role is to manage deck capacity and to ensure no one gains access unnecessarily. As a parent sending minor children onto that deck alone, I’m glad she takes those roles so seriously. I’ll put up with her approach if it means my kid is safer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1 for the rude security lady.

DC was doing a time trial which required you to bring your own timer. She wouldn’t let me on deck to time. She was not “familiar” and knew nothing about it, so wouldn’t let me in.

I think most who have volunteered know who this lady is. But, I give her a little grace and just try to minimize my interactions with her and do what I need to do. On the flip side of this coin, she's probably had to evolve to this posture over years of dealing with countless number of entitled swim parents who think their situation/circumstance is special/different and won't take "no" for an answer - so she's built up this front to shut all that down from the get-go. I think she's probably the right person for this job -- maybe not what you would want but what we all need. I know this is a minority/unpopular opinion but I for one, thank her for doing a tough/thankless job.

You know what is a tough thankless job? Volunteering for 6 hours and not getting to watch your kid swim, and then getting yelled at by someone who IS getting paid to do their job. Respect is a two way street.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1 for the rude security lady.

DC was doing a time trial which required you to bring your own timer. She wouldn’t let me on deck to time. She was not “familiar” and knew nothing about it, so wouldn’t let me in.

I think most who have volunteered know who this lady is. But, I give her a little grace and just try to minimize my interactions with her and do what I need to do. On the flip side of this coin, she's probably had to evolve to this posture over years of dealing with countless number of entitled swim parents who think their situation/circumstance is special/different and won't take "no" for an answer - so she's built up this front to shut all that down from the get-go. I think she's probably the right person for this job -- maybe not what you would want but what we all need. I know this is a minority/unpopular opinion but I for one, thank her for doing a tough/thankless job.

You know what is a tough thankless job? Volunteering for 6 hours and not getting to watch your kid swim, and then getting yelled at by someone who IS getting paid to do their job. Respect is a two way street.

She is not the beneficiary of your volunteer time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1 for the rude security lady.

DC was doing a time trial which required you to bring your own timer. She wouldn’t let me on deck to time. She was not “familiar” and knew nothing about it, so wouldn’t let me in.

I think most who have volunteered know who this lady is. But, I give her a little grace and just try to minimize my interactions with her and do what I need to do. On the flip side of this coin, she's probably had to evolve to this posture over years of dealing with countless number of entitled swim parents who think their situation/circumstance is special/different and won't take "no" for an answer - so she's built up this front to shut all that down from the get-go. I think she's probably the right person for this job -- maybe not what you would want but what we all need. I know this is a minority/unpopular opinion but I for one, thank her for doing a tough/thankless job.

You know what is a tough thankless job? Volunteering for 6 hours and not getting to watch your kid swim, and then getting yelled at by someone who IS getting paid to do their job. Respect is a two way street.

She is not the beneficiary of your volunteer time.

DP - there's no justification for her being proactively rude. It is possible to hold firm boundaries and also be polite at the same time. If someone is out of line, sure, tell them so. But adults who've done nothing wrong? What purpose does that serve?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1 for the rude security lady.

DC was doing a time trial which required you to bring your own timer. She wouldn’t let me on deck to time. She was not “familiar” and knew nothing about it, so wouldn’t let me in.

I think most who have volunteered know who this lady is. But, I give her a little grace and just try to minimize my interactions with her and do what I need to do. On the flip side of this coin, she's probably had to evolve to this posture over years of dealing with countless number of entitled swim parents who think their situation/circumstance is special/different and won't take "no" for an answer - so she's built up this front to shut all that down from the get-go. I think she's probably the right person for this job -- maybe not what you would want but what we all need. I know this is a minority/unpopular opinion but I for one, thank her for doing a tough/thankless job.

You know what is a tough thankless job? Volunteering for 6 hours and not getting to watch your kid swim, and then getting yelled at by someone who IS getting paid to do their job. Respect is a two way street.

She is not the beneficiary of your volunteer time.

No, the kids being made to CRY before a meet by this woman are the beneficiaries of the volunteer time.

I think we can all agree that someone can do a job without being a nasty piece of work. Right?

[Anonymous]

I once had an employee like this. She even admitted she liked the power. But we were in customer service. Which is what this job is. There was no threat, so “security” doesn’t need to be threatening. They need to keep things orderly and de-escalate tension. Not be the source of it. We’re talking kids, parents, coaches and volunteers all trying to have a fun and good experience at a swim meet…not conducting surveillance for the UN. We want to keep everyone safe, but the general risk is low, especially if your target is a 10 year old entering the deck too early or a parent who had been on deck all day without a credential, or ensuring a parent of a sick kid doesn’t get on deck illegally. Mind you, very few adults on deck have been background checked.

My employee realized she was in the wrong role, so she proudly quit and announced she was going to work for tsa. And that’s a good role for her. I expect to catch crap for a water bottle in my bag, even unintentional. Not so at a child’s swim meet.

[Anonymous]

I’m assuming the event is staff is contracted. Can the meet directors just ask for her to be replaced with another contractor employee?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1 for the rude security lady.

DC was doing a time trial which required you to bring your own timer. She wouldn’t let me on deck to time. She was not “familiar” and knew nothing about it, so wouldn’t let me in.

I think most who have volunteered know who this lady is. But, I give her a little grace and just try to minimize my interactions with her and do what I need to do. On the flip side of this coin, she's probably had to evolve to this posture over years of dealing with countless number of entitled swim parents who think their situation/circumstance is special/different and won't take "no" for an answer - so she's built up this front to shut all that down from the get-go. I think she's probably the right person for this job -- maybe not what you would want but what we all need. I know this is a minority/unpopular opinion but I for one, thank her for doing a tough/thankless job.

I just read this thread’s comments to my tween and she just rolled her eyes and said, “It’s the entitled parents who think their kids and situation are special: Welcome to northern Virginia.” Out of the mouth of babes. We love this lady and have made her thank you notes every time we swim at Maryland. My tween loves hanging out with her and made a good point: “What if the WRONG person enters the deck? How would parents feel then?”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1 for the rude security lady.

DC was doing a time trial which required you to bring your own timer. She wouldn’t let me on deck to time. She was not “familiar” and knew nothing about it, so wouldn’t let me in.

I think most who have volunteered know who this lady is. But, I give her a little grace and just try to minimize my interactions with her and do what I need to do. On the flip side of this coin, she's probably had to evolve to this posture over years of dealing with countless number of entitled swim parents who think their situation/circumstance is special/different and won't take "no" for an answer - so she's built up this front to shut all that down from the get-go. I think she's probably the right person for this job -- maybe not what you would want but what we all need. I know this is a minority/unpopular opinion but I for one, thank her for doing a tough/thankless job.

I just read this thread’s comments to my tween and she just rolled her eyes and said, “It’s the entitled parents who think their kids and situation are special: Welcome to northern Virginia.” Out of the mouth of babes. We love this lady and have made her thank you notes every time we swim at Maryland. My tween loves hanging out with her and made a good point: “What if the WRONG person enters the deck? How would parents feel then?”

Maybe UMD should build a wall. Or give her a gun. It doesn't need to be a militarized zone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1 for the rude security lady.

DC was doing a time trial which required you to bring your own timer. She wouldn’t let me on deck to time. She was not “familiar” and knew nothing about it, so wouldn’t let me in.

I think most who have volunteered know who this lady is. But, I give her a little grace and just try to minimize my interactions with her and do what I need to do. On the flip side of this coin, she's probably had to evolve to this posture over years of dealing with countless number of entitled swim parents who think their situation/circumstance is special/different and won't take "no" for an answer - so she's built up this front to shut all that down from the get-go. I think she's probably the right person for this job -- maybe not what you would want but what we all need. I know this is a minority/unpopular opinion but I for one, thank her for doing a tough/thankless job.

I just read this thread’s comments to my tween and she just rolled her eyes and said, “It’s the entitled parents who think their kids and situation are special: Welcome to northern Virginia.” Out of the mouth of babes. We love this lady and have made her thank you notes every time we swim at Maryland. My tween loves hanging out with her and made a good point: “What if the WRONG person enters the deck? How would parents feel then?”

Sorry, but there is 0% chance that this is true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1 for the rude security lady.

DC was doing a time trial which required you to bring your own timer. She wouldn’t let me on deck to time. She was not “familiar” and knew nothing about it, so wouldn’t let me in.

I think most who have volunteered know who this lady is. But, I give her a little grace and just try to minimize my interactions with her and do what I need to do. On the flip side of this coin, she's probably had to evolve to this posture over years of dealing with countless number of entitled swim parents who think their situation/circumstance is special/different and won't take "no" for an answer - so she's built up this front to shut all that down from the get-go. I think she's probably the right person for this job -- maybe not what you would want but what we all need. I know this is a minority/unpopular opinion but I for one, thank her for doing a tough/thankless job.

I just read this thread’s comments to my tween and she just rolled her eyes and said, “It’s the entitled parents who think their kids and situation are special: Welcome to northern Virginia.” Out of the mouth of babes. We love this lady and have made her thank you notes every time we swim at Maryland. My tween loves hanging out with her and made a good point: “What if the WRONG person enters the deck? How would parents feel then?”

Sorry, but there is 0% chance that this is true.

Absolutely. Her tween got home from school and they sat down to read almost 100 comments from this weekend’s swim meet on dcum. That’s what I call good old fashioned family bonding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, there is no need to treat people the way that she does. She isn’t yelling at parents who do something wrong most of the time. She’s finding reasons to yell at and condescend to parents. It’s a power trip thing and it’s awful. Let’s not support yelling at people, cutting them off when they speak and belittling them. There is no need for that and it doesn’t help the meet run more smoothly.

That’s the thing. She’s yelling at the parents who are trying to help with the meet. The official above who got yelled at or the hospitality person who didn’t get a deck pass because he/she started working before the event person was even there. The parents she’s yelling at are the ones trying to help the meet.

Her job isn’t to make volunteers feel welcome, promote volunteering, etc. She’s not part of the swim meet. She is security. Her role is to manage deck capacity and to ensure no one gains access unnecessarily. As a parent sending minor children onto that deck alone, I’m glad she takes those roles so seriously. I’ll put up with her approach if it means my kid is safer.

I hope your nine-year-old is the one she berates and makes cry next, just before her race.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, there is no need to treat people the way that she does. She isn’t yelling at parents who do something wrong most of the time. She’s finding reasons to yell at and condescend to parents. It’s a power trip thing and it’s awful. Let’s not support yelling at people, cutting them off when they speak and belittling them. There is no need for that and it doesn’t help the meet run more smoothly.

That’s the thing. She’s yelling at the parents who are trying to help with the meet. The official above who got yelled at or the hospitality person who didn’t get a deck pass because he/she started working before the event person was even there. The parents she’s yelling at are the ones trying to help the meet.

Her job isn’t to make volunteers feel welcome, promote volunteering, etc. She’s not part of the swim meet. She is security. Her role is to manage deck capacity and to ensure no one gains access unnecessarily. As a parent sending minor children onto that deck alone, I’m glad she takes those roles so seriously. I’ll put up with her approach if it means my kid is safer.

I hope your nine-year-old is the one she berates and makes cry next, just before her race.

I don’t wish that on anyone, but she’s not adding value with that approach, no matter how much anyone is trying (admirably) to fool themselves so.

In every meet, you have dozens of coaches, 10-20 officials, and 3-5 marshals all safe sport certified. There’s plenty of people on deck to ensure a “creeper” doesn’t do anything on deck. Now if it’s a violent situation with a weapon, she’s not helping out there either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m assuming the event is staff is contracted. Can the meet directors just ask for her to be replaced with another contractor employee?

It’s some company called CSC. I think they are contracted by UMD, not the meet directors