Freeloading swim team parents suck

[Anonymous]

I have only seen opt out fees for baseball and it was $100.

There is a special kind of self-centered parent who signs their kid up for an activity, sees dozens of adult volunteers working the activity and never thinks "Gee, should I be helping out?"

[Anonymous]

This is sadly probably a working parent issue. Swim team was historically only SAHM because of practice times, but now with more telework you are getting more working parents.

But working parents would VASTLY prefer to pay hire fees and simply hire refs and timers and upgrade equipment than squander their limited non-work hours doing swim martyr duty.

Cultural divide.

[Anonymous]

For people who outsource everything, it literally never occurs to them that they are expected to get their hands dirty. They think they pay and then get to sit back and relax. Had a family quit our coop preschool because the parent volunteer was expected to clean the bathroom at the end of the school day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is sadly probably a working parent issue. Swim team was historically only SAHM because of practice times, but now with more telework you are getting more working parents.

But working parents would VASTLY prefer to pay hire fees and simply hire refs and timers and upgrade equipment than squander their limited non-work hours doing swim martyr duty.

Cultural divide.

The opt out fee would be insanely expensive, though. Our pool had ten lanes. That's thirty timers for every A and B meet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is sadly probably a working parent issue. Swim team was historically only SAHM because of practice times, but now with more telework you are getting more working parents.

But working parents would VASTLY prefer to pay hire fees and simply hire refs and timers and upgrade equipment than squander their limited non-work hours doing swim martyr duty.

Cultural divide.

Both my parents worked and volunteered at swim meets for years. They didn’t outsource this sort thing the way well-off people do these days.

[Anonymous]

I'm glad our swim doesn't allow opting out. There are tons of different jobs for people with different schedules. Everyone has to pitch in, even the rich busy people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids swam for years -- in the summers and all through HS and college; the youngest is now a college sophomore and is coaching. DH and I did our share of volunteering. I agree that yes, it's annoying when people don't volunteer. And, yes, some of the volunteer gigs are unnecessary (though they do contribute to making swim team fun). All that said, my kids have wonderful memories of swim team and are grateful not only for our -- relatively small -- volunteer efforts over the years, but for the work of those parents who made the huge commitment of being A reps. So, know that your kids see you and that you're setting an example of how to build community.

This. I swam years ago and my parents volunteered consistently (though neither was ever crazy enough to be Team Rep! 😉). My parents said those were some of their favorite parenting times. And I learned the value of community and the need to contribute to maintain that community. The kids do see you.

I'm a new summer swim team parent this year and I already see the value in volunteering. I've been one of the clerks of course for three meets, which means I get to know the kids, other parents, and how the meets are run. At each meet where I've volunteered, at least three parents have come up and told me they could "never" do that job or that they actively avoid it. I know herding kids isn't for everyone, but grow up and do your part, FFS. If not CoC, time, run concessions, whatever, but don't just sit around and whine about how hot you are.

So, yeah, it's worth it for my kids and for all the kids on swim team to have this experience. I was an athlete for years and know how meaningful it is. But those parents who don't pull your weight: we see you.

Props to you CoC volunteer! I am one of those that actively avoid that job, so I appreciate those parents that do take on that task. I will gladly stand with a stopwatch for a few hours rather than herd kids!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d like to modify the title to simply say “freeloading parents suck”. This isn’t specific to swim team … but at the same time, not every parent can (or needs to) be the Hero Volunteer for every single sport or activity that their kids are involved in.

My kids are each in Scouts and 2-3 sports over the course of the year. All are run by volunteers. I get that. For some, I’m the main volunteer organizing everything and begging for volunteers to help with specific events. For others, I show up when I’m asked to. It’s often the same families - so I may lead the Scouts group, and Larla’s mom volunteers at every swim meet, while Larlo’s dad coaches soccer. As long as everyone pitches in somewhere, it’s all good. (Even if they pitch in on something that my own kid isn’t directly involved in!).

This is my experience as well. One family has a parent that coaches basketball and soccer, but not baseball, etc. No one is expected to be the super volunteer for every activity. Then there are the families who always sign up to play or participate but the parents NEVER volunteer for anything. Everyone knows who those families are. Their kids might get assigned the worst coach or there might just not be room in the Brownie troop, etc.

The small town aspect of youth activities in this area can comeback to bite you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank God my kids don't do swim team.

haha Every sport has it's quirks.

I found little league baseball to be just as annoying. On top of the games that were also long (like swim meets), they wanted 3 - 4 hour hour concession stands. No thanks to standing in the hot small stand frying and grilling with a mask on. I happily gave them my volunteer fee and didn't want to earn it back. Our team had 4 dads coaching and that's a lot of work too for them to do game, practices, batting cages, and field prep and clean up.

In our LL, they use the $150 volunteer fee to pay teens to run the concession stand. I think that works well- they still request parents to sign up to work the concession stand to earn their volunteer fee back, but if no one signs up, they can pay a kid do to it.

BUT, as you pointed out, there are still other activities that need to be done, mostly around field prep and clean up. Having parents help with that is like pulling teeth. And basketball...you literally have to sit there and press start and stop on a clock (and at the lower levels, you're hardly stopping the clock- only for half time and free throws), but no one would ever do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When the team says prior to registration that volunteering is mandatory to make swim team work, they don’t mean everyone but YOU.

You suck and I judge you. Don’t give excuses, no one forced you to register your kid.

That’s all.

This is why my kids don’t swim. Congrats on your superiority.

Np but why do you think your kids deserve to swim while other parents volunteer and you don’t? It doesn’t make anyone superior. We all have our priorities.

I don’t think that. Hence, “this is why my kids DON’T swim”. I couldn’t make it work.

[Anonymous]

I have been the volunteer coordinator for my kid's mcsl team, and we require parents to volunteer and have a "points system". I've done this for 5 years, and each year I only end up with 2 or 3 families that do not meet their points (same families every summer--these are also the slow payers).

Swim meets need a lot volunteers, but, I do think that mcsl is ridiculous for a "rec" sport. We do not need 3 lane timers, we do not need 4 stroke and turn. We do not need a head timer and an asst. head timer. People here need to calm down about summer swim. It is not the olympics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids swam for years -- in the summers and all through HS and college; the youngest is now a college sophomore and is coaching. DH and I did our share of volunteering. I agree that yes, it's annoying when people don't volunteer. And, yes, some of the volunteer gigs are unnecessary (though they do contribute to making swim team fun). All that said, my kids have wonderful memories of swim team and are grateful not only for our -- relatively small -- volunteer efforts over the years, but for the work of those parents who made the huge commitment of being A reps. So, know that your kids see you and that you're setting an example of how to build community.

This. I swam years ago and my parents volunteered consistently (though neither was ever crazy enough to be Team Rep! 😉). My parents said those were some of their favorite parenting times. And I learned the value of community and the need to contribute to maintain that community. The kids do see you.

I'm a new summer swim team parent this year and I already see the value in volunteering. I've been one of the clerks of course for three meets, which means I get to know the kids, other parents, and how the meets are run. At each meet where I've volunteered, at least three parents have come up and told me they could "never" do that job or that they actively avoid it. I know herding kids isn't for everyone, but grow up and do your part, FFS. If not CoC, time, run concessions, whatever, but don't just sit around and whine about how hot you are.

So, yeah, it's worth it for my kids and for all the kids on swim team to have this experience. I was an athlete for years and know how meaningful it is. But those parents who don't pull your weight: we see you.

Props to you CoC volunteer! I am one of those that actively avoid that job, so I appreciate those parents that do take on that task. I will gladly stand with a stopwatch for a few hours rather than herd kids!

Thanks for timing, PP! My lower back would be a wreck standing in one spot for all those hours, and I appreciate you!

To the PP who said it’s a working parent issue: no, it’s not. I work FT and so do many of the volunteer parents on my kids team. Our B meet rep is a coworker of mine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is sadly probably a working parent issue. Swim team was historically only SAHM because of practice times, but now with more telework you are getting more working parents.

But working parents would VASTLY prefer to pay hire fees and simply hire refs and timers and upgrade equipment than squander their limited non-work hours doing swim martyr duty.

Cultural divide.

The opt out fee would be insanely expensive, though. Our pool had ten lanes. That's thirty timers for every A and B meet.

There are hundreds of team members. You are talking probably $100 a summer. 100% of working parents would pay that to free their weekends. Most SAHM can afford because they have breadwinner (hence why they don’t work)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agreed, OP!

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm glad our swim doesn't allow opting out. There are tons of different jobs for people with different schedules. Everyone has to pitch in, even the rich busy people.

Do they allow you to have someone take your spot? Some people genuinely can't do it. I'm timing tonight for my rich friend who is busy with her 4 day old.