summer swim volunteer points

[Anonymous]

Honestly, I think the solution needs to be more immediate than a vague threat for next year. The pool needs to decide how many points need to be earned by each Friday and if you haven’t made it, then you don’t swim the next meet.

Our team has events every Friday, so a family that finds out that they are a point short for the A meet can step up right then. Or time the A meet and their kid can swim B.

I will also say that our team does a great job of covering for people who really need to be covered. I am not talking about families where both parents work, but families with a significantly ill child or parent, or families facing real crises definitely get the help they need.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I’m really curious; what are these “best” jobs? I became our team’s head timer after the previous one’s kid graduated, and I was asked if I would do it. It’s fine, but no one on our team has ever seemed jealous of this, or any other position. It’s more like trying to find enough people to fill such positions.

PP here - I listened as the timers in the lane next to me complained that they didn’t have a chance to be head timer. And someone signed up to be tables chief even though he had never worked tables before because it was the head position. It’s seriously middle school over here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, I think the solution needs to be more immediate than a vague threat for next year. The pool needs to decide how many points need to be earned by each Friday and if you haven’t made it, then you don’t swim the next meet.

Our team has events every Friday, so a family that finds out that they are a point short for the A meet can step up right then. Or time the A meet and their kid can swim B.

I will also say that our team does a great job of covering for people who really need to be covered. I am not talking about families where both parents work, but families with a significantly ill child or parent, or families facing real crises definitely get the help they need.

I agree with this point regarding if you aren't meeting your requirements then you kid can't swim in any meet (A or B) until an effort is made to meet the requirements. If not, then they can't practice either. Have the slacking parent(s) explain to their kid why they aren't swimming.

[Anonymous]

I understand the need for volunteers and having volunteer requirements, etc, but I really struggle with telling a family/child that they can’t swim. I don’t think a child should be punished for something a parent did or didn’t do. Who knows what the child’s or families circumstances are? Maybe a parent has a medical condition?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I understand the need for volunteers and having volunteer requirements, etc, but I really struggle with telling a family/child that they can’t swim. I don’t think a child should be punished for something a parent did or didn’t do. Who knows what the child’s or families circumstances are? Maybe a parent has a medical condition?

Fair point. But when you see meet after meet and activity after activity the parents (mom, dad, or both) are there holding their phones recording or whatever they’re doing that isn’t volunteering….folks know these types of parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I understand the need for volunteers and having volunteer requirements, etc, but I really struggle with telling a family/child that they can’t swim. I don’t think a child should be punished for something a parent did or didn’t do. Who knows what the child’s or families circumstances are? Maybe a parent has a medical condition?

This is very different from the families who show up and refuse to do anything which is what this post is focused on. At our pool of course there is understanding and allowances for families with unique circumstances.

We have one family where one parent is a first responder and they have small children. For obvious reasons, at meets where only one parent is there they don't volunteer because the onsite parent is watching their 2yr old. They do plenty behind the scenes. We had a family a number of years back where a parent was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer. Happily the parent is a survivor but for a season or two they did almost nothing, and of course no one minded.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I understand the need for volunteers and having volunteer requirements, etc, but I really struggle with telling a family/child that they can’t swim. I don’t think a child should be punished for something a parent did or didn’t do. Who knows what the child’s or families circumstances are? Maybe a parent has a medical condition?

I think it's helpful to think of a work requirement as part of the way that a parent pays for an activity. If a parent didn't pay for piano lessons, and so the teacher stopped coming, or if a family didn't fill out the medical form, so they were benched in basketball, would you feel the same way?

I will also say that our team consistently goes out of their way to notice people who need help, and provide it. I've been on both sides of that. But those aren't the people we are talking about.

[Anonymous]

Our pool does not do the point system. We require each family to do 5 jobs throughout the whole season and only 1 can be a social event-related job. 1 job must be at time trials. “Bigger” volunteer positions like team admin, A meet rep, announcer, etc. are exempt from the 5 job rule. Hope this helps!