Anonymous wrote:The only people who care are the kids who are gunning for all-star times and pool records and those kid’s parents who take swimming too seriously

Not true. We are are a family of swimmers. We also run and play a few other sports. EVERY sport or event we do we try to do better. Applies to academics as well. I want my kids to do their best. Swimming is great because doing your best is very personal and means beating your time.

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Anonymous wrote:Missing one time is more like....your kid's one basketball goal not counting b/c a foul is called on his teammate. Not like not scoring the entire game!

Except there are only so many meets and it is a very intense season. Missing a time is a big deal. And some kids only swim in one or two A meets during the season.

That does depend on where you swim. I’ve never felt it is intense and our swimmers can pretty much swim in each A meet if they are available. Heck, sometimes we are asking neighbor kids who are members of the club if they will fill a spot for at least that Saturday.

What team are you on? I actually know people that would like to join a pool with a team like that.

The only people who care are the kids who are gunning for all-star times and pool records and those kid’s parents who take swimming too seriously

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Missing one time is more like....your kid's one basketball goal not counting b/c a foul is called on his teammate. Not like not scoring the entire game!

Except there are only so many meets and it is a very intense season. Missing a time is a big deal. And some kids only swim in one or two A meets during the season.

That does depend on where you swim. I’ve never felt it is intense and our swimmers can pretty much swim in each A meet if they are available. Heck, sometimes we are asking neighbor kids who are members of the club if they will fill a spot for at least that Saturday.

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Anonymous wrote:Maybe it is time for teams to invest in touch pads. Sure it’s 1K a lane but a 6K expense that you could use for yrs would be worth it. We have them for the big NVSL meets.

Like all-stars? It only uses timers, no touch pads. Which meet uses pads?

How can teams do that now? Membership will likely be down this season and it isn’t like we can increase fees significantly while offering a lot less or a whole lot of unknown (will there be b meets? Will there be sufficient space and rules in place for a mini swim team, etc).

Many teams (I'd guess most) can't afford to buy those touch pads. Some clubs will be happy to just survive the year financially.

Don't you need gutters at the edge from which to hang them?

I agree that most pools will be struggling this year.

Anonymous wrote:Missing one time is more like....your kid's one basketball goal not counting b/c a foul is called on his teammate. Not like not scoring the entire game!

Except there are only so many meets and it is a very intense season. Missing a time is a big deal. And some kids only swim in one or two A meets during the season.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe it is time for teams to invest in touch pads. Sure it’s 1K a lane but a 6K expense that you could use for yrs would be worth it. We have them for the big NVSL meets.

Like all-stars? It only uses timers, no touch pads. Which meet uses pads?

How can teams do that now? Membership will likely be down this season and it isn’t like we can increase fees significantly while offering a lot less or a whole lot of unknown (will there be b meets? Will there be sufficient space and rules in place for a mini swim team, etc).

Many teams (I'd guess most) can't afford to buy those touch pads. Some clubs will be happy to just survive the year financially.

Don't you need gutters at the edge from which to hang them?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe it is time for teams to invest in touch pads. Sure it’s 1K a lane but a 6K expense that you could use for yrs would be worth it. We have them for the big NVSL meets.

Like all-stars? It only uses timers, no touch pads. Which meet uses pads?

How can teams do that now? Membership will likely be down this season and it isn’t like we can increase fees significantly while offering a lot less or a whole lot of unknown (will there be b meets? Will there be sufficient space and rules in place for a mini swim team, etc).

Anonymous wrote:Maybe it is time for teams to invest in touch pads. Sure it’s 1K a lane but a 6K expense that you could use for yrs would be worth it. We have them for the big NVSL meets.

Like all-stars? It only uses timers, no touch pads. Which meet uses pads?

Missing one time is more like....your kid's one basketball goal not counting b/c a foul is called on his teammate. Not like not scoring the entire game!

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Anonymous wrote:You may also see a standardized drop in the number of timers. Right now you need three timers per lane, plus the Head Timer plus 2 stroke and turn judges at each end of the pool. That's a LOT of adults. Might drop it to 1 or 2 timers to ease congestion right there. Possibly require adults on deck to be masked.

I think we'll see competitions but with restrictions.

1 timer per lane is part of the discussion, yes.

I hope that three can still be in the cards, but who knows.

Why? One is fine. It's not the Olympics.

I hate this type of response. No, it’s not the Olympics. But, is it so hard to understand that some kids really care about swimming? For some, it’s their sport. Maybe they can’t afford club swimming and summer swim team is their chance to compete. It’s like saying who cares if you can’t keep score in basketball or soccer because it’s not the Olympics. Some kids enjoy the competition. One timer is problematic because there are no touch pads and people are human and miss getting times. I think two timers per lane would suffice though.

Even so, isn't just one timer better than no swim meet at all? Everyone needs to be flexible. I don't see the big deal even IF there is some bizarrre occurrence and the timer misses the time for ONE swim...ok? what difference does it make in the long run? Its nothing like not keeping score in other sports, b/c there is a timer.

Maybe it is time for teams to invest in touch pads. Sure it’s 1K a lane but a 6K expense that you could use for yrs would be worth it. We have them for the big NVSL meets.

*Not having read this whole thread...

Having read this whole thread, but I was going to suggest to our NVSL pool that we use 2 people from the same household as best we can for timing. Husband/wife; older sister/parent. This would allow for two timers. I know it may not always work out, but I think we could do it most of the time.

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You may also see a standardized drop in the number of timers. Right now you need three timers per lane, plus the Head Timer plus 2 stroke and turn judges at each end of the pool. That's a LOT of adults. Might drop it to 1 or 2 timers to ease congestion right there. Possibly require adults on deck to be masked.

I think we'll see competitions but with restrictions.

1 timer per lane is part of the discussion, yes.

I hope that three can still be in the cards, but who knows.

Why? One is fine. It's not the Olympics.

I hate this type of response. No, it’s not the Olympics. But, is it so hard to understand that some kids really care about swimming? For some, it’s their sport. Maybe they can’t afford club swimming and summer swim team is their chance to compete. It’s like saying who cares if you can’t keep score in basketball or soccer because it’s not the Olympics. Some kids enjoy the competition. One timer is problematic because there are no touch pads and people are human and miss getting times. I think two timers per lane would suffice though.

If you love swimming, you will just swim and not worry about competitions.

UGH. What an awful response. My kids started swimming in summer league (like more kids) at age 7. For my son he was terrified. There weren't many boys so he was asked to swim in an A meet on the relay team. He was a SHY introvert. But racing and bettering his times changed him, he loved it. Every time he got in the pool he just wanted to hit the wall first and beat his time. He wasn't like that for soccer or basketball. Those sports made him neurotic. But, swimming was his jam. If something happened and he didn't get a time because of an error, it would devastate him. I am by no means a tiger mom about this, this is him. His sister spent the first few years just having fun and goofing off. But, last real season, she suddenly got the I want to beat my times bug. It is a thing.