Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a single mother with 100% custody and a demanding job. I absolutely pay my way out of volunteering at club swimming. I am paying thousands of dollars in fees for swimming, plus the payment in lieu of volunteering. For summer swim, I immediately sign up to bring food in lieu of timing and work double shifts for food-related events to complete all of the pool-required hours without timing. I don't do anything for the meets besides bringing food. I can't feel bad about this - in addition to expensive pool fees - there's also an assessment for basically a complete rebuild of the pool. My kids are young enough that they want to see me cheering for them during their events. If teams can't work on timing without relying on the unpaid labor of women - because it's usually the mothers doing these roles - they should find a way to hire teens or become community service hours venues for teens.

Many of our kids want us to cheer too but if we don't do those jobs, your kids cannot swim at meets. But, its fine to work at the food related events. You can go to a cheaper pool.

Your summer swim team costs thousands of dollars?

I think there are two different kinds of organizations when it comes to parent volunteering. One is organizations like schools, travel sports, swimming lessons, camps where the model is for parents or taxpayers to pay, and for the organization to provide the complete experience. Some people choose to volunteer for these organizations, for whatever reason, but it's 100% by choice, and no one should feel bad if they can't volunteer.

But there's another set of organizations or activities that are designed and priced around th fact that they are parent-child or family experience. Parent-toddler classes, cub scouts, co-op preschool and summer swim. For those activities parent participation is part of the model, and the price reflects that.

I pay $1,438 total, for membership (we need a family membership and an add on for an extra adult because Grandpa lives with us), an assessment for work on the pool, and 4 swimmers on the team. For that price, my kids have an activity that structures their summer. Two of them also have paid work with the team (one paid coach, and one lifeguard).

In contrast if I put my 2 youngest, and only those two, in a series of 30 swim lessons at Goldfish it would cost me $2,520, and that wouldn't include social events, or opportunities for my teenagers, or the chance to go to the pool during the day.

How is that enormous difference in price possible? It's possible because my pool relies heavily on volunteers.

By choosing an organization that relies on parents, I'm saving money, but I'm also responsible for being one of the parents they rely on. If you're not willing to pay the price in labor, then you need to find an activity for the kid where you're paying the entire price.

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Anonymous wrote:I sign up to volunteer for another type of organization. I did so because I thought I’d build a community while supporting my kid. The only jobs available jobs clearly no one else wanted and required me to work alone. So didn’t meet anyone. Like it was so clicky there only friends did “team work” items - like planning events.

I volunteer a lot for another organization and am one of the few. It is so much better because as a volunteer you get to know people by working together and get to influence decisions about the organization and learn how things work.

For the first I’m going to do the bare minimum next year to not get fined. Sucks for them as they are now begging for volunteers.

When my daughter does swim for the first time this year and will only do the bare minimum. First organization ruined it for me.

Your bad experience at another organization has nothing to do with swim. Even if you have a bad team rep (and we've had several) still not an excuse.

I didn’t say I wouldn’t volunteer. I will do is required and nothing more. Maybe swim will surprise me.

Perhaps clubs/teams/NVSL might reconsider why so many volunteers are required in the first place. Requiring 3 adults per lane (18 adults) for B meet timing and providing 5th place ribbons etc. would seem to be two areas ripe for process re-engineering.

We've run B meets with two timers before, but it requires averaging times which was a pain in the butt. Although with Swimtopia now, I think it would be easier? I'm not sure as our team hasn't used it yet. And if you are doing ribbons at all, it's no harder to do them for everyone. It's all automated and just requires printing and sticking the labels on.

I'd be fine with 1 timer per lane for B meets.

At the end of the day, there are non-volunteering families who free load off of those who do. A meets, B meets, activities, etc. Everyone knows who these people are.

You say that until a bad timer keeps your kid out of an A meet or kicks them down the ladder. 3 timers keeps the process fair. It is what it is.

Nah. my kids are too busy racking up IMX points and skipping A-meets to prep for Futures, TYR Pro series, etc. etc.

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Anonymous wrote:I sign up to volunteer for another type of organization. I did so because I thought I’d build a community while supporting my kid. The only jobs available jobs clearly no one else wanted and required me to work alone. So didn’t meet anyone. Like it was so clicky there only friends did “team work” items - like planning events.

I volunteer a lot for another organization and am one of the few. It is so much better because as a volunteer you get to know people by working together and get to influence decisions about the organization and learn how things work.

For the first I’m going to do the bare minimum next year to not get fined. Sucks for them as they are now begging for volunteers.

When my daughter does swim for the first time this year and will only do the bare minimum. First organization ruined it for me.

Your bad experience at another organization has nothing to do with swim. Even if you have a bad team rep (and we've had several) still not an excuse.

I didn’t say I wouldn’t volunteer. I will do is required and nothing more. Maybe swim will surprise me.

Perhaps clubs/teams/NVSL might reconsider why so many volunteers are required in the first place. Requiring 3 adults per lane (18 adults) for B meet timing and providing 5th place ribbons etc. would seem to be two areas ripe for process re-engineering.

We've run B meets with two timers before, but it requires averaging times which was a pain in the butt. Although with Swimtopia now, I think it would be easier? I'm not sure as our team hasn't used it yet. And if you are doing ribbons at all, it's no harder to do them for everyone. It's all automated and just requires printing and sticking the labels on.

I'd be fine with 1 timer per lane for B meets.

At the end of the day, there are non-volunteering families who free load off of those who do. A meets, B meets, activities, etc. Everyone knows who these people are.

You say that until a bad timer keeps your kid out of an A meet or kicks them down the ladder. 3 timers keeps the process fair. It is what it is.

There's an expression, "don't lay the sidewalk until you see where people walk."

Think about it

The reality of what-actually happens and happens with relative ease --- that is what should dictate volunteer expectations of an organization.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I sign up to volunteer for another type of organization. I did so because I thought I’d build a community while supporting my kid. The only jobs available jobs clearly no one else wanted and required me to work alone. So didn’t meet anyone. Like it was so clicky there only friends did “team work” items - like planning events.

I volunteer a lot for another organization and am one of the few. It is so much better because as a volunteer you get to know people by working together and get to influence decisions about the organization and learn how things work.

For the first I’m going to do the bare minimum next year to not get fined. Sucks for them as they are now begging for volunteers.

When my daughter does swim for the first time this year and will only do the bare minimum. First organization ruined it for me.

Your bad experience at another organization has nothing to do with swim. Even if you have a bad team rep (and we've had several) still not an excuse.

I didn’t say I wouldn’t volunteer. I will do is required and nothing more. Maybe swim will surprise me.

Perhaps clubs/teams/NVSL might reconsider why so many volunteers are required in the first place. Requiring 3 adults per lane (18 adults) for B meet timing and providing 5th place ribbons etc. would seem to be two areas ripe for process re-engineering.

We've run B meets with two timers before, but it requires averaging times which was a pain in the butt. Although with Swimtopia now, I think it would be easier? I'm not sure as our team hasn't used it yet. And if you are doing ribbons at all, it's no harder to do them for everyone. It's all automated and just requires printing and sticking the labels on.

I'd be fine with 1 timer per lane for B meets.

At the end of the day, there are non-volunteering families who free load off of those who do. A meets, B meets, activities, etc. Everyone knows who these people are.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a single mother with 100% custody and a demanding job. I absolutely pay my way out of volunteering at club swimming. I am paying thousands of dollars in fees for swimming, plus the payment in lieu of volunteering. For summer swim, I immediately sign up to bring food in lieu of timing and work double shifts for food-related events to complete all of the pool-required hours without timing. I don't do anything for the meets besides bringing food. I can't feel bad about this - in addition to expensive pool fees - there's also an assessment for basically a complete rebuild of the pool. My kids are young enough that they want to see me cheering for them during their events. If teams can't work on timing without relying on the unpaid labor of women - because it's usually the mothers doing these roles - they should find a way to hire teens or become community service hours venues for teens.

So the “unpaid labor of women” is ok for providing food but not timing? Isn’t providing food more expensive than working the event?

If I work a BBQ food line, it's not at a meet - so I always sign up for other pool events that requiring buying or serving foods. And yes, bring food for judges is way more exensive than timing for a race - but timing for a race requires separate training and possibly missing your own kids races. My point is only the judging tone of parents is misplaced. We don't all have the same privileges in time or money or whatever. Being on a swim team on a private club or team is a very big time and money suck - and no- there are not always "cheaper pools available" - there are huge waitlists for pools, actually, and most of the clubs are charging a lot per year. I am fufilling the requirement of voluteer hours for the pool - but that's it - I am doing extra volunteer shifts for the team.

Anonymous wrote:If “everything falls on the mom,” that’s a referendum on your marriage, not swim team.

There are hundreds of local swim teams that require parent volunteers. Zero ask for moms.

At our pool, it’s as many dads as moms. I don’t know where you are that it’s all mom work.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I sign up to volunteer for another type of organization. I did so because I thought I’d build a community while supporting my kid. The only jobs available jobs clearly no one else wanted and required me to work alone. So didn’t meet anyone. Like it was so clicky there only friends did “team work” items - like planning events.

I volunteer a lot for another organization and am one of the few. It is so much better because as a volunteer you get to know people by working together and get to influence decisions about the organization and learn how things work.

For the first I’m going to do the bare minimum next year to not get fined. Sucks for them as they are now begging for volunteers.

When my daughter does swim for the first time this year and will only do the bare minimum. First organization ruined it for me.

Your bad experience at another organization has nothing to do with swim. Even if you have a bad team rep (and we've had several) still not an excuse.

I didn’t say I wouldn’t volunteer. I will do is required and nothing more. Maybe swim will surprise me.

Perhaps clubs/teams/NVSL might reconsider why so many volunteers are required in the first place. Requiring 3 adults per lane (18 adults) for B meet timing and providing 5th place ribbons etc. would seem to be two areas ripe for process re-engineering.

We've run B meets with two timers before, but it requires averaging times which was a pain in the butt. Although with Swimtopia now, I think it would be easier? I'm not sure as our team hasn't used it yet. And if you are doing ribbons at all, it's no harder to do them for everyone. It's all automated and just requires printing and sticking the labels on.

Anonymous wrote:If “everything falls on the mom,” that’s a referendum on your marriage, not swim team.

There are hundreds of local swim teams that require parent volunteers. Zero ask for moms.

At our pool, they only let non-binary people be the clerk of course.

If “everything falls on the mom,” that’s a referendum on your marriage, not swim team.

There are hundreds of local swim teams that require parent volunteers. Zero ask for moms.

There's a job for everyone that fits everyone.
Want to make sure little Larlo makes it to his event? Sign up to clerk! And yes, you can even step away to cheer!
Can't stand for 2-3 hours in the heat? Sign up for table work
Want to be in the thick of it and watch ALL the events? For the extrovert - sign up to time. For the introvert - S&T is for you (no one is allowed to talk to you - it's bliss).
Want to get your steps in? Be a runner.
Have another little one in tow? Concessions, clerk, even table or marshall can work in these scenarios.

Also, let's drop the "everything falls on moms" narrative. If you think this, you haven't been paying attention.

Anonymous wrote:I am a single mother with 100% custody and a demanding job. I absolutely pay my way out of volunteering at club swimming. I am paying thousands of dollars in fees for swimming, plus the payment in lieu of volunteering. For summer swim, I immediately sign up to bring food in lieu of timing and work double shifts for food-related events to complete all of the pool-required hours without timing. I don't do anything for the meets besides bringing food. I can't feel bad about this - in addition to expensive pool fees - there's also an assessment for basically a complete rebuild of the pool. My kids are young enough that they want to see me cheering for them during their events. If teams can't work on timing without relying on the unpaid labor of women - because it's usually the mothers doing these roles - they should find a way to hire teens or become community service hours venues for teens.

So the “unpaid labor of women” is ok for providing food but not timing? Isn’t providing food more expensive than working the event?

Anonymous wrote:I am a single mother with 100% custody and a demanding job. I absolutely pay my way out of volunteering at club swimming. I am paying thousands of dollars in fees for swimming, plus the payment in lieu of volunteering. For summer swim, I immediately sign up to bring food in lieu of timing and work double shifts for food-related events to complete all of the pool-required hours without timing. I don't do anything for the meets besides bringing food. I can't feel bad about this - in addition to expensive pool fees - there's also an assessment for basically a complete rebuild of the pool. My kids are young enough that they want to see me cheering for them during their events. If teams can't work on timing without relying on the unpaid labor of women - because it's usually the mothers doing these roles - they should find a way to hire teens or become community service hours venues for teens.

Maybe at your pool. Timing tends to be 50/50 mom vs. dads at our pool.

Anonymous wrote:I am a single mother with 100% custody and a demanding job. I absolutely pay my way out of volunteering at club swimming. I am paying thousands of dollars in fees for swimming, plus the payment in lieu of volunteering. For summer swim, I immediately sign up to bring food in lieu of timing and work double shifts for food-related events to complete all of the pool-required hours without timing. I don't do anything for the meets besides bringing food. I can't feel bad about this - in addition to expensive pool fees - there's also an assessment for basically a complete rebuild of the pool. My kids are young enough that they want to see me cheering for them during their events. If teams can't work on timing without relying on the unpaid labor of women - because it's usually the mothers doing these roles - they should find a way to hire teens or become community service hours venues for teens.

Many of our kids want us to cheer too but if we don't do those jobs, your kids cannot swim at meets. But, its fine to work at the food related events. You can go to a cheaper pool.