Competitive swimming at a pool used by hundreds of competitive swimmers doesn’t fall under the category “niche hobbies”.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hello All ,
I am going to Montgomery swimming pool and recently tried to use starting block. I was surpirsed life guards on duty didnt allow me to use it. I asked pool manager about manual and its mentioned that "The use of the starting blocks is restricted to approved swim practices, swim meets, and during instruction."

Question is if its facilitate by tax payers then why we cant use it for practice? some of you will raise safety concerns but when there is a single person in lane(which is rare considering how crowded this pools are) they should allow to use it.

how these rules were created.

Thank you

You should also demand to use the pool manager's office when they aren't isn't using it, you know, because of your tax dollars logic.

It's only his tax dollars if he lives here. At RSFC they only let Potomac residents use the racing blocks.

My tax dollars is code for rules shouldn't apply to me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hello All ,
I am going to Montgomery swimming pool and recently tried to use starting block. I was surpirsed life guards on duty didnt allow me to use it. I asked pool manager about manual and its mentioned that "The use of the starting blocks is restricted to approved swim practices, swim meets, and during instruction."

Question is if its facilitate by tax payers then why we cant use it for practice? some of you will raise safety concerns but when there is a single person in lane(which is rare considering how crowded this pools are) they should allow to use it.

how these rules were created.

Thank you

You should also demand to use the pool manager's office when they aren't isn't using it, you know, because of your tax dollars logic.

It's only his tax dollars if he lives here. At RSFC they only let Potomac residents use the racing blocks.

Anonymous wrote:Hello All ,
I am going to Montgomery swimming pool and recently tried to use starting block. I was surpirsed life guards on duty didnt allow me to use it. I asked pool manager about manual and its mentioned that "The use of the starting blocks is restricted to approved swim practices, swim meets, and during instruction."

Question is if its facilitate by tax payers then why we cant use it for practice? some of you will raise safety concerns but when there is a single person in lane(which is rare considering how crowded this pools are) they should allow to use it.

how these rules were created.

Thank you

You should also demand to use the pool manager's office when they aren't isn't using it, you know, because of your tax dollars logic.

Anyway, after becoming somewhat educated on racing dives. There are a number of things that can go wrong in a racing dive. It's like those kids diving torpedos. Whenever you drop them in the pool they never go straight into the water. The front hits then they turn almost randomly. Also, depending on how you hit the water, you can convert the gravitational energy into an intense amount of forward speed. I am untrained large adult, and I often have issues with hitting the bottom of the pool even doing racing dives from the sides of the nine/ten foot pools. It's like wow, that floor in the six/five-foot section is coming at me fast. You have to be able to control it. Furthermore, what I took issue with my daughter during the tryout, is you can end up doing a belly flop or cause strain on your neck, and just totally ruin the rest of your tryout (Those coaches definitely didn't have enough taste to give us a second tryout, or calm her down after that). Also, there are issues with collisions kids in other lanes remember those diving torpedoes etc. they can spin sideways as well as down. They won't let them do racing dives even from the springboards in the deep diving wells, because there just isn't enough space for them to slow down before hitting the crowded areas.

Anonymous wrote:You need to get an approved IEP or 504 if you want to deviate from the general rules due to your giftedness.

The public resources are set up for the safety and welfare of the general public's general needs, not your niche hobbies.

*standing slow and loud golf clap*

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Swimmers can use blocks during practices (and tryouts) because they’re supervised by trained coaches. Individuals can’t use them randomly, no matter how experienced they are. It’s frustrating for experienced swimmers, but there’s no way for lifeguards to know who’s safe or not during open swim times. (Unless MP himself walked in!)
To the RMSC tryout person - please don’t come at me with the USA Swimming manual to prove why your DD was wronged during tryouts. We’ve all seen your argument and heard about your report. I’d like to consider that DCUM matter closed.

Not really, there were a whole room full of supervised coaches that looked the other way when untrained kids were requested to go off the blocks that weren't certified and the coaches weren't using the protocol.

https://www.usaswimming.org/docs/default-source/coaching-resourcesdocuments/teaching-racing-starts.pdf

Head coaches are supposed to keep a record of all kids under a certain age that are certified to use the racing blocks, but they don't. At least for all intents and purposes they don't care.

https://www.usaswimming.org/docs/default-source/coaching-resourcesdocuments/racing-start-certification.pdf

Please see bolded section of my comment.

I don't understand how you can think that your request carries any honor.

DP. I don't understand what you want, PP. You've called this incident to people's attention and they have read about it and can respond as they want/need to. What is your desired action item?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Swimmers can use blocks during practices (and tryouts) because they’re supervised by trained coaches. Individuals can’t use them randomly, no matter how experienced they are. It’s frustrating for experienced swimmers, but there’s no way for lifeguards to know who’s safe or not during open swim times. (Unless MP himself walked in!)
To the RMSC tryout person - please don’t come at me with the USA Swimming manual to prove why your DD was wronged during tryouts. We’ve all seen your argument and heard about your report. I’d like to consider that DCUM matter closed.

Not really, there were a whole room full of supervised coaches that looked the other way when untrained kids were requested to go off the blocks that weren't certified and the coaches weren't using the protocol.

https://www.usaswimming.org/docs/default-source/coaching-resourcesdocuments/teaching-racing-starts.pdf

Head coaches are supposed to keep a record of all kids under a certain age that are certified to use the racing blocks, but they don't. At least for all intents and purposes they don't care.

https://www.usaswimming.org/docs/default-source/coaching-resourcesdocuments/racing-start-certification.pdf

Please see bolded section of my comment.

I don't understand how you can think that your request carries any honor.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Swimmers can use blocks during practices (and tryouts) because they’re supervised by trained coaches. Individuals can’t use them randomly, no matter how experienced they are. It’s frustrating for experienced swimmers, but there’s no way for lifeguards to know who’s safe or not during open swim times. (Unless MP himself walked in!)
To the RMSC tryout person - please don’t come at me with the USA Swimming manual to prove why your DD was wronged during tryouts. We’ve all seen your argument and heard about your report. I’d like to consider that DCUM matter closed.

Not really, there were a whole room full of supervised coaches that looked the other way when untrained kids were requested to go off the blocks that weren't certified and the coaches weren't using the protocol.

https://www.usaswimming.org/docs/default-source/coaching-resourcesdocuments/teaching-racing-starts.pdf

Head coaches are supposed to keep a record of all kids under a certain age that are certified to use the racing blocks, but they don't. At least for all intents and purposes they don't care.

https://www.usaswimming.org/docs/default-source/coaching-resourcesdocuments/racing-start-certification.pdf

Please see bolded section of my comment.

Anonymous wrote:Swimmers can use blocks during practices (and tryouts) because they’re supervised by trained coaches. Individuals can’t use them randomly, no matter how experienced they are. It’s frustrating for experienced swimmers, but there’s no way for lifeguards to know who’s safe or not during open swim times. (Unless MP himself walked in!)
To the RMSC tryout person - please don’t come at me with the USA Swimming manual to prove why your DD was wronged during tryouts. We’ve all seen your argument and heard about your report. I’d like to consider that DCUM matter closed.

Not really, there were a whole room full of supervised coaches that looked the other way when untrained kids were requested to go off the blocks that weren't certified and the coaches weren't using the protocol.

https://www.usaswimming.org/docs/default-source/coaching-resourcesdocuments/teaching-racing-starts.pdf

Head coaches are supposed to keep a record of all kids under a certain age that are certified to use the racing blocks, but they don't. At least for all intents and purposes they don't care.

https://www.usaswimming.org/docs/default-source/coaching-resourcesdocuments/racing-start-certification.pdf

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Odd that at my summer club the 15 year-old lifeguards have no problem ensuring the safety of the safety of the 8-12 year old kids working on their starts in their own lanes.

Are other people allowed to join the lanes at random? Or are the kids lining up and taking turns? Are there also coaches managing the process?

You're talking about two totally different things.

I’m talking about the exact same thing. One child in one lane practicing starts alone in the deep end. No other people joining, no coaches.

Off the blocks or off the edge? Regardless, I bet this isn’t actually allowed outside of practices or club-sanctioned lessons. Our summer pool lifeguards would shut it down immediately.

Regularly, a child will go to the lifeguard on duty and ask if s/he can work on starts in the deep end of lane 4/5/6. Usually lane 6 because they can use the ladder to get out and not swim back to the end of the pool. The lifeguards say yes. Nobody gets hurt because it carries no additional risk.

This. There’s a good chance PPs issue is acting entitled and just getting on the block. I’d always go to the guard first and ask nicely (assuming the pools not crowded). If it’s a young guard who’s uncertain I’d offer to talk to the pool manager myself to cover the guard. My daughter has done this several times before meets and explained she has a meet coming up. It’s not like she’s doing it every lap. Just 5-10 min on starts then on to the rest of her workout. Still might not work depending on pool policy but I’d go through those steps before complaining here.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Odd that at my summer club the 15 year-old lifeguards have no problem ensuring the safety of the safety of the 8-12 year old kids working on their starts in their own lanes.

Are other people allowed to join the lanes at random? Or are the kids lining up and taking turns? Are there also coaches managing the process?

You're talking about two totally different things.

I’m talking about the exact same thing. One child in one lane practicing starts alone in the deep end. No other people joining, no coaches.

Off the blocks or off the edge? Regardless, I bet this isn’t actually allowed outside of practices or club-sanctioned lessons. Our summer pool lifeguards would shut it down immediately.

Regularly, a child will go to the lifeguard on duty and ask if s/he can work on starts in the deep end of lane 4/5/6. Usually lane 6 because they can use the ladder to get out and not swim back to the end of the pool. The lifeguards say yes. Nobody gets hurt because it carries no additional risk.

A lifeguard saying yes is not the same as something being the rules. Most summer pools are littered with “no diving” signs outside of the dive well, and diving from the edge is limited to practices and meets.

There is a big difference between diving off blocks and diving from the side of the pool. We’ve had accidents at club practice where kids who know how to dive off blocks have slipped and cut their legs and feet up, so I understand why pools do not allow swimmers to use the blocks unless they are under their coach’s supervision.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Odd that at my summer club the 15 year-old lifeguards have no problem ensuring the safety of the safety of the 8-12 year old kids working on their starts in their own lanes.

Are other people allowed to join the lanes at random? Or are the kids lining up and taking turns? Are there also coaches managing the process?

You're talking about two totally different things.

I’m talking about the exact same thing. One child in one lane practicing starts alone in the deep end. No other people joining, no coaches.

Off the blocks or off the edge? Regardless, I bet this isn’t actually allowed outside of practices or club-sanctioned lessons. Our summer pool lifeguards would shut it down immediately.

Regularly, a child will go to the lifeguard on duty and ask if s/he can work on starts in the deep end of lane 4/5/6. Usually lane 6 because they can use the ladder to get out and not swim back to the end of the pool. The lifeguards say yes. Nobody gets hurt because it carries no additional risk.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Swimmers can use blocks during practices (and tryouts) because they’re supervised by trained coaches. Individuals can’t use them randomly, no matter how experienced they are. It’s frustrating for experienced swimmers, but there’s no way for lifeguards to know who’s safe or not during open swim times. (Unless MP himself walked in!)
To the RMSC tryout person - please don’t come at me with the USA Swimming manual to prove why your DD was wronged during tryouts. We’ve all seen your argument and heard about your report. I’d like to consider that DCUM matter closed.

and covered by USA Swimming insurance/liability policy.

Exactly.