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.

Anonymous wrote:Agreed, OP!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.