Open letter to Swimmers, Parents, Coaches for the Roseville Sugarbears

I am writing this letter as a long-time swim parent, volunteer, and member of our Parent Board.

I’ve got some Good News and I’ve got some Bad News.

Obviously, the Good News first, right?

Our 2006 Swim Team and Swim Coaches are by far some of the best we have had in several years. Megan, Allison, Jordan, Kelley, Jameson. They are all back this year and better than ever. These people care about our kids. For those of you new to a swim team and even those of you old timers, spend some time finding out about who is working with our swimmers 6 days a week for 3 months. Watch them get in the water with swimmers. Check them out at events cheering younger swimmers on from the blocks. Coaches from previous years could not be counted on to consistently and professionally teach our kids about having fun swimming, about being part of team, about responsibility.

Spend time talking with swimmers and you will hear for the most part, how much they enjoy swimming; how much they like being on a team; how they certainly understand the sense of camaraderie and spirit. It’s a summer commitment and most of us want to make the most of it.

Look at the latest results swimming against Woodcreek. The final score may be a quick, easy perspective, but spend some time looking at numbers that really matter to our team. Improved times over previous events times. How close a swimmer is to breaking not only their record, but perhaps a record that has been in the Sugarbear books for years? Look around, they are out there and it’s exciting even if you aren’t close or don’t personally know that swimmer. They may not be a famous sports star, but they are a part of our team.

Hmmm. Bad News.

Scratch Sessions.
Bottom Line: These are a waste of time. Easily an hour at the beginning of each swim meet. Coaches time, parents waiting for a meet to get started, swimmers wanting to get going on the morning of the meet. Scratch sessions are when those of us at a meet are scrambling to reassign swimmers who are at the meet to cover for those swimmers, who at the last minute, do not attend a meet.

Unforeseen situations do happen. On the other hand, true commitments can be scheduled ahead of time. Commitment to be a part of Roseville Sugarbears implies personal responsibility to follow through on scheduled meet dates that are apparent early in the season.

It is not a requirement to swim at every meet as everyone has summer plans. However, it is a requirement to sign out at least 7 days before a Saturday meet if not swimming in the next meet. Any less lead time has a ripple effect across other meet activities and is disrespectful. To coaches and everyone else at the meet trying to figure out how to cover for a swimmer who was assigned a space on a relay team. Juggling other swimmers around, reassigning lanes, events. Figuring out how to match up those swimmers who are swimming competitively against the other team’s swimmers in appropriate events. Helping Team Parents who are trying to keep track of their age group event assignments that changed overnight. Reprinting programs at the last minute Friday night before a meet.

Volunteers.
Swim Fact: It takes ideally 60-70 volunteers to effectively run a meet. To get a meet started on time and end at reasonable time. 60-70 volunteers to make sure that there is not a handful of parents working an entire meet and missing out on enjoying what everyone else is there to enjoy. 60-70 to make sure everyone has a good time during a meet.

For parents at meets, we are ALL there to watch our kids swim. This isn’t possible for volunteers who don’t have relief or backup. Team Parents are there to assist if you are volunteering and need help getting younger swimmers to their event. Other volunteers are there to cover during your volunteer activity while you go watch your child’s swim event. For those that have younger children at events that need close supervision, volunteering isn’t just needed at swim events. There are plenty of ways to be a part of this team outside of meets. Parents need to expect to volunteer. This team cannot function any other way. Please trust those of us who look across all the positions to be telling it like it is.

With enough volunteers, swim meets are fun, a great way to meet other parents, minimize parent volunteer ‘burn-out” and truly does make the time go by fast. I promise.

Volunteer and take responsibility for the success of our swim team. Please.

Swim Fast,

Carmen Morel
Parent Board
Roseville Sugarbears 2006