Do you have a child on a swim team?

RE: Do you have a child on a swim team?

Former Member — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 13:06:34 GMT

Thanks you two. I think I saw a study that looked at GPA by sport and :bliss::bliss::bliss: swimmers were at the top of the list followed by cross country runners! (granddaugher=swimmer, grandson=cross country :bliss:). So I wouldn't be surprised if swimmers had the highest graduation rate. High GPA is not virtuous. Wherever you got that from, I don't think it controlled for socioeconomic status. Swimmers tend to be able to afford pool time.

RE: Do you have a child on a swim team?

Former Member — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 11:35:41 GMT

Can you add in other benefits besides the age group team? Is the pool used by the Red Cross to conduct swimming lessons? Do the local seniors (Masters?) use the pool for fitness or rehab? Us Silver Panthers have a strong political presence. Bring down the voice of AARP. We worked over several years to get a grant from the state to build an aquatics park including a competitive lap pool. Its not a sure thing yet - we need to match several hundred thousand dollar before the grant activates. AquaGeek does have a good point - You will only have a chance if you can show true fiscal benefit to, in this case, the university. Times are tough and money is tight. Unfortunately, the university appears to have already decided to close the pool. The battle will be much more difficult. My guess would be that you will need to show that the continued operation of the pool is a profit maker for the university.

RE: Do you have a child on a swim team?

Former Member — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 16:07:20 GMT

I will find the reference to swimmers having the highest GPA. Geek, I will take another look at the amount the group says each meet brings to the community. No not a lot of kids coming to S GA, but maybe they should. They would find some great competition. I am quoting a post from the Save The Deriso Pool group. ...12 of the swimmers on AAAA (Americus Albany Area Aquatics) are better than 71% of the swimmers in their USA age group, and 4 swimmers are in the top 6% in the country in their age groups. Have I watched swimming in the last 24 months? Well the olympics of course, but other than that, I haven't. The only sport I really watch on TV is college football (Go Dawgs!) Thanks everyone. Any other ideas on how to build the case for keeping the pool open? Lainey Anyone else have

RE: Do you have a child on a swim team?

Former Member — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 16:00:47 GMT

Has the swim team looked into taking over operations of the pool? Just over 2 years ago, our city was planning to shut down a newly built swim center. Our swim team worked with the city and came to an agreement where we would take over operations of the pool. So in addition to our own swim team operations, we also run all of the regular programming that the city was running before we took over. Good luck.

RE: Do you have a child on a swim team?

Former Member — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 14:00:33 GMT

Is the pool a stand-alone facility or like ours, part of a much larger rec complex? If its standalone, perhaps the local park district could purchase the facility. Of course, simple operations and maintenance costs require that the pool be seriously booked with paying groups. Our local university has (had) two pools. The older pool had a rather low utilization level and was requiring some expensive renovations. The decision to close the pool and turn it into classrooms annoyed quite a few and has made our pool much more crowded. Sadly, I really cannot argue with the financial logic of it - the operations and maintenance costs when divided amongst the people using it was just too high.

RE: Do you have a child on a swim team?

Former Member — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 11:04:45 GMT

The pool is Georgia Southwestern University's pool. It is on GSW's campus. There are the next closest swim teams are at least an hour each way. Not terrible for an adult but, too far for most children who have school work that needs to be done, siblings that have to be taken to their activities, and who need an early bed time. Several contingency plans are in the works.

RE: Do you have a child on a swim team?

aquageek — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 10:55:34 GMT

Geek, I will take another look at the amount the group says each meet brings to the community. No not a lot of kids coming to S GA, but maybe they should. They would find some great competition. I am quoting a post from the Save The Deriso Pool group. ...12 of the swimmers on AAAA (Americus Albany Area Aquatics) are better than 71% of the swimmers in their USA age group, and 4 swimmers are in the top 6% in the country in their age groups. There are fast kids in every club in every pool in America. The point is that if you aren't flying people into your area you aren't generating as much local revenue. I'd be careful rolling out stats about your swimmers as that sets you up for comparisons versus other clubs. You need to stand on your own two feet.

RE: Do you have a child on a swim team?

Former Member — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 15:12:08 GMT

What is Make a Splash?

RE: Do you have a child on a swim team?

Former Member — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 15:10:08 GMT

Thanks you two. I think I saw a study that looked at GPA by sport and :bliss::bliss::bliss: swimmers were at the top of the list followed by cross country runners! (granddaugher=swimmer, grandson=cross country :bliss:). So I wouldn't be surprised if swimmers had the highest graduation rate. Also, girls who participate in organized sports have a lower rate of out of wedlock births. The group who is trying to save the pool has done a brief enconomic impact. Each meet is estimated to bring $250,000.00 to the businesses around the area. Thanks again. Hope others will join in with their ideas. Lainey

RE: Do you have a child on a swim team?

aquageek — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 12:42:15 GMT

The group who is trying to save the pool has done a brief enconomic impact. Each meet is estimated to bring $250,000.00 to the businesses around the area. It is also equally important to not overstate your case. If you assume 350 swimmers per meet that is over $700 spent per swimmer. I think that is not even close to reality. I've gone to a ton of out of town three day meets with my kids and never been within eyesight of a figure that high. And, people aren't flying into rural S. Georgia for a meet.

RE: Do you have a child on a swim team?

Patrick W. Brundage — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 11:32:22 GMT

Show them the money.Well, I'll grudgingly agree with His Geekness.

RE: Do you have a child on a swim team?

aquageek — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 11:28:53 GMT

What is Make a Splash? This. Have you not watched a single second of swimming the past 24 months? I'll be honest, every sport or activity can conjure up great stats about GPA, family cohesion, etc. I think it is so overused as to be basically irrelevant. You have to prove your finances with the other stuff as asides. Let's say it costs $800K annually to operate the pool and you have 100 kids on your team. That is $800 per swimmer to get good grades. That doesn't fly these days. Show them the money.

RE: Do you have a child on a swim team?

Patrick W. Brundage — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 06:03:42 GMT

It is also equally important to not overstate your case. If you assume 350 swimmers per meet that is over $700 spent per swimmer. I think that is not even close to reality. I've gone to a ton of out of town three day meets with my kids and never been within eyesight of a figure that high. And, people aren't flying into rural S. Georgia for a meet. I wholeheartedly agree ... but, in the interest of saving a team, there's no harm in learning How to Lie with Statistics: Darrell Huff,Irving Geis: 9780393310726: Amazon.com: Books

RE: Do you have a child on a swim team?

Karl_S — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 01:59:23 GMT

... I think I saw a study that looked at GPA by sport and :bliss::bliss::bliss: swimmers were at the top of the list followed by cross country runners! ... Also, girls who participate in organized sports have a lower rate of out of wedlock births. Do you have the reference? I'd like to see that study.

RE: Do you have a child on a swim team?

Former Member — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 15:43:30 GMT

Thank you for your reply. When I first joined this forum many years ago, a thread like this would have drawn many responses. Elaine

RE: Do you have a child on a swim team?

Patrick W. Brundage — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 12:58:24 GMT

I will try to respond with some more detail later, but some quick thoughts on your questions In addition to the physical benefits (strengthening, endurance, coordination) how does being on a swim team benefit a child/teen? Teaches goal setting, persistence, etc. ... many of the qualities they'll need to succeed in school, jobs, life Keeps them "off the streets" / out of trouble and engaged in a positive activity Is one of the few mixed-gender sports where boys and girls get to compete and train together: I think this makes for stronger and healthier relationships and attitudes amongst teens Though I don't have data to back me up, I think there's a lot of evidence that kids who engaged in structured sports like swimming have higher graduation rates Teaches a LIFE-SAVING skill

RE: Do you have a child on a swim team?

aquageek — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 03:46:25 GMT

In this day and age it comes down to $$, nothing else matters. You need to show economic impact of the club. Here's a list. 1. Avg income of family and they spend the money on the facility versus spend on other private complexes if swimming is cancelled. 2. Revenue from meets - include those travelling in who spend locally 3. Apparel sales to local merchants 4. Show net zero to operate pool 5. You should also have a contingency plan for taking the facility private. If there is minority use of pool consider contacting Make A Splash for input. They can be a great ally.

RE: Do you have a child on a swim team?

Former Member — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 09:16:22 GMT

Sorry to hear of another pool closure. Pardon me for being political, but here’s the unfortunate truth. People are demanding too much from government and government is also spending big $$$ on nonproductive programs. There’s only so much tax $$$ to go around and it has to be split up umpteen ways. Here in California, we’ve got a Black Hole brewing in every city and it is feared that many of them will have to cut every nonessential service or declare bankruptcy. Here are a few examples of the messes we’re dealing with: S.F. is spending $850 Million on a transit system that has an average speed of only 8-1/2 MPH and spending another $1.5 Billion on a 1-1/2 mile subway to virtually nowhere. And the state is spending $ Billions on a high speed rail from S.F. to L.A/ that has no useful connecting transit at either end. And the list goes on and on………………………………………….. Etc. Etc. Etc. Etc. Etc. Etc. It’s obvious that keeping a swimming pool open is at the bottom of the pile. :badday: