So i was at a swim meet this weekend and a guy was using a towel on the starting blocks because there was zero traction on the tops. The offical came over right before the heat started and told the guy he couldnt use the towel because it was an artifical surface and it gave him an unfair advantage (i was in the lane next to him and i overheard the conversation). I was bored between events and looked at the rules and didnt see anything about this. Was the official right? If not, im bringing a towel next time too!
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Former Member
When a pool gets new blocks, do they check to make sure they are exactly aligned with the wall?
Maybe. Depends, I suspect many of the square drop-in mounts are probably squared up to the pool side when they are poured or bored into the deck, but its doubtful that when a pool is being constructed that all 8 blocks are installed first and checked for squareness before finalizing the anchors. Over time also, they bend, shift, get rounded off, etc which allows for minute amounts of play at the anchor, and that leads to alot more play once it reaches the front of the block surface.
I've also seen plenty of pools over the years where the front of the block surface was out over the water past the pads rather than situated in the plane of the pads. It would be unknown whether this was improper setup at build time, an aftermath install by someone that didn't know any better, or bending/replacement of the blocks to become out of spec over time.
Its just funny how exact we are about the pool length, and no one ever says anything about the blocks being screwed up far greater than the tolerance factor we have for the pool itself. I've also never seen mesurements of the plane of the front of the blocks performed at the same time the pool was being measured, and I've watched this rather laughable site a few times over the years (a tape measure with floaties?). You would think in our stickler set of rules that this would also be paramount. What is the actual tolerance for the pool? Did I read +/- 3mm?
Sorry the towel topic went off course with the block talk.
Back to topic I queried a local high school coach about towels on the blocks just a few weeks ago and heard the most strange thing yet regarding this practice. In my state's high school athletic administration, a new rule was passed in regards to the block towels. A request must be put in with the home team athletic director explaining the need for towels on the blocks, this must be then approved, ratified by the coaches and the athletic directors of those respective schools that are also participating in the meet, and from there everyone MUST use towels on the blocks, and the officials can still chose to shoot their use down. Oh, and all of this massive collaboration must take place two weeks in advance of a meet.
What the hell happened to "let them play" ? Are there lawyers involved in sports rulebooks now or something?
When a pool gets new blocks, do they check to make sure they are exactly aligned with the wall?
Maybe. Depends, I suspect many of the square drop-in mounts are probably squared up to the pool side when they are poured or bored into the deck, but its doubtful that when a pool is being constructed that all 8 blocks are installed first and checked for squareness before finalizing the anchors. Over time also, they bend, shift, get rounded off, etc which allows for minute amounts of play at the anchor, and that leads to alot more play once it reaches the front of the block surface.
I've also seen plenty of pools over the years where the front of the block surface was out over the water past the pads rather than situated in the plane of the pads. It would be unknown whether this was improper setup at build time, an aftermath install by someone that didn't know any better, or bending/replacement of the blocks to become out of spec over time.
Its just funny how exact we are about the pool length, and no one ever says anything about the blocks being screwed up far greater than the tolerance factor we have for the pool itself. I've also never seen mesurements of the plane of the front of the blocks performed at the same time the pool was being measured, and I've watched this rather laughable site a few times over the years (a tape measure with floaties?). You would think in our stickler set of rules that this would also be paramount. What is the actual tolerance for the pool? Did I read +/- 3mm?
Sorry the towel topic went off course with the block talk.
Back to topic I queried a local high school coach about towels on the blocks just a few weeks ago and heard the most strange thing yet regarding this practice. In my state's high school athletic administration, a new rule was passed in regards to the block towels. A request must be put in with the home team athletic director explaining the need for towels on the blocks, this must be then approved, ratified by the coaches and the athletic directors of those respective schools that are also participating in the meet, and from there everyone MUST use towels on the blocks, and the officials can still chose to shoot their use down. Oh, and all of this massive collaboration must take place two weeks in advance of a meet.
What the hell happened to "let them play" ? Are there lawyers involved in sports rulebooks now or something?
