Hello,
I have not posted here before, but I need help. Hopefully some in this group will have ideas to share.
I'm a member of my local YMCA, which has a Masters Team. It's a really great group of people, and I would hate to see it go away. But our YMCA has decided to start treating us like an organized sport, rather than like a class (like aerobics or spinning). They're planning on charging us each $400 per year to be a memeber of the masters team, in addition to being a full program member ($55/month). Maybe it's just me, but this seems WAY out of line, especially since nearly every class is offered to full members for FREE (including spinning and aerobics). This expense could be justified if someone actually coached us, but our "coach" just writes the workouts on the board, and sits there watching to make sure nobody drowns. By the way, our pool is a 3-lane, 25-yard pool, that's generally kept at 88 degrees.
A fair number of people in the group have mentioned that they'll drop out before paying. And the YMCA will terminate the program if we don't have good membership.
Has anyone else dealt with a similar situation? Could someone from USMS or YMCA on the national level be of help? Am I going off for no reason?
Help!!!
Lou Savastani
I raised a very similar question about our Y's treatment of masters swimming. It was posted on the old forum, however, before the conversion to this new, snazzy format.
I am wondering if the sysop could look up that old thread and post the url here for you to read.
I remember there were a lot of thoughtful replies, the gist of which is that the Y is supposed to be non profit, but like most things in our nation, money talks. Try to figure out how you guys can offer the Y powers that be a fair deal--fair to them, and fair to you. I agree with earlier posters here, what you have now sounds like a very bad deal for you guys.
Emmett's suggestion of arriving en masse and doing a kind of unofficially organized "lap swimming" (really a workout) is what our team ended up doing both here in Western Pa and also in St. Paul MN when I swam on a team there.
I definitely feel your pain. I think Masters swimming is by far the greatest competitive sporting opportunity for adults in US today, but trying to get pool time can be frustrating. Our Y would much rather pack dozens of portly matrons into the overheated pool to joggercise in place than let our team have 3 measley hours a week and half the pool!
One thing you might try is to find out is if any of your teammates are on the board of your Y, or are friends with someone on the board. I think sometimes the bureaucrats in charge of day to day operations feel a pinch to generate more revenue, but they must answer to the board (which, by the way, is probably generating the pinch in the first place.) I personally have been trying for years to talk someone on the local board into joining our team.
It couldn't hurt to get a swimming Godfather. I'll let you know if this strategy works if I ever recruit someone...
I raised a very similar question about our Y's treatment of masters swimming. It was posted on the old forum, however, before the conversion to this new, snazzy format.
I am wondering if the sysop could look up that old thread and post the url here for you to read.
I remember there were a lot of thoughtful replies, the gist of which is that the Y is supposed to be non profit, but like most things in our nation, money talks. Try to figure out how you guys can offer the Y powers that be a fair deal--fair to them, and fair to you. I agree with earlier posters here, what you have now sounds like a very bad deal for you guys.
Emmett's suggestion of arriving en masse and doing a kind of unofficially organized "lap swimming" (really a workout) is what our team ended up doing both here in Western Pa and also in St. Paul MN when I swam on a team there.
I definitely feel your pain. I think Masters swimming is by far the greatest competitive sporting opportunity for adults in US today, but trying to get pool time can be frustrating. Our Y would much rather pack dozens of portly matrons into the overheated pool to joggercise in place than let our team have 3 measley hours a week and half the pool!
One thing you might try is to find out is if any of your teammates are on the board of your Y, or are friends with someone on the board. I think sometimes the bureaucrats in charge of day to day operations feel a pinch to generate more revenue, but they must answer to the board (which, by the way, is probably generating the pinch in the first place.) I personally have been trying for years to talk someone on the local board into joining our team.
It couldn't hurt to get a swimming Godfather. I'll let you know if this strategy works if I ever recruit someone...
