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
Former Member
Y's seem to have a philosophy similar to health clubs. They seem to give a lot of time to water aerobics. Its a popular thing these days and a lot of women, like Jim saids don't swim but they like to do it. Even during the open swim period at the health club I'm at they like to do water aerobic actvities. I think that a small group like yours would be better off with a lap swimming format/open swim. Now at the rec pool I go to, the water aerobics people don't hog the pool and they have certain classes that are usually not at the same time as the lap swimming time. Sometimes for us to get more time, we need to go to more than one pool in the area if its available.
Anyway, there is a good article in the Los Angeles times on a Y age group team that was disband because of conflict with the parents and conflict of schedules between the age group team in East Los Angeles(an inner city area) and the learn to swim and recreation program. Its seems that across the country there are problems with Y's trying to balance the needs of masters and age group teams with learn to swim and water aerobics and recreation programs. Anyway, the team is going to be restarted again later.
At the M.E. Lyons YMCA in Cincinnati, we are very fortunate. We have two options. A Y member pays $150 for the year. A non-Y member pays $225. This price includes the USMS fee of $25. These cost cover the 90 minutes workouts that we offer 6 days a week.
The workouts take place in the DOME Natatorium on Monday & Friday @ 6:00a.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday evenings @ 8 pm. and Saturday workouts @ 6:30a.m. We have a unique set up. The outdoor pool is "Domed" for the winter. So we have a 6-lane 50-meter pool or use a bulkhead to have 2 25-yard pools.
This is one of the reasons that our age group team (Anderson Barracudas) is dominant at Y Nationals. We have the space and time to get quantity & quality workouts in. Plus the general membership benefits because you now have more lap and open swims available.
Here's what you can and can't expect from our coaches.
The coaches write and supervise the practice. That means they will be on the deck coaching. Your coach may or may not give unsolicited advice on your stroke. If you would welcome this, you let the coach know. Also, if you have goals in mind, or want to work on specifics like starts and turns, let your coach know. Schedule permitting, he or she can incorporate a set within a practice to work on these things. Just keep in mind there is are many swimmers in the pool and you should not expect the coach to interrupt a practice to spend time with one person. That can be done at the end of practice.
This is Masters, you know: grownups. You have total autonomy over what you will and won't do. You'll be encouraged, but no one is going to stand over you and make you do anything. It's up to you -- like your parents used to tell you, "You only get out of it what you put into it." By the same token, if your body tells you to back off, back off. The coaches aren't going to stop you from overdoing it, so be smart.
The key is to make opportunities to make revenue that benefit the entire membership.
Thanks,
C.J. Rushman
Anderson Barracuda Masters
M.E. Lyons YMCA
Cincinnati, OH
www.ablyswim.org
:)
This brings back painful memories. I am a member of the same team as Jim Thornton and was part of this " lets get those Master swimmers out of here" posse!
Fortunately we were able to get some sense in these people that were trying to barre us from having healthy fun.
The numbers that you are relaying are absurd!! Why do you have to be punished if the "Y" has incapable people to create an manage a proper budget.
The problem in our Y is not that they do not have the money, but merely a sickening thought of a chairman that wants to push the capacity past its limits. But look at what it did to the facility, no hot shower to be found!!
Anyway, I think your whole team should go to a board meeting and tell them what you think!!:mad:
