I've been following the postings here for a while and I'd like to find out how people feel about the YMCA Nationals. I've participated in the Y-Nationals for years and one thing really bugs me. Every year there are "Ringers" - swimmers who don't actually belong to or swim with a YMCA. They shop around for a Y willing to give them a cheap deal, all so they can swim at the meet. Y-Nationals is supposed to be an event for YMCA members and YMCA's who sponser a team.
I don't undersatnd why a YMCA would sign all the forms for these swimmers and I don't understand why these swimmers feel the need to pretend they are YMCA members.
Does anybody else think this is cheating?
Thanks,
a real YMCA swimmer.
Parents
Former Member
Just to throw a monkey wrench in the proceedings, at our YMCA we have something called "Program Participation." If you are a YMCA member, you pay a certain fee to take part in an activity. If for whatever reason you do not want to join the YMCA, you can still take part in the activity by being a "Program Participant." Essentially, you pay double the activity fee. This way of doing things is true for all YMCA programs. So, for example, if your child is a program participant in youth basketball, she can come to the YMCA for that particular activity, but she would not be permitted to come at any other time or use any part of the facility that was not dedicated to youth basketball.
The interesting consequence is that because the YMCA requires full membership in order to participate in the YMCA Masters Nationals, a significant portion of our swimmers would not be eligible to compete. They practice regularly in a YMCA Masters program and have a Program participant card to show for it, but they would not be allowed to participate at a YMCA Nationals. However, as has been pointed out, there have been and will be folks who pay the YMCA for a full membership who will be competing, but they are otherwise not connected to the YMCA.
Just an Observation,
Ray
Just to throw a monkey wrench in the proceedings, at our YMCA we have something called "Program Participation." If you are a YMCA member, you pay a certain fee to take part in an activity. If for whatever reason you do not want to join the YMCA, you can still take part in the activity by being a "Program Participant." Essentially, you pay double the activity fee. This way of doing things is true for all YMCA programs. So, for example, if your child is a program participant in youth basketball, she can come to the YMCA for that particular activity, but she would not be permitted to come at any other time or use any part of the facility that was not dedicated to youth basketball.
The interesting consequence is that because the YMCA requires full membership in order to participate in the YMCA Masters Nationals, a significant portion of our swimmers would not be eligible to compete. They practice regularly in a YMCA Masters program and have a Program participant card to show for it, but they would not be allowed to participate at a YMCA Nationals. However, as has been pointed out, there have been and will be folks who pay the YMCA for a full membership who will be competing, but they are otherwise not connected to the YMCA.
Just an Observation,
Ray
