I started diving off of starting blocks when I was eight years old. I am now 51, and train at the Y, almost always alone, as there is no Masters program in the county where I live, or in any of the immediately adjacent counties. (There are several age group programs.) I want to work on my starts, but none of the Y's where I swim will let me use the blocks - saying that a national Y policy prohibits anyone from using the blocks unless a team/club coach is on the deck.
I have never heard of anyone suing a YMCA because of an accident on a starting block.
Yes, perhaps a coach would be valuable to me in this regard, but I'm not looking for a coach - I need and want a cooperative facility. The age groups' program schedules are not conducive to my schedule, and besides, the age group coaches already have enough on their hands during those times with lanes full of kids working their programs. I also am not excited about having to dodge those kids to do the work I need to do.
Anyone find a way to conquer this litigation-fear-induced insanity yet? Thank you.
Parents
Former Member
I do almost all my swimming at YMCAs. Even when I travel. (Love that AWAY program!) I may have visited 50 different facilities coast to coast by now. Most Ys don't even have blocks available. One in Bridgewater NJ has permanent blocks, and lots of teams that use the facility, but non-team swimmers -- no matter how good or experienced or capable they are -- cannot use the blocks. I'll be visiting some near Orlando next week, including the big one on International Drive, so I'll be sure to keep an eye out for policies there.
Yes, it is a result of our litigious society. Some of the Ys I have visited have also taken out their diving boards for the same reason. I feel for your situation, but I doubt you should expect change here.
I also have not heard of someone suing a YMCA specifically. But I know I have heard of people getting injured using blocks. When I was in high school, blocks generally were set up in the shallow end of pools. (Not just Ys, but high schools, club pools, private pools...) Since those days I believe there has been legislation that requires at least 5 feet of depth (or maybe 6?) for blocks in response to people getting injured. I think that happened some time in the 1980s or 90s... (And I think it paralleled the growth in starting techniques whereby you don't just blast straight out any more, but arch higher and dive a little deeper.) Regardless of the factors that led to more injuries, I can fully understand lawyers advising the YMCA overall to do away with blocks altogether rather than deal with new regulations. Maybe it was an insurance/financial decision as well. Maybe their insurance premiums would be astronomical if they allowed unsupervised block usage. YMCA is non-profit, and I know they run a tight budget.
None of what I said helps you, of course. But maybe it helps add a layer of perspective to the decisions that the YMCA has made.
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Now, if we want to complain about something else that is nearly universal across YMCAs, I take great issue with the water temps most Ys choose to maintain. I'm sure that has already been beaten to death elsewhere in the history of this discussion board! :)
I do almost all my swimming at YMCAs. Even when I travel. (Love that AWAY program!) I may have visited 50 different facilities coast to coast by now. Most Ys don't even have blocks available. One in Bridgewater NJ has permanent blocks, and lots of teams that use the facility, but non-team swimmers -- no matter how good or experienced or capable they are -- cannot use the blocks. I'll be visiting some near Orlando next week, including the big one on International Drive, so I'll be sure to keep an eye out for policies there.
Yes, it is a result of our litigious society. Some of the Ys I have visited have also taken out their diving boards for the same reason. I feel for your situation, but I doubt you should expect change here.
I also have not heard of someone suing a YMCA specifically. But I know I have heard of people getting injured using blocks. When I was in high school, blocks generally were set up in the shallow end of pools. (Not just Ys, but high schools, club pools, private pools...) Since those days I believe there has been legislation that requires at least 5 feet of depth (or maybe 6?) for blocks in response to people getting injured. I think that happened some time in the 1980s or 90s... (And I think it paralleled the growth in starting techniques whereby you don't just blast straight out any more, but arch higher and dive a little deeper.) Regardless of the factors that led to more injuries, I can fully understand lawyers advising the YMCA overall to do away with blocks altogether rather than deal with new regulations. Maybe it was an insurance/financial decision as well. Maybe their insurance premiums would be astronomical if they allowed unsupervised block usage. YMCA is non-profit, and I know they run a tight budget.
None of what I said helps you, of course. But maybe it helps add a layer of perspective to the decisions that the YMCA has made.
---
Now, if we want to complain about something else that is nearly universal across YMCAs, I take great issue with the water temps most Ys choose to maintain. I'm sure that has already been beaten to death elsewhere in the history of this discussion board! :)
