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.
Mon ami Messeur Chertoff,
I'm almost inclined to take your comments personally, but won't. I have not been talking about Saturday Afternoon open swimming - rather I have been talking about times reserved for adult lap swimming when the youngsters are not even allowed in the pool. An argument analogous to yours would suggest that giving someone a driver's license means we have opened ourselves to drivers going 160 miles an hour whenever and wherever they want to. We ameliorate the risk of auto accidents not by outlawing cars and drivers but rather by establishing traffic laws. When those laws are adjudged by our society as being too stringent, we change them (hence we no longer have an across the Board 55 mph speed limit). I am suggesting that we can craft a set of rules for qualified and trained adult swimmers using starting blocks at appropriate times and places that ameliorates the risk to others that y'all are so concerned about. For example, let me demonstrate my competency to a certified team coach once, and then be on a list of people who are approved to use a designated starting block during designated times in accordance with designated rules, rather than only be allowed to use the blocks when that coach who is required to be present should actually be necessarily more concerned about the kids who are part of the program she is hired to direct and oversee.
Mon ami Messeur Chertoff,
I'm almost inclined to take your comments personally, but won't. I have not been talking about Saturday Afternoon open swimming - rather I have been talking about times reserved for adult lap swimming when the youngsters are not even allowed in the pool. An argument analogous to yours would suggest that giving someone a driver's license means we have opened ourselves to drivers going 160 miles an hour whenever and wherever they want to. We ameliorate the risk of auto accidents not by outlawing cars and drivers but rather by establishing traffic laws. When those laws are adjudged by our society as being too stringent, we change them (hence we no longer have an across the Board 55 mph speed limit). I am suggesting that we can craft a set of rules for qualified and trained adult swimmers using starting blocks at appropriate times and places that ameliorates the risk to others that y'all are so concerned about. For example, let me demonstrate my competency to a certified team coach once, and then be on a list of people who are approved to use a designated starting block during designated times in accordance with designated rules, rather than only be allowed to use the blocks when that coach who is required to be present should actually be necessarily more concerned about the kids who are part of the program she is hired to direct and oversee.
