My Masters team was recently forced to relocate to a different pool. At the new pool, we cannot accommodate all team members in our two allotted lanes, so some swimmers have been organizing in a separate lap-swimming lane and working out independently of the "official" team. Now, the facility has told us that we are not allowed to engage in organized lap swimming other than in the coached lanes. Has anyone run into a similar obstacle? Any suggestions?
we've run into a similar situation... but only during the summer. our workouts move to our outdoor pool in the summers. which means we're at the mercy of the weather. if it storms during our practice time, we're *technically* not supposed to go inside and do our workout. but usually we do, regardless. i'm not sure what the big deal is if we do our workout inside- usually if there's a chance of bad weather, no one shows up to swim, inside or outside.
i wish your team the best of luck in getting enough lanes...
I don't think we disagree- negociation/communication is the key.
Yes, my situation - there is no special pass/rental - all swimmers (floaters, talkers, walkers and lappers) have the same rights to the same lanes - but as a team - during the school session - we get special pool times and 'reserved' lanes (and we fill them up, Fall and Winter, Spring the students 'find' other interests...lol)
The pool manager, in my case, HAS to keep the "perception" that there OPEN lanes for swimming. (since that is the stated guarentee)
If it LOOKS like there are only 3 lanes open, then they take heat. If they KNOW that all 5-6 lanes are open - and that we are not "taking control" of a lane (outright), they can point it out to the other patrons.
I agree with them, the fact that we are all doing the same thing LOOKS like we have a reserved lane - when in fact...we have reserved nothing...just doing the same set together. (but this also why we make sure each lane is not exactly in snych with the others - but at most we have 3 lanes, so its not hard)
The other card to play is to ask to see the "rules" about who can swim in what lane - and I will bet there are no rules about 6 people getting in 6 lanes and doing the same thing.
jack
Yes, during the School breaks - we don't officially have pool time (the number of pools/hours open is down to a minimum, number of guards down to minimum - but our student swimmers are gone too).
From my experience...
you have to have a dialog with the pool manager - person on deck.
two things were important to create a "mutual: understanding
1. We have a right to be in the water - since the pool is "open swim" - to all members/users.. (and we are members)
2. We want to help YOU (pool manger) be fair with ALL the other patrons (since that is who THEY are going to hear complaints from), - that have the same rights to the open "lap swim" pool as we do.
Here is what I negociate EVERY time we want to use some lanes
(and the prior communication has helped us keep the tension down - for the most part - there are some LAP swimmers who will complain at any perceived transgression)
1. We will not kick anyone out of a lane - we will simply join a lane (even though it might be to their advantage to move - we won't suggest it, but we will communicate our intent/sets with existing swimmers at all times)
2. Anyone can swim in our lane - at any time - we will even invite them - but we will tell them what we are doing (which should be discouraging)
3. All communcation will be within a lane ONLY - no cross lane communication (we will even vary the interval times to NOT appear as if we are coordinating). !!!!!
4. We will let the person(s) swimming in the lane know what we are doing and how we will be "passing" - we usually opt for passing in the middle or turning at the flags.
5. We usually can show more swimmers in our one lane than are in the other lanes - (lap swimmers seem to like having their own lane). In other words...we are helping you (the pool manager) by keeping the other lanes more open....
6. Lastly, I tell the pool manager to come to me if there is the slightest conflict - that gives them a point of contact.
IMHO it is the appearance that you have a BLOCK of lanes that bothers people - mitigate that ...and you have 5 or 6 people shaing a single lane - who have the same workout.
I simpathize with pool manager - they get it from all angles. IMHO if you can get them to state what they want to control (and admit what they can't control ...like who swims in what lane)...
you have won the battle.
This is for another thread...but I find a fly or backstroke set will "discourage" other swimmers from joining your lane or finding it in their best interest to move to a less 'wavy" lane. But we also represent "USMS" at all times, so I try not to give people a bad taste when 'dealing' with us - I always offer swimmers a chance to join our sets....have picked up one or two swimmers doing that.
jack
I agree with jackkangaroo. The pool staff is in a difficult position.
At my pool the masters swimmers don't have pool passes. They have a limited membership that allows them to swim with the masters team at 5:00 in the morning. The pool is closed to everyone else. I have a normal pool pass and negotiate my own workouts. Life is just simpler that way. 5:00? I don't wake up at 5:00.
But, the problem with aeckler's situation is that pool reps have already decided on a solution: The team gets two lanes.
If the team consisted of ten people or less then no one should be complaining. But, if the team is fifteen or twenty - two lanes are not going to cut it and, of course, the team is going to spill into other lanes. Especially if there are unused lanes.
Unlike jackkangaroo, my answer is to renegotiate with the 'powers that be' for one more lane. As a concession however, give up that lane if less than an agreed upon number of people show for practice - even if the other lanes are empty.
You can't drive on the sidewalk because there's a traffic jam in the street. You can't have members of your team take up more space because they see that it's free. The good news is that the rules are negotiable. Any reasonable person would agree that 20 people can't swim in a single lane comfortably. You need to find the number at which the pool manager agrees that you should have another lane.
