Starting Block Annoyance

Thank you muppet for clarifying the problem with the starting blocks in american pools. I couldn't imagine it had something to do with litigation, since in Brazil this is not heard of...ski lifts here are 20 dollars per day, no, wait, that's in Europe, we don't have snow here, sorry...billy fanstone

Can we talk about starting blocks and stupid rules and not about Drs vs lawyers. :dunno: Good idea. Here's a stupid rule. I was traveling recently and happened to swim in the Y in Pittsburgh, PA. There were no starting blocks. Fine. I brought a bottle of water to have poolside. The lifeguard informed me to put it away because no drinks were allowed. That's a first for me. I have yet to go to a pool where everyone doesn't have drinks. What's the liability there if you spill water? Isn't the pool deck already wet? Someone's going to trip on my water bottle?

Our team's coaches had to ban the disposable water bottles and only allow reusable ones with their names on them. They had to keep fishing out the disposable bottles from the pool and the little plastic safety seals were ending up in the pool filters or in the water. The kids also wouldn't pick up and throw them away so the coaches had to do it, plus the kids were sharing water bottles. Yeah, that would be annoying to have to get out and find a drinking fountain to get through a long workout in a hot pool.

Hi people, it could be really risky to use the starting blocks. Imagine you are at the starting block, there is no other swimmer in the lane (you think). Jump off from the block and you realize that there is a torpedo:rofl: :rofl: coming towards you. But it is too late. How could it happen? Just read what Mr Incredible wrote a couple of days ago; hey guys thanks for your comments to me SDK stands for Streamlined Dolphin Kick I took one breath at the turn then kicked back underwater breaking streamline slows you down, there's a little discomfort in the last 10 yards I've been several 26 lows and a 25 highs on my 50 SDK's this season I think I did a 25.5 SDK from the blocks this season I hope to get back to doing more 25 lows and 24 highs it will help lower my 50 and 100 back times Ande

Our team's coaches had to ban the disposable water bottles and only allow reusable ones with their names on them. They had to keep fishing out the disposable bottles from the pool and the little plastic safety seals were ending up in the pool filters or in the water. The kids also wouldn't pick up and throw them away so the coaches had to do it, plus the kids were sharing water bottles. Yeah, that would be annoying to have to get out and find a drinking fountain to get through a long workout in a hot pool. I can see why with kids...but the lifeguard should blow their whistle and ask the person to take their garbage with them in front of the whole pool.

I don't think there is always a lifeguard at USS/USA practices though. That's why the teams have to purchase insurance for their swimmers. Our "registration" fee for joining the team was mostly for insurance, I was told. It was a whopper. Especially where I live, with so many litigious swimmer parents. A coach can bellow...but I would readily point out that the Caped (party in the first part) specified a lifeguard (party in the 2nd part) as being present. So the first party could easily have used said drinking vessel, and been called to account by the second party, notwithstanding that the vessel should be disposed of in an appropriate recepticle upon termination of the first party's exercise routine. Maybe that expalins it better for you.... *pulls on "weisenheimer cap*

Hi all! Sorry for not understanding this completely. Is this a joke or is this real? Are you really not allowed to use the starting blocks? Sure you can hurt yourself if you are really clumsy using them but you can hurt yourself going on the sidewalk as well if you are clumsy enough...this for sure is not a reason to forbid people from using the sidewalks....I hope... In Swedish pools you typically find one sign and one sign only. "All swimming at own risk". That seems to be enough from a legal perspective, since I have never heard of any lawsuit against any pool owner. Or maybe I am just missing the big joke in all this...disregard above in that case :) /Stupid Swede

....they're allowed to sue and win millions of dollars. Seems dumb, but its legal. Pools are just trying to protect themselves against as many lawsuits as possible, and that is one way of preventative maintenance. Call me cynical, I get it from SwimmieAvsFan. :dedhorse: Let's blame Fortress and her lawyer buddies.. j/k :D

Another is if somebody else doesn't realize you are going to dive and decides to cross your lane and you collide. I had that happen once when I was swimming (and couldn't swim freestyle or backstroke for several weeks after that). But it's hard to envision it happening when you're going off a starting block. You have a pretty good view of the pool from up there! Or if somebody else in your lane does something unpredictable. Or you misjudge how much room you need. Or you don't see somebody underwater in your path. Of course, you shouldn't be using the starting blocks it there's somebody in your lane. I don't think anyone here would be objecting if that were the rule. When you are practicing starts you aren't generally aware of what's going on around you (which is why a coach is supposed to be supervising). No, having a coach present isn't adequate either. Last year, I was having a girl I was coaching practice her forward starts and we were told by the lifeguard to stop. He did tell us, though, that he was only concerned because the pool management was there. He indicated that if we did it after the pool management had left for the day, he wouldn't object (though strictly it was against the rules).

I have the same problem at my pool. I generally don't understand why because for someone who knows what they are doing the risk is very very small of getting hurt. I think a waiver similar to that we sign for USMS meets would be appropriate for use of the blocks. However, the chance of getting hurt very badly if something does go wrong is very high. When I was about 10 years old at a regional state age group championship, an older boy got on the blocks for his race. I don't remember which race it was but he was the number one seed and number two was seeded very close behind and records were likely to be dropped. The place was absolutely roaring as they went to the blocks. After the starter said take your mark, mr. number one seed passed out, fell into the 9 foot deep pool and did not hit the bottom but curved inwards and hit the side wall HARD with his head. ...we had a moment of silence for him the following year.