Recently, my home YMCA has decided to band the use of Noodles during family/open swim times. They cite the floating foam (which can be used as a reaching assist, be used as an instructional aid, fun "thingy", etc. if used properly) as a "safety hazard". Not only is the ban news to me, so is the "hazard" label. Our pool always has at least 2 lifeguards (for a 6 lane, 25 yd pool) during the open swim times and requires that parents/guardians remain in the immediate area - if not in the pool - with their children.
I think my aquatics department has been hijacked by two non-swimmers who are too busy making up crimes to focus on real issues such as inceased times/lanes for competitive swimmers, monitoring pool temps & chemicals, etc.
My questions are:
How many other facilities have banned such fun floating objects?
What types/kinds of accidents have you experienced with the Noodle?
Do you think they have a basis for their decision?
ps. The facility stocks and uses the banned items during swim lessons and exercise classes.
Former Member
Bork- I don't want to zing Rich too much, he rapidly becomes morose and plays the poor, little Brit with a gamy knee card. "Please, Mr. Scrooge, I could do breastroke ever so much better if I could only have a support stocking..."
The pool I swam in when I was growing up had a no flotation policy (and had guards posted every 25yds or so, big pool).
I don't like floats for kids unless they've already shown they can swim. I've seen too many little kids, balancing on a noodle, fall off and not be able to get up to the surface. And many non-swimming parents don't see the danger.
The only save I've ever seen was of a 10 yr old girl who floated into the deep end of a hotel pool and fell off whatever she was floating on. Her parents were at the other end of the pool and didn't notice. No guard, except for my friend who was there on vacation and figured out she was drowning and did the save.
Call me a wet blanket. Floats are fun, but not when used for flotation.
When I lifeguarded I did not let anyone who could not swim without a noodle, ring, or whatever in water deeper than they could stand in. I worked a public pool, 6 lane 50 meter,in the summer and a indoor comunity pool 6 lane 25 meter in the winter. I most of my saves are of little kids who have noodles etc in areas that are 5' - 6' deep, they think they can stand and can't then panic sets in. Having said that there is no reason to ban them just have the guards do their job and moniter how they are used.
Got Boost
I'm happy to see the anti-noodlers fighting back, it's about time.
In all honesty, I'd much rather see the banning of non-toilet trained kids in pools. The epidemic of poo accidents is really annoying and frustrating these days. Back when we were kids, if you were in a diaper, you weren't allowed in the main pool, only the kiddie pool.
Were kids whacking each other with them?
Recently, my home YMCA has decided to band the use of Noodles during family/open swim times. They cite the floating foam (which can be used as a reaching assist, be used as an instructional aid, fun "thingy", etc. if used properly) as a "safety hazard". Not only is the ban news to me, so is the "hazard" label. Our pool always has at least 2 lifeguards (for a 6 lane, 25 yd pool) during the open swim times and requires that parents/guardians remain in the immediate area - if not in the pool - with their children.
I think my aquatics department has been hijacked by two non-swimmers who are too busy making up crimes to focus on real issues such as inceased times/lanes for competitive swimmers, monitoring pool temps & chemicals, etc.
My questions are:
How many other facilities have banned such fun floating objects?
What types/kinds of accidents have you experienced with the Noodle?
Do you think they have a basis for their decision?
ps. The facility stocks and uses the banned items during swim lessons and exercise classes.
This sounds like my pool, right down to size, #of lifeguards, rules, etc.
During open swim no (absolutely none) floating aid of any kind is allowed as well as any kind of water toy or anything else you might take to a pool to have fun (fun? what's that?).
Recently, my home YMCA has decided to band the use of Noodles during family/open swim times. They cite the floating foam (which can be used as a reaching assist, be used as an instructional aid, fun "thingy", etc. if used properly) as a "safety hazard". Not only is the ban news to me, so is the "hazard" label. Our pool always has at least 2 lifeguards (for a 6 lane, 25 yd pool) during the open swim times and requires that parents/guardians remain in the immediate area - if not in the pool - with their children.
I think my aquatics department has been hijacked by two non-swimmers who are too busy making up crimes to focus on real issues such as inceased times/lanes for competitive swimmers, monitoring pool temps & chemicals, etc.
My questions are:
How many other facilities have banned such fun floating objects?
What types/kinds of accidents have you experienced with the Noodle?
Do you think they have a basis for their decision?
ps. The facility stocks and uses the banned items during swim lessons and exercise classes.
I also believe nodbody should swim unattended...anyone can have a mishap or black out...
I disagree with this. Yeah, something could happen but the possibility is remote. It's a calculated risk just like everything else. Swimming alone isn't exactly like trying to summit Everest solo, after all :)
My pool's open swim allows noodles and only noodles - no kickboards or any other floaties. The deep end (>4 feet) is sectioned off. They also force kids to pass a simple swim test before entering the deep end.
All seems to work out, except I wish they would ban just one word:
"MARCO . . . ."
Didn't they tell you that you could shoot your eye out with one of those things? Oh, wait... that's a Red Ryder BB gun that does that....
Although it's annoying to bump into one when you are swimming laps, it's a bit hard to see them as a danger. I mean, they are soft, have no sharp edges, can't drag you to the bottom, and WON'T shoot your eye out.
-LBJ
