The FAF AFAP Digest

Love your banning the pooping kid idea. Even better -- create a "Code Brown Wall of Shame" with their mug shots in the lobby. Now, I'm not completely heartless -- kids under 5 would be exempted.

Originally Posted by pwb

Love your banning the pooping kid idea. Even better -- create a "Code Brown Wall of Shame" with their mug shots in the lobby. Now, I'm not completely heartless -- kids under 5 would be exempted.

When you've had your workouts ruined countless times, you become heartless.

I am glad that you have more energy!

If this code brown is a recurring issue at the facility, then there are basic youth program protocols not being consistently implemented. In swim lessons or recreational sessions, the parent or supervising guardian is specifically responsible to take their children to the bathroom before entering the water and throughout the time in the water. In many cases, county and/or cities have pool health policies and codes regarding this. If this happens again in the near future, speak only with the Aquatic Director or facility manager not with support staff or lifeguards. As needed write a constructive letter of complaint and cc to the local health department. Code brown at a well run facility with effective communication to parents should hardly ever happen, no matter how many little kid programs are being conducted. I have managed a lot of youth swim programs years ago, and never had a code brown. It must be made very, very clear to the parents what the expectations are.

Originally Posted by fdtotten

I am glad that you have more energy!

If this code brown is a recurring issue at the facility, then there are basic youth program protocols not being consistently implemented. In swim lessons or recreational sessions, the parent or supervising guardian is specifically responsible to take their children to the bathroom before entering the water and throughout the time in the water. In many cases, county and/or cities have pool health policies and codes regarding this. If this happens again in the near future, speak only with the Aquatic Director or facility manager not with support staff or lifeguards. As needed write a constructive letter of complaint and cc to the local health department. Code brown at a well run facility with effective communication to parents should hardly ever happen, no matter how many little kid programs are being conducted. I have managed a lot of youth swim programs years ago, and never had a code brown. It must be made very, very clear to the parents what the expectations are.

I wasn't really complaining; I was just musing with them over this happening so frequently. I think they need to have signs posted with protocols. In the locker room, I rarely hear mothers insist that their child go to the bathroom.

It can just be really frustrating. If I miss an afternoon swim, I usually can't make it up at night because of other commitments.

Originally Posted by pwb

Love your banning the pooping kid idea. Even better -- create a "Code Brown Wall of Shame" with their mug shots in the lobby. Now, I'm not completely heartless -- kids under 5 would be exempted.

How about adults over 50?

Originally Posted by The Fortress

I wasn't really complaining; I was just musing with them over this happening so frequently. I think they need to have signs posted with protocols. In the locker room, I rarely hear mothers insist that their child go to the bathroom.

It can just be really frustrating. If I miss an afternoon swim, I usually can't make it up at night because of other commitments.

Sorry, I overdid my comment earlier, but I cannot stand indifferent or casual aquatic facility management.

Originally Posted by fdtotten

Sorry, I overdid my comment earlier, but I cannot stand indifferent or casual aquatic facility management.

You should come to my Y pool. The problem now is that our lifeguards are being paid minimum wage, so you really get what you pay for. But they expect them to take a multi-day course spread out a few hours at a time over many weeks to get the certification. The course also costs a couple hundred dollars to be certifiied, with NO GUARANTEE that you'll even be hired at the Y, or pass the course for that matter.

When I was guarding at this pool in high school, it was operated by the county, not the YMCA. Minimum wage then I think was $4.25 (in about 1991??) and I was starting as a guard at $5.00 I believe (~17% above minimum wage). We had expectations to uphold, and responsibility above a minimum wage job. At age 16, we could take a course called Water Safety Instruction, and with that course, we were giving an addition $1.00/hr wage increase, regardless of what we were before, so I was up to I think $6.25 at the time. As a 16 year old in h.s. This was roughly ~47% higher than minimum wage at the time.
Now the employees are AT minimum wage, getting $9.19 per hour. I believe Washington State has the highest minimum in the country now. They are paying these guards, the same ones responsible for YOUR SAFETY, and THE SAFETY OF YOUR CHILDREN, minimum wage, the same they could be getting doing any job out there. And you wonder why they don't care like they used to.

Originally Posted by fdtotten

Sorry, I overdid my comment earlier, but I cannot stand indifferent or casual aquatic facility management.

Agree! Since it happened twice this week, I may go ahead and send a note to the aquatics director. He seems like a reasonable man.

Originally Posted by jaadams1

You should come to my Y pool. The problem now is that our lifeguards are being paid minimum wage, so you really get what you pay for. But they expect them to take a multi-day course spread out a few hours at a time over many weeks to get the certification. The course also costs a couple hundred dollars to be certifiied, with NO GUARANTEE that you'll even be hired at the Y, or pass the course for that matter.

When I was guarding at this pool in high school, it was operated by the county, not the YMCA. Minimum wage then I think was $4.25 (in about 1991??) and I was starting as a guard at $5.00 I believe (~17% above minimum wage). We had expectations to uphold, and responsibility above a minimum wage job. At age 16, we could take a course called Water Safety Instruction, and with that course, we were giving an addition $1.00/hr wage increase, regardless of what we were before, so I was up to I think $6.25 at the time. As a 16 year old in h.s. This was roughly ~47% higher than minimum wage at the time.
Now the employees are AT minimum wage, getting $9.19 per hour. I believe Washington State has the highest minimum in the country now. They are paying these guards, the same ones responsible for YOUR SAFETY, and THE SAFETY OF YOUR CHILDREN, minimum wage, the same they could be getting doing any job out there. And you wonder why they don't care like they used to.

Yeah, I was really surprised to learn that lifeguarding at the Rec pays no better than any of the unskilled student worker positions. When I got my lifeguarding certification, I was paid more than minimum wage. By part-time job standards for a teenager it was big money and by college kid standards it was too.

The lifeguards don't care about code browns for sure. They view it as a prolonged break. But others do. No AD wants complaints and they might get them -- from swimmers, from instructors who couldn't give lessons, from parents of other kids who had to leave the pool, even from noodlers.

Originally Posted by The Fortress

The lifeguards don't care about code browns for sure. They view it as a prolonged break. But others do. No AD wants complaints and they might get them -- from swimmers, from instructors who couldn't give lessons, from parents of other kids who had to leave the pool, even from noodlers.

yea the few times I've swum at one of our city pools during the day, I think a lifeguard throws a candy bar in the pool just so they can get a break. especially if it is around 5pm and the pool closes at 6...funny how things like that happen.
that's one nice thing about the gym pool, no one under 15 is supposed to be in the gym at all (other than the childcare area), and under 18 has to be accompanied by a parent. although that isn't always enforced.

anyway, glad to hear that you're getting better! so what's the verdict on SCY nationals? are you going to LCM nationals?

Still not sure about SCY Nats, but leaning toward going for the fun of it and not worrying too much about times. I'm not going to LCM Nats -- too far and outside. And not worth the trip when we have a meet in Richmond in the 2008 trials pool. Is Paul trying to get the team to go to Mission Viejo?

Originally Posted by The Fortress

Still not sure about SCY Nats, but leaning toward going for the fun of it and not worrying too much about times. I'm not going to LCM Nats -- too far and outside. And not worth the trip when we have a meet in Richmond in the 2008 trials pool. Is Paul trying to get the team to go to Mission Viejo?

Sounds like there's a bunch of people you'd meet if you go. And I've found that doing meets just for fun usually results in being more relaxed...and doing quite well in events.
Yea, Paul is trying to get a bunch of people to go to LCM nats. I said something about only being able to swim 3 events, but he said I could do 4. Not sure on that, of course if I fudge my entry times I could, but I wouldn't do that. It is a toss-up between that and the IGLA meet (SCM I think) in Federal Way/Seattle the following weekend. But I'll already be in the Seattle area 2 other times this year.

Yes, it would be fun. The real downside is that it is stuck in the middle of selling a house and getting ready to move.

If a bunch of folks from your team are going, LCM Nats at MV sounds like more fun!