Jump to content
  • Member Statistics

    17,606
    Total Members
    7,904
    Most Online
    ArlyDude
    Newest Member
    ArlyDude
    Joined

July Banter 2023


George BM
 Share

Recommended Posts

4 minutes ago, nj2va said:

Let’s just get rid of all social media.

Social media is really important for messaging these days. Younger generations get a lot of pertinent information from social media outlets and it has helped civic engagement. Then there's mindless TikTok videos which are unfortunately mixed with good tiktok. Therein lies the conundrum. Then there's Reddit.....maybe we should get rid of SM :yikes:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hosted our IM Carnival last night. 195 swimmers and we got through it in 1 hour 45 minutes! We opened it up to more swimmers than usual (no seed time cutoffs), so we were a little apprehensive going into it, but it turned out great.

Super fun meet with a group of pools we swim against regularly and many of whose kids go to school together. One of the other pools (PAR) set a record in 11-12 Boys 100M IM and one of our 6-year-old boys beat our 8&U 100M IM record by 5 seconds! :blink:

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/11/2023 at 1:19 PM, H2O said:

They acted that way for a B meet?  Weird.  

Ours was against @vastateofmind former team.  The combo of their team size and ours meant that it took over 2 hours to get thru free and back.  When you hear that 8&Us have 5 heats and 9-10s too you are in for a long evening.  My only complaint was clerks not stacking lanes to fill all the way.  Just combo the shit out of events and if they are mixed boy/girl then just do it.  Fill 6 lanes as much as possible.  

So between team size and wanting to do IMs as well it meant a long night.  My knees and back were tapping out after 2.5 hours.  But my data people are so fricken awesome.  They knew I was hungry and they got me some pizza.  Then I had to figure out how to yell "timers clear" with a mouth full of za.  

I swear that snack bars need to have concession sellers walking around like sporting events.  Cold beer!, donuts!, ice cream!

One last A meet saturday then I have one more B meet to go.  We do a B meet for kids that won't do divisionals and also they hold an IM invite at another.  So for this next monday I will make up some "special" water for my timers to say thanks for all the help.  It might get sloppy but who cares.  Last B meet and it will be fun.  

Sage advice above, from an experienced pro/old hand in NVSL...especially the part about the "special water."  :D 

On 7/11/2023 at 3:22 PM, mattie g said:

Two hour for free and back...yeah, no. lol We had four heats in one or two events last night, but it was maybe two heats per event on average.

They strolled in and made comments about us being D15 team, commented on how some of our less-experienced swimmers did, wouldn't shut the F up in clerk of course, had kids yelling on the blocks after the long whistle, etc. Just lots and lots of unsportsmanlike behavior that was inappropriate at any meet, whether competitive or not. There was one point when some of their older boys were being incredibly rude to our younger kids, so our soft-spoken 19-yo coach laid into them. It just wasn't cool all around. It was bad enough that a senior official from their team reached out to a coach of ours this morning and apologized for their team sucking.

That's awesome about your data folks, but yeah...clerk needs to get hose lanes filled for B Meets! Neat idea for the additional B Meet. I do recall you mentioning the "special water" last year. Love it!

We're so small that a most of the kids who will be around for Divisionals will get to swim (plenty of our better swimmers aren't in town), so it's a good send off for them. But we still host an IM Carnival this Thursday, have an A Meet away on Saturday, then our Lolliop Meet and Community Relays next Thursday prior to hosting Divisionals. Still a TON to do until we're off the hook!

Yeah...figured that might be the case for you guys. That really sounds rough for a lot of your meets...but finishing a B Meet at 7:40? How in the hell did you do that, even with 8 lanes?! Are those teams pretty chill, all things considered? I just can't shake the impression I have that all those teams are always amped up and uber competitive in everything they do.

It's funny how relative it is when talking about team size. The team we swam with last night has 170 kids. We have 96 (including our littles), so they're MASSIVE compared to us. The rest of our B Meet group is currently D9 (last night), D10, D13, D14, and D15, with only the D15 team being about the same size as us. The D13 and D14 teams are like 120 kids or so and the D10 team has 150. I honestly don't know what I'd do if we had that many kids:lol:

Usually those bump-ups in team size happen gradually...I hated B meets for that reason when we first got involved, but if you get enough experienced officials and on-deck volunteers and (perhaps most importantly) FILL THOSE LANES on every blow of the whistle, it can go pretty quickly. After free and back, of course...  ;) 

4 hours ago, mattie g said:

Hosted our IM Carnival last night. 195 swimmers and we got through it in 1 hour 45 minutes! We opened it up to more swimmers than usual (no seed time cutoffs), so we were a little apprehensive going into it, but it turned out great.

Super fun meet with a group of pools we swim against regularly and many of whose kids go to school together. One of the other pools (PAR) set a record in 11-12 Boys 100M IM and one of our 6-year-old boys beat our 8&U 100M IM record by 5 seconds! :blink:

See? Y'all already getting too damn efficient! And I always loved to see the records made (and old records fall!) during this point of the season over the years...not just for my own sons, but to see the younger swimmers especially work their arses off and to see the sheer joy on their faces when they drop their times!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, vastateofmind said:

Sage advice above, from an experienced pro/old hand in NVSL...especially the part about the "special water."  :D 

Usually those bump-ups in team size happen gradually...I hated B meets for that reason when we first got involved, but if you get enough experienced officials and on-deck volunteers and (perhaps most importantly) FILL THOSE LANES on every blow of the whistle, it can go pretty quickly. After free and back, of course...  ;) 

See? Y'all already getting too damn efficient! And I always loved to see the records made (and old records fall!) during this point of the season over the years...not just for my own sons, but to see the younger swimmers especially work their arses off and to see the sheer joy on their faces when they drop their times!

It’s really is great when these kids hit their stride as the NVSL season ends. We’ve had a fantastic season and we’re still seeing phenomenal time drops across our team. Our 6-year-old who just set that IM record is one of the nicest and most humble boys you’ll ever meet, and watching him crush it all summer (dropping 8 seconds since our B Meet on Monday!) has been one of the highlights of the season.

Best race last night was in the 13-14 Boys group where one of our most experienced swimmers dropped 5 seconds(!) in his IM against the kid he knew was his biggest competition. The other boy was seeded to win by 4 seconds and in the end ours came in .04 behind the other one. We were all so proud of him and the effort he put in - it was truly inspiring and you could just feel the positivity he was putting out afterwards!

For a guy who was an athlete but never a swimmer, I’ve been bitten hard by the bug. I truly care for these kids and the community we’re building. It’s the best part of the summer for me, despite the grind, and I’m already looking forward to next year!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Rvarookie said:

Sucks to see summer flying by. Hope folks been able to enjoy themselves

Sure do miss those crisp June days and nights that feel so long ago but man still been solid summer. Thankfully the skeeters seem to be better than usual too

It’s been a mild (relatively) summer. Even this week where it’s felt hot, we’re not talking triple digit. It seems summers here the last few years have been way better than even 5-7 years ago. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, mattie g said:

It’s really is great when these kids hit their stride as the NVSL season ends. We’ve had a fantastic season and we’re still seeing phenomenal time drops across our team. Our 6-year-old who just set that IM record is one of the nicest and most humble boys you’ll ever meet, and watching him crush it all summer (dropping 8 seconds since our B Meet on Monday!) has been one of the highlights of the season.

Best race last night was in the 13-14 Boys group where one of our most experienced swimmers dropped 5 seconds(!) in his IM against the kid he knew was his biggest competition. The other boy was seeded to win by 4 seconds and in the end ours came in .04 behind the other one. We were all so proud of him and the effort he put in - it was truly inspiring and you could just feel the positivity he was putting out afterwards!

For a guy who was an athlete but never a swimmer, I’ve been bitten hard by the bug. I truly care for these kids and the community we’re building. It’s the best part of the summer for me, despite the grind, and I’m already looking forward to next year!

I was a middling athlete in MS/HS and an okay but noncompetitive swimmer...my wife isn't a swimmer at all! I don't know where our sons got their swimming genes, but without going overboard I'll just say they did well growing up. I think our oldest still holds a pool relay record with a couple other guys, and our youngest still retains a number of pool records, and hangs on in the NVSL top 50 for fly and back as well as couple of relays. End of the day, summer swim season should be about the community-building, as you so wisely suggest...and I'm glad that you (and @H2O) aren't as jaded as me, and still have that, and enjoy that, at your respective pools.  :D 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, mappy said:

Mini-map is in a theater play this weekend, her first. So proud of our Puss in Boots

IMG_0552.jpeg

What a great costume! You've talked about your daughter numerous times over the years but I lose track of time...I still have this mental picture of her being a "little girl," and well...she's not anymore.  :) 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, nw baltimore wx said:

I make my simple sugar with cinnamon sticks for more bite.

Good idea. I use pure maple syrup for sweetener mostly. Healthier. I do like the cinnamon idea. Hmm.. I have a little Fireball..maybe a tiny bit of that will do the trick B)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, vastateofmind said:

What a great costume! You've talked about your daughter numerous times over the years but I lose track of time...I still have this mental picture of her being a "little girl," and well...she's not anymore.  :) 

The costume is all Mr. Map, he spent all week painting it and it turned out great! And thank you! She will be 11 in December which is crazy! Last year of elementary school…I’m not ready for her to be a middle schooler!! 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, vastateofmind said:

I was a middling athlete in MS/HS and an okay but noncompetitive swimmer...my wife isn't a swimmer at all! I don't know where our sons got their swimming genes, but without going overboard I'll just say they did well growing up. I think our oldest still holds a pool relay record with a couple other guys, and our youngest still retains a number of pool records, and hangs on in the NVSL top 50 for fly and back as well as couple of relays. End of the day, summer swim season should be about the community-building, as you so wisely suggest...and I'm glad that you (and @H2O) aren't as jaded as me, and still have that, and enjoy that, at your respective pools.  :D 

It’s so cool that your boys found their way successfully in the local swimming world despite any other expectations! We have a set of identical twin boys (11s) who have turned it on this season (not having swam year-round), but whose parents aren’t particularly athletic.  I guess you just never know!

Fun final dual meet of the season today. Lost to our local friendly rivals, but it was a relatively close meet, despite our missing some significant swimmers. 3-2 after moving up a division for a team like ours is a damn good result. Now it’s up to the NVSL gods to determine if we move up again next year!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, mappy said:

Mini-map is in a theater play this weekend, her first. So proud of our Puss in Boots

IMG_0552.jpeg

Very cool! Looks like a younger version of my daughter when she was Timon in the Lion King in eighth grade. She had some real talent and charisma, more than I did when I acted some, but she never really liked acting that much (or dance, either, like her mom), and they've got to be allowed to do their own thing. 

Here's to many more theatrical triumphs by your daughter!

 

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, 09-10 analogy said:

Very cool! Looks like a younger version of my daughter when she was Timon in the Lion King in eighth grade. She had some real talent and charisma, more than I did when I acted some, but she never really liked acting that much (or dance, either, like her mom), and they've got to be allowed to do their own thing. 

Here's to many more theatrical triumphs by your daughter!

 

Thank you! My kiddo loves the big stage and performing. She does a lot of dance, so we shouldn’t have been surprised she would do well with theatre too. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, mattie g said:

It’s so cool that your boys found their way successfully in the local swimming world despite any other expectations! We have a set of identical twin boys (11s) who have turned it on this season (not having swam year-round), but whose parents aren’t particularly athletic.  I guess you just never know!

Fun final dual meet of the season today. Lost to our local friendly rivals, but it was a relatively close meet, despite our missing some significant swimmers. 3-2 after moving up a division for a team like ours is a damn good result. Now it’s up to the NVSL gods to determine if we move up again next year!

We won our last meet by a surprising margin. All week the numbers said it would be close. Like 5-10 points one way or the other. But they had a few kids missing for a big meet in stafford. By the start of breast we had a bigger lead than expected and it seemed like the other team just gave up. By relays half their team had left. Our coaches noticed it and commented after the meet. 
 

Our record and margin of victory will really make for a tough call if we stay where we are or get moved up. I REALLY don’t want to move up. We just aren’t a pool for that level of NVSL. Mainly due to how old our facility is. We just don’t have the niceties one would expect. 
 

Still a darn good season and we got payback against one team that drubbed us a couple years ago. Just divisionals left to go and then FREEDOM!!! Mel Gibson style 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/14/2023 at 10:18 PM, nj2va said:

It’s been a mild (relatively) summer. Even this week where it’s felt hot, we’re not talking triple digit. It seems summers here the last few years have been way better than even 5-7 years ago. 

I was just talking to someone a couple days ago about we haven't hit 100 in a good while. Seems it WAS hotter in 'days past'. I haven't hit 100 in over 10 years on my weather stations, the couple of CO-OP's near me last hit 100 back in 2012 and 2010 respectfully. I can remember MANY summers when younger in 70's and 80's where the temp would push or exceed 100... Heck, just looked at Roanoke, they hit 100 once in 2020, then you have to go back to 2012, then it is like every other year going back from there. Edited for the slip, I hit 20 instead of 10 lol.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, wxdude64 said:

I was just talking to someone a couple days ago about we haven't hit 100 in a good while. Seems it WAS hotter in 'days past'. I haven't hit 100 in over 20 years on my weather stations, the couple of CO-OP's near me last hit 100 back in 2012 and 2010 respectfully. I can remember MANY summers when younger in 70's and 80's where the temp would push or exceed 100... Heck, just looked at Roanoke, they hit 100 once in 2020, then you have to go back to 2012, then it is like every other year going back from there.

I don't think I have ever seen 100 here. That generally only happens in the urbanized areas of our region, and even there it isn't very common. We typically see plenty of low to mid 90s days. Not so much this summer so far.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, CAPE said:

I don't think I have ever seen 100 here. That generally only happens in the urbanized areas of our region, and even there it isn't very common. We typically see plenty of low to mid 90s days. Not so much this summer so far.

I can remember much warmer days younger, sorta strange. We USED to cook with a SW wind driving air up thru the valleys, not so much anymore. A low/mid 90's day isn't near as frequent either.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, wxdude64 said:

I can remember much warmer days younger, sorta strange. We USED to cook with a SW wind driving air up thru the valleys, not so much anymore. A low/mid 90's day isn't near as frequent either.

I can see that out there with downsloping/compressional heating, and a relatively dry airmass. No idea about the frequency (now vs then)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...