Swim team sign ups for the summer recreation team have begun. This year we had a great system to let the families with kids who have been swimming sign up first. Priority goes to those who had already previously committed. I was planning on working the sign ups this week. Luckily for me my work schedule accommodated that. I enjoy seeing everyone again after the long cold winter break. But the Recreation Center had it all figured out, and it ran much more smoothly!
Meanwhile, The Girl has been hired to work the pool's front desk, as well as the snack shack. And she believes she will also get to help coach the younger swimmers, as she has in passed years.
The Boy just interviewed to assistant coach the little kid swimmers too. He loves doing that and does really quit well with the tiniest kids on the team. He is on the list work the snack shack again. He is thrilled.
We've been very lucky to get the kids in to work at the pool. It is a perfect teenage job. I don't want them working during school, if they can help it. Studies are their main priority during the school year. But in the summer--the rules change and they can work a lot of hours, still see their friends and make a little money and learn to take orders from a different adult than me. And that helps all of us.
Bring on the heat!
Showing posts with label pool. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pool. Show all posts
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
He's A Workin' Man
Yesterday was The Boy's first day of work. He just got a job with The Girl, working at our city pool's snack bar. It is a job he wanted almost as soon as The Girl started there. But this is the first year that the manager there has hired boys.
You see, the storage room for the snack bar paper good, etc is accessible one of two ways. The more cumbersome way is out the building and all the way around to the exterior entrance of the the storage room. The easiest is through the women's locker room. Thus girls only, to this point. However, being a city facility and needing to heed the "equal opportunity employer" statute, Cheryl--the snack bar manager--was told by the city that she needed to hire a boy or two.
The Girl happened to be working the day this edict was made and Cheryl was fretting about finding the "right" kind of boy who would do the work, not flirt too much with the girls, and make the trip the long way to the storage room when he needed to go. The Girl, said "What about my brother?" And Cheryl asked "Does he still want to work here?" To which The Girl answered, "Uh. Yeah."
So The Boy was hired without so much as a n interview. Cheryl is not only the manager down there she also has worked as a teacher's aid at our elementary school and I credit her and one other teacher's aid with helping The Boy learn how to read in the 1st and 2nd grades. They were fantastic for him. And he knows how important they are to him too. Plus, they all like each other. Not a bad back story to getting a summer job.
Yesterday he worked about 5 hours and he seemed to do fine. The stories he shared when he got home were more amusing to me because I know many of the lifeguards that wouldn't believe he was working there--the only boy--surrounded by these lovely young women. But he told them he certainly was working in the snack bar and having a marvelous time. These almost-high school-senior-lifeguards seemed to feel that he was the luckiest kid working at the pool this summer.
I think he might think that too. But today will be the real test. He and The Girl work the full day (1-8 PM) together. If they can do this job all summer without wanting to kill each other, I feel that will be a "payday" for this mom.
You see, the storage room for the snack bar paper good, etc is accessible one of two ways. The more cumbersome way is out the building and all the way around to the exterior entrance of the the storage room. The easiest is through the women's locker room. Thus girls only, to this point. However, being a city facility and needing to heed the "equal opportunity employer" statute, Cheryl--the snack bar manager--was told by the city that she needed to hire a boy or two.
The Girl happened to be working the day this edict was made and Cheryl was fretting about finding the "right" kind of boy who would do the work, not flirt too much with the girls, and make the trip the long way to the storage room when he needed to go. The Girl, said "What about my brother?" And Cheryl asked "Does he still want to work here?" To which The Girl answered, "Uh. Yeah."
So The Boy was hired without so much as a n interview. Cheryl is not only the manager down there she also has worked as a teacher's aid at our elementary school and I credit her and one other teacher's aid with helping The Boy learn how to read in the 1st and 2nd grades. They were fantastic for him. And he knows how important they are to him too. Plus, they all like each other. Not a bad back story to getting a summer job.
Yesterday he worked about 5 hours and he seemed to do fine. The stories he shared when he got home were more amusing to me because I know many of the lifeguards that wouldn't believe he was working there--the only boy--surrounded by these lovely young women. But he told them he certainly was working in the snack bar and having a marvelous time. These almost-high school-senior-lifeguards seemed to feel that he was the luckiest kid working at the pool this summer.
I think he might think that too. But today will be the real test. He and The Girl work the full day (1-8 PM) together. If they can do this job all summer without wanting to kill each other, I feel that will be a "payday" for this mom.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes
Look at the beautiful pool arrangement. Look at the ample spectator seating. Look, it is enclosed to make it operable in all sorts of weather. Brilliant, considering Indianapolis is prone to winter weather at times too.
How cool would it be to see THIS kind of facility take shape when BYU finally tears out it's 60 year old pool facility?! Then the annual State High School Swim championships would REALLY be held in high style. Then Utah county would have a facility equal to that of Davis County's beautiful aquatic center in the Bountiful Recreation center. Then, maybe our city officials could see the advantage of building better than they think we need for our city--and our kids--and our high school.
I can only dream.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Use It or Lose It
Each morning the kid are at swim practice, I try to do an hour or so of water aerobics. Last week, our teacher focused on arms for two days in a row. Saturday I felt my arms weighed 400 pounds a piece.
I am amazed at how whimpy I feel when I am trying to do right by my body. Too bad my body isn't committed to this kind of treatment, itself.
I always feel better afterwards, at least a day or two later. But exercising in the water is sure easier on my knees than running, or even walking hard for an hour. I realize that I'll never be a size 6--or even a size 10, for that matter. But I do feel better when my jeans a little looser and my joints don't ache.
This old body is going to give out at some point anyhow--regardless of what I do to preserve it. But I am really hoping it will keep working for me as long as possible. I have some friends and family who aren't the best poster-children for getting old. And they dont' make it look at all appealing. So back to the pool I go, not only to drop off kids, but for my own exercise as well.
I am amazed at how whimpy I feel when I am trying to do right by my body. Too bad my body isn't committed to this kind of treatment, itself.
I always feel better afterwards, at least a day or two later. But exercising in the water is sure easier on my knees than running, or even walking hard for an hour. I realize that I'll never be a size 6--or even a size 10, for that matter. But I do feel better when my jeans a little looser and my joints don't ache.
This old body is going to give out at some point anyhow--regardless of what I do to preserve it. But I am really hoping it will keep working for me as long as possible. I have some friends and family who aren't the best poster-children for getting old. And they dont' make it look at all appealing. So back to the pool I go, not only to drop off kids, but for my own exercise as well.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Flashback
I spent the morning at the pool today for a swim meet. We swam against Lehi and we were hosting the 2nd half of the meet. the first half swam at their pool last night. The Girl coached her 9-10 year old swimmers there.
What I love about swimming against Lehi is my long-ago and not-so-far-away dear-friend-Keith's daughter swims. I know that at least once a summer I get to see my old friends. Keith and Julie are terrific and their sweet girl, Nicole is pretty amazing too. The great thing about it is, this week, I actually saw them three times!
Their son, Zack, had his Eagle Court of Honor on Monday so we saw the whole crew at that, of course. Then Julie and Zack surprised me by being in The Girl's driver's ed class earlier this week, so I saw half of them there. And today I saw the whole gang again at the pool.
Seeing Keith at the pool is like a trip to the past. He was my best friend in high school. He swam and played water polo, and I hung out with him and the other "cool pool boys" in awe, at least most of the time. Hey, they were really cool and were hilarious on top of that. Now, of course, we are still friends, but in a mature, reserved, adult way: I am much more sure of myself than I ever was in high school, and we both have our heads screwed on even better now. Good thing, as we are not the punk high school kids we once were.
Still I have my moments, though. At one point today, Keith was laying down in the shade, between Nicole's race events, and I had the strongest urge to go pounce on him--pile driver style--just like I would have done if I were still 15 years old. I am happy to report that I suppressed the urge and just laughed at myself (in my head) instead.
The really funny thing about being at the pool with him today, was watching The Girl who has a dear friend, Spencer, who is to The Girl what Keith was/is to me. It is good to have friends like that. I highly recommend that.
Just don't pile-drive them when they aren't looking.
What I love about swimming against Lehi is my long-ago and not-so-far-away dear-friend-Keith's daughter swims. I know that at least once a summer I get to see my old friends. Keith and Julie are terrific and their sweet girl, Nicole is pretty amazing too. The great thing about it is, this week, I actually saw them three times!
Their son, Zack, had his Eagle Court of Honor on Monday so we saw the whole crew at that, of course. Then Julie and Zack surprised me by being in The Girl's driver's ed class earlier this week, so I saw half of them there. And today I saw the whole gang again at the pool.
Seeing Keith at the pool is like a trip to the past. He was my best friend in high school. He swam and played water polo, and I hung out with him and the other "cool pool boys" in awe, at least most of the time. Hey, they were really cool and were hilarious on top of that. Now, of course, we are still friends, but in a mature, reserved, adult way: I am much more sure of myself than I ever was in high school, and we both have our heads screwed on even better now. Good thing, as we are not the punk high school kids we once were.
Still I have my moments, though. At one point today, Keith was laying down in the shade, between Nicole's race events, and I had the strongest urge to go pounce on him--pile driver style--just like I would have done if I were still 15 years old. I am happy to report that I suppressed the urge and just laughed at myself (in my head) instead.
The really funny thing about being at the pool with him today, was watching The Girl who has a dear friend, Spencer, who is to The Girl what Keith was/is to me. It is good to have friends like that. I highly recommend that.
Just don't pile-drive them when they aren't looking.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
How Many Teens Does It Take To Sweep The Patio?
Each morning of swim team, I try to go for an hour or so of Water Aerobics. I've been doing this now since The Girl started swimming, so about 5 years or so. I love it! It is so nice to exercise without any pressure on my joints, and let's face it--the buoyancy of the water makes you feel as thin as you hope the exercise will make you.
Instead of extolling the benefits of such a workout, however, I would like to comment today on the inefficiency of the maintenance crew that works at the city pool while we are in the water.
I don't know how many people (read: teenagers) are hired to work maintenance at the pool each summer, but it is about 10 times too many. I think the biggest problem with this crew is that they are left on their own too long without any supervisor, OR they have never been taught HOW to work.
I think that they are hired to do the following: vacuum the carpeted areas and sweep the deck around the pool. There are also some who pick up trash with little pinching tools that have long handles. They are supposed to clean the dried on gum from the cement, and pull the trash out of the sand volleyball pit as well. I occasionally see them sweeping the sidewalks out front of the pool entrance and building, so that must be some of their responsibility too.
Lifeguards they are NOT. In fact, I know the Snack Shack girls have more hustle than they do too. (Not that I am biased there, however.)
Today, we watched the City's Parks crew come in and mow the grass and then one adult with a leaf blower "swept" the entire eastern side of the deck in one pass. While 9 kids with push brooms watched him. Then they went back to carrying their brooms around, attempting half heartedly to look busy. I wanted to yell at them, "Uh, didn't your mother teach you that brooms work better when the brush part is against the ground?"
Holy cow.
One of the Water Aerobics patrons is neighbors to the head of the Parks & Recreation Director. She told us that she emailed him to tell him that if the kids at the pool don't have enough work to really keep them busy, the fitness room inside the Recreation Center need some attention. They could actually WORK. Plus, if the city is in such dire financial straights maybe the 15 or so maintenance kids could be cut to the three boys that actually DO something (Yeah, I 'm talking about you, Spencer M, and the Cannon brothers!)
I know it is a thankless job. It is a job that must be repeated every day--sweeping and vacuuming are do-overs every day the pool is in use. But what kind of work ethic are these kids learning? They can get a job--especially when I heard this week that the 16-19 year old unemployment irate in Utah is 26+ % (the highest in 40 years!)--when there aren't enough to go around, and then get paid to do apparently nothing.
No wonder so many kids applied to work at the pool. Word must get around. And I'd guess it gets out from the kids not actually working but getting paid to spread the word.
Instead of extolling the benefits of such a workout, however, I would like to comment today on the inefficiency of the maintenance crew that works at the city pool while we are in the water.
I don't know how many people (read: teenagers) are hired to work maintenance at the pool each summer, but it is about 10 times too many. I think the biggest problem with this crew is that they are left on their own too long without any supervisor, OR they have never been taught HOW to work.
I think that they are hired to do the following: vacuum the carpeted areas and sweep the deck around the pool. There are also some who pick up trash with little pinching tools that have long handles. They are supposed to clean the dried on gum from the cement, and pull the trash out of the sand volleyball pit as well. I occasionally see them sweeping the sidewalks out front of the pool entrance and building, so that must be some of their responsibility too.
Lifeguards they are NOT. In fact, I know the Snack Shack girls have more hustle than they do too. (Not that I am biased there, however.)
Today, we watched the City's Parks crew come in and mow the grass and then one adult with a leaf blower "swept" the entire eastern side of the deck in one pass. While 9 kids with push brooms watched him. Then they went back to carrying their brooms around, attempting half heartedly to look busy. I wanted to yell at them, "Uh, didn't your mother teach you that brooms work better when the brush part is against the ground?"
Holy cow.
One of the Water Aerobics patrons is neighbors to the head of the Parks & Recreation Director. She told us that she emailed him to tell him that if the kids at the pool don't have enough work to really keep them busy, the fitness room inside the Recreation Center need some attention. They could actually WORK. Plus, if the city is in such dire financial straights maybe the 15 or so maintenance kids could be cut to the three boys that actually DO something (Yeah, I 'm talking about you, Spencer M, and the Cannon brothers!)
I know it is a thankless job. It is a job that must be repeated every day--sweeping and vacuuming are do-overs every day the pool is in use. But what kind of work ethic are these kids learning? They can get a job--especially when I heard this week that the 16-19 year old unemployment irate in Utah is 26+ % (the highest in 40 years!)--when there aren't enough to go around, and then get paid to do apparently nothing.
No wonder so many kids applied to work at the pool. Word must get around. And I'd guess it gets out from the kids not actually working but getting paid to spread the word.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Zumba!
I tried something yesterday that was totally new to me. I go every morning to the pool (while the kids are in swim team practice) and I do an hour class of water aerobics. I love being in the water and in the water aerobics class I work differently than when I just swim. But yesterday's class was a new thing entirely! We did Water Zumba.
Zumba is the trendy exercise fad right now. It is taught in city rec centers all over and there is even a new studio downtown that is advertizing they are "Zumba certified". It is basically an aerobics class with music and movements inspired by Latin and African music and dance. It targets a lot of your core muscles so there are a lot of chrunching feelings as you do this.
But this was the first time I had heard of it being possible in the water.
I know from the reactions for the swim team kids, the pool maintenance staff and the lifeguards working that morning that we looked ridiculous. It felt pretty silly at first too, but then I relaxed and had a pretty great time. And today I am still feeling the effects of the work out.
We go again tomorrow. I think I will bring along my inner-Latina and be ready for the fun. Come join us. It is Mondays and Wednesdays at 7 AM and 7 PM. All your jiggly bits will thank you.
PS--Wednesday morning a videographer form the local paper came and taped the class. Here is the link: http://heraldextra.com/vmix_431f8eec-94d9-11df-a895-001cc4c002e0.html
All I can say is "Holy Bazooms, Batman!"
Zumba is the trendy exercise fad right now. It is taught in city rec centers all over and there is even a new studio downtown that is advertizing they are "Zumba certified". It is basically an aerobics class with music and movements inspired by Latin and African music and dance. It targets a lot of your core muscles so there are a lot of chrunching feelings as you do this.
But this was the first time I had heard of it being possible in the water.
I know from the reactions for the swim team kids, the pool maintenance staff and the lifeguards working that morning that we looked ridiculous. It felt pretty silly at first too, but then I relaxed and had a pretty great time. And today I am still feeling the effects of the work out.
We go again tomorrow. I think I will bring along my inner-Latina and be ready for the fun. Come join us. It is Mondays and Wednesdays at 7 AM and 7 PM. All your jiggly bits will thank you.
PS--Wednesday morning a videographer form the local paper came and taped the class. Here is the link: http://heraldextra.com/vmix_431f8eec-94d9-11df-a895-001cc4c002e0.html
All I can say is "Holy Bazooms, Batman!"
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Management Issues
Today we dutifully headed to the pool for swim practice as always, only to be turned away because the pool is too cold, and the management is keeping the covers on to try to get it warm enough to open for public swim at 1:30 this afternoon.
This happened last Friday too, but only for the second hour of swim team.
Yesterday the water was chilly, as there was some part that broke last week. However, we were told that the pool management received the part, fixed the problem, but someone forgot to turn on the heater yesterday. Thus, a cold pool today.
How is this good business practice? Is this why the city turns a deaf ear to our requests to finally add on an indoor competition pool, as promised, at the new city Recreation Center? Or, in the least, get our outdoor pooled bubbled for the off season?
You've already heard me whine about the fact that our High School swim team must be bussed to another city to practice--sharing the practice space and times with two other high schools and one elite club team. When we have a perfect--most of the time--pool right next door to the high school. The only problem is it is not fitted with a bubble, and therefore cannot be run through the winter season.
As an "older patron" who loves the water aerobics option for exercise, I sure wish we could have that year round. But once September or October rolls around, if I want to exercise in the water I have to schlep myself to the next town and use their facility.
I'm sure the pool management is doing their best, but really? Let's think things all the way through, people.
This happened last Friday too, but only for the second hour of swim team.
Yesterday the water was chilly, as there was some part that broke last week. However, we were told that the pool management received the part, fixed the problem, but someone forgot to turn on the heater yesterday. Thus, a cold pool today.
How is this good business practice? Is this why the city turns a deaf ear to our requests to finally add on an indoor competition pool, as promised, at the new city Recreation Center? Or, in the least, get our outdoor pooled bubbled for the off season?
You've already heard me whine about the fact that our High School swim team must be bussed to another city to practice--sharing the practice space and times with two other high schools and one elite club team. When we have a perfect--most of the time--pool right next door to the high school. The only problem is it is not fitted with a bubble, and therefore cannot be run through the winter season.
As an "older patron" who loves the water aerobics option for exercise, I sure wish we could have that year round. But once September or October rolls around, if I want to exercise in the water I have to schlep myself to the next town and use their facility.
I'm sure the pool management is doing their best, but really? Let's think things all the way through, people.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Back in the Saddle
Today was the first day of our water aerobics classes at the pool. Boy, it felt good to be back in the class and back in the pool. I have heard that muscles have a memory--like when an athlete trains over and over and over so that on the day of performance their body just knows what to do. I felt that today. My body just felt at home with the exercise and the water and the resistance. It feels good. I love getting an hour of that exercise in before 8 AM. It sets me up for a good attitude for the rest of the day.
Now if I could just get that same response from doing laundry or the other myriad of chores that always seem to need doing around here.
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