Original posting was to the Facebook Group
- Just staying transparent.
Housekeeping #2. (long)
Hopes have been dashed for holding Sunday AM practices at Chatham, IMHO. Update: We can practice from 10 to noon, but the price is $100 per hour and $50 equipment rental. So, that's $300 per practice.
That's nuts. I can't expect winning terms with that economic situation. I can't justify that cash outlay for us.
So, if we had 20 players each paying $15, we'd break even. Plus we still need to furnish lifeguard and balls.
But, what happens when there are only 6 player? That's $50 per person!
I had a counter offer. They're not going to negotiate. IMNSHO, the solution is to make water polo a Chatham activity, not a Renegades rental. If 3, 4 or 5 Chatham students say, we want to play water polo, and we want to have an instant team to play with, i.e., Renegades, and they're good, friendly, blah-blah-blah. #Bang.
I'd really like to support the new swim coach. He was in favor of our practices too as it ads a nice dimension to campus life at Chatham for potential new student athletes.
Face it, Chatham, a small school, isn't going to be able to get 15 or so players to form its own team. But we could have Chatham players pay $0 and non-Chatham people could pay $10 a practice.
And, I think that $10 should be re-invested into additional aquatic educational opportunities that helps to put Chatham onto the map, nationally, regionally, community wide
So, I need to take a deep breath. We could go grass-roots and get some relationships forged with Chatham students and have them plead our case to the powers-that-be.
We could do a MONTHLY practice and all try to land on the same date, expecting to chip in $20. We could also do a RSVP system where you pay $ in advance of the practice and if we don't have the numbers by Thursday, we call off the session. I can build that tech.
Lastly, I can look for a pool within Pittsburgh Public Schools. A few have been with me in the past to Perry High School, Oliver High School. A friend is coaching at Brashear HS too. Even going to PCA on the West End would be sweet. (Geo location link to this posting is at PCA.) Getting a permit with PPS is do-able. The permit would be via an after-school provider that is already sanctioned by PPS. I'd go first to my friends on the Northside, The Pittsburgh Project. Perhaps we do a 30-min lesson / SKWIM game with some kids and then a 90-min water polo practice. Moving goals.
I'll begin to enquire about PPS. They don't move quickly.
Meanwhile, the very best option is to get invites to CMU from the Men's Team -- other invites from the CMU Women's Team. And, even more invites from Pitt's M & W teams.
It is even possible in the fall to get an invite to W&J from the women's team there, perhaps on a weekend. The women are out of season and can do a few things.
Personally, I don't want to be the one to try to get those college team invites. Someone could take the lead in presenting ourselves to Pitt. Another to W&J. Of course, we have CMU covered with W & C.
Sorta sad. Not done yet. Thoughts welcome in comments below.
By the way, still waiting on summer fees from 2 to drop into this payment link. That goes to ISCA and they provided insurance. https://sowl.co/s/bx2qSD.
