Tandy Family YMCA — Local services in Tulsa

The lifeguards are on some kind of craaazy power trip. When parents are gathering in the pool to ask what the heck the lifeguards napoleon complexes are about... It's bad.

Every time we've come, new verbal rules pop up, that literally contradict the ones that are posted. Even when you point out that they're contradicting posted rules, they threaten to kick you out. For instance, my 11 year old, who had a swim test bracelet, got told she couldn't be in the lazy river without an adult. When I pointed out the sign that said the exact opposite, we got threatened to be kicked out. We were told we couldn't bring our own pool noodles once. We were playing sea monster games once and my daughter hopped on my back. I growled, started to spin in a circle, and the lifeguards started yelling at ME to quit rough housing or I'd have to get out. That same visit they just continued to nit pick me and my kids over literally every single thing we tried to do.

Now, I'm 34 with a baby face and often get mistaken for a teenager, so I finally looked up at the lifeguard and said "You do realize I'm their mother right? I'm 34 years old, not one of their friends." And then all of a sudden he's like "Oh I didn't realize, Oh I didn't mean you, What I meant to say was," blah blah blah. After that, he left us alone the rest of the time.

So you would unnecessarily harass kids when you don't realize their parent is in front of you, but you wouldn't have the same behavior when you realize their parent IS in front of you? That's not being a good lifeguard, that's being a bully! And this has happened with various lifeguards, with various families, every single time we come in to the Tandy location.

A different visit, a different lifeguard told a mom she couldn't have her kid in a floatie from home they that HAD to use the life jackets provided or they couldn't swim. Told me and multiple other families we couldn't bring toys from home. I watched as a lifeguard nit picked a mom and her 4-5 year old until she finally said something like I did, and just like it did with me, all of a sudden, the rules magically change and he's like "Oh I guess it's okay, I didn't mean it like that..." Then why did you say anything at all?! Like seriously you guys, what the heck is going on at this location?

I've watched far too many incidents in our 3 or so visits, that continue and progress from unnecessey to outright bullying from the lifeguards. It's to the point that my kids are asking not to come back to this location because they feel like they can't do anything or they're going to be gotten on to and threatened to be kicked out.

I get that lifeguards are there to ensure and promote safety, but they surpassed necessary safety, 3 drill sergeants ago... This has gotten beyond ridiculous and I really hope someone at the Tandy location sees this and has a serious conversation with these lifeguards. I can't imagine I'm the only person that has brought this to your attention. Like I said, this is all in just 3 visits in the last like 2 weeks and a handful of parents were livid each...

Here is a copy of the survey I just filled out for them. Read it and be warned. This is a BAD place to go to. I have been filling these surveys out for years now. Never get a reply or any action. I am paying more for services that keep getting cut back. It's like paying a dollar more for yogurt but getting 6 less ounces. Then 8 less. Then 12 less. Then "Just mail us ten bucks and we'll send you a picture of our yogurt.". So I am done. I NEED the pools to work out in.First the therapy pool was cut back to being open only until 11 am, but would reopen at 1. Then 2. Now 5. The leisure pool would close at 12:30 but be open at 1. Then 2. Now 4. And that's when they ARE open or even working. You apparently use coal-powered heaters that give different temps all the time - IF they work at all. I called last week and asked the temps. They said "85 degrees for both.". It was a lie. Leisure was 77 and therapy was 95. I can't work out more than 15 minutes until getting lightheaded at 95 degrees. No one can. Then the other one has me shivering within a half hour and I can't even lower myself into the pool because if my upper body gets wet and I stand up, I'm freezing. Last year the pool heaters were broken AND they refused to chlorinate the pools (until the health dept intervened. the level as .05. At BEST.) for many WEEKS with constant promises to fix them that never happened. I put my membership on hold for 3 months. Or so I thought. They kept on charging me anyways. The paperwork was conveniently lost. Thanks ever so much. I love paying almost $150 for services I didn't use. Don't get me started about the pool director. I asked her some questions a couple of weeks ago and she was massively unfriendly about answering. It was more of a lecture you'd get if you hit her car in a parking lot. There's no excuse for that. She said the reason for closing the therapy pool was not enough lifeguards. But last time there were THREE of them PLUS her in the office and they STILL closed it. So before someone throws a plugged in toaster into the pool to discourage swimmers, it's time for me to go. I have been here since you all were Thornton and it has been a steady decline with no end in sight. I will say one good thing. The lifeguard Chris is a gem. He is always helpful, positive and unfailingly friendly. I probably shouldn't tell you all this since that is no doubt against Y policy and might get him in trouble. I will be sure and send it to the head office so it can get properly ignored at the...

I hate leaving negative reviews and I wish that wasn’t the case here but unfortunately nobody told me this prior to booking my daughter’s birthday party here and it’s something I wish I had known prior. IF you decide to book a birthday party here please be aware that if it starts raining & storming, even though the pool is indoors you won’t be allowed to use the swimming pool indoors. Yesterday was my little girls birthday party, she had a mermaid inspired birthday party we hired a real live mermaid that cost us $225 plus booked with ymca for $225, she turned 6 years old, we booked the kiddie side swimming pool from 11-12 and 12-1 was the party room where we were to have pizza cake and open presents. 20 children showed up for my daughters birthday party and it was raining outside. We all were told by the supervisor they shut the pool down, they then put us in the party room that was supposed to to be from 12-1 & for 30 minutes we had to hear all the kids crying and my daughter was in tears on her birthday, all the kids were in their swimsuits and trunks ready to swim, parents were asking what the point of having a pool party if we can’t have a pool party, everyone just stood around in the party room not knowing what to do because the pizza wasn’t arriving until noon and the cake was after the pizza, it was the most awkward thing to just stand around for 30 minutes not knowing what to do during that time & hearing kids crying & waiting on staff to step in and help us with some ideas which never happened. We decided to try and make the best of this awkward party and do the piñata which was to be done at the end, while doing the piñata the mermaid we hired showed up and we lost out on 30 minutes of time with the mermaid and she was waiting for all of us in the room, we only had an hour booked with her so now all the kids only had 30 minutes with the mermaid we paid $225 for, after we got back to the room the pizza finally arrived & we did cake. This was the most disappointing, embarrassing party we have ever done. It’s the day after the party and I’m still getting texts from people who attended telling me they feel so bad for us that our child’s party was ruined or that it was a nightmare or that their child is disappointed they couldn’t swim and trust me we feel horrible and so humiliated over everything. So before you book here for a swim party at ymca keep in mind that if it rains it will crash your party. This was nothing short of a bad nightmare & we will never...