Mission Viejo had very good facilities, great weather, superb organization, and the best hosts. Overall a great meet.
However, as commented in another thread, there were lots of no shows. In four of five events I had an empty lane next to me. This is not the best racing environment, and it makes the meet last longer than necessary. I am not critical of the people that did not show up -- I was one of them on Thursday, as an emergency at work made me arrive a day late.
On deck seeding would be a simple and easy solution.
Evidently some people like to know a day or days in advance who will swim in their heat. However, the way it worked for me, I found out as I walked up to the block who would *not* be swimming. *That's* lots of opportunity to get psyched! (not)
I don't think the way this meet was seeded (check in for distance events, advanced seeding for the other events) was a very good compromise. This was my first non-deck seeded masters meet, and I did not enjoy that aspect of it.
All so some male hot shot doesn't have to swim next to an empty lane?
I am disappointed that we cannot discuss this topic without ascribing pejorative adjectives to others who do not like our position. Phil thinks that the better swimming conditions happen when the lanes are filled up and he is swimming against his competition.
I am a middle aged white guy who when I swim think that it is a great meet if I finish in the top half of a Pacific Masters championships or in the top 80 % at a nationals. No one has ever described me as a hot shot (well except for my wife and she was being sarcastic).
I, too, believe that a meet believe that seeding the meet either on deck or having the check in the day before in many cases makes for a better meet.
If we are talking about a meet that does not have many swimmers in it - for example a nationals that has about 1600 for a scy meet, it does not make much difference. You have open lanes but you also have a meet where there is plenty of recovery time between events for the swimmers.
For large meets, those that have over 1900 swimmers, deck seeded even for the sprints is the only way to keep the time line under control. None of the officials and volunteers like to be working at a meet for 12 hours and when there are events where only 3 out of 10 lanes have swimmers in them (yes it does happen) many of the officials believe that their time is being wasted, by a group that does not think enough of the volunteers and officials to keep the time line under control.
And think of the swimmers, no one likes swimming at a meet at 7 pm. There is a lot of drop off of swimmers after the sun goes down. I believe that positive check in is the a way to get the meet time line under control. (of course another option to get the time line under control is to tighten up the NQTs - but then we need the meet hosts to make money).
michael
All so some male hot shot doesn't have to swim next to an empty lane?
I am disappointed that we cannot discuss this topic without ascribing pejorative adjectives to others who do not like our position. Phil thinks that the better swimming conditions happen when the lanes are filled up and he is swimming against his competition.
I am a middle aged white guy who when I swim think that it is a great meet if I finish in the top half of a Pacific Masters championships or in the top 80 % at a nationals. No one has ever described me as a hot shot (well except for my wife and she was being sarcastic).
I, too, believe that a meet believe that seeding the meet either on deck or having the check in the day before in many cases makes for a better meet.
If we are talking about a meet that does not have many swimmers in it - for example a nationals that has about 1600 for a scy meet, it does not make much difference. You have open lanes but you also have a meet where there is plenty of recovery time between events for the swimmers.
For large meets, those that have over 1900 swimmers, deck seeded even for the sprints is the only way to keep the time line under control. None of the officials and volunteers like to be working at a meet for 12 hours and when there are events where only 3 out of 10 lanes have swimmers in them (yes it does happen) many of the officials believe that their time is being wasted, by a group that does not think enough of the volunteers and officials to keep the time line under control.
And think of the swimmers, no one likes swimming at a meet at 7 pm. There is a lot of drop off of swimmers after the sun goes down. I believe that positive check in is the a way to get the meet time line under control. (of course another option to get the time line under control is to tighten up the NQTs - but then we need the meet hosts to make money).
michael
