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.
Being another swimmer from Pacific LMSC, I must agree that the meet should be deck seeded. It is not MORE work, just different. I know at our short course championships there is a program to buy the first day which shows everyone who entered. Then you have to wait until before your event to find out who you're swimming against, who's there, who isn't. And we're racing by entered time, not age group. Often I get my butt kicked by people a lot older than me, but still win my age group... but I digress- another can of worms completely.
I don't really care if I know ahead of time who is in my heat. My race is my race and I'm not going to swim it any differently just because someone shows up or not. It IS nice to know the approximate time of the swimmer near you....
Jim, I think I was sitting with you when that guy was the only one in his heat. I felt really bad for him. I would not enjoy that myself.
Perhaps, it's because it is done so seemingly effortlessly and efficiently at our meets that I don't realize that it is difficult? Help here Michael :p
Being another swimmer from Pacific LMSC, I must agree that the meet should be deck seeded. It is not MORE work, just different. I know at our short course championships there is a program to buy the first day which shows everyone who entered. Then you have to wait until before your event to find out who you're swimming against, who's there, who isn't. And we're racing by entered time, not age group. Often I get my butt kicked by people a lot older than me, but still win my age group... but I digress- another can of worms completely.
I don't really care if I know ahead of time who is in my heat. My race is my race and I'm not going to swim it any differently just because someone shows up or not. It IS nice to know the approximate time of the swimmer near you....
Jim, I think I was sitting with you when that guy was the only one in his heat. I felt really bad for him. I would not enjoy that myself.
Perhaps, it's because it is done so seemingly effortlessly and efficiently at our meets that I don't realize that it is difficult? Help here Michael :p
