I have no idea why KPN is swimming for them....as for me, I've got ex-college teammates/friends in France, Sweden, Germany, Turkey, etc. etc. etc. and if any of them asked me to swim with their team and I was not already committed to a "club" team (remember, FINA does not allow "countries" to compete only "clubs" which I think is stupid) here in the US I'd say yes in a heartbeat.
Fort, you and many here feel strongly about the "local" level of being part of a team and i think that is great. For myself team has a broader meaning with regard to USMS and extends to friends, family, former teammates and people I've trained with or would like to get to know better...so I'm happy that there are no "rules" that dictate my choices as to how and with whom I chose to align with for meets.
PS; for the record I have registered in Arizona as "unattached' vs. with a local team as I consider the 3 teams I train with on different occasions to all be my "team(s)".
I understand your position with respect to competing in US Nats, and I have not been an outspoken "localist," although I admit I feel some allegiance to my local team -- though I only practice with them 1x a week. I'm not saying I'd never switch teams if my teammates were not competing and I had a chance to swim with other friends or go after a record. I would. But I wouldn't do it if I had the option of a Nats relay with my local teammates. (I do not this year, unfortunately, as only 3 women on my team are going. There we are in my avatar!! The rockin GMU backstrokers!! Yes, I'm the short one on the right.) And I would absolutely not change my country affiliation at a Worlds meet. And I would bet my new FS Pro that I have more ties to France than KPN.
Oh, who cares? We're just adult swimmers competing in an obsessive subculture and it's within the rules. I guess I'm just dreadfully old fashioned, although I thought I was an ALS ... KPN switches teams so often lately, it looks like record collecting. Perhaps she's just trying to get some publicity to support her profession ... and sell more DVDs, etc. Probably makes good business sense.
I'm also curious whether she'll end up on both the USMS and European LC lists for her "French" club swims. Can she break USMS records while swimming for France? I don't care vis-a-vis myself, I'm not really at her level. Nor am I a professional masters swimmer. But I wonder about the record collecting angle. Maybe an admin guru can come along and clear that up.
Meanwhile, I'll look forward to seeing you compete for Turkey. :thhbbb:
I have no idea why KPN is swimming for them....as for me, I've got ex-college teammates/friends in France, Sweden, Germany, Turkey, etc. etc. etc. and if any of them asked me to swim with their team and I was not already committed to a "club" team (remember, FINA does not allow "countries" to compete only "clubs" which I think is stupid) here in the US I'd say yes in a heartbeat.
Fort, you and many here feel strongly about the "local" level of being part of a team and i think that is great. For myself team has a broader meaning with regard to USMS and extends to friends, family, former teammates and people I've trained with or would like to get to know better...so I'm happy that there are no "rules" that dictate my choices as to how and with whom I chose to align with for meets.
PS; for the record I have registered in Arizona as "unattached' vs. with a local team as I consider the 3 teams I train with on different occasions to all be my "team(s)".
I understand your position with respect to competing in US Nats, and I have not been an outspoken "localist," although I admit I feel some allegiance to my local team -- though I only practice with them 1x a week. I'm not saying I'd never switch teams if my teammates were not competing and I had a chance to swim with other friends or go after a record. I would. But I wouldn't do it if I had the option of a Nats relay with my local teammates. (I do not this year, unfortunately, as only 3 women on my team are going. There we are in my avatar!! The rockin GMU backstrokers!! Yes, I'm the short one on the right.) And I would absolutely not change my country affiliation at a Worlds meet. And I would bet my new FS Pro that I have more ties to France than KPN.
Oh, who cares? We're just adult swimmers competing in an obsessive subculture and it's within the rules. I guess I'm just dreadfully old fashioned, although I thought I was an ALS ... KPN switches teams so often lately, it looks like record collecting. Perhaps she's just trying to get some publicity to support her profession ... and sell more DVDs, etc. Probably makes good business sense.
I'm also curious whether she'll end up on both the USMS and European LC lists for her "French" club swims. Can she break USMS records while swimming for France? I don't care vis-a-vis myself, I'm not really at her level. Nor am I a professional masters swimmer. But I wonder about the record collecting angle. Maybe an admin guru can come along and clear that up.
Meanwhile, I'll look forward to seeing you compete for Turkey. :thhbbb:
