Does anyone know the percentage of ex-college swimmers vs. non-college swimmers competing at Nationals? Also does anyone know the number or percentage of people new to swimming who have gone on to swim at Nationals?
I did not compete in college, though I did have times that would have let me walk on to some programs from High School. At the time I figured no chance of a scholarship, unlikely that I would ever get fast enough to get into the NCAA Championships, and a lot of time taken away from my social life.
In retrospect (and I am only two years out of college) I wish I would have tried a few seasons. I quit year around (USAS) at age 15 and only swam high school/played water polo. Curious what I could have done with better training. Now I am trying to work back to my high school times with USMS and perhaps even get faster!
High School Experience(why did I waste my time!!!)
USS Swimming
One year of college(I didn't go back for the second year because I wasn't getting any scholarship money and I needed to work and focus on my studies than on swimming where I was swimming horribly at the time.)
Now, I do USMS and I love it. I never thought that I would ever do Masters swimming, let alone get back in the pool on a regular basis.
I think the question should be whether you competed well in college. You can't lump us hacks in with people who qualified for NCAAs.
I guess it depends on what one wants to know. As someone who did no competitive swimming before masters (and some wickedly fast teammates), I can assure you the difference between college and well in college is far smaller than the difference between college/USAS and neither.
And to answer the original query I have swam at three nationals.
I think the question should be whether you competed well in college. You can't lump us hacks in with people who qualified for NCAAs.
How does one really define "well?" I didn't qualify for NCAA's but swam all lifetime best during my college career. So, I would say that I swam "well" during my college career.
I would say it might be better so ask "which college swimmers qualified for NCAA championships vs those that did swim in college"
I would be one of those use to swim AAU and first 2 years of college, never made it to NCAA champs but did go to Y Nats in 1980 for 50 and 100 Free. Then took 20+ years off, got fat, had kids, injured back and started swimming as rehab.
Have been swimming masters since fall 2004 after I saw all of the cars by our aquatic center and someone told me they were hosting masters nationals and when my doctor told me I needed to start exercising (back still spasming off and on) I decided there had to be a team to join so I did.
First Masters Nationals was Ft. Lauderdale in 2005 and have been to all of the SCY Nats since. First LCM Nats was last year and this year will be my second. The first 2 Nat's I could not even bend over enough to touch the block for the start. Now I am actually starting to be competitive again, don't think I still don't feel the back issues but they are no where near as bad as they were.
Have also started training with the kids team, my 10 year old son is also swimming now too. We even get to compete in the same meets since I swim both masters and USAS now.
10 yrs USS experience
high school experience (4 yrs overlap with USS)
no college exp
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9 yrs later...hoping to join a masters program and start competing next yr, and go even faster than my lifetime bests in 2-3 yrs time.
Put me in the other percentage... the one with no competitive past, college or otherwise. I started swimming and competing in triathlons 4 years ago. My first swim meet was this year. I haven't swam at Nationals yet. I suppose I will when I reach an NQT in some event and/or the meet is held in WA again.
How does one really define "well?" I didn't qualify for NCAA's but swam all lifetime best during my college career. So, I would say that I swam "well" during my college career.
I would say it might be better so ask "which college swimmers qualified for NCAA championships vs those that did swim in college"
Yeah, that's more along the lines of what I was thinking. I swam my best times in college, too, but I was a very minor contributor on my team. There are lots and lots of swimmers with more talent than I have who chose not to swim in college.
