I think switching to SCM is a terrible idea. For those of us who set goals and plan our swimming, to have a sudden switch from SCY to SCM plays havoc with goals for the SCY season. I swim Nationals every year to obtain best times and break records as an end-of-season event. That would mean no end-of-season event for SCY next year. I just moved into a new age group and have already begun thinking about my SCY goals for next year. If something like this is in the works there should be a lot more warning than a less than one year heads up. SCM season is from Sept through December. The SCM season has worked well in its current time of year and has not prevented those who can from posting top 10 FINA rankings. Very disappointing if it happens.
The USMS Championship Committee, after consultation with the host, has selected Short Course Yards for 2018 USMS Spring Nationals (Indy).
Jeff Roddin
USMS Championship Committee
It's good to see the idea of changing nationals to SCM at least being considered. We need to break out of our America-centered bubble and admit that SCY is an anachronism, quaint but increasingly meaningless. Imagine a track meet with 220/440/880 yard events. Meters is the world standard and insisting on our own "unofficial" format is simply out of touch. It's understandable that SCY meets persist because we've invested in that infrastructure for so long, but we should be actively phasing it out by discouraging the construction of 25 yard pools like we did 50 yard format. In my opinion, new pools should at least have a metric format option. We should not fear the transition from yards to meters. Let's evolve!
I personally don't care but with increasingly cut programs, new pools probably are not happening very often. Then we are left with 100s of obsolete pools. Also, not sure I agree with your definition of evolving...being like the rest of the world.
It's good to see the idea of changing nationals to SCM at least being considered. We need to break out of our America-centered bubble and admit that SCY is an anachronism, quaint but increasingly meaningless. Imagine a track meet with 220/440/880 yard events. Meters is the world standard and insisting on our own "unofficial" format is simply out of touch. It's understandable that SCY meets persist because we've invested in that infrastructure for so long, but we should be actively phasing it out by discouraging the construction of 25 yard pools like we did 50 yard format. In my opinion, new pools should at least have a metric format option. We should not fear the transition from yards to meters. Let's evolve!
I remember sometime around 1975 when I was in 2nd grade our math books had problems on the left page that were english units and problems on the right that were metric units. We were told it was good to start getting comfortable with metric units because by the year 1980 we would be fully switched over to metric. :rofl:
Those interested in a short course meters meet should consider Canadian Masters Nationals in Calgary next spring. I'm not sure the decision has been made yet whether it will be short course or long course, but I'm very confident it will be in meters! :)
It's good to see the idea of changing nationals to SCM at least being considered. We need to break out of our America-centered bubble and admit that SCY is an anachronism, quaint but increasingly meaningless. Imagine a track meet with 220/440/880 yard events. Meters is the world standard and insisting on our own "unofficial" format is simply out of touch. It's understandable that SCY meets persist because we've invested in that infrastructure for so long, but we should be actively phasing it out by discouraging the construction of 25 yard pools like we did 50 yard format. In my opinion, new pools should at least have a metric format option. We should not fear the transition from yards to meters. Let's evolve!
It's good to see the idea of changing nationals to SCM at least being considered. We need to break out of our America-centered bubble and admit that SCY is an anachronism, quaint but increasingly meaningless. Imagine a track meet with 220/440/880 yard events. Meters is the world standard and insisting on our own "unofficial" format is simply out of touch. It's understandable that SCY meets persist because we've invested in that infrastructure for so long, but we should be actively phasing it out by discouraging the construction of 25 yard pools like we did 50 yard format. In my opinion, new pools should at least have a metric format option. We should not fear the transition from yards to meters. Let's evolve!
Some of us remember when there actually were 220-, 440-, and 880-yard events in the pool.
It's good to see the idea of changing nationals to SCM at least being considered. We need to break out of our America-centered bubble and admit that SCY is an anachronism, quaint but increasingly meaningless.
For me the more important reason is that there are far more options for fast SCY meets in good pools than for SCM meets.
I would have gone to Indy as a SCM meet. But as a yards meet, I don't see it as a significant improvement over the fast zone meet that is within driving distance.
Those interested in a short course meters meet should consider Canadian Masters Nationals in Calgary next spring. I'm not sure the decision has been made yet whether it will be short course or long course, but I'm very confident it will be in meters! :)And the pool in Calgary is quite nice - in addition to the main competition pool, there's an adjacent long course pool, so I suspect warm-up/cool-down facilities will be great.
