I hated the shiny suits when they were legal because they took forever to get on,if you didn't have the right one you were at a disadvantage(Joe has a Jaked and I'm stuck with this clunky old LZR) and they were fragile(after 45 min of struggle I have on,now I'll bend over for the start,:censor: $500 gone and I'm traumatizing the timers.)
Now that they are gone I miss feeling younger(wow,I haven't done that time in 10 years) and being able to go to a non-taper meet with my slightly stretched out suit and go faster than if I'd shaved.Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've lost til it's gone.
:mooning:
I was just listening to that song while doing my holiday baking! :banana:
I hated the shiny suits when they were legal because they took forever to get on,if you didn't have the right one you were at a disadvantage(Joe has a Jaked and I'm stuck with this clunky old LZR) and they were fragile(after 45 min of struggle I have on,now I'll bend over for the start,:censor: $500 gone and I'm traumatizing the timers.)
But, the B70 Nero Comp solved both of those problems; it was the perfect, magic suit.
Now that they are gone I miss feeling younger(wow,I haven't done that time in 10 years) and being able to go to a non-taper meet with my slightly stretched out suit and go faster than if I'd shaved.You and me both.
I don't have kids (yet). But if they will ever get into swimming and it comes down to this discussion, I learned this from my parents (when I was that little kid and begged for my first tech suit):
as soon as they qualify for nationals, I will get them their first suit.
Overall, you don't need a tech suit to swim fast. It's all mentally IMO.
I still have tech suits from 10 years ago and still swim in them (yes, they are still legal). I use them maybe 2x a year for taper meets.
I don't have kids (yet). But if they will ever get into swimming and it comes down to this discussion, I learned this from my parents (when I was that little kid and begged for my first tech suit):
as soon as they qualify for nationals, I will get them their first suit.
Yeah, your kid will be the only one at JOs, Sectionals, Zones without the tech suit.
I don't have kids (yet). But if they will ever get into swimming and it comes down to this discussion, I learned this from my parents (when I was that little kid and begged for my first tech suit):
as soon as they qualify for nationals, I will get them their first suit.
Overall, you don't need a tech suit to swim fast. It's all mentally IMO.
I still have tech suits from 10 years ago and still swim in them (yes, they are still legal). I use them maybe 2x a year for taper meets.
I agree that you don't need a tech suit to swim fast, but it sure doesn't hurt!
Once I have kids, I'll follow the same pattern my parents did with me--they bought me my first pair of Aquablade jammers, then after that I had to buy all my meet suits, including the brand spankin' new, state of the art Fastskin legskin I bought for my last few championship meets. They didn't care if I was wearing a tech suit or regular Speedo jammers at any meet, ranging from a local fun meet or Sectionals or anything of the sort.
Luckily with the banning of rubber suits, these days there is a wide price range for tech suits/leg suits. I don't see any problem with buying a kid an $80 Finals X-Cellerator, a $95 TYR Aeorback Fusion, or even the low-end $120 Arena Powerskin. If a kid works hard and has set specific goals for themselves, then I don't see a problem with 'prewarding' them with a reasonable tech suit. If the kid really wanted nothing but a LZR or something more pricey, then it would become something to be earned via making cuts, saving allowance money, getting good grades, etc. or some combination like that. It would be a good life lesson....ya know, work hard for what you want?
Back in my day, all my tech suits were earned by making the Zone team, where we were provided with a team paper suit (and later an S2000). I would wear that suit for next season's meet until they disintegrated. I then would beg my parents to buy me a new $70 paper suit.... "Do you really want me to wear this old see-through suit, mom?!?" :D
I think it depends on the maturity of the kid and exactly what "sweat equity" (hahaha) the child has in the situation. I think it is one thing to buy some top quality painting supplies if your kid is working 500-1000 hrs/yr on their artwork. Whether they can earn a living or not at their painting is immaterial....they are acquiring a lifelong hobby and creative outlet for balancing their life.
But other parents go buy a new piano if their kiddo takes two lessons and can do a half-hearted rendition of chopsticks.
One of my favorite stories about this was when I was coaching age groupers around 15 years ago. I can't remember what the "in" suit was - maybe an Aquablade? - it was a Speedo with a zipper in the back. One of my 10 year old swimmers' parents bought her one of these tech suits for $80 or so because she was going for a Zone time. When she walked out on the deck with her suit it was all my assistant and I could do not to smile or laugh. The parents must have gotten her a size 34 and she was this tiny ten year old. The suit was all wrinkled and gapping. She would have been much better off in a well-fitting lycra suit.
One of my favorite stories about this was when I was coaching age groupers around 15 years ago. I can't remember what the "in" suit was - maybe an Aquablade? - it was a Speedo with a zipper in the back. One of my 10 year old swimmers' parents bought her one of these tech suits for $80 or so because she was going for a Zone time. When she walked out on the deck with her suit it was all my assistant and I could do not to smile or laugh. The parents must have gotten her a size 34 and she was this tiny ten year old. The suit was all wrinkled and gapping. She would have been much better off in a well-fitting lycra suit.
That was probably an S2000. They were about as comfortable as swimming in a water polo suit. But they were durable!
I had a similar incident a few years ago, back when FSPros were the height of suit tech. A tiny, both skinny and short, 10 year old boy was given the smallest FSPro Speedo made (maybe a 24) that was so big, it looked like he was wearing 80's style leg warmers instead of a swim suit. A properly fitting jammer would have been much more advantageous to the kid, but mom and dad just *had* to give him the most advanced suit, regardless that it was far too big for him. :shakeshead:
