Hi all,
on Sunday, I will be swimming in my first USAS meet since I was 14. (I just turned 40). My husband (a fellow Masters swimmer and Stroke and Turn) thinks its great. My 8yo thinks it is so cool. (Could I freeze this moment in time?).
I have gotten a lukewarm response from the meet director and it is making me feel as though I might be out of place/not belong. Any advice?
BTW, the reason I am doing this is to get some NQ times in 200 stroke events. I live in a rural area and am having. Hard time finding masters meets this winter with the longer events, except for meets that conflict with my daughter's meets and/or are an 8 hour drive.
I certainly won't win any events, but won't come in last either. I am afraid of parent's thinking I am taking something away from their children.
Thank you all for the encouragement. It was a big help. I will report back...my session does not start until 3pm on Sunday. 200IM, 200back, 200breast. I officiate in session 1...with a 50 and 25 *** stroke for 8&unders. Hope that does not ruin my karma. (Last meet I DQ'd my own child...)
Well, it went fine. I have to say that I missed the social aspect of masters meets--catching up with swim acquaintances and hearing what they've been up to. My husband switched lanes so he did not have to officiate my lane in the 200 IM. Got a NQT in the 200 ***. Now, back to the training...3 months to Indy.
thank you for your support and encouragement!
Well, it went fine. I have to say that I missed the social aspect of masters meets--catching up with swim acquaintances and hearing what they've been up to. My husband switched lanes so he did not have to officiate my lane in the 200 IM. Got a NQT in the 200 ***. Now, back to the training...3 months to Indy.
thank you for your support and encouragement!
Way to go!!!
Last meet I DQ'd my own child...)
That's tough! I've dq'd my son twice, once for a backstroke turn infraction, and once for a false start. He said the false start was my fault because I held them too long before sending them.
I have swam USA meets a lot since master's meets are few and far between out here. My best memory is being in the lane next to my son for the 50 free. It was fun to race side by side. I even managed to stay with him until the turn. Then he seemed to find another gear and left me in his wake.
You mean it wasn’t the diesel fumes from the generator Tech had to bring in because the power went out? Otherwise we usually keep within a 4 hour session time limit.
Cathy usually does a great job running meets. But I'm somewhat biased.
Cathy did a great job running the meet. As usual :) You guys do a great job. Waiting around due to the diesel fumes definitely blew it for me though. But I am already looking forward to some more USAS meets. Wasn't my weekend. Diesel fumes gave me a great excuse.
While I currently dont have any plans to swim in a USAS meet, I am curious about one aspect of this. Several folks have either stated or implied that they are USAS officials. I am a "Non-Athlete" member of USAS as I am an official and I am an athlete member of USMS. Would I need an additional USAS "Athlete" membership to swim in a USAS meet?
Curious
Yes.
And the weird part of all this...As a coach/official, you have to go through the background checks for the safety issues set forth by USA Swimming, but as a registered swimmer (as an adult) with USAS, no background check is required.
Great job!
I competed in my first USAS meet just a couple of weeks ago (unattached, without a coach). I tried to get some USA standard times in. I deck entered the meet so I swam in the first heat, outside lane. I was nervous and felt weird swimming next to 12 year olds. But they had a blast, even came over to me and started chatting before the races.
I, as well, missed the social aspect during this meet. But that's what we have USMS meets for! The USAS meet I swam at was gigantic (6 hours prelims swam in 2 pools simultaneously) and I think that was my only negative experience and really turned me away from coming back for day 2 (apart from having an injured shoulder).
I look forward swimming some more USAS meets in the future. I hope to be able to catch some smaller ones.
I'm kind of curious about how USAS meets run now compared to back in my day. I could see wanting to swim in one some day. I might tag along to one of the meets with some friends whose daughters swim.
Another question about swimming unattached - do they take care of assigning you to a coach for meet purposes or is that something you have to work out in advance?
I can only speak from the one experience I had so far. I was hoping to run into a few coaches I know at the meet but unfortunately, it turned out, they were all at a different meet that day. So when I signed up, I was asked a few questions about where I train, who I swim with normally etc etc. I guess it was sufficient for passing without being assigned to a coach. The only problem I had was warm up since the lanes are assigned by teams. If you are unattached, you are bound to whatever open space you can find in the pool/dive pool/kiddie pool etc.
I am sure it depends on the meet director if they let you through without being assigned to a coach or not. I had communicated with the meet director beforehand by email, I believe that definitely helped.
The USAS meet I swam at was gigantic (6 hours prelims swam in 2 pools simultaneously) and I think that was my only negative experience
I had communicated with the meet director beforehand by email, I believe that definitely helped. You mean it wasn’t the diesel fumes from the generator Tech had to bring in because the power went out? Otherwise we usually keep within a 4 hour session time limit.
Cathy usually does a great job running meets. But I'm somewhat biased.
