Hi all,
We're looking to get some input from Masters swimmers and coaches on the age old question whether someone who is a professional or post-grad swimmer belongs in U.S. Masters Swimming events going after Masters records.
Curious to get your thoughts!
We may ask you to be in a future issue of Swimming World.
Jason Marsteller
Swimming World
On another note, I am curious to hear whether people think USMS times should count for USAS. Selfishly speaking, I would love meet directors to go to the extra effort of getting the meets recognized/observed, or whatever the term is for dual registered people to be able to have their times automatically entered in SWIMS. And I fully realize this question is in the category of "Forum poster with idea for someone else to do the work".
It is possible to do this. For example, at USMS nationals it is almost trivially easy: there is a sign-up sheet for swimmers to have their times submitted to SWIMS. I think you have to do this before the swim.
It is much less common at other meets, but I know my wife and I set this up (initially at the request of a swimmer but then advertised more widely) at a meet we co-directed.
The reason there are hoops to jump through is that USA-S and USMS rules are not quite the same, and the (USA-S certified) S&T judge needs to observe that your swim is valid under USA-S rules. Also -- at our meet anyway -- the meet referee had to be the one to submit the time to SWIMS since we didn't have the ability to do that.
In terms of having the whole meet recognized for USA-S purposes, it sounds like you are talking about a dual-sanctioned meet, which is also a real thing. I don't have any direct experience, but I think these are usually primarily USA-S meets where a handful of masters swimmers enter, often with the purposes of having the times count for FINA (since they don't accept times from USA-S meets).
On another note, I am curious to hear whether people think USMS times should count for USAS. Selfishly speaking, I would love meet directors to go to the extra effort of getting the meets recognized/observed, or whatever the term is for dual registered people to be able to have their times automatically entered in SWIMS. And I fully realize this question is in the category of "Forum poster with idea for someone else to do the work".
It is possible to do this. For example, at USMS nationals it is almost trivially easy: there is a sign-up sheet for swimmers to have their times submitted to SWIMS. I think you have to do this before the swim.
It is much less common at other meets, but I know my wife and I set this up (initially at the request of a swimmer but then advertised more widely) at a meet we co-directed.
The reason there are hoops to jump through is that USA-S and USMS rules are not quite the same, and the (USA-S certified) S&T judge needs to observe that your swim is valid under USA-S rules. Also -- at our meet anyway -- the meet referee had to be the one to submit the time to SWIMS since we didn't have the ability to do that.
In terms of having the whole meet recognized for USA-S purposes, it sounds like you are talking about a dual-sanctioned meet, which is also a real thing. I don't have any direct experience, but I think these are usually primarily USA-S meets where a handful of masters swimmers enter, often with the purposes of having the times count for FINA (since they don't accept times from USA-S meets).
