I've been watching this discussion and waiting for comic sans forum destroyer to slow down, but, alas, that hasn't happened yet. Anyhow, I believe it is very possible to begin that later in life and be competitive, but with an asterisk. I have met many fantastic swimmers in USMS who are late bloomers (BAM! - blast from the past) such as scyfreestyler. I've also managed to be lightly competitive with only a summer league background. I swam my first USMS meet in my early 30s.
However, if you look at the very top of most age groups you do see people with very legit swimming backgrounds - pwb, Chris S, the annoying Smith and good Smith (if they'd ever swim again), Rowdy, Switzer, knelson, Braun, Fortress, Andersen, KPN, etc. Rather than use them as my competition basis, I walk around muttering their names as inspirations for improving, and then hoping they get the stomach bug before nationals.
I've been watching this discussion and waiting for comic sans forum destroyer to slow down, but, alas, that hasn't happened yet. Anyhow, I believe it is very possible to begin that later in life and be competitive, but with an asterisk. I have met many fantastic swimmers in USMS who are late bloomers (BAM! - blast from the past) such as scyfreestyler. I've also managed to be lightly competitive with only a summer league background. I swam my first USMS meet in my early 30s.
However, if you look at the very top of most age groups you do see people with very legit swimming backgrounds - pwb, Chris S, the annoying Smith and good Smith (if they'd ever swim again), Rowdy, Switzer, knelson, Braun, Fortress, Andersen, KPN, etc. Rather than use them as my competition basis, I walk around muttering their names as inspirations for improving, and then hoping they get the stomach bug before nationals.
