There's a trend in this state (Rhode Island) that disappoints me. From time to time, in certain meets, they will do away with the 500 freestyle. And (when my daughter was on the HS team) I personally witnessed that it's sometimes because the coaches can't entice anyone to swim it. Lame! Sometimes it's because the team is so small that they don't have enough swimmers. OK...maybe! First, if I were the coach, and I have plenty of swimmers on my team, I pick a kid and tell him/her to get up on the blocks and swim the race!!! But...if the rules are going to be bent by not conducting an event...when a team is truly shorthanded...why not bend the rules differently? Instead of scratching an event, let certain swimmers compete in an extra event so that ALL the scheduled events can be competed?
Dan
My son joined his HS team in 10th grade. He began in the slow lane with the kids just barely able to keep from drowning. He worked hard but with my genes he could never be a standout. He remained one of the slowest on the team and the coach, being short handed, always put him in the 500. He was the only one on the team doing the 500. He never won his event, but scored points every time since all the teams were short. Because of his enthusiasm, leadership and support for teammates, he was selected as team captain in the 12th grade. Don't diminish the 500 because that's where the "lesser" athletes go.
My son joined his HS team in 10th grade. He began in the slow lane with the kids just barely able to keep from drowning. He worked hard but with my genes he could never be a standout. He remained one of the slowest on the team and the coach, being short handed, always put him in the 500. He was the only one on the team doing the 500. He never won his event, but scored points every time since all the teams were short. Because of his enthusiasm, leadership and support for teammates, he was selected as team captain in the 12th grade. Don't diminish the 500 because that's where the "lesser" athletes go.
