This is somewhat related to another post I just started (Top Ten conerns). I noticed in the top ten list a number of swimmers (generally very fast swimmers) who swam their first nationals (or any other masters meet) in 5 years due to being in a new age group. I state this by looking at the past few years top ten lists and not seeing their names. Is this a good thing for masters swimming? Swimmers whose only affiliation with masters swimming is showing up to one meet every 5 years to break a record. These records should be owned by people that are true masters swimmers.
What is a true masters swimmers?- Perhaps doing a few meets a year might work. When I swam on an age group team as a child, I know in order to qualify for our championship meet, we had to swim at least 3 regular meets. Perhaps a rule like that for Nationals could begin to fix this problem-
If not, many of our national records will be held by "ringers"
Parents
Former Member
Ion,
I totally agree with you for exactly the 2 reasons you give (a & b). As Paul Smith has pointed out, with cuts in college swimming programs etc, our various organisations need to be working together, in-synch and even closer.
Donna Torres & a whole lot of others should have Masters records whether they know it or not.
The fact that FINA Masters records (but not the USMS records as I understand it?) have to be set at Masters meets reeks of exclusivity and makes no sense in terms of 'record' whatsoever.
Look forward to toasting this one over a beer with you in Cleveland when we solve the world's problems.
Ian.
BTW: I am obviously missing something really important - Maria D is going to have to introduce me to a Ho-Ho. It seems I have been deprived.
Ion,
I totally agree with you for exactly the 2 reasons you give (a & b). As Paul Smith has pointed out, with cuts in college swimming programs etc, our various organisations need to be working together, in-synch and even closer.
Donna Torres & a whole lot of others should have Masters records whether they know it or not.
The fact that FINA Masters records (but not the USMS records as I understand it?) have to be set at Masters meets reeks of exclusivity and makes no sense in terms of 'record' whatsoever.
Look forward to toasting this one over a beer with you in Cleveland when we solve the world's problems.
Ian.
BTW: I am obviously missing something really important - Maria D is going to have to introduce me to a Ho-Ho. It seems I have been deprived.
