This thread is a spin off from the "swimming against the young guns" thread. Many of us Masters compete in USA Swimming meets each year and have found these meets to be a very enjoyable....for many reasons. Tell us your favorite experience(s). I have been swimming USA meets for the past two years and have a bunch of them. I am 37. I'll start off with this one...
"Kids say the darndest things" (part 1):
I entered my first long course meters meet two summers ago. A group of 15+ year old boys were looking at the heat/lane posting on the wall. They said, "Wow, look at this old guy...he entered his yards time...he doesn't even know this is a meters meet...we're gonna whip his butt...this is gonna be great!" And they all high fived each other.
They were quite wrong.
Parents
Former Member
OK, you've inspired me.
This past summer our Base revived the Base Swim Meet, but with a twist, we had age groups for the kids, and the oldest age group was 15+. Prior to that, we had either kids' meets, or the "Base Meet" with only grown-ups. (OK, technically it's not a USS meet, but same concept.)
It was a GREAT MEET; I'm surprised we never thought of this before. I was one of the co-coaches for the Base's Youth League team, and we got to swim against our swimmers, our swimmers' parents, on relay teams with kids and parents all mixed-up, including some family relay teams. Best of all, that 15+ age group had some real good competition--far better than 15-18 or an adult swim meet ever sees.
But, my story: I was entered in the 50 fly & 200 free along with one of our better 17 yr olds. Neither one of us was talking big ahead of time, because we both knew it would be a real dog fight. My 50 fly was the perfect race. I shattered my PR (by .8 seconds, and I have been coming close to breaking it for only about the last three years), and out-touched him for 1st. I was thrilled, but the swimming parents on deck appeared to be as thrilled to see one of their own win the race. (Of course, my swimmer and another 17 yr old stud-muffin beat my brains out in the 200 free, so youth was ultimately served.) We then teamed-up on a relay. And BTW, I had given up on finding 3 other swimmers to form one, until my kids drafted me into their team. After spending a whole season juggling relay teams with last minute no-shows or scratches, I can't expressed how much I was pleased to see THEM pull the relay together.
T'any rate, it seems to me that swimming USS meets is something we all should consider, especially if we would be there to see our kids swim regardless of whether we enter ourselves.
Matt
OK, you've inspired me.
This past summer our Base revived the Base Swim Meet, but with a twist, we had age groups for the kids, and the oldest age group was 15+. Prior to that, we had either kids' meets, or the "Base Meet" with only grown-ups. (OK, technically it's not a USS meet, but same concept.)
It was a GREAT MEET; I'm surprised we never thought of this before. I was one of the co-coaches for the Base's Youth League team, and we got to swim against our swimmers, our swimmers' parents, on relay teams with kids and parents all mixed-up, including some family relay teams. Best of all, that 15+ age group had some real good competition--far better than 15-18 or an adult swim meet ever sees.
But, my story: I was entered in the 50 fly & 200 free along with one of our better 17 yr olds. Neither one of us was talking big ahead of time, because we both knew it would be a real dog fight. My 50 fly was the perfect race. I shattered my PR (by .8 seconds, and I have been coming close to breaking it for only about the last three years), and out-touched him for 1st. I was thrilled, but the swimming parents on deck appeared to be as thrilled to see one of their own win the race. (Of course, my swimmer and another 17 yr old stud-muffin beat my brains out in the 200 free, so youth was ultimately served.) We then teamed-up on a relay. And BTW, I had given up on finding 3 other swimmers to form one, until my kids drafted me into their team. After spending a whole season juggling relay teams with last minute no-shows or scratches, I can't expressed how much I was pleased to see THEM pull the relay together.
T'any rate, it seems to me that swimming USS meets is something we all should consider, especially if we would be there to see our kids swim regardless of whether we enter ourselves.
Matt
