How about some reminiscing about the worst pools you ever were forced to work out and/or compete in ??
Our old pool was 20 yards long, with gutters and the deck was about 2 feet above that. The water level was always low, so it was like ocean swimming every day. There were no starting blocks and the "lane lines" were nylon cord with a plastic bobber every 3 feet or so. The water was always quite warm to accomodate the family swims and lessons that were also sharing the pool during the day.
Since goggles had not yet been invented and the only antiseptic method was chlorine (lots of it), we would have those chlorine "light halos" until the next day. The kick-boards were solid, varnished wood and they doubled as pull-buoys. There were no fins or hand paddles.
Thank the higher power of your choice that we had a GREAT coach.
Oh, did I mention that they used to beat us with knives???
Bert
In the early 60's I swam in a few meets in Massachusetts in which the "pools" were artificial lakes.....basically just big holes in the ground filled with water (one was in Worcester...there's a real pool there now, can't remember where the other one was).
They put docks 50 meters apart and the lane lines had wooden floats on them.
You couldn't see the bottom. Good luck at swimming straight and at knowing how far away the wall was.
Did I mention that the ends of the "pool" were slippery because of the wooden docks? Good luck on your turns (once you figured out where they were).
I think I might have actually won the 100 meter free at one of those pools....what I remember more is that I was 16 and it was the first time my parents let me drive to a meet by myself.
HEY! I think one of those was my "home pool" in high school. It was at Lake Quinsigamond...in the shadow of a highway bridge...two slippery wooden docks 50m apart...I loved that place! TO this day, when i mention it, my friends say "You SWAM in that lake?!"
Yup, every day...sometimes twice.
We used a length of yellow nylon cord strung about 4 feet below the surface of the water to keep us swimming straight. Worked great. I think there was another "pool" just like it on the Shrewsbury side of the lake.
I also worked at one of those artificial swimming holes (in Grafton) It was run by the Lions CLub. Occasionally members of a motorcycle "club" would ride their bikes onto the beach and cause all kinds of mayhem. I was just a skinny 17-yr-old girl and I wasn't about to tell them to go somewhere else.
Good times
In the early 60's I swam in a few meets in Massachusetts in which the "pools" were artificial lakes.....basically just big holes in the ground filled with water (one was in Worcester...there's a real pool there now, can't remember where the other one was).
They put docks 50 meters apart and the lane lines had wooden floats on them.
You couldn't see the bottom. Good luck at swimming straight and at knowing how far away the wall was.
Did I mention that the ends of the "pool" were slippery because of the wooden docks? Good luck on your turns (once you figured out where they were).
I think I might have actually won the 100 meter free at one of those pools....what I remember more is that I was 16 and it was the first time my parents let me drive to a meet by myself.
HEY! I think one of those was my "home pool" in high school. It was at Lake Quinsigamond...in the shadow of a highway bridge...two slippery wooden docks 50m apart...I loved that place! TO this day, when i mention it, my friends say "You SWAM in that lake?!"
Yup, every day...sometimes twice.
We used a length of yellow nylon cord strung about 4 feet below the surface of the water to keep us swimming straight. Worked great. I think there was another "pool" just like it on the Shrewsbury side of the lake.
I also worked at one of those artificial swimming holes (in Grafton) It was run by the Lions CLub. Occasionally members of a motorcycle "club" would ride their bikes onto the beach and cause all kinds of mayhem. I was just a skinny 17-yr-old girl and I wasn't about to tell them to go somewhere else.
Good times
