People have tried to make it clear to you, Ion, that you will not be recognized by USMS or SWIM magazine unless you swim a lot faster. They have also tried to point out, in a nutshell, that your attitude comes across as sour grapes.
I am going to postulate that you would like to be recognized for overcoming whatever it is you have overcome. SWIM magazine doesn't have the space to do it. And they certainly don't have the manpower (interviewers and photographers) to cover every story there is to tell, especially in regard to overcoming adversity.
So, here it is. I wish everyone would take the chance to tell their stories. Think of it as a SWIM web page for sharing of personal histories.
I know Tom Ellison has an amazing story that I wish he would put here. I know of many other swimmers who have overcome tremendous adversity. I hope this thread will become an inspiration to us all, and that we will all realize, as I have lately, that: looking at the past can be painful, so don't (as long as you don't repeat it!), who knows what the future holds, so quit worrying about it, and be happy in the present because it's the only thing you really have control over.
Parents
Former Member
Ion:
Just a suggestion here….
Dorothy and MarkMD are both last bloomers to our sport. NEITHER swimmer has lamented on starting late in life or used that fact to justify times that may not meet NQT’ or Top Ten Times or times that are competitive within their age groups. NOT ONE TIME!
Each of these swimmers has accepted the fact that they came to swimming late in life and are making the best of the sport they now chose to compete and enjoy. I know Mark well, he is my friend and I have talked with him many times regarding his swimming, swimming expectations, goals, stroke, attitude, swim meet strategy, swim times and most of all what he brings…(dedication) to the table we call USMS.
Marks’ attitude is one of the basic foundations or tenants of Masters Swimming. He swims to remain fit, good health, camaraderie with his fellow swimmers and for the love of the sport. Mark enters competitions and swims the best he can and never gives a second thought to WHAT times he COULD have swam had he began swimming as a child. In fact, Mark is relentless in his goal to become a faster swimmer and to someday swim NQT’s..and be more competitive within his age group.
I will not belabor my point here Ion, but suffice it to say, perhaps you should rethink your late bloomer thought process and take the lead from these two swimmers, because they are perfect examples of WINNERS…..Currently, they may not swim times that are competitive within their age groups, but they are serious winners because they do the best they can, they get the big picture as to what Masters Swimming is about and they do not make excuses for times that are slower then people who began later in life. That my friend, in my humble opinion, is United States Masters Swimming.
Ion:
Just a suggestion here….
Dorothy and MarkMD are both last bloomers to our sport. NEITHER swimmer has lamented on starting late in life or used that fact to justify times that may not meet NQT’ or Top Ten Times or times that are competitive within their age groups. NOT ONE TIME!
Each of these swimmers has accepted the fact that they came to swimming late in life and are making the best of the sport they now chose to compete and enjoy. I know Mark well, he is my friend and I have talked with him many times regarding his swimming, swimming expectations, goals, stroke, attitude, swim meet strategy, swim times and most of all what he brings…(dedication) to the table we call USMS.
Marks’ attitude is one of the basic foundations or tenants of Masters Swimming. He swims to remain fit, good health, camaraderie with his fellow swimmers and for the love of the sport. Mark enters competitions and swims the best he can and never gives a second thought to WHAT times he COULD have swam had he began swimming as a child. In fact, Mark is relentless in his goal to become a faster swimmer and to someday swim NQT’s..and be more competitive within his age group.
I will not belabor my point here Ion, but suffice it to say, perhaps you should rethink your late bloomer thought process and take the lead from these two swimmers, because they are perfect examples of WINNERS…..Currently, they may not swim times that are competitive within their age groups, but they are serious winners because they do the best they can, they get the big picture as to what Masters Swimming is about and they do not make excuses for times that are slower then people who began later in life. That my friend, in my humble opinion, is United States Masters Swimming.
