Hi out there to all, my name is Stephanie, and I'm having some trouble, I was hoping y'all could help me. I've been trying to get back into the swimming world after four years of dealing with a serious knee injury that left me out of the State Champs my junior year of high school and beyond. I'm interested in hard-core training and competing, to hopefully finish a career I'd started in high school. The problem I have is that I'm moving to Pittsburgh in a couple months, and until then, there's nothing around this small Ohio town to get me started. I'm not under 18, and I'm not in high school anymore, so there's really nothing group-wise for me. I would really appreciate any help, advice, workouts, dryland, coaches in Pittsburgh/groups, weights, anything like that. I was primarily a backstroker, shortcourse 100 and 200, and relays. Thanks!
Parents
Former Member
Stephanie,
Go, go, go to USA-swimming. It's USS by a different name -- and age has nothing to do with it. Many "older" swimmers swim both USMS and USA-Swimming, there is, obviously, very high level competition available with in both systems. If you wish to swim in Nationals you must be a member of USA-Swimming. The web site is:
www.usaswimming.org
and there are all sort of resources available on the site.
YMCA (not YMCA masters) swimming, on the other hand, is an AAU sport, and that is governed by age. I don't think (but don't know for sure) that swimmers older than 18 can compete in YMCA National competitions, but they can do the YMCA Master's.
Find a place where you can do your workouts, register with both USA-Swimming and USMS -- and you can compete at both levels -- and find a coach you can work with, I'm am sure there are many in Pittsburgh. Check out the University team, they are often associated with a club team (much like "Club Wolverine" is an off-shoot of the the University of Michigan Team), and those coaches may be in the perfect position to help you out.
Good luck!
Stephanie,
Go, go, go to USA-swimming. It's USS by a different name -- and age has nothing to do with it. Many "older" swimmers swim both USMS and USA-Swimming, there is, obviously, very high level competition available with in both systems. If you wish to swim in Nationals you must be a member of USA-Swimming. The web site is:
www.usaswimming.org
and there are all sort of resources available on the site.
YMCA (not YMCA masters) swimming, on the other hand, is an AAU sport, and that is governed by age. I don't think (but don't know for sure) that swimmers older than 18 can compete in YMCA National competitions, but they can do the YMCA Master's.
Find a place where you can do your workouts, register with both USA-Swimming and USMS -- and you can compete at both levels -- and find a coach you can work with, I'm am sure there are many in Pittsburgh. Check out the University team, they are often associated with a club team (much like "Club Wolverine" is an off-shoot of the the University of Michigan Team), and those coaches may be in the perfect position to help you out.
Good luck!
