Another thread has provided lots of food for thought about the value (or not) of joining Masters Swimming. I have lived in several areas with great Masters swim teams and joining was a no brainer. Fitness, competition, insurance (as I recently learned), and a social life are all reasons to participate.
However, I now live in an area where I swim alone, and after reading messages on this forum, I find that there are a whole lot of us out here in the same boat. I have joined Masters but every year I ask myself WHY? I guess am doing it to support the organization but I really don't think I am getting anything out of it.
One thought that comes to mind as I swim hour after hour by myself is that we should somehow take advantage of the web to not only create "virtual swims", but "virtual swim TEAMS" for those of us who would like to be a part of a group. We could check for workouts, discuss local events, provide personal support. Maybe a nationwide group is not the answer, but perhaps we could break down into States or areas. I realize that there would be plenty of logistical problems such as "coaches", workouts, etc. But as someone mentioned in the other thread, perhaps just a place to log in your distance and compare it with others in your State would be helpful. Maybe something as small as that could motivate some of us out here in the hinterlands to keep swimming when there is no one to keep us going.
Just a thought.......... :rolleyes:
barb
Former Member
I live in wstern Illinois. I'm about 3 hours form Chicago. I might as well be in Wyoming. I would like very much to be in a virtual team. We could even have virtual meets. I swim alone ( actually I swim with some very nice elderly women who aren't interested in a team). everyday & I think about every one else out there swimming alone. In an odd way it is very motivating.
If any one else is serious about a virtual team, get in touch with me. You can find my e-mail address in my profile. We could come up with some great names.
I swim unattached. There are masters teams all around town, but I am a rather busy person, and I just don't want to disrupt my (and my family's) schedule to fit someone else's workout times.
In fact, I don't do meets every year. I renew my masters membership in years I plan to do meets. If I'm not doing meets, I don't see the value in paying for membership...
I have no doubts that I would gain a lot by being coached if I ever started working with some masters team.
Maybe some day ...
yes, it is the coaching I want. I know I've said this hundreds of times on these discussions. I made huge jumps when I had just ONCE a week coaching. Now, if we can figure out how to get a coach for the virtual team count me in. I would even pay 35/mo real money, not virtual, to be a member of a virtual team if it had a coach!
The only 2 Master's teams in my area are tied to YMCA's. You have to join the Y first, which is about $400, then pay an additional $100 to join the Master's team. Neither of those clubs is convenient for me use daily. So, it's either carry 2 YMCA memberships and Master's costs or swim alone at the Y I've used daily for 12 years. I've tried getting the Y I use daily to start a Master's team, but my requests have fallen on deaf ears.
Originally posted by laineybug
yes, it is the coaching I want. I know I've said this hundreds of times on these discussions. I made huge jumps when I had just ONCE a week coaching. Now, if we can figure out how to get a coach for the virtual team count me in. I would even pay 35/mo real money, not virtual, to be a member of a virtual team if it had a coach!
My coach is setting up a 'virtual coaching program'...
We're probably about 3-6 months out of having it functional.
You are welcome to monitor the progress of this project:
http://www.coach-mark.us/
Originally posted by Seagurl51 This is a great idea! I love the idea of being able to interact with other unattached swimmers and gain motivation from them. Sometimes it can be hard to swim all those laps without someone there. And if it had a coach...that would make it all the more worth while!
Kyra
p.s. Being from Idaho, I can sympathize with all the people from Wyoming, and I think it could be really beneficial to be able to talk to swimmers in your general area.
Our 'real' team already has a bulletin board where teammates can chat with one another. Those are pretty easy to set up.
Then you could, I dunno, for a monthly fee you could have a weekly private online (or telephone or instant messenger) conversation with a coach, access to daily workouts, weekly news with stroke tips etc... Access to online video library. Perhaps every 3 months you could send in a video of your stroke, and have it analyzed. Havea yearly meeting and a social event.
I'm thinking if it's tied to our 'real life' (as opposed to virtual) team, especially in this area, there are a lot of people with guestrooms. Some of our current 'satellite members' when they come to our Zone meet, don't even have to stay in the hotel. Out of some 120-150 teammates, someone is always willing to offer a guestroom. It's a nice experience for both, the guest and a host.
And, well, being that we're in Southern California, what an interesting place to visit, any time of the year, especially with inexpensive accomodations!
I'm working on website related things right now, like an on-line swimmers log, where you can keep your yardage and times etc... and coach can look at them when you want to, or you can chart your progression.
Also, it's a done deal, we're going to have an on-line fitness swim event, 'Swim to Nationals' (we're hosting the nationals in 05), so fitness swimmers could choose few starting points across the country, and log their distances till they make it all the way to nationals. We're looking to include the same 'goodie bag' and a national's fitness event souvenir for all those who participate (online). There will be a chat room for participants too. Who knows, maybe by nationals you decide to come out to California.
That online/postal event will start Jan 1st and will be hosted by my team.
Rumor has it that there may be an ocean 1 mile swim available just down the street a the same time nationals are going on. I don't know if that is official yet or not.
The triathlon world already has lots of online coaches and I have seen at least one swim coach. www.webswim.com comoes to mind. There's another one out there that I can't remember the name of.
You can also go to owww.ultrafit.com or www.trainingbible.com and look through the bios for a swim coach that strikes your fancy. But look and ask carefully, their background should give some idea of whether they would be a good fit.
Originally posted by Seagurl51
If you could work something like that out..with having the online chats and the video analysis...I would sign up in heartbeat! Keep me posted please on all that you are doing cause it sounds great!! Feel free to e-mail me!!
Kyra
If I may, I'll add you to the interest list, and peridically we'll send yiu update email, as it gets coser to getting launched.
Originally posted by Conniekat8
Our 'real' team already has a bulletin board where teammates can chat with one another. Those are pretty easy to set up.
Then you could, I dunno, for a monthly fee you could have a weekly private online (or telephone or instant messenger) conversation with a coach, access to daily workouts, weekly news with stroke tips etc... Access to online video library. Perhaps every 3 months you could send in a video of your stroke, and have it analyzed. Havea yearly meeting and a social event.
I'm thinking if it's tied to our 'real life' (as opposed to virtual) team, especially in this area, there are a lot of people with guestrooms. Some of our current 'satellite members' when they come to our Zone meet, don't even have to stay in the hotel. Out of some 120-150 teammates, someone is always willing to offer a guestroom. It's a nice experience for both, the guest and a host.
And, well, being that we're in Southern California, what an interesting place to visit, any time of the year, especially with inexpensive accomodations!
I'm working on website related things right now, like an on-line swimmers log, where you can keep your yardage and times etc... and coach can look at them when you want to, or you can chart your progression.
Also, it's a done deal, we're going to have an on-line fitness swim event, 'Swim to Nationals' (we're hosting the nationals in 05), so fitness swimmers could choose few starting points across the country, and log their distances till they make it all the way to nationals. We're looking to include the same 'goodie bag' and a national's fitness event souvenir for all those who participate (online). There will be a chat room for participants too. Who knows, maybe by nationals you decide to come out to California.
That online/postal event will start Jan 1st and will be hosted by my team.
Rumor has it that there may be an ocean 1 mile swim available just down the street a the same time nationals are going on. I don't know if that is official yet or not.
If you could work something like that out..with having the online chats and the video analysis...I would sign up in heartbeat! Keep me posted please on all that you are doing cause it sounds great!! Feel free to e-mail me!!
Kyra
This is a great idea! I love the idea of being able to interact with other unattached swimmers and gain motivation from them. Sometimes it can be hard to swim all those laps without someone there. And if it had a coach...that would make it all the more worth while!
Kyra
p.s. Being from Idaho, I can sympathize with all the people from Wyoming, and I think it could be really beneficial to be able to talk to swimmers in your general area.
