Hello - I'm new to this board. I recently took up swimming again (did it a lot (competitively) in my much, much younger days), and have dabbled here and there for the past 6 years or so, but I'm now doing more regular workouts at a local indoor pool. I started because I'm a runner currently off land with a stress fracture, so while doing pool running I noticed the masters workouts going on and decided to join in for the added crosstraining.
It turns out that this coach is great. The workouts generally have 3 to 8 people, and being new, I'm always in Lane 1 getting constant input on my stroke, which has already changed. He really pushes us pretty hard, doing all strokes, lots of drills and intervals - definitely good for lactate threshold workouts, endurance, and V02 max (things I relate to in running).
I was wondering, if you care to share, what you pay for masters workouts, and what you get for that (how many days per week, additional pool time at no extra cost, etc.).
And, a couple more questions if you don't mind: Any benefits to joining USMS if you are not planning on doing swim meets? (I'm planning on doing a triathlon here and there, hence the swimming.)
And, kickboards: cheap foam okay, or any difference in what's out there?
Thanks for any input!!
I belong to an area Rec Dept. but I'm out of district so I usually pay $219 a year to be a member but they just increased the fees so it will now be $295 a year. I also pay $25 annualy to the team, $38 to USMS and $30 a month for coached practices.
As for joining USMS, the way we see the USMS set rules is this, if one person is not a member, the insurance is voided so all people practicing on our team MUST be a member unless they are under the 30 day trial period. To quote the back of the USMS card, it says "USMS registered swimmers are provided excess accident insurance 1) in practices supervised by a USA swimming certified coach or USMS member where all swimmers are USMS registered". So our team reads this as if one person is in practice and not registered, then the insurance is void. And we have had swimmers use the insurance.
Originally posted by craiglll@yahoo.com
I remind them constantly that if they are not USMS members, theynulify the insurance. They say so. They think that the University's insurance covers them. However, I know it doesn't. the insurance is so important. Just wait for some one to get very hurt or somehting worse!
Let's hope that doesn't ever happen. I think the worst we've had since I joined our team 3 years ago was a guy who took a turn too close and hit the tile with his heal. He cut it pretty bad and had to get stitches. Luckily, everyone was USMS so he was covered.
Jean, is your group coached? This thread is perfect timing.
Y'all I know you won't believe this, but the aquatics' director asked me Friday if I would be interested in organizing a Master's Club down here! I felt like saying, "Duh, what do you think I've been asking for, for three years now?" Of course the director said it would be a self-coached group, and I'm looking for coached. I suggested we collect some dues and get a coach at least once a week and maybe bring in the TI guys for a workship. The director said she thought that if the swimmers paid part there was enough money in the budget to bring in TI!
Maybe all my talking to other lap swimmers has sunk in, maybe this will happen.
Santa Clarita Masters in So. Calif. $50.00 for 15 workouts. They have three per day. They provide fins, kick boards, paddles and pull bouys. Six lanes for masters in an outdoor pool. We are issued a card that gets punched out each workout until you use up fifteen workouts.
Lap swim is 40.00 per workout.
Its all run by the city of Santa Clarita
If I want to join the Alexandria Masters Team here it's $225 per season (this season runs from January 24 to May 25). Unfortunately their morning workout times end at the time I'm supposed to be getting at work (7am) and their evening practices end at 8:30pm. Being about 20 minutes from my house, and needing some sleep (hard to start at 7am without sleep!), so far I haven't been able to join them... Instead I pay $70 a month for a gym I get to use right after work, but no masters team...
Such good responses! It amazes me how different parts of the country charge for swimming! I swim at a Y in Galesburg, IL. about 34,000) that has no masters team and pay about $400 a year.
This lets me swim at a Y in Champaign, IL. They have a small team that I can swim with for a nominal fee. they say they have a coach. I guess he's the guy who sits onthe ledge????
Then, I can swim at the IMPE (currently under renovation) at the University. they have no men's team. I pay a partial membership and then pay oer swim. This team has excellent coaches who are grad students. Many people on this team are not members. I remind them constantly that if they are not USMS members, theynulify the insurance. They say so. They think that the University's insurance covers them. However, I know it doesn't. the insurance is so important. Just wait for some one to get very hurt or somehting worse!
Originally posted by laineybug
Jean, is your group coached? This thread is perfect timing.
Yes, it is coached. Most of the swimmers are triathletes, but she does throw in some IM stuff for those so inclined (sometimes the triathletes just do freestyle)>
never again will i complain about having to shell out $40/semester for our team! we've got 5 coached workouts a week, but (technically) we have to pay for a separate pass to swim at any time other than our scheduled practice time. most of us don't pay for the other pass- the money doesn't go to our age group or masters teams, it goes to the university. and we all feel like we've given them enough money as it is. once the outdoor pool opens to the public, however, we HAVE to buy a second pass- otherwise we don't even get through the gate! so in the summer, we end up paying $70 total (the $40 for masters and then $30 for a 15 swim punch card...)
just one more reason i dig living in a college town!
Originally posted by craiglll@yahoo.com
This lets me swim at a Y in Champaign, IL. They have a small team that I can swim with for a nominal fee. they say they have a coach. I guess he's the guy who sits onthe ledge????
!
One reason I now swim on my own, it was not worth 100.00 per semester for this.
