I was noticing that at the 2001 Short Course Nationals, Walnut Creek had 152 swimmers entered in the meet. In the 1999 Short Course Nationals they had 144 swimmers entered in the meet. How is anyone outside the Pacific LMSC going to compete with that? The LMSC size is 10,000 which is 10 times larger than most LMSC sized clubs. These statistics are in no way intended to discredit the Walnut Creek Masters swim program who probably have one of the best if not the best masters swimming program in the country. I have vast respect for Kerry O'Brien and staff and what he has accomplished. Since 1996 Walnut Creek has won 15 USMS National Championships at USMS National Championship meets. This was against all types and sorts of clubs and teams.
If you did not get larger club/teams to compete against a club of this size they would never be challenged both in relays and in team scoring. I don't like to say super teams because I define them differently than others. A super team to me is one that is put together for the specfic purpose of winning team championships. It's focus is primarily on the recruitment of elite swimmers for that purpose. The club exists to win individual championships, relay championships, team championships, and break National/World Records. The club can be comprised of in any possible way to accomplish its mission or goals. Within an LMSC, outside an LMSC, individuals spread across the country, etc.
Some LMSC clubs could fit that category and some not. History in National Championships show that most LMSC Clubs score well when the championships are close to home. Usually the host Club or someone nearby usually wins the championship. I think the intention of the majority of LMSC club teams is to have fun and be competitive. As it was pointed out earlier, because of LMSC size and club and team size, you don't get very many people that go to Nationals in the smaller LMSC's or regions of the country so this makes up for that. Otherwise you would have a lot of people feeling like they swim Unattached. Meg's example in Kentucky about Hawaii and Tempe explain that clearly.
I was noticing that at the 2001 Short Course Nationals, Walnut Creek had 152 swimmers entered in the meet. In the 1999 Short Course Nationals they had 144 swimmers entered in the meet. How is anyone outside the Pacific LMSC going to compete with that? The LMSC size is 10,000 which is 10 times larger than most LMSC sized clubs. These statistics are in no way intended to discredit the Walnut Creek Masters swim program who probably have one of the best if not the best masters swimming program in the country. I have vast respect for Kerry O'Brien and staff and what he has accomplished. Since 1996 Walnut Creek has won 15 USMS National Championships at USMS National Championship meets. This was against all types and sorts of clubs and teams.
If you did not get larger club/teams to compete against a club of this size they would never be challenged both in relays and in team scoring. I don't like to say super teams because I define them differently than others. A super team to me is one that is put together for the specfic purpose of winning team championships. It's focus is primarily on the recruitment of elite swimmers for that purpose. The club exists to win individual championships, relay championships, team championships, and break National/World Records. The club can be comprised of in any possible way to accomplish its mission or goals. Within an LMSC, outside an LMSC, individuals spread across the country, etc.
Some LMSC clubs could fit that category and some not. History in National Championships show that most LMSC Clubs score well when the championships are close to home. Usually the host Club or someone nearby usually wins the championship. I think the intention of the majority of LMSC club teams is to have fun and be competitive. As it was pointed out earlier, because of LMSC size and club and team size, you don't get very many people that go to Nationals in the smaller LMSC's or regions of the country so this makes up for that. Otherwise you would have a lot of people feeling like they swim Unattached. Meg's example in Kentucky about Hawaii and Tempe explain that clearly.
