I not sure if everyone hear wants to get back on topic or talking about Marketing which should maybe be directed to another thread. In the last couple of days I went back and went through my swimming archives and found the information I was referring to back in 1988. Bill Volckening made some references to what I stated even though he did not get involved on the National level until he first went to the convention in 1999. Things had changed considerably since 1988 and my intention was to give an example of what happened and how people perceived it. Its been so long ago I don't think anyone wants to make a trip down memory lane and discuss this. That's fine and Peter Cruise did mention some of the feedback at the meet about it. I am not surprised others from that time period not wanting to talk about it.
I will bring to the USAS convention all the documentation that I have on this from the meetings at the conventions during the Tom Boak and Dan Gruender administrations if people want me to so that the statements I made are not misleading, imflamatory, and non factual. I was ready for the onslaught of attacks against what I stated so I have been compiling the information that I have and will be glad to share it with everyone attending. I did this two years ago when someone questioned the information I provided about Matt Biondi so I am used to doing this.
The example I provided was rare and people like the Smith's, Jeff Commings, and Mark Gill have made some positive suggestions for improvement of the current way FINA has individual and clubs enter to a delegation entry. Like I said before I never heard anything from the leadership of USMS or organizations such as MSI and MACA that saw anything positive out of these actions. The article that John Lohn wrote in Swim Magazine that Bill was referring to were things I never heard of or referenced back in 1988. Even with those actions true, I felt the elite recruiting that went on accross the country to field the best possible team was wrong and not consistent with the goals and objectives of USMS back then and even now.
I also said to Mr. Goodsmith that the points that he made about recruiting in his area were above board and that his intentions are good. I think its great that he can get somebody that he swam with when he was in the 11-12 age group and I hope he gets someone from Arkron Firestone HS from the late 1970's and early 1980's. I talked with Paul Smith at the convention in 2003 and I mentioned to him how seeing Bruce Stahal swim again would be great and mentioned he should get Paul Goodrich also.
I will leave with a commentary by Dr. Phillip Whitten during his review of the largest master swim meet at that time, the 2nd MSI/FINA World Masters Swimming Championships in Brisbane, Australia taken from Swim Magazine in Jan/Feb 1989.
"While the World Championships were run smoothly and efficiently, the meet was not with out controversey. Most noteworthy was the raging debate over the Holmes Lumber Jax, a "superteam " that totally dominated the relay events. Tiger Holmes created a team consisting largely of the top American swimmers throughout the United States. Some of these swimmers received financial assistance from the innovative programs Holmes developed to underwrite the cost of the trip."
"Despite the best of motives, in the view of many Tiger Holmes had created a monster. Swimmers, coaches, and officials from throughout the world objected strongly to the Holmes concept, arguing that it was unfair and it was a move in the direction of professionalism and the creation of national teams. At the 1990 World Championships in Rio, the Brazilians have limited each club to only one relay per event. Other suggestions include requiring a swimmer to compete unattached for a year before being allowed to switch clubs."
I not sure if everyone hear wants to get back on topic or talking about Marketing which should maybe be directed to another thread. In the last couple of days I went back and went through my swimming archives and found the information I was referring to back in 1988. Bill Volckening made some references to what I stated even though he did not get involved on the National level until he first went to the convention in 1999. Things had changed considerably since 1988 and my intention was to give an example of what happened and how people perceived it. Its been so long ago I don't think anyone wants to make a trip down memory lane and discuss this. That's fine and Peter Cruise did mention some of the feedback at the meet about it. I am not surprised others from that time period not wanting to talk about it.
I will bring to the USAS convention all the documentation that I have on this from the meetings at the conventions during the Tom Boak and Dan Gruender administrations if people want me to so that the statements I made are not misleading, imflamatory, and non factual. I was ready for the onslaught of attacks against what I stated so I have been compiling the information that I have and will be glad to share it with everyone attending. I did this two years ago when someone questioned the information I provided about Matt Biondi so I am used to doing this.
The example I provided was rare and people like the Smith's, Jeff Commings, and Mark Gill have made some positive suggestions for improvement of the current way FINA has individual and clubs enter to a delegation entry. Like I said before I never heard anything from the leadership of USMS or organizations such as MSI and MACA that saw anything positive out of these actions. The article that John Lohn wrote in Swim Magazine that Bill was referring to were things I never heard of or referenced back in 1988. Even with those actions true, I felt the elite recruiting that went on accross the country to field the best possible team was wrong and not consistent with the goals and objectives of USMS back then and even now.
I also said to Mr. Goodsmith that the points that he made about recruiting in his area were above board and that his intentions are good. I think its great that he can get somebody that he swam with when he was in the 11-12 age group and I hope he gets someone from Arkron Firestone HS from the late 1970's and early 1980's. I talked with Paul Smith at the convention in 2003 and I mentioned to him how seeing Bruce Stahal swim again would be great and mentioned he should get Paul Goodrich also.
I will leave with a commentary by Dr. Phillip Whitten during his review of the largest master swim meet at that time, the 2nd MSI/FINA World Masters Swimming Championships in Brisbane, Australia taken from Swim Magazine in Jan/Feb 1989.
"While the World Championships were run smoothly and efficiently, the meet was not with out controversey. Most noteworthy was the raging debate over the Holmes Lumber Jax, a "superteam " that totally dominated the relay events. Tiger Holmes created a team consisting largely of the top American swimmers throughout the United States. Some of these swimmers received financial assistance from the innovative programs Holmes developed to underwrite the cost of the trip."
"Despite the best of motives, in the view of many Tiger Holmes had created a monster. Swimmers, coaches, and officials from throughout the world objected strongly to the Holmes concept, arguing that it was unfair and it was a move in the direction of professionalism and the creation of national teams. At the 1990 World Championships in Rio, the Brazilians have limited each club to only one relay per event. Other suggestions include requiring a swimmer to compete unattached for a year before being allowed to switch clubs."
