From other threads it's seemed some people from small teams feel left out at Nationals because they don't have enough people for relays. How about not counting the relay points for the Small Team Awards and letting the small teams pool swimmers for relays. Pooled relays would not count for records or Top Ten but could win medals.
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Former Member
Personally, I don't think bending rules so someone would get a medal is a good idea, or a fair one. For one, it lowers the value of the medal. Heck, may as well just make it a souvenir and let people buy one if they couldn't get one in competition.
Or, bending the rules so you could get a medal just might take the medal away from someone else who isn't complaining about playing by the rules.
You know, it takes time and effort to grow a team, takes enthusiasam on the part of the coach and the teammates to get people interested in their team, in swim meets and into coming to swim at nationals.
Getting a medal in a relay is a reflection of all of those efforts. It's not a mere random instance that certain clubs or teams have presentation in numbers, and others don't.
Perhaps instead of asking to change the rules of competition or accusing more succesful teams of recruiting and elitism or what not, one ought to be asking how do I help grow my team and promote masters swimming im my area, so I have better representation next year.
Personally, I don't think bending rules so someone would get a medal is a good idea, or a fair one. For one, it lowers the value of the medal. Heck, may as well just make it a souvenir and let people buy one if they couldn't get one in competition.
Or, bending the rules so you could get a medal just might take the medal away from someone else who isn't complaining about playing by the rules.
You know, it takes time and effort to grow a team, takes enthusiasam on the part of the coach and the teammates to get people interested in their team, in swim meets and into coming to swim at nationals.
Getting a medal in a relay is a reflection of all of those efforts. It's not a mere random instance that certain clubs or teams have presentation in numbers, and others don't.
Perhaps instead of asking to change the rules of competition or accusing more succesful teams of recruiting and elitism or what not, one ought to be asking how do I help grow my team and promote masters swimming im my area, so I have better representation next year.
