Hi everyone...okay, for my first post I have an etiquette question...I just joined a Master's team a month ago, so I'm pretty new to all of this.
My question is about passing people during practice. I know that theoretically, the standard procedure is to tap the person's feet to let them know you want to pass, and then they're supposed to stop and "pull over" at the next wall to let you get ahead. But do any of you actually do this a lot during practice? Do the people you pass let you do so without a problem, or do they get mad?
Maybe this doesn't sound like a big deal at all and it seems silly that I'm concerned, but I haven't seen anyone even attempt to pass someone else during our practices, and so I'm afraid it would be rude. Plus, some people I swim with seem like they'd get offended, since they're pretty competitive. But last night, I was getting kind of frustrated because I was swimming behind someone who was slower than me, and I felt like I could go so much faster...is the appropriate thing to do to just suck it up and enjoy the "break", or attempt to pass?
Parents
Former Member
My university team just had a small lecture on this by my coach the other day.
Our policy is that the responsibility to pass is on the passer. If you want to pass someone it's not their responsibility to stop or pause at the wall - in fact that can be bad because it can throw off their set if they're going on an interval.
My coach says that if you want to pass someone you better speed it up enough to be able to pass them. If you can't go fast enough to pass them then you should'nt be passing them in the first place.
The foot tap/brush is nice because it lets people know that you *are* going to pass them.
If I feel a foot brush on my foot I just make sure not to speed myself up. I may slow down a little, but not significantly. If I feel the tap when I'm going into a wall I'll pause momentarily or do an open turn and let the other swimmer pass.
But I generally don't just stop unless someone indicates it....
My university team just had a small lecture on this by my coach the other day.
Our policy is that the responsibility to pass is on the passer. If you want to pass someone it's not their responsibility to stop or pause at the wall - in fact that can be bad because it can throw off their set if they're going on an interval.
My coach says that if you want to pass someone you better speed it up enough to be able to pass them. If you can't go fast enough to pass them then you should'nt be passing them in the first place.
The foot tap/brush is nice because it lets people know that you *are* going to pass them.
If I feel a foot brush on my foot I just make sure not to speed myself up. I may slow down a little, but not significantly. If I feel the tap when I'm going into a wall I'll pause momentarily or do an open turn and let the other swimmer pass.
But I generally don't just stop unless someone indicates it....
