I've wanted to compete for a number of years but have never taken the plunge because I have no experience in competition.
Is there a way for a newbie like myself to learn the rules/regulations before competing?
I'm currently a member of USMS but I don't swim with a masters group.
Thanks, Clark
You'll pick up the basics when you watch a masters meet. All meets I've been to have been welcoming events. The 1st one is always hard because you may be nervous, but once you do your 1st competition you'll realize it's quite a fun environment. The worse thing that can happen is you make a mistake and get DQ'd on one of your swims. In masters it's not like you'll have some coach yelling at you for messing up. The great thing about competing in masters is most of us are just trying to do our personal best.
Sign up and go! Ask a lot of questions. Most people will be more than willing to help you out. Masters swimmers are about the friendliest bunch of people out there. Prepare to be nervous. But just have fun, after all that's why you are there!
There's the rules as written and the the actual practice of a meet. Not that they are different but that reading ina book doesn't give you a sense of the pace and the general order of a swim meet.
Head to a meet and just watch at first, that will give you a large jump start.
Will also be going to my first meet. Been to a ton of track meets, but I'm nervous about my upcoming first swim meet too.
What I am really nervous about is my goggles coming off!!!! Can anyone advise me on what to do to ensure this does not happen?
Also, what swimsuit is best for the 50 and 100 free?
If you swim freestyle events, hit all of your walls, don't dive until the gun goes off, and don't wear floaties, fins or paddles . . . you'll be fine.
Have fun dude.
Water wings would fall within the banned "floaties" category . . .
Beer helmets, on the other hand, may have neutral buoyancy and therefore be allowed.
So your goggles dont' come off...practice your starts before hand so you know what to do. Even if it's off the side of a pool. Before my first race (last February), I had been off a block a grand total of 2 times in my entire life, but I had been practicing off the side for a while so it was fine. And tighten them a lot. More than a normal practice, but not so much to pop your eyes out.
Have fun!!!!!!
My first Masters meet was also my first swim meet ever. I had a blast and I'm looking forward to the next meet. Try to simulate race conditions before you actually go to the meet. Practice your dive starts and swim a few races against yourself with dive starts so you know what to expect on the big day. Suits? I picked up an Aquablade Jammer from lane4.com or one of those discount shops for about $50.00 including shipping. If you prefer briefs, get one of those. Fancy equipment is good stuff as long as you remember that hard work is what makes the most difference. On that note, I am hoping to get a Fastskin II Jammer before my next meet. We'll see.
Anyhow, have fun and let us know how it goes.
