Is there really a division between masters swimmers? i.e. one camp allied to a more low key fitness oriented approach with low membership growth vs. a meet oriented competitive (elite) camp?
This sounds ridiculous to me. I don't think I've ever run into anyone that acknowledged this debate on a pool deck.
What spawns this rift in Masters swimming? Is this an old guard vs. younger member phenonmenon?
Are there different motivations that exist that create this conflict in terms of the future of USMS? Why can't both coexist?
I say we poll some people out there and find out what they support.
John Smith
I've been swimming Masters for 13 years now and for the first time ever, this past weekend, I encountered somewhat an "elitist" attitude.
A girl on my team (very fast) commented that she was nervous about racing another girl on my team (faster than her!), and she commented that, "I don't know why I'm nervous, she's at my level."
I was really surprised. The faster girl was an NCAA finalist and the even faster girl had her Trials cuts "back in the day." But it was quite clear that Ms. NCAA finalist saw herself as above the rest of us. That's something I haven't encountered in Masters before. When I mentioned this to Trials girl she too looked befuddled and said, "Those swims were so long ago. There are no levels in Masters."
Interesting.
I've been swimming Masters for 13 years now and for the first time ever, this past weekend, I encountered somewhat an "elitist" attitude.
A girl on my team (very fast) commented that she was nervous about racing another girl on my team (faster than her!), and she commented that, "I don't know why I'm nervous, she's at my level."
I was really surprised. The faster girl was an NCAA finalist and the even faster girl had her Trials cuts "back in the day." But it was quite clear that Ms. NCAA finalist saw herself as above the rest of us. That's something I haven't encountered in Masters before. When I mentioned this to Trials girl she too looked befuddled and said, "Those swims were so long ago. There are no levels in Masters."
Interesting.
