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
Parents
Former Member
Originally posted by Michael Heather
Matt,
And to the last poster, this DF is filled with competition of all sorts, each and every one of us trying to persuade all others that we are not full of hot air. Among us there are lots of very helpful, patient persons who go out of their way to explain or counsel even the most novice swimmer on any topic. I disagree with the notion that fitness swimmers are not made to feel welcome here, even though they may feel overwhelmed by the passion that exists in the posts.
I didn't say they were made to feel unwelcome, but from the content of these discussions boards fitness swimmers who don't have access to a club come to believe USMS is about competition. It may be true that clubs do cater to both fitness and competitive swimmers, but the majority of people who post here compete and that is the impression that is projected through these discussions. Add to that the unwillingness of USMS to find a coach who will post workouts for the lowest level swimmer and this site just turns people off. (yeah, yeah, yeah I know the tired worn out arguement that a coach can't do that because they have to see the swimmer or else it is just junk yardage. If you noncoaches can explain or counsel novice swimmers, and coaches can publish books that start out with very low level workouts, then coaches can do it here too.)
Geek, I searched on "fitness swimming" 25 threads turned up. And how many threads are there total? Of course that isn't to say other threads wouldn't have information for a fitness swimmer. There isn't one space devoted completely to fitness swimming. There is, however, a board devoted entirely to discussion of the USMS National Competition.
Originally posted by Michael Heather
Matt,
And to the last poster, this DF is filled with competition of all sorts, each and every one of us trying to persuade all others that we are not full of hot air. Among us there are lots of very helpful, patient persons who go out of their way to explain or counsel even the most novice swimmer on any topic. I disagree with the notion that fitness swimmers are not made to feel welcome here, even though they may feel overwhelmed by the passion that exists in the posts.
I didn't say they were made to feel unwelcome, but from the content of these discussions boards fitness swimmers who don't have access to a club come to believe USMS is about competition. It may be true that clubs do cater to both fitness and competitive swimmers, but the majority of people who post here compete and that is the impression that is projected through these discussions. Add to that the unwillingness of USMS to find a coach who will post workouts for the lowest level swimmer and this site just turns people off. (yeah, yeah, yeah I know the tired worn out arguement that a coach can't do that because they have to see the swimmer or else it is just junk yardage. If you noncoaches can explain or counsel novice swimmers, and coaches can publish books that start out with very low level workouts, then coaches can do it here too.)
Geek, I searched on "fitness swimming" 25 threads turned up. And how many threads are there total? Of course that isn't to say other threads wouldn't have information for a fitness swimmer. There isn't one space devoted completely to fitness swimming. There is, however, a board devoted entirely to discussion of the USMS National Competition.
