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
Steve,
Just responding to a couple of your points. I don't necessarily disagree with you; I'd just like to look at them from a different angle:
Nationals and optimal conditions for fast swimming: that is one value, but there are lots of others in USMS. I'm not sold on the idea that Nationals need to be about that one thing. My feeling personally is that I get a thrill out of swimming in the same meet with the likes of the evil Smith twins. Don't you get a thrill when Rowdy Gaines or Gary Hall sign up for USMS Nationals? Wouldn't you feel a little put out if more 20 and 30 something World Class swimmers started showing up for USMS Nationals, and wanted to toss you out of the meet so they could have "optimal conditions"?
Self run meets: correct me if I'm wrong, but a couple of years ago didn't Tall Paul and a few of best USMS swimmers in the Western States start calling out other swimmers of their caliber and invited them to attend a blazingly fast USMS event in Mission Viejo? (I might be wrong about the site of the meet, but I'm pretty sure it was in CA.) It seems to me this kind of thing can happen, and may have already, when the best of the best all agree among themselves they will all show up for this meet because it's "important" (because they have all agreed to show up). It could be Nationals; it could be any dang meet that strikes their fancy. The Tall One has also tried to drum up interest in a third, SCM National meet in the late Nov/early Dec timeframe, with limited success. You are absolutely correct in observing that USMS works hard finding organizations capable of hosting a meet the size of Nationals, and crazy enough to try. Adding a third National meet of that size would strain the volunteer resevoir in USMS, perhaps beyond what it can sustain. Why, however, do we need another three-ring-circus like USMS Nationals for the best of the best to get together?
Matt
Steve,
Just responding to a couple of your points. I don't necessarily disagree with you; I'd just like to look at them from a different angle:
Nationals and optimal conditions for fast swimming: that is one value, but there are lots of others in USMS. I'm not sold on the idea that Nationals need to be about that one thing. My feeling personally is that I get a thrill out of swimming in the same meet with the likes of the evil Smith twins. Don't you get a thrill when Rowdy Gaines or Gary Hall sign up for USMS Nationals? Wouldn't you feel a little put out if more 20 and 30 something World Class swimmers started showing up for USMS Nationals, and wanted to toss you out of the meet so they could have "optimal conditions"?
Self run meets: correct me if I'm wrong, but a couple of years ago didn't Tall Paul and a few of best USMS swimmers in the Western States start calling out other swimmers of their caliber and invited them to attend a blazingly fast USMS event in Mission Viejo? (I might be wrong about the site of the meet, but I'm pretty sure it was in CA.) It seems to me this kind of thing can happen, and may have already, when the best of the best all agree among themselves they will all show up for this meet because it's "important" (because they have all agreed to show up). It could be Nationals; it could be any dang meet that strikes their fancy. The Tall One has also tried to drum up interest in a third, SCM National meet in the late Nov/early Dec timeframe, with limited success. You are absolutely correct in observing that USMS works hard finding organizations capable of hosting a meet the size of Nationals, and crazy enough to try. Adding a third National meet of that size would strain the volunteer resevoir in USMS, perhaps beyond what it can sustain. Why, however, do we need another three-ring-circus like USMS Nationals for the best of the best to get together?
Matt
