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
Ensignada,
I am with you, a group hug coming from Roatan. I have also had a bad experience from a group of TI swimmers doing the triathlon down here. They thought they would clean-up, criticized us older and not-fit looking swimmers, and they were wiped off the map.
Sadly, sometimes it is an eye-opener when a swimmer does think their skill is close to ultimate, but finds that there can be other swimmers of great caliber, and I do always love being beat by a person who has compassion for others' efforts. The kind of swimmer who beats me, gets out and hugs me for my efforts. That is SPECIAL. Swimming our best regardless of what that is, IS the most important thing, right after graciousness to others. Friendship to others is most important to me. And I always have a tendency to root for the under-dog, the person who is slower because I know what they have experienced to complete a distance.
Sorry folks if you think I got off-topic, but the discussion was turning to not only elite swimmers, but not-kind behaviour from some of them.
But like I said earlier, I only encountered two of these kinds of people and for that I am grateful. For the most part, people in swimming and most sports are truly wonderful people. Everyone just trying to do their best.
Like Nemo said, Keep On Swimming,
Donna
Ensignada,
I am with you, a group hug coming from Roatan. I have also had a bad experience from a group of TI swimmers doing the triathlon down here. They thought they would clean-up, criticized us older and not-fit looking swimmers, and they were wiped off the map.
Sadly, sometimes it is an eye-opener when a swimmer does think their skill is close to ultimate, but finds that there can be other swimmers of great caliber, and I do always love being beat by a person who has compassion for others' efforts. The kind of swimmer who beats me, gets out and hugs me for my efforts. That is SPECIAL. Swimming our best regardless of what that is, IS the most important thing, right after graciousness to others. Friendship to others is most important to me. And I always have a tendency to root for the under-dog, the person who is slower because I know what they have experienced to complete a distance.
Sorry folks if you think I got off-topic, but the discussion was turning to not only elite swimmers, but not-kind behaviour from some of them.
But like I said earlier, I only encountered two of these kinds of people and for that I am grateful. For the most part, people in swimming and most sports are truly wonderful people. Everyone just trying to do their best.
Like Nemo said, Keep On Swimming,
Donna
