Elite vs. Fitness

Yeah, I kind of balked at the term "elite swimmer" too, but I guess I'm probably a faster swimmer than 90% of the USMS membership, so by definition I suppose I am an elite swimmer. I'm a little torn on the membership growth area. On the one hand, my team has enough swimmers. Any more and we wouldn't really have room in the pool. Also I think Nationals are generally plenty big. There are enough swimmers that the days are plenty long as is. However, more competitive swimmers in USMS could certainly lead to more meets at the local level, which would be a good thing, IMO. On the balance I would say growth of USMS is not a top priority for me.

So if you don't agree with the wording of the survey, are you still completing it, or skipping it? Just curious. I don't fit in either category, and have not responded.

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.

It ain't braggin' if it's true. You guys have swallowed Smith's hook.

I looked up Master in my word thesaurus and that is what I base my opinion on.

John, I voted the first option, but it does not fit me. I am not elite, but if USMS grows, great. So though I am one of 8 who voted for the first, I wish there had been a different option. As far as me against the "elite". Most of the elite swimmers I know are very supportive of the likes of me, and are nice helpful people.

The More The Merrier. If you bring them they will build. If the various athletic clubs and pools see the pool is what is drawing the people/$, they will build to accomodate. Wouldn't it feel better to be #1, #100 or #1000 out of 250,000 rather than 25,000?

You can tell what kind of week at work JS is having based on when he throws a thread like this out there!! Having said that, I have seen some very divergent views on what USMS should be and how/if we should try and grow our sport. With fewer and fewer pools and at times crowded lanes its clear that some people would like to see the status quo. However, when the idea of promoting USMS via PR, marketing, sponsorship, etc. I've seen/heard grumbling about not only why but also to/for whom. Interesting topic John....and not quite the grenade we're used to from you....guess that 24.9 50 back over the weekend left you in a good mood?!

I have jumped over some of the responses to address a couple of the salient points. Yes, it is true that USMS is about 80% fitness oriented. However, the growth issue is one of personal desires and attitudes rather than a group mentality. Some people would rather not see any growth because they see only that growth affecting the amount of training space they, as individuals, would have to share with additions to the program. I guess that some think that ALL of USMS growth will happen at their home pool. That is just not the case. If we had a terrific growth year of about 12%, growing from 43,000 to 48,160, those extra swimmers would be spread all around the country. Some spots getting more, some less, depending on the efficacy of the membership drive. To put it personally, if your workout group now has 30 people, you would be adding 3.6 people. Not a huge difference, but noticeable. Crowding is the downside to growth. More money for programs, pools and equipment are just 3 of the upside. The Marketing Committee has struggled to find a cohesive, unified program to promote growth within a general plan that does not yet exist in a workable form. If anyone is a Marketing professional and would like to volunteer their services, even for a few hours a month, USMS would be very thankful for the help. The sad fact of our future growth is that we will have to put up with considerable crowding until the new pools are built that have lanes rather than slides in them. Some communities are forward thinking enough to provide both to their community, but many others see the waterpark concept as something that specifically excludes lap pools or competition training. The positive addendum is that Masters swimmers are very motivated, smart, and connected. If we can harness the energy and synergy at the same time in the right place, we can effect great changes for the benefit of posterity, not just our own selfish need to workout in a lane by ourselves.

Geek, I'm not fishin'. I keep hearing the terms "elite" vs. fitness and don't understand why it matters at all. Secondly, I'm baffled that anyone would not support growth of USMS as an overall organization. This thread was started to possibly flush out some of the concerns on both sides. John Smith PS - You know it's just the damn triathletes that really irritate me ..... :-)