Did you go straight into Masters Swimming or did you take time off.

Swam Div III varsity 79-83. Played on the water polo club while in law school, and during the summers worked out with a "masters" group at the municiple outdoor pool. We should note that USMS at the time had not penetrated into all regions at the same level, and finding info about local teams and places for group workouts was much more difficult in those pre-www. days. I remember looking forward to a masters "meet" one summer in Ann Arbor at our pool, but my teammates informed me I should not get my hopes up to high about a competitive race, because the participation was pretty lame. Their predictions were correct. At the start of the meet, the organizer caucused all the distance swimmers of both genders and all age groups (all 5 of us) to determine if we were going to swim the 800 or the 1500. As I was the only one interested in the 1500, we settled on the 800, and there was no real doubt as to who would finish in what order after the first 100 meters or so. Fortunately, USMS has come a LOONNNGGGG way from those beginings, and we all owe a huge debt to the pioneers who got this started. I remember what a revelation it was to participate in '94 SCY Nationals, and see so many swimmers, and so many swimmers taking their races seriously and out to swim their very fastest. That was the part I thought I had left forever when I graduated from college, and I was thrilled to see I could find meets like this. Billy F, great personal icon--unique, colorful, very distinctive. I agree that Brazilian masters swimming is actually pretty impressive. When I participated in '99 Pan-Pacs, in Perth Aus, the Brazilians had the third strongest contingent in my opinion. The Aussies, obviously, had the strongest team, and the Japanese showed up with quality and especially quantity. Brazil sent a smallish squad, but with some of the very best younger swimmers who had some of the fastest swims for any age group in the meet. Matt

Swam Div III varsity 79-83. Played on the water polo club while in law school, and during the summers worked out with a "masters" group at the municiple outdoor pool. We should note that USMS at the time had not penetrated into all regions at the same level, and finding info about local teams and places for group workouts was much more difficult in those pre-www. days. I remember looking forward to a masters "meet" one summer in Ann Arbor at our pool, but my teammates informed me I should not get my hopes up to high about a competitive race, because the participation was pretty lame. Their predictions were correct. At the start of the meet, the organizer caucused all the distance swimmers of both genders and all age groups (all 5 of us) to determine if we were going to swim the 800 or the 1500. As I was the only one interested in the 1500, we settled on the 800, and there was no real doubt as to who would finish in what order after the first 100 meters or so. Fortunately, USMS has come a LOONNNGGGG way from those beginings, and we all owe a huge debt to the pioneers who got this started. I remember what a revelation it was to participate in '94 SCY Nationals, and see so many swimmers, and so many swimmers taking their races seriously and out to swim their very fastest. That was the part I thought I had left forever when I graduated from college, and I was thrilled to see I could find meets like this. Billy F, great personal icon--unique, colorful, very distinctive. I agree that Brazilian masters swimming is actually pretty impressive. When I participated in '99 Pan-Pacs, in Perth Aus, the Brazilians had the third strongest contingent in my opinion. The Aussies, obviously, had the strongest team, and the Japanese showed up with quality and especially quantity. Brazil sent a smallish squad, but with some of the very best younger swimmers who had some of the fastest swims for any age group in the meet. Matt