I realize this thread will create a lot of controversy.
Over the past five years I have worked very hard to develop clubs and increase membership in USMS. The very fabric of my work and others in this area is building relationships and comradairre within the LMSC and or Club. Small clubs and large teams are proud of their "elite" swimmers and boast of their successes. With this said, it is very disturbing to me as I read through the FINA World Championships Physch Sheets to see the number of elite swimmers "jumping ship" to other clubs to swim on "elite" relays. If USMS had "Team USMS" I would have no problem with everyone coming together for a team effort. I don't have a problem with four guys coming together who swam in college using the Worlds as reunion of sorts. Where I have problem is the swimmer or swimmers who have been a member of a club or LMSC for years and because of individual egos leaves his team. What this says to me is our "elite" swimmers ego is more important than his or her club. How do you think the other 3 swimmers who normally swims on the relay with the "elite" swimmer feels. We are good enough througout the year, however we are not good enough for the Worlds. Instead of swimming for his or her club so all members of the club can be proud of the "elite" swimmers accomplishments, it is more important to this swimmer he or she represent someone else at the Worlds for personal gratification. If the relay team does win and breaks a WR the record does not show USMS as the record holder, but the name of a club the swimmer transferred too.... what a shame...
It is regretable I bring up this discussion, but it tears at the very fabric of the USMS mission regarding building club or LMSC relationships...I realize what these swimmers are doing is within the rules.. I just think it is wrong.
Mel
LMSC teams have everyone regardless of abilty swimming as part of their rosters. Some of these teams and I won't mention names because it has been talked about before on other threads recruit just elite swimmers for their rosters with the intention of breaking USMS and World Records. In the old days they used to try and win Championships but with the new scoring or no scoring in divisions its harder to do and most of the time some team locally either be LMSC or Club usually wins the team title. Clubs like my club, Michigan Masters is made up of teams and workout groups in our LMSC and we form relays based on who signs up and the age group of the swimmer. We do not recruit around the country for elite swimmers. Occasionally if a brother, sister, mom, dad, or other family members want to swim together, fine than its ok but it really comes down to the intent of the swimmer and what he/she wants out of the meet and team their representing. When they post the team rosters on this website people will be able to figure out who those teams are by the individual swimmers they know who have represented a team or club for years.
LMSC teams have everyone regardless of abilty swimming as part of their rosters. Some of these teams and I won't mention names because it has been talked about before on other threads recruit just elite swimmers for their rosters with the intention of breaking USMS and World Records. In the old days they used to try and win Championships but with the new scoring or no scoring in divisions its harder to do and most of the time some team locally either be LMSC or Club usually wins the team title. Clubs like my club, Michigan Masters is made up of teams and workout groups in our LMSC and we form relays based on who signs up and the age group of the swimmer. We do not recruit around the country for elite swimmers. Occasionally if a brother, sister, mom, dad, or other family members want to swim together, fine than its ok but it really comes down to the intent of the swimmer and what he/she wants out of the meet and team their representing. When they post the team rosters on this website people will be able to figure out who those teams are by the individual swimmers they know who have represented a team or club for years.
