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
Ande:
I am going to respond and link the post of a year ago because I had these discussions with both of the Smith's and don't want to make a trip down memory lane.
A question I have is what is Team TYR? Is it like there version of what Speedo does with there stars? Will all of the team members be wearing the latest modern TYR suits with the advanced technology? I not kidding here. I saw some of the swimmers on the team and they are all excellent and I sure the Team TYR might be the club with the most World Records in the meet.
The reason I bring this up is because maybe this manufacturer wants to use the masters market the way Speedo, Nike, and Arena do with Olympic swimmers. I ask of the Smith's not to be funny here but are they sponsoring all of you as a total team or are they just letting you use the equipment, such as suits, goggles, caps, warm ups, etc.
I guess in today's professional world of competitive swimming that maybe someone sees a potential to get into the masters market and sell there product. With people like Yana, Erik Vendt, and Morcova they can add masters swimmers to the advertisement. Like a quote of "Our swimmers set XXX FINA World Records using the XXX TYR".
Ande:
I am going to respond and link the post of a year ago because I had these discussions with both of the Smith's and don't want to make a trip down memory lane.
A question I have is what is Team TYR? Is it like there version of what Speedo does with there stars? Will all of the team members be wearing the latest modern TYR suits with the advanced technology? I not kidding here. I saw some of the swimmers on the team and they are all excellent and I sure the Team TYR might be the club with the most World Records in the meet.
The reason I bring this up is because maybe this manufacturer wants to use the masters market the way Speedo, Nike, and Arena do with Olympic swimmers. I ask of the Smith's not to be funny here but are they sponsoring all of you as a total team or are they just letting you use the equipment, such as suits, goggles, caps, warm ups, etc.
I guess in today's professional world of competitive swimming that maybe someone sees a potential to get into the masters market and sell there product. With people like Yana, Erik Vendt, and Morcova they can add masters swimmers to the advertisement. Like a quote of "Our swimmers set XXX FINA World Records using the XXX TYR".
