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
Slow Show......competing is far more about losing than winning, I've had far more experience with that than breaking world records.....and I'm happy to shake the hand of the person/team that beats me (us)......and use it for motivation to train harder for next time.
And by the way......do you know what your talking about with regard to "hand picked" teams? John and I are constantly harrassing old farts like us who have not been in the sport for years to get back in the pool and come out to play.....case in point was getting Rowdy to show up for a relay in Indy.....
And in case you want to throw around the "elite" crap for going after guys like Rowdy, I'm happy to send you a list with probably 100 names on it of folks I've tried to get into the sport and competing that can't even make the time standards.....just becuse I like this sport and want it to grow.....your free to do the same......the morethe merrier!
Frank....the folks at TYR have been great and yes we have gotten some awesome gear but we're paying our own relay fees, entries, etc. But as John pointed ou for me swimming with some great old farts (and young) like Saeger is what its all about (by the way....I'm the fat one on that relay!)
Slow Show......competing is far more about losing than winning, I've had far more experience with that than breaking world records.....and I'm happy to shake the hand of the person/team that beats me (us)......and use it for motivation to train harder for next time.
And by the way......do you know what your talking about with regard to "hand picked" teams? John and I are constantly harrassing old farts like us who have not been in the sport for years to get back in the pool and come out to play.....case in point was getting Rowdy to show up for a relay in Indy.....
And in case you want to throw around the "elite" crap for going after guys like Rowdy, I'm happy to send you a list with probably 100 names on it of folks I've tried to get into the sport and competing that can't even make the time standards.....just becuse I like this sport and want it to grow.....your free to do the same......the morethe merrier!
Frank....the folks at TYR have been great and yes we have gotten some awesome gear but we're paying our own relay fees, entries, etc. But as John pointed ou for me swimming with some great old farts (and young) like Saeger is what its all about (by the way....I'm the fat one on that relay!)
