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
Parents
Former Member
Once again, we get to read comments in this discussion forum from people who used to be the fastest kid in the pool, and now they're not, and now they want a rule out-lawing the people who beat them (or are likely to beat them, or could conceivably beat them if someone takes this to its illogical extreme).
OH PUHLEASE! One of the attractions of Masters (for me anyway) is that we are loosey-goosey about a lot of things and not hung up on "fairness." If Tall Paul and his South West Conference buddies want to form a relay for the purpose of having a reunion and swimming fast, go for it (as if 99% of us have any chance of winning that race in their absence). If someone in USMS gets the attitude that "winning" in the only thing that matters (for a piece of medal comparable to one you could find at the thrift store for a buck), and wants to do all this crazy stuff to make it happen; that's bad and not Masterish. What would be worse is a lot of nutty rules, and exceptions to the rules, and drug tests, etc. etc. that would disallow far more legitimate swims just for fun than would stop actual "cheating."
Matt S
P.S. Oh Tall One, you've still not said anything about your availability on Sunday evening for chilled, malted beverages.
Once again, we get to read comments in this discussion forum from people who used to be the fastest kid in the pool, and now they're not, and now they want a rule out-lawing the people who beat them (or are likely to beat them, or could conceivably beat them if someone takes this to its illogical extreme).
OH PUHLEASE! One of the attractions of Masters (for me anyway) is that we are loosey-goosey about a lot of things and not hung up on "fairness." If Tall Paul and his South West Conference buddies want to form a relay for the purpose of having a reunion and swimming fast, go for it (as if 99% of us have any chance of winning that race in their absence). If someone in USMS gets the attitude that "winning" in the only thing that matters (for a piece of medal comparable to one you could find at the thrift store for a buck), and wants to do all this crazy stuff to make it happen; that's bad and not Masterish. What would be worse is a lot of nutty rules, and exceptions to the rules, and drug tests, etc. etc. that would disallow far more legitimate swims just for fun than would stop actual "cheating."
Matt S
P.S. Oh Tall One, you've still not said anything about your availability on Sunday evening for chilled, malted beverages.
