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
Frank,
Thanks for posting all pertinent information about my life. You missed a couple things, I take a 50 long jacket and wear size 13 shoes. I would like to clear up a couple of things. 1st, the whole TYR situation. I am currently the Sr. Coach at a club (Northbrook Spartan Swim Club) with 300+ swimmers and for the past year we have been a TYR contracted club. Although I am swimming for Team TYR I will not be on any relays, I have swimmers at the Jr. Nationals and have to be there. I swam the IL masters Unattached because that is how I originally registered. I knew well before then that I was going to swim Team TYR. Even though I hadn't swum masters meets, I had been competing in USA Swimming meets. When our club signed the TYR contract, Matt Zimmer put me in touch with the guys from Team TYR. I wasn't recruited, I contacted them. I also have had my green card for 5 years. This November I (along with my wife Natalia Mechtcheriakova) am applying for US citizenship. We are excited to join our daughter (who was born here) as American citizens. That brings me to my second point. I came to the US 7 years ago, because of the lack of support from the All - Russian Swimming Federation. You posted some links to stories about positive drug tests (thank god for Google!). Unfortunately there is nothing about my appeal to FINA that reduced my suspension from 4 to 2 years, because it was proven that none of us knowingly took any drugs. I just want to set the record straight. As far as being an "Arena man", that wasn't by choice. Our team was sponsored by Arena, we could not get individual contracts(except for Alex) to suppliers. Since I've been in the US I have used Speedo, TYR, NIKE, Arena, etc.,. I'm looking forward to Worlds and hope everybody swims fast and has fun!
Vlad
Frank,
Thanks for posting all pertinent information about my life. You missed a couple things, I take a 50 long jacket and wear size 13 shoes. I would like to clear up a couple of things. 1st, the whole TYR situation. I am currently the Sr. Coach at a club (Northbrook Spartan Swim Club) with 300+ swimmers and for the past year we have been a TYR contracted club. Although I am swimming for Team TYR I will not be on any relays, I have swimmers at the Jr. Nationals and have to be there. I swam the IL masters Unattached because that is how I originally registered. I knew well before then that I was going to swim Team TYR. Even though I hadn't swum masters meets, I had been competing in USA Swimming meets. When our club signed the TYR contract, Matt Zimmer put me in touch with the guys from Team TYR. I wasn't recruited, I contacted them. I also have had my green card for 5 years. This November I (along with my wife Natalia Mechtcheriakova) am applying for US citizenship. We are excited to join our daughter (who was born here) as American citizens. That brings me to my second point. I came to the US 7 years ago, because of the lack of support from the All - Russian Swimming Federation. You posted some links to stories about positive drug tests (thank god for Google!). Unfortunately there is nothing about my appeal to FINA that reduced my suspension from 4 to 2 years, because it was proven that none of us knowingly took any drugs. I just want to set the record straight. As far as being an "Arena man", that wasn't by choice. Our team was sponsored by Arena, we could not get individual contracts(except for Alex) to suppliers. Since I've been in the US I have used Speedo, TYR, NIKE, Arena, etc.,. I'm looking forward to Worlds and hope everybody swims fast and has fun!
Vlad
