why doesn't masters apply the same age rule for short course as it does for long course?
In long course meets a persons age is determined by their age by the end of the year.
so at worlds there were 24, 29 , 34, 39, 44, ... year olds
who competed in the next age group up because they aged up later in the year.
In short course competitions a persons age is determined by their age at either the end or beginning of the competition.
I encourage USMS to be consistent and
consider adopting the same rules for short course competitions
Ande
Parents
Former Member
That's how horses are aged up. Maybe FINA uses that because a furlong is approx 200m, not 200y, and horses race in furlongs ? It's an imperial measurement that translates nicely to metric. :)
The rule would be bad if you were a developmental swimmer whose birthday was on Dec 31. You would always be the youngest in your age group. For Masters, that would be the best situation. For Senior events not conducted by age group, seems like it wouldn't matter so much.
At any rate you would have people only aging up once a year on the same day so you wouldn't have to keep track of people changing age groups within a competition year. In the old days that would make it a lot easier -- and even now, since birthdate can be considered private information but age is not.
About the others, it would be great if the same rules were followed by everyone when possible and practical. It sure would make it easier when the kids who swim both club and HS knew what rules they were officiated on and didn't goof up. Even when they go by the same rulebook, the implementation date for rule changes isn't the same. I've seen more than a few kids DQed when their coach didn't realize the rule change was in effect for one organization but not the other.
That's how horses are aged up. Maybe FINA uses that because a furlong is approx 200m, not 200y, and horses race in furlongs ? It's an imperial measurement that translates nicely to metric. :)
The rule would be bad if you were a developmental swimmer whose birthday was on Dec 31. You would always be the youngest in your age group. For Masters, that would be the best situation. For Senior events not conducted by age group, seems like it wouldn't matter so much.
At any rate you would have people only aging up once a year on the same day so you wouldn't have to keep track of people changing age groups within a competition year. In the old days that would make it a lot easier -- and even now, since birthdate can be considered private information but age is not.
About the others, it would be great if the same rules were followed by everyone when possible and practical. It sure would make it easier when the kids who swim both club and HS knew what rules they were officiated on and didn't goof up. Even when they go by the same rulebook, the implementation date for rule changes isn't the same. I've seen more than a few kids DQed when their coach didn't realize the rule change was in effect for one organization but not the other.
