Why is it that Masters level swimmers who participate in USS sanctioned meets under a separate USS registration can't have their times automatically qualify for USMS rankings and USMS National records? What is the reason for this separation? The rules with USMS and USS seem parallel enough to allow USS swims to qualify under USMS ranking and records. Do we care if elite older swimmers in their 30's (say Gary Hall Jr.) effectively end up owning the USMS national record by default? Is USMS afraid of merging to closely with USS? Why wouldn't USMS want to recognize the true best performance by and old man/women in the pool regardless of whether their card said USS or USMS on it?
John Smith
Geek:
I hear all this talk of "noodling" on this website. Please define. Is it silly rambling or something more insidious?
Paul:
I dunno. Maybe you're right. Maybe records are only meaningful if they are based on actual data irrespective of what paperwork a swimmer has filled out. I guess it would be disingenuous for a 27 year old masters swimmer to announce that he was "Top 10 in the Nation" if there were 30 other USS guys between 25-29 who could whip him.
Maybe we should categorize records differently. Maybe it should be based on training. Who swims 2x a week, who trains 5x, who trains around the clock with a college team and is a professional masters swimmer, etc. Or, for those busting through their fastskins, we could have Athena and Clydesdale divisions like they do in triathlons. Then, the playing field would be equalized for beer drinkers and broken shoulder swimmers. :drink:
Geek:
I hear all this talk of "noodling" on this website. Please define. Is it silly rambling or something more insidious?
Paul:
I dunno. Maybe you're right. Maybe records are only meaningful if they are based on actual data irrespective of what paperwork a swimmer has filled out. I guess it would be disingenuous for a 27 year old masters swimmer to announce that he was "Top 10 in the Nation" if there were 30 other USS guys between 25-29 who could whip him.
Maybe we should categorize records differently. Maybe it should be based on training. Who swims 2x a week, who trains 5x, who trains around the clock with a college team and is a professional masters swimmer, etc. Or, for those busting through their fastskins, we could have Athena and Clydesdale divisions like they do in triathlons. Then, the playing field would be equalized for beer drinkers and broken shoulder swimmers. :drink:
