This new thread occurred to me while reading posts comparing Spitz to Phelps, as well as reflecting upon mortality considering heart attacks etc. In swimming we immortalize individuals or teams for various feats or contributions, but do little to preserve a feeling for subsequent generations of enthusiasts about what it was like to train and compete 'back in the day'. Just what day am I talking about? Exactly: there have been many 'days' or more properly 'eras' that can be narrowly characterized by differences in equipment, distances swum and trained, coaching methods or more widely by larger factors: world war, global depression, racial segregation, inequality of the sexes. All of these can contribute to very different experiences than what are common today to the younger swimmer; hence, 'what was it like'. I visualize a thread that continues to be added to as new people read it and remember their own experiences. As well, experience can vary with national origin, not just era. There have already been posts on this topic scattered in various threads, please feel free to copy or quote material from them to here.
Please remember that this is not about how fast a particular swimmer was, but about the conditions that defined competitive swimming of that day.
We also have a priceless resource out there: aging swimmers in their 80's or 90's who may be less likely to read or hear of this thread; why not ask them for some of their memories or impressions and pass them on to us, while we still can?
Parents
Former Member
These are some of the things I remember from my high school years in the late 60s:
Some pools had no blocks so backstrokers would start with the aid of two buddies. They would grab the ankles of one of them who was standing close to the edge but facing away from the pool. The swimmer would use the ankles to pull himself up for the start. The second one would lock arms with the ankle guy to stabilize themselves.
Ceilings so low, that if the diver hit it, he had the option of a re-dive after seeing his scores.
Having lap counters for the 200 free.
Four of us racing in a 3-lane 20-yard pool. Very tough for breaststrokers and flyers.
Kids from the 20-yards pools coming to our 25 yarder and complaining because the pool was so long
160-yard relays
.
These are some of the things I remember from my high school years in the late 60s:
Some pools had no blocks so backstrokers would start with the aid of two buddies. They would grab the ankles of one of them who was standing close to the edge but facing away from the pool. The swimmer would use the ankles to pull himself up for the start. The second one would lock arms with the ankle guy to stabilize themselves.
Ceilings so low, that if the diver hit it, he had the option of a re-dive after seeing his scores.
Having lap counters for the 200 free.
Four of us racing in a 3-lane 20-yard pool. Very tough for breaststrokers and flyers.
Kids from the 20-yards pools coming to our 25 yarder and complaining because the pool was so long
160-yard relays
.
