"Dara Torres should be the face of United States Masters Swimming"
Brent Rutemiller, October issue Swimming World Magazine
"Of Course, Torres isn't on this trip alone. Aside from the support of Hoffman, her daughter and her coaches, Torres relies on a team. She has a nanny who tends to Tessa, a strength coach, and physical and massage therapists who work her like a piece of dough."
John Lohn, October Swimming World Magazine
With all due respect to Mr. Rutemillier & Mr. Lohn I would suggest that they spend a little more time around the people who not only compete in the meets of our sport but with the people who are the backbone as volunteers in the day to day running of it....Dara's only contribution has been making a few workouts early in her comeback, attending a couple of meets and signing autographs and collecting checks for clinics.
If you want a "face" of Masters Swimming look to Susan Von der Lippe who beat Dara as the first person over 40 to qualify for Trials....and she did it training with a masters team 3x a week...working par time, no nanny, no trainers....no PR person....that to me this is the core of what we are in my opinion.
How about Rob Copeland who somehow manages to run this entire organization, swim extremely well, post on our forum....all without a massage therapist and pilates instructor....again this is what Masters represents...to me.
Dara has done something remarkable for anyone her age... give her credit..but lets see if at some point she wants to time at one of our meets...or be on one of our committee's to help promote masters...without an appearance fee.
As I stated earlier, USMS stands to gain some valuable advertising with Darra. Not only is she an amazing athlete but she has two things going against her that will make her standout, her age and her being a mother. Should her face be placed on every USMS membership card? I think not. However, doing some TV spots or advertisements in periodicals could prove quite beneficial to USMS as an organization.
Define "valuable"?
Unless you have a clear reason to be a part of USMS I don't think the fact that Dara....training almost exclusively with a USS team....sends any message that would get more people to sign up....if having people sign up is even a goal?
As I stated...if USMS is not providing any tangible benefits to be a part of their organization...individuals will continue to move to their own training groups as many of our tri friends have done...coaches will continue to "self insure" and not require their members to be join USMS....and our numbers will keep dropping off.
As I stated earlier, USMS stands to gain some valuable advertising with Darra. Not only is she an amazing athlete but she has two things going against her that will make her standout, her age and her being a mother. Should her face be placed on every USMS membership card? I think not. However, doing some TV spots or advertisements in periodicals could prove quite beneficial to USMS as an organization.
Define "valuable"?
Unless you have a clear reason to be a part of USMS I don't think the fact that Dara....training almost exclusively with a USS team....sends any message that would get more people to sign up....if having people sign up is even a goal?
As I stated...if USMS is not providing any tangible benefits to be a part of their organization...individuals will continue to move to their own training groups as many of our tri friends have done...coaches will continue to "self insure" and not require their members to be join USMS....and our numbers will keep dropping off.
