"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.
Parents
Former Member
For cripes sakes..... Paul is just throwing out examples of change for USMS to bite on. The details of sponsors and particular services offered can be decided later. Point is, USMS growth is pretty stagnant compared to the general population. PWolf66 is dead on. USS and USMS suffer from the same syndrome.
I'm liking the cash prizes idea for Masters Nationals. I like the idea of taking money out of Evil Smith's hands on the last two strokes. Perhaps we should introduce betting into the scheme of things. We can lay down cash with the timers before we get on the blocks. The winner collects from each lane after the race.... :-)
As far as a "face" of masters swimming..... Dara just doesn't go to that many masters meets or train full time with a masters team. It doesn't seem logical to imply she is the "face" of masters swimming. She's basically just an extremely old full time USS swimmer. I think Gary Hall has appeared at Masters functions as much or more than her. Neither are really representative of USMS as much as they are of USS.
What we need is someone living a true life of mediocrity to represent USMS..... a real average "John Smith"...... :-)
John Smith
For cripes sakes..... Paul is just throwing out examples of change for USMS to bite on. The details of sponsors and particular services offered can be decided later. Point is, USMS growth is pretty stagnant compared to the general population. PWolf66 is dead on. USS and USMS suffer from the same syndrome.
I'm liking the cash prizes idea for Masters Nationals. I like the idea of taking money out of Evil Smith's hands on the last two strokes. Perhaps we should introduce betting into the scheme of things. We can lay down cash with the timers before we get on the blocks. The winner collects from each lane after the race.... :-)
As far as a "face" of masters swimming..... Dara just doesn't go to that many masters meets or train full time with a masters team. It doesn't seem logical to imply she is the "face" of masters swimming. She's basically just an extremely old full time USS swimmer. I think Gary Hall has appeared at Masters functions as much or more than her. Neither are really representative of USMS as much as they are of USS.
What we need is someone living a true life of mediocrity to represent USMS..... a real average "John Smith"...... :-)
John Smith
