"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.
I got a patch for completing the postal series in 2005 and anticipate finishing it again this year. I have no idea where my previous patch is, nor would I put it on anything if I did. Patches (and other nominal trinkets) work for some people, not for others.
Skip
Well, I'm patchless too. I'm too lazy to go about procuring them. I would never wear one either. It would go in the swim box. But I don't mind that the swim box exists, although it's clearly not why I compete. Some of the trinkets are just nice momentos that remind me of a fun meet or a good swim, and make me smile.
But some people get pretty jazzed up about medals and so forth. It can be a positive affirmation for their effort. Just like any other reward system. Nothing wrong with that either.
Geek is right. Medals for meets cost a lot of money.
I got a patch for completing the postal series in 2005 and anticipate finishing it again this year. I have no idea where my previous patch is, nor would I put it on anything if I did. Patches (and other nominal trinkets) work for some people, not for others.
Skip
Well, I'm patchless too. I'm too lazy to go about procuring them. I would never wear one either. It would go in the swim box. But I don't mind that the swim box exists, although it's clearly not why I compete. Some of the trinkets are just nice momentos that remind me of a fun meet or a good swim, and make me smile.
But some people get pretty jazzed up about medals and so forth. It can be a positive affirmation for their effort. Just like any other reward system. Nothing wrong with that either.
Geek is right. Medals for meets cost a lot of money.
