"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.
Anna Lea, great meet for new people. I love it! There was one here last summer that was in a neighborhood pool. No blocks, SCM in Aug and most had never done a meet before. It was a lot of fun, even as a more experienced person like myself. The only bad part was being the only person to enter the 200 BR. I asked and got a person to swim 200 back next to me so I had company. I wish more meets were fun like this one.
Fort and Bill, I agree with your points 100%. We need to get the stories of USMS members out to the general public. Why isn't Nats on tv? Why isn't there newspaper coverage on local meets? Etc...
Alison
Anna Lea, great meet for new people. I love it! There was one here last summer that was in a neighborhood pool. No blocks, SCM in Aug and most had never done a meet before. It was a lot of fun, even as a more experienced person like myself. The only bad part was being the only person to enter the 200 BR. I asked and got a person to swim 200 back next to me so I had company. I wish more meets were fun like this one.
Fort and Bill, I agree with your points 100%. We need to get the stories of USMS members out to the general public. Why isn't Nats on tv? Why isn't there newspaper coverage on local meets? Etc...
Alison