"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.
No, I agree. The "face" of masters swimming should be a masters swimmer who comes complete with a real life and the vagaries, responsibilities, drawbacks and time limitations of that real life. Like Rob or Susan or whoever. I admire them more from a masters POV. Having the luxury of a 24/7 "team" is in no way typical of masters swimming and thus should not personify or be the "face" of masters swimming. She is amazing, but I don't really consider her a "masters" swimmer.
This is an interesting conundrum.She is a masters swimmer due to her age,but she is a professional swimmer who happens to be 40.Her life revolves around swimming,where the rest of our lives revolve around work and family.Even Dennis Baker is a swim coach first and a swimmer second.Masters Swimming has thousands of faces. The 50 year old going to their first meet is also the face of masters swimming.:banana::banana::banana:
How is she not a Masters swimmer? She is certainly of age...and she swims. I think USMS stands to gain a lot of valuable publicity via Darra. On the other hand, I can see how she is not the average USMS swimmer and perhaps should not be the face, per se, of USMS.
I put "masters" swimmer in quotes to connote a deviation from the regular usage of the term masters swimmer. By age, she surely qualifies. I just don't view her as the "face" of master swimming. Who else among us here has a 24/7 "team" and is a professional? By any measure, that is simply highly unusual and irregular for masters. Since I am not a "professional," I have more admiration for those who excel as "masters" without the team. Just my own POV. It's a bit more difficult to be successful on true terms with all the age-related aches and pains. Dara is Olympic bound. I'll likewise cheer just as much for Geek at his next triathlon. To me, that's really the essence of masters' competition.
USMS wants to get away from the "elite" mindset associates with a "master", so that certainly won't do the trick. I think Dara is amazing and I hope it does promote the sport. I doubt Susan or Dennis are really the face of the sport either as most of us will never come close to achieving what they have or swimming nearly as fast.
Wouldn't the face really be the majority - which doesn't even compete but likes being fit and loves the water?
How is she not a Masters swimmer? She is certainly of age...and she swims. I think USMS stands to gain a lot of valuable publicity via Darra. On the other hand, I can see how she is not the average USMS swimmer and perhaps should not be the face, per se, of USMS.
How is she not a Masters swimmer? She is certainly of age...and she swims.
So what "AGE" makes her qualify? Since she is over 25? If that is the case I can name many other swimmers who have done way more than Dara as "Masters Swimmers".
I have mixed feelings about this.
On the one hand, I want to get the phrase "Masters Swimming" into the public consciousness as much as possible. If the TV and print media mention Dara's participation in Masters Swimming as part of their coverage, it spreads the word that such an organization exists.
On the other hand, I have a hard enough time now trying to convince swimmers that they're "good enough" to swim with my Masters workout group. If people start assuming that they have to be as good as Dara to participate in Masters Swimming, then I'm really in trouble.
Anna Lea
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.
Dang, more good points by Smith. Our team does require USMS membership to participate - no card, no swim. It takes some effort to make sure the aquatics director where you train sees the value of USMS. We did a charity swim last NYD to prove we can be of value.
USMS wants to get away from the "elite" mindset associates with a "master", so that certainly won't do the trick. I think Dara is amazing and I hope it does promote the sport. I doubt Susan or Dennis are really the face of the sport either as most of us will never come close to achieving what they have or swimming nearly as fast.
Wouldn't the face really be the majority - which doesn't even compete but likes being fit and loves the water?
Here here! I love Dara, don't get me wrong. She is a beast in the water. But when I go to masters meets and open water events I love to see the old folks--they really have guts and they always have a great attitude. To be 70 and still in shape for a 2 mile swim--that is the goal baby!
