2008 Santa Clara International Invitational May 15 - 18

Are accolades really such a scarce resource, that we have to dole them out so carefully? All these people are worthy of praise, as are many who do not ever break records. Personally, the swimmers I admire the most are the 70-year-olds who can still do 200 fly or a 400IM, events that intimidate many who are half their age. In fact, just to get a sense for what's involved, I just looked up the USMS record in 200 LCM fly for the 75-79 age group: 3:43.56. How many people reading this can swim fly for almost 4 minutes in a 50m pool? Now imagine doing it at 75 years of age. That's MY long-term goal in swimming masters, to be able to do something like that in 30 years. If I can do it, I promise you I won't give a fig about whether I break the record or not. Or how about swimmers who take up the sport at age 40 and compete in a meet for the first time. Lifelong swimmers (myself included) don't tend to appreciate how intimidating the sport can be to neophytes. Honestly, enough about records, comparisons, or what defines a "true" masters swimmer (and Kevin certainly qualifies in my book). There is always someone faster: if not now, then eventually. That doesn't cheapen the accomplishments of anyone. Amen! It's slightly off-putting and elitist when someone ranked #1 in the world declares himself or herself "not fast," thereby implicitly insulting 99.9% of masters swimmers, and then implies an official "masters" record (or possibly any masters record under age 60) could be unworthy or somehow tainted because a USS swimmer is faster. So what? We're masters. (I didn't say "It's only masters" because we have people of incredible dedication.) Take a PR lesson from speedsters Chris or (S)he-Beast or others and applaud all the fine individual accomplishments of our masters swimmers of all ages and speeds. Good luck Kevin!

Are accolades really such a scarce resource, that we have to dole them out so carefully? All these people are worthy of praise, as are many who do not ever break records. Personally, the swimmers I admire the most are the 70-year-olds who can still do 200 fly or a 400IM, events that intimidate many who are half their age. In fact, just to get a sense for what's involved, I just looked up the USMS record in 200 LCM fly for the 75-79 age group: 3:43.56. How many people reading this can swim fly for almost 4 minutes in a 50m pool? Now imagine doing it at 75 years of age. That's MY long-term goal in swimming masters, to be able to do something like that in 30 years. If I can do it, I promise you I won't give a fig about whether I break the record or not. Or how about swimmers who take up the sport at age 40 and compete in a meet for the first time. Lifelong swimmers (myself included) don't tend to appreciate how intimidating the sport can be to neophytes. Honestly, enough about records, comparisons, or what defines a "true" masters swimmer (and Kevin certainly qualifies in my book). There is always someone faster: if not now, then eventually. That doesn't cheapen the accomplishments of anyone. Amen! It's slightly off-putting and elitist when someone ranked #1 in the world declares himself or herself "not fast," thereby implicitly insulting 99.9% of masters swimmers, and then implies an official "masters" record (or possibly any masters record under age 60) could be unworthy or somehow tainted because a USS swimmer is faster. So what? We're masters. (I didn't say "It's only masters" because we have people of incredible dedication.) Take a PR lesson from speedsters Chris or (S)he-Beast or others and applaud all the fine individual accomplishments of our masters swimmers of all ages and speeds. Good luck Kevin!