All amateur swimmers 18 and over should be required to swim at least one masters meet per year. This would help with the transition into adult life, and really show the younger generation the value of masters swimming. Adults who continue to love the sport, that's a great networking tool and a positive way to stay involved with people of similar interests.
Parents
Former Member
The thing is, the year before at 17 I was the fastest in all history for the 100 free in my province for 15-17, #1 in Canada that year, and 9th in the World for 17 and under. Yet, I couldn't pay rent. So now I'm of the opinion that there should be age-group carding, and I'll spend the rest of my life working towards making that a reality. If you're top 8 in the country in 11-12,13-14, or 15-17 you should have financial support.
I thought the first idea was dumb...I was wrong. This idea is even worse. You talk about wanting swimming to be fun,enjoyable, how great a sport is for people. You talk about how you are tired of seeing young people quit the sport for various reasons.
Well, this idea will have them fleeing in masses at the age group level. There are parents that put a lot of undo pressure on kids at any sport. If age groupers(not pro's) were to start getting money for it, even if it were for travel, training, there would be tons more put on kids than there is now.
If one kid was good enough to get money at 11-12 and then aged up, that kid would start getting even more pressure to continue to get the money, esp. if their times were a bit behind at the next level.
Besides, what happens if a kid gets injured or sick(like mono) where they miss a big part of the season, then they lose money and get more crap from their parents to rush back into training too soon, just because they will feel the need not to let parents down.
This idea is so stupid it's not even funny
The thing is, the year before at 17 I was the fastest in all history for the 100 free in my province for 15-17, #1 in Canada that year, and 9th in the World for 17 and under. Yet, I couldn't pay rent. So now I'm of the opinion that there should be age-group carding, and I'll spend the rest of my life working towards making that a reality. If you're top 8 in the country in 11-12,13-14, or 15-17 you should have financial support.
I thought the first idea was dumb...I was wrong. This idea is even worse. You talk about wanting swimming to be fun,enjoyable, how great a sport is for people. You talk about how you are tired of seeing young people quit the sport for various reasons.
Well, this idea will have them fleeing in masses at the age group level. There are parents that put a lot of undo pressure on kids at any sport. If age groupers(not pro's) were to start getting money for it, even if it were for travel, training, there would be tons more put on kids than there is now.
If one kid was good enough to get money at 11-12 and then aged up, that kid would start getting even more pressure to continue to get the money, esp. if their times were a bit behind at the next level.
Besides, what happens if a kid gets injured or sick(like mono) where they miss a big part of the season, then they lose money and get more crap from their parents to rush back into training too soon, just because they will feel the need not to let parents down.
This idea is so stupid it's not even funny
