Over 18?

From the way I interpret the original post, it sounds like they want high caliber swimmers (such as those who would qualify for an Olympic team) to do a masters meet once per year. However, on that same note, you'd also require current masters swimmers to do a meet once a year. My team has a very low rate of swimmers who compete at all (maybe 10%), and doing this would probably reduce the number of swimmers on the team. We've hashed through on various other threads why swimmers don't compete, but making it a requirement would just reduce the ranks of masters swimming.

I'm sorry, there really isn't a connection here. Further, people 18 and over are already making the transition into adult life in a number of ways, some quite challenging: figuring out how to pay for their college education, quite possibly dealing with newly divorced parents and general family breakup, moving away from hometown to place they may never have seen, learning to drive, learning to say no to many things, figuring out their trajectory in life, and so forth. 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 .... "All amateur musicians 18 and over should be required to do at least one audition per year. This would help the transition into adult life..."

Maybe they get to the point of being tired of competing and want to do other things with their lives?... If you really want to get more masters at meets, find some way to ease in people who were never swim racers as youngsters. Speaking as a late starter, I find the idea of a swim meet in a pool intimidating. Open water swims seem a lot less daunting - no flip turns or diving. More like the 10k road races I did years ago and much less like a track and field 10000 meter run.

If you really want to get more masters at meets, find some way to ease in people who were never swim racers as youngsters. Speaking as a late starter, I find the idea of a swim meet in a pool intimidating. Open water swims seem a lot less daunting - no flip turns or diving. More like the 10k road races I did years ago and much less like a track and field 10000 meter run. Part of the Masters Swimming Canada one year plan is to promote clubs holding time trials during practices, both informal timings and formal/official time trials. Hopefully the opportunity to participate within your club, during regular workout times, with the emphasis on getting a time versus "competing" will be at least a little less intimidating than regular competition. In Atlantic Canada at least the meets are generally small and very friendly and unintimidating once you are there. I do think that in small meets, where size and efficiency is not an issue, meets could be even less formal and more welcoming, more of a learning experience than a formal test. I am hoping that club time trials could be run more like that without compromising the validity of the times at all. Just as an example, I see no problem with someone having a second go at a race if they get DQed. I use the road race/fun run versus track events analogy a lot, in board discussions and planning sessions, it's nice to see someone else make the same point.

What are you talking about? Masters meets are more enjoyable, no pressure at all... Just like Lindsay says, master swim meets are more inclusive, and that's the point I was previously trying to make. That's a great way to attract more people to masters swimming - put performance pressure on them!

It's easy for you to say there's no pressure at a masters meet. But for those who didn't swim competitively as youths, it can still be stressful. Masters meets are inclusive and there's a lot of support, but still, many hold little interest for fitness swimmers or busy people with other priorities. And, for newbies and relative newbies, just getting up on a block and worrying about your goggles can cause some anxiety. I agree. However, Diving in at a huge meet like the NEM LMSC SCY. for 200 BR and having your goggles fill with water really cures your fears.:lmao: Sometimes having something go wrong early in your masters career is a good thing. That's the best thing about this forum;the encouragement to compete but without pressure. I know there are a few folks that wouldn't have bothered to compete without the urging from the folks here.

Senior year of college, conference championships, 1650 free, championship final, my goggles filled with water on the dive. I couldn't see much so I just swam my own race. It turned out ok. hehe I thought 8 lengths was a long way with no vision !

What are you talking about? Masters meets are more enjoyable, no pressure at all... Just like Lindsay says, master swim meets are more inclusive, and that's the point I was previously trying to make. Fortress put it well - for those who've discovered the sport later in life or those with no meet experience, meets can be intimidating. I gradually warmed to the idea enough to give it a try, and I had fun - even the time I lost track of where I was and swam right into the wall. I just think things of this nature are better left to individual discretion and comfort level. :frustrated:

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. I thnk that's a great idea. A home state or Zone meet would be a good venue for that.

How would it help with the transition? A lot of people love master's swimming because they have a group to swim with, which keeps them motivated to stay fit but they don't have the desire to compete anymore. I think if USMS required a competition it would actually drive people away from joining a team.