So, now that we are on the countdown to May 09 - who is coming and what do you plan to swim?
This will be my first US Master's National meet, and it happens to be happening in my back yard (at least very close to where I grew up and swam USA club). Over is San Luis Obispo now, but it's a short hop, skip, and jump over the foothills to Clovis!
It didn't look to me as if there is any significant west coast bias in terms of where meets are held. But if there is, it sort of makes sense since the west coast is where the majority of USMS swimmers are located.
I think this is superficially appealing, but is it wise? This isn't an electoral college. If we have 2/3 of the meets in central and western locations, doesn't that just entrench the western "monopoly?" West coast swimmers will be more likely to attend nationals, go every year, enjoy the benefits of high level competition, etc. (When I look at my age group, west coast swimmers seem to dominate. If they have easier access to the fastest pools and fastest meets, that's somewhat of an advantage.)
I think it makes more sense to move the meet around fairly evenly, to the extent possible. Otherwise, in addition to fostering the west coast monopoly, east coast swimmers will be penalized with a greater travel/expense burden than their west coast peers. Nothing can be perfectly fair, of course, but, since we pay USMS dues and shell out big bucks for our hobby, it would be nice to feel the love too!
It didn't look to me as if there is any significant west coast bias in terms of where meets are held. But if there is, it sort of makes sense since the west coast is where the majority of USMS swimmers are located.
I think this is superficially appealing, but is it wise? This isn't an electoral college. If we have 2/3 of the meets in central and western locations, doesn't that just entrench the western "monopoly?" West coast swimmers will be more likely to attend nationals, go every year, enjoy the benefits of high level competition, etc. (When I look at my age group, west coast swimmers seem to dominate. If they have easier access to the fastest pools and fastest meets, that's somewhat of an advantage.)
I think it makes more sense to move the meet around fairly evenly, to the extent possible. Otherwise, in addition to fostering the west coast monopoly, east coast swimmers will be penalized with a greater travel/expense burden than their west coast peers. Nothing can be perfectly fair, of course, but, since we pay USMS dues and shell out big bucks for our hobby, it would be nice to feel the love too!
