I'm not a big fan of short course meters meets. Maybe its my American bias, but I prefer the USA Swimming season format with two fairly distinct seasons - SCY (Fall thru Spring) and LCM (Spring/Summer). With limited meets to participate in (especially in the Northeast), I would prefer that the options were not even more diluted by short course meters meets. I would think that many Masters swimmers in the US (who mostly grew up in 25 yard pools) would agree. Just wondering what everybody else thinks.
Brad,
What apathy? Pacific's not apathetic towards SCM. We have almost as many SCM meets as SCY which are both more than LCM. LCM seems to be our season of "not enuf". I think we had over 400 at our SCM Champs two weeks ago.
I made the point earler in the thread that there may be a regional bias as well. I wondered what the statistics were surrounding SCM/SCY/LCM pools on an LMSC or LSC basis. I am in the Northeast and there is probably fewer facilities available to host SCM meets than you would find on the west coast.
Many of the long time swimmers that I am exposed to almost totally disregard SCM. In fact, one swimmer on my team found out that an upcoming meet is going to be SCM rather than SCY as he thought and will probably not participate. I am impressionable novice to the sport and have only come across apathy towards SCM.
Importantly, the apathy extends well beyond Masters swimmers. Ask age group swimmers what their best SCM times are or what they think of SCM and you might imagine the negative responses you will get. As I have suggested, the root of the issue is that the standard is not embraced and is barely acknowledged by age groupers and college swimmers - the future Masters generation. I don't see where the US support for SCM is going to come from and thus find it hard to embrace myself.
Has it occurred to you that the season length and/or apathy may be due to the fact that the US is SCY oriented due to the predominance of SCY pools so facilities that _could_ host SCM are busy hosting SCY?
No, I did not. But, I'm also not convinced that's significant.
I know of few pools that could host both a SCM meet or a SCY meet, but not a LCM meet. The LCM pools in our area are conforming to the season, but there are very few of these pools.
Many of the long time swimmers that I am exposed to almost totally disregard SCM. In fact, one swimmer on my team found out that an upcoming meet is going to be SCM rather than SCY as he thought and will probably not participate. I am impressionable novice to the sport and have only come across apathy towards SCM.
Importantly, the apathy extends well beyond Masters swimmers. Ask age group swimmers what their best SCM times are or what they think of SCM and you might imagine the negative responses you will get. As I have suggested, the root of the issue is that the standard is not embraced and is barely acknowledged by age groupers and college swimmers - the future Masters generation. I don't see where the US support for SCM is going to come from and thus find it hard to embrace myself.
Maybe I'm a little simple sometimes :dunno: but to me it doesn't matter what others may or may not feel - it only matterrs how I feel about it and then I need to try and gently persuade others to feel the same way - without being overbearing about it. Just because others are apathetic to SCM doesn't mean you have to follow suit. Be a leader and show them there's more to life than SCY and LCM.
Maybe I'm a little simple sometimes :dunno: but to me it doesn't matter what others may or may not feel - it only matterrs how I feel about it and then I need to try and gently persuade others to feel the same way - without being overbearing about it. Just because others are apathetic to SCM doesn't mean you have to follow suit. Be a leader and show them there's more to life than SCY and LCM.
Hmmm...
I am not apathetic about SCM nor am I against the standard itself, I dislike the season because there is widespread disregard from the US swimming community as a whole (not just Masters swimmers). It would seem that Masters swimmers like it alot more than non-Masters swimmers.
Interestingly, I hosted and ran a SCM masters meet last year and it was modestly attended. A number of the people participated thinking it was a SCY pool (believe it or not). The attitude as a whole however was that people were uninterested in even their own performances because they had difficulty comparing it to past performances. You have to say at least I tried. Maybe some people are just not born to be leaders. :rolleyes:
Hmmm...
I am not apathetic about SCM nor am I against the standard itself, I dislike the season because there is widespread disregard from the US swimming community as a whole (not just Masters swimmers). It would seem that Masters swimmers like it alot more than non-Masters swimmers.
Interestingly, I hosted and ran a SCM masters meet last year and it was modestly attended. A number of the people participated thinking it was a SCY pool (believe it or not). The attitude as a whole however was that people were uninterested in even their own performances because they had difficulty comparing it to past performances. You have to say at least I tried. Maybe some people are just not born to be leaders. :rolleyes:
Sounds more like you don't dislike the season whatsoever - maybe just the dislikers themselves? Or the feeling others may have about it? Know what I mean? I think I know where you're coming from though.
Sounds more like you don't dislike the season whatsoever - maybe just the dislikers themselves? Or the feeling others may have about it? Know what I mean? I think I know where you're coming from though.
Now I think we're getting on the same page. I guess I don't like the idea that it feels unimportant...kind of "why bother if nobody else seems to care".
Sorry you're not a fan, but please don't ruin it for the rest of us!
Taking a few minutes to feel out the timing of turns is part of the charm of SCM swimming. When I'm in shape, it doesn't feel any different than any race I'm prepared to swim as SCY, and it's a nice change of pace for the fall season. SCM helps me ease out of LCM mode into SCY mode--lots more turns, but still more good swimming in between them!
Could you expand on that? I am not familiar with Mark Schubert's position.
Mark's position throughout the years has consistently been one emphasizing Long Course over Short Course. He was one of the 1st pioneers of mega yardage and over traning in the 1970s. The US short course nationals were moved from the Spring to the end of the calendar year partly because of his position (or shall we say opposition). Some feel from his comments and history that he is equally biased against sprinting vs. middle distance and distance swimming. During his coaching career, a much greater portion of his success was derived from 200s and above as opposed to the 50s and 100s.
John Smith
How exactly would I be ruining it for the rest of you? I am only soliciting opinions for discussion purposes and to get an idea of what the Masters community feels about the SCM Season. It has nothing to do with actually swimming the distance. It's the lack of meets and general apathy in the US towards the standard that turns me off about the season.
Sorry. I got the impression you wanted to do away with SCM. It's the novelty that makes it interesting, IMO.
