Poll on competitive history pre-Masters

Started swimming AAU with Greater Lexington Swim Association when I was 5 years old. I swam country club, high school, YMCA and USS swimming (Y-Lexington Thoroughbred Swim Team) until I graduated from high school in 1985. Qualified and swam at YMCA Nationals in 1983. Returned to the pool and Masters swimming in 2003.

None of the above. Started swimming with intent in 11/06 and went to my first meet ever in 8/07 at 43 years. Wish I had swum as a kid though. I think I would have liked it.

None of the above. Didn't learn to swim until age 39. -LBJ

I think that was Stephanie Rice posting for him:banana: We definitely have one foreign Olympian poster here, and it looks like he's voted. Or is there another lurking around? I swam at Texas for four years, swam at two Olympic Trials, was on the USA Swimming national team for five years. And Michael Phelps is a poster? Cool!

I'm always amazed by those who've started swimming competitively after not even knowing how to swim until adulthood. That's really astounding! But I also can't imagine going through childhood and never swimming. I loved the water as a child, but never "swam". I could dog paddle, swim a bit above water, never learned any breathing. Managed to stay afloat enough to pass the 4 links test to go off the diving board. When I started adult lessons at age 38, I could swim a 25.......then stop and gasp. Flip turns made me panic, as did anything underwater on my back. I have come a long way.

I didn't swim until OCT 05 at age 43. My first competition was DEC 07 and my second was Colony Zones last Summer. I swim solo since there are no Masters Teams near by (except one with 50+ on the wait list).

Started at age 11 in the age group program. Swam summers in USS (back then) and in the middle school or high school seasons. Attended a couple of Y National events and then swam 4 years for Grand Valley State (DII). Was never of National or NCAA quality (not even close). Got into USMS 10 years after college. Have participated in a few Nationals (both SCY and LCM) usually outside the Top 10 looking in.

great thread jim. i swam summer league and jr/sr year of HS only before joining masters. no uss no ymca, no ncaa

Started playing water polo as a sophmore in high school, liked it so joined the swim team in the spring. Walked on at UCSB mainly for polo, swam as well. Made NCAA's cuts in 50/100 free & 100 fly and all 3 relays sophmore, junior (made trails cuts in 100 fly & 100 free) and senior years, university games team member senior year, stayed a 5th year and played polo taking 3rd at ncaa's...took some time off to travel europe and came back and swam in 84' trials (100 free).

Started swimming competitively in 7th grade, started swimming year-round after that. Swam all the way through High School, not quite good enough for state. Swam for the Haucker at St. Olaf (Class of 1991) for four years. Was on a VERY tough team and only lettered two years. Great experience though, wish I could relive those days... Body and mind was fatigued by the Spring of 1991, took some years off. Discovered mountain biking, hiking, rollerblading, jetskiing, and wakeboarding. Started to miss swimming... Got on a team in 1999 (Sun Devil Masters) and was coached by Ron Johnson, Simon Percy, Mark Gill, and others. Have done four Nationals (LCM 1999, SCY 2003, SCY 2007, LCM 2008) and a bunch of local meets. Got involved in the LMSC (blame Mark Gill for that!) and became Chairman two years ago. Love to train and compete, got LCM penciled in for 2009 and 2010. The journey is the most fun though, have learned so much throughout my swimming career and grown immensely as a person.