I called TYR and spoke with a PR person regarding the release of the Tracer Rise scheduled for February. (I do this swim blog and I have been fixated on suits as of late.)
While I was on the phone I realized that if Swimming Australia Ltd, USA Swimming, and all of the other anti-speedsuit governing bodies have their way, speedsuits like the full bodied Speedo LZR, the TYR Tracer Light and Rise, the blueseventy Nero, and many others could be summarily outlawed?
This would certainly effect masters swimmers like me who invested in a suit recently to only have it potentially denied in competition just months from now. (They really should ask the swimmers what we think.)
I suggest that if the suits have to be banned or even modifired, which I disagree with intensely, I hope there is a long grace period at the masters level to do so. Say like a year or two.
Why do people feel sorry for adults who have chosen how to spend their own money. What is there to be sorry for?
Because, Geek, apparently swim parents have absolutely no spine whatsoever and mindlessly fork out hundreds of $$$ just because thier swimming spawn insist on having these suits. Puh-leeze.
Exactly how far down the 'level the economic playing field' do we go? Anyone priced goggles lately? How about swim caps? Anyone tried to rent a pool lately? Oh, wait, THAT swim program costs TWICE as much as the others, let's force them to lower thier rates. Jeez. Hey, that one is run by a world class coach, it's not fair.
Oh even better, how about we mandate access to training programs? I mean, is it fair that Suzy Swimmer has 2 parents that can get her to her 12 practices a week while Bobby Breastroker's single mom works 2 jobs and he can't make more than 3?1
Folks, to say this is an ecomomic issue is misleading at best and an outright self delusion at worst. It's simple. If you don't see the ROI (that's Return On Investment for those who don't know) then keep your $$$. I know this will never happen as there will always be folks lining up to buy the latest and greatest but if everyone voted with thier pocket books, the price would HAVE to come down or the suits would disappear, either way, crisis averted.
Why do people feel sorry for adults who have chosen how to spend their own money. What is there to be sorry for?
Because, Geek, apparently swim parents have absolutely no spine whatsoever and mindlessly fork out hundreds of $$$ just because thier swimming spawn insist on having these suits. Puh-leeze.
Exactly how far down the 'level the economic playing field' do we go? Anyone priced goggles lately? How about swim caps? Anyone tried to rent a pool lately? Oh, wait, THAT swim program costs TWICE as much as the others, let's force them to lower thier rates. Jeez. Hey, that one is run by a world class coach, it's not fair.
Oh even better, how about we mandate access to training programs? I mean, is it fair that Suzy Swimmer has 2 parents that can get her to her 12 practices a week while Bobby Breastroker's single mom works 2 jobs and he can't make more than 3?1
Folks, to say this is an ecomomic issue is misleading at best and an outright self delusion at worst. It's simple. If you don't see the ROI (that's Return On Investment for those who don't know) then keep your $$$. I know this will never happen as there will always be folks lining up to buy the latest and greatest but if everyone voted with thier pocket books, the price would HAVE to come down or the suits would disappear, either way, crisis averted.
