Here is an article that I read on swimming world about USA Swimming issue with SCM. I think that USMS does a really good job of having SCM meets. On the USA Swimming side, SCM meets seem to be few and far between. Locally, there doesn't seem to be any USAS SCM meets in the Philly region. It is basically, if you can't make SCM Nationals in December, then there are no SCM meets to do.
www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/.../21062.asp
The author presents a good challenge for the US. The cost of building new "86 meter x 25 meter" pools would be prohibitive for most municipalities, though, particularly in this economy. Even with the funds available for the stimulus, VP Biden specifically stated "no swimming pools" in an off-the-cuff remark earlier this year. It's going to be an uphill battle.
The author presents a good challenge for the US. The cost of building new "86 meter x 25 meter" pools would be prohibitive for most municipalities, though, particularly in this economy. Even with the funds available for the stimulus, VP Biden specifically stated "no swimming pools" in an off-the-cuff remark earlier this year. It's going to be an uphill battle.
Where I grew up, nearly all the summer-league pools are 25 meters long. I'm not sure what policy decision led to that, but it must have been made decades ago.
The 50m pool is really the only pool length that really matters - it is what the Olympics are swam in and the 50m records are considered the "elite" swimming records.
The pool I swim in now is a 51m pool, with a 1m bulkhead so the pool can be split into 2 25m sections. I grew up in a primarily 25y pool environment, but I have no big attachment to the length other than "it is what I know". It would take a little getting used to a 25m pool - mainly because I wouldn't quite know how to gauge my times.
I would assume a high school that is going to build a 25y pool would not incur that much more expense to build a 25m pool - but you have a lot of existing facilities. You could hold "championship level" meet only at 25m pools - but those who can not train in 25m pools would be at a disadvantage.
Former Member
Where I grew up, nearly all the summer-league pools are 25 meters long. I'm not sure what policy decision led to that, but it must have been made decades ago.
The metric system is so superior to the lack of system that we use that in the late 70's there was a push to move the US to metrics. So alot of high school and neighborhood pools built at that time are 25M. This push lasted for about 10 years.
Former Member
The pool I swim in at our Y is 25 meters... indoors... not sure when it was built but it is pretty old... still a great pool, six lanes, 4 ft to 12 ft deep.
The new outdoor pool is 25 yards... new no wake type of gutters... six lanes, 4 ft to 6 ft, for 3 of the 6 lanes. : ( The other two lanes go from 4 to 8 to 10 ft (the diving well is in this corner of the pool-no high dive)
I've always wondered if the difference in the depts of the lanes might effect swimmers' times.
Tom, there are SCM meets in the mid-atlantic.
Phoenixville YMCA holds SCM in Jan or Feb each year, the Albatross meet in Maryland is SCM, there have been meets like IGLA at Univ of MD in the past years, and several meets in VA and MD as part of a swim series are SCM.
Only one of those is in the Philly area, but they are out there. You just have to look.
Or, have I misunderstood? Are you only talking about USS meets?
I was talking about USS meets in the Middle Atlantic Region.
I think USA-S should promote the growth of SCM racing. There are few SCM pools all things considered but it would benefit the USA if more world records were held by Americans.
If more NEW pools were built as SCM then US swimmers would train more frequently in the 10% longer pool. SCY racing should not be hurt at all but our preparedness for international meets should improve over time.
well said!
Former Member
I think USA-S should promote the growth of SCM racing. There are few SCM pools all things considered but it would benefit the USA if more world records were held by Americans.
If more NEW pools were built as SCM then US swimmers would train more frequently in the 10% longer pool. SCY racing should not be hurt at all but our preparedness for international meets should improve over time.
Here in New England (USA Swimming side), there are 6 regular in-season meets in SCM pools this summer. Compared to 20 LCM meets. Not bad on the SCM side.
The fact of the matter is there just aren't a whole lot of SCM pools around. Just about any LCM pool with bulkheads can do SCM, but often they don't even have the appropriate lane lines for SCM. They usually have LCM extension pieces (i.e., 2 x 25Y + extension). But to support SCM, you need to either have a full set of SCM lane lines, or you need to have your SCY lane lines have connectors in the middle so they can add a 7-foot extension in the middle.
And there aren't a lot of pools being built these days.
-Rick
