www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/.../21345.asp
I can't believe that people would fathom wearing tech suits at Summer League Meets. As a product of the Delaware County Summer League system, I wouldn't put anything pass these parents. They get catty, jealous, and downright nasty. The kids would too. There are countless times that competitors called me an A***ole without even speaking one word to me. WTH!!!!
I commend my local paper for banning tech suits at their annual Elite Meet. Then again, I have worn paper suits at my Summer League Championships and I am now embarrassed to say that I did taper for a Summer League Championships one year when I was 15(and I didn't really care about JOs that year since I moved into the Senior age group). Of course, after I did, other people in my league starting shaving and tapering for my League Champs.
I was sort of shocked myself when I started masters in 2000 and saw everyone with tech suits on. I was under the impression at the time that those suits were reserved for Phelps-type people. Obviously, I've since changed my opinion.
Why? I rested a couple of days for a summer league champ once. Broke a county record that held for 20+ years. Perhaps it was a great time in our life to be rested and ready to race. . . I had a fabulously exciting race that came down to the wire. I'll always remember it! I loved summer league and I think that I love masters as well due to my feeling that the two swimming experiences are very similar.
At the time I wasn't embarrassed. The funny thing is that when I won the 100 IM at my Summer League Champs(my first year in the 15-18 age group). The guy that I beat was like "Oh, I could have won if I tapered!" But, this guy did like a 2:00 in the 200 IM and at the time, I was only doing a 2:06 or something and plus, I was more of the 400 IM. I will never understand why that guy couldn't beat me in the 100 IM whether I was rested or not. Then, the next year he didn't even swim at the champs.
When I broke a 20+ year IM record in my summer league in my last year, people congratulated my teammate more who got second. Plus, he was tapered. I broke the record on just taking it easy the day before, WTH? I guess that people were ticked off that I broke the record, freaking haters!!!!
I always hated the politics of summer league. I didn't get the All-Around award my last year because I missed a summer league meet because I was in Buffalo trying to get a Junior Cut. If my team lost this dual meet(they still won), they would have blamed me instead of the lazy older girls who didn't train during the winter. They trained but with a keg!!! Also, the worst were people would get mad at you if the local newspaper interviewed you and not them.
I was sort of shocked myself when I started masters in 2000 and saw everyone with tech suits on. I was under the impression at the time that those suits were reserved for Phelps-type people. Obviously, I've since changed my opinion.
Why? I rested a couple of days for a summer league champ once. Broke a county record that held for 20+ years. Perhaps it was a great time in our life to be rested and ready to race. . . I had a fabulously exciting race that came down to the wire. I'll always remember it! I loved summer league and I think that I love masters as well due to my feeling that the two swimming experiences are very similar.
At the time I wasn't embarrassed. The funny thing is that when I won the 100 IM at my Summer League Champs(my first year in the 15-18 age group). The guy that I beat was like "Oh, I could have won if I tapered!" But, this guy did like a 2:00 in the 200 IM and at the time, I was only doing a 2:06 or something and plus, I was more of the 400 IM. I will never understand why that guy couldn't beat me in the 100 IM whether I was rested or not. Then, the next year he didn't even swim at the champs.
When I broke a 20+ year IM record in my summer league in my last year, people congratulated my teammate more who got second. Plus, he was tapered. I broke the record on just taking it easy the day before, WTH? I guess that people were ticked off that I broke the record, freaking haters!!!!
I always hated the politics of summer league. I didn't get the All-Around award my last year because I missed a summer league meet because I was in Buffalo trying to get a Junior Cut. If my team lost this dual meet(they still won), they would have blamed me instead of the lazy older girls who didn't train during the winter. They trained but with a keg!!! Also, the worst were people would get mad at you if the local newspaper interviewed you and not them.
