Tech-Suits Infecting Summer League Meets

Maybe not the right thing. Skip Seriously, give it up. How about it is just a decision?

Let me preface this by saying that I think tech suits should be banned from summer leagues. But it occurs to me that the attitude displayed here towards summer league is very similar to that of Craig Lord towards masters swimming, and which undoubtedly angered many forumites: it is only for fun, it isn't "serious," winning isn't important, people who want to win and buy a tech suit are somehow deranged, etc. Just an observation, make of it what you will. By the way: here in Richmond, although year-round swimmers generally take a very relaxed attitude towards summer meets, club rivalries can get a little intense, and the championship meet is pretty darn fast in the top heats.

The Summer League our neighborhood is part of requires teams to have team suits and these are the standard fare Speedo or TYR lycra, which aren't cheap but aren't the price of the tech suit. Styles are changed every other year, which is about right. Chris' last paragraph is really what we see also. There are definitely two classes in Summer league - the Summer leaguers only and the year round ringers. The first heat can be some good fast swimming.

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.

Seriously, give it up. How about it is just a decision? You're kidding, right? It's just a decision for you or me. What exactly do parents think they are telling their kids when they provide expensive tech suits for minor age group meets? Daddy can solve all problems by tossing a bit of money at the problem?

But it occurs to me that the attitude displayed here towards summer league is very similar to that of Craig Lord towards masters swimming, and which undoubtedly angered many forumites: it is only for fun, it isn't "serious," winning isn't important, people who want to win and buy a tech suit are somehow deranged, etc. Just an observation, make of it what you will. By the way: here in Richmond, although year-round swimmers generally take a very relaxed attitude towards summer meets, club rivalries can get a little intense, and the championship meet is pretty darn fast in the top heats. I don't see many tech suits (aside from FS II tanks) at our summer league meets until the all star championship. Then, all the USA-S swimmers have tech suits. I think I saw a LZR in the 50 free last year. I've been wondering about Chris' comment as well. Why is it that you should/can only be serious or compete seriously from say 15-30? Sure, that's when you're fastest perhaps, but why is that the only time winning is important? Other than that, it's "just" masters or just summer league or just rec sports or just for fun. Life, however, is not lived solely between these years. Isn't life now just as important as life was then? Shouldn't we be looking forward and not back? Why stop striving simply because you're an adult? Yeah, life is more complicated now, but that doesn't mean we are relegated to "just" status. Tom, all around awards are given based on points scored. If you miss a meet, you likely won't get it. A lot of USA-S swimmers miss meets here because they're at a swim camp. Move on, boy! Don't be dwelling on that old stuff!

Swimming moms have nothing on gymnastics moms. Gymnastics moms are all crazy, every last one of them.

Swimming moms have nothing on gymnastics moms. Gymnastics moms are all crazy, every last one of them. I have one close friend who's not a psychotic gymnastics mom. She can barely stand to go the events. But she has a life too and competes in her sport. Having a life/hobby seems to be key to not being a swim mom, or gymnastics mom or -- even worse -- a soccer mom. Recently, it was revealed to me that one of the dad's on my kid's soccer team had to go on some medication to prevent him from exploding at his kids' sporting events. Living through your kids is just not a good idea. The swim parents on our summer league team are quite balanced and nice. But then we aren't in Division 1 either.

The swim parents on our summer league team are quite balanced and nice. But then we aren't in Division 1 either. Our team is Division 1 but we like to treat Summer League as a six week tailgate. Sometimes the swimming seems to interrupt the socializing.

If a kid is wearing a tech suit for summer league, they are missing the point. These leagues are for fun and as an introduction to competitive swimming for novice swimmers. Yes, BUT... winning is fun, even in summer league where it doesn't matter. Summer teams are dominated by swimmers who swim year-round. Even if any particular age group has only one or two winter-swimmers, there are still limited spots at the "A" meets. The novice swimmers are relegated to the sidelines and swim mostly "B" meets where anyone can swim. I believe that every summer league has the intention to introduce kids to competitive swimming in a fun and relaxed environment, but the reality is often that in order for the kid to have a good time, they often have to be swimming year-round. As a non-winter swimmer, if I earned the 3rd of our team's 3 spots in an A meet, I was fighting not to come in last place. It was like that for most of my summer league career, and my experience was not always fun nor was it always a good introduction to competitive swimming. I'm not saying I hated it (I'm still swimming, aren't I?), but my fun level was a lot lower than it could have been if I'd been swimming more than 8 weeks a year. Perhaps I have a bit of a warped view growing up in a densely populated area with two HUGE summer leagues and two of the US's biggest and best USA-S clubs, but I'm sure some of this translates to other areas of the country as well.