Yet...... another comment on "elitism" in masters swimming. This ongoing battle of two imaginary groups....... the selfish former elite swimmers and the non elite counter parts.
Yes..... The Evil Smith and I have taken great pleasure throughout the last decade trying to secretly split USMS into these two groups. Our efforts to perpetuate this divide and fuel our intolerance for "learners" is now being undermined..... :-)
One Big Happy Family: Marcinkowski’s Masters
reachforthewall.com/.../
"Butcher, Zerkle and others say numbers have soared because Marcinkowski has tried to strip the elitism from masters swimming, often thought to be populated with former competitive stars who have little tolerance for learners."
A few times each year I get asked by random people if I'm a professional swimmer. I'm not saying that to brag - I'm nowhere near the level where I could ever get paid to swim, but the newbies have probably never seen an elite swimmer in person, so they don't know.
I get this too--but I swim at a 24 hour fitness pool where there aren't many people who do more than a few laps here and there. It's clear to me that those asking have never really seen elite/professional level swimming.
I did swim at the national level years and years ago and I find that I have a real love for the newbie. I coach a lap swim class and enjoy each swimmer. The new ones, though, are often the most fun because they benefit so easily from beginner stroke information and drills. They're so eager to learn and seem to see vast improvements fairly quickly so they are probably my favorites to work with, if I had to choose.
Sometimes my newer swimmers are overly concerned with others in their lanes being upset by them not keeping up. I try to explain that, as long as they are conscientious and let people pass, most swimmers don't mind. I've had many newer swimmers tell me how useful explaining basic lane etiquette has been for them to feel comfortable.
A few times each year I get asked by random people if I'm a professional swimmer. I'm not saying that to brag - I'm nowhere near the level where I could ever get paid to swim, but the newbies have probably never seen an elite swimmer in person, so they don't know.
I get this too--but I swim at a 24 hour fitness pool where there aren't many people who do more than a few laps here and there. It's clear to me that those asking have never really seen elite/professional level swimming.
I did swim at the national level years and years ago and I find that I have a real love for the newbie. I coach a lap swim class and enjoy each swimmer. The new ones, though, are often the most fun because they benefit so easily from beginner stroke information and drills. They're so eager to learn and seem to see vast improvements fairly quickly so they are probably my favorites to work with, if I had to choose.
Sometimes my newer swimmers are overly concerned with others in their lanes being upset by them not keeping up. I try to explain that, as long as they are conscientious and let people pass, most swimmers don't mind. I've had many newer swimmers tell me how useful explaining basic lane etiquette has been for them to feel comfortable.
