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."
Parents
Former Member
I was really bummed out when as a former competitive swimmer I wanted to start swimming masters and was immediately turned off by a large local club because I was not into getting up at 5:00 am, swimming doubles or spending 4 hours on a Saturday training then going out with the team for brunch. There was an obvious message that if I wasn't in with both feet then I was out. So we started a new club with old HS friends and were snubbed again at our first meet for starting a new group, instead of being welcomed for bringing 8 new USMS paying members to masters swimming.
That elite attitude kept me out of USMS for almost 10 years. Just now getting back to it with another club with a much better vibe.
I was really bummed out when as a former competitive swimmer I wanted to start swimming masters and was immediately turned off by a large local club because I was not into getting up at 5:00 am, swimming doubles or spending 4 hours on a Saturday training then going out with the team for brunch. There was an obvious message that if I wasn't in with both feet then I was out. So we started a new club with old HS friends and were snubbed again at our first meet for starting a new group, instead of being welcomed for bringing 8 new USMS paying members to masters swimming.
That elite attitude kept me out of USMS for almost 10 years. Just now getting back to it with another club with a much better vibe.
