Elitism in Masters Swimming

I was in DC two years ago and swam with Curl-Burke at American University. I did email the coach before my trip (the website says it is desirable to do so, but not required). They were extremely nice--would recommend highly if you are in the area.

Chris: Masters swimming is intimidating to those who pick it up as adults. Generally even the slow lanes swim fast compared to a typical lap swimmer, and the workouts are hard if you aren't used to them. Throw in the jargon too, which can be confusing, plus the fact that the regulars all know each other. And have green hair. With such barriers, it doesn't take much to come off as unfriendly to newbies. Just showing up and minding your own business -- ie, trying to get in a good workout, or a coach who is preoccupied with getting everyone else going -- may be enough to come off that way. It takes special effort to bridge that gap. I started from absolutely zero four years ago and you are right it is intimidating. But I'm grateful it was/is not "dumbed" down, because I wanted the challenge. If I didn't walk into the pool and see crazy IM sets and fast swimming I might have looked for something else to do. You are right, it takes special effort to bridge the gap.

If the 80% "non-elite" swimmers think there is a problem of elite vs. non-elite masters, i'd say there is a problem. Baloney. First of all....... none of us is young enough or good enough to be elite anymore..... :-) Secondly, I have never encountered a old ex-national finalist swimmer trying to make a new masters swimmer uncomfortable or unwelcome. John Smith

It's too late now, but in olden times, a boy would be called "master" until they were old enough to be called "mister". :blah: But I don't think I would want to be part of an organization called Misters (or Misses) Swimmers.

Baloney. First of all....... none of us is young enough or good enough to be elite anymore..... :-) Secondly, I have never encountered a old ex-national finalist swimmer trying to make a new masters swimmer uncomfortable or unwelcome. John Smith Trying to make them feel uncomfortable? I am sure that would be a very rare case but unintentional probably happens far more frequently.

Last night I spoke about masters swimming and my triathlon experience to the largest triathlon club here in Orange County, CA. Afterwards one of the members came up to me and introduced himself. Told me he saw me at the Nadadores pool coaching often since he swims in the lap swim lanes utilized by our neighboring YMCA. I asked him why he didn't swim with the masters group or at least give our free workouts a try. He explained there was no way he could hang with the swimmers in the masters workout lanes. That he had watched all the world class athletes, the butterfly, flipturns and felt it would be impossible. When I explained about the "Cruiser Lanes" at the other end of the pool full of novice athletes he was stunned. Said he never noticed those swimmers. The fact is, 50-75% of the swimmers in masters clubs are novice and or fitness swimmers. Some teams may be a bit more or less. Coaches need to be out there, aware, and very involved in the promotion of the sport and their own clubs. No one else can explain it better than the masters swim coach who works with 5 different levels of ability at the same time, in every single workout. And makes it nicely flow...

Back to the original topic of this thread, I don't think there's any greater elitism in Masters' swimming than any other organized adult athletics, especially for newbies. It's the internal reaction of newbies more often that creates this feeling than the external actions of the existing 'players.' For example ... I feel intimidated when I walk into a free weight gym, not because the muscleheads there say anything or do anything more than ... well, looking like they know what they're doing. I still lift my girly-man weights, though, because that's what I came for. I did one triathlon years ago, setting up my mountain bike and Sports Authority-cheap running shoes in the transition area next to all the hi-tech bikes, shoes, tri-outfits, energy gels, etc. ... all the while overhearing tri-jargon that I couldn't make heads or tails of. No one paid me any attention, but, sure, I felt intimidated about the upcoming bike & run. I still did it and had fun ... came out of the water right behind Kurt Dickson and then proceeded to get passed by practically every man, woman and child on the bike and run legs. The point is this: if you go into a new sport, you're bound to feel somewhat intimidated because of your own lack of knowledge and experience. I think it's rare, though, that the others experienced in that sport will go out of their way to pile on that feeling. It's your own issue, not others. Well said.In my work I am constantly counseling people to exercise.Being intimidated by others is a common excuse.Just being in a a swimsuit is intimidating for many newbies.

I'm not sure where it comes from, but there is a widespread notion that you have to be "really fast" to swim Masters. Newbies and ex-swimmers both think this, though the newbies do not actually know what "really fast" means. 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.

There is a very wide dispersion of swimming ability levels.Watch lap swimmers at any pool and you can easily tell those who have any competitive background(and that is the swimmers,not the talkers,frolickers or noodlers.)Given this I can see why someone who doesn't swim smoothly might be intimidated by one who does.

Not once have we witnessed a better than thou attitude. Have you met the Smiths?