I'm always interested in hearing about the USMS demographics, but I couldn't find any information on USMS and college swimming. I was wondering roughly what percentage of US Masters swimmers swam in college and at what level. I also wanted to hear from you where you went, when, and what you loved / hated most about college swimming.
Former Member
Swam a year of Jr College in SoCal...worked to bring my GPA up to go to Nebraska on a scholarship due to family connections...changed my mind and joined the Army instead...and as Robert Frost so eloquently put it...
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
-- harder to improve times in many cases, possibly after years of improving pretty much every year
Something I saw with a friend of mine in D1: he was improving, but (it seemed like) everyone else was improving so much faster. The top high school times in the country would be considered slow in D1. You can be elite, one of the top recruits, whatever, and if you don't get much faster you're a bum.
I wanted to swim in college, but when I asked about joining the team, a division III, I was told I wasn't fast enough. I found out later on that I would have at least gotten 3-4th places most of the times. I was asked by a couple of the swimmers why I didn't join later but I just didn't want to my last couple of years of college. I sometimes wish I would have as I'm sure I would have gotten a lot faster.
Very interesting!
Hope USMS Club Development is reading this idea :)
Yeah, it was really fun. In fact, I'll be meeting up with some of my college teammates and staying with them for Nationals, even though I graduated last year.
Not sure who had the idea in the first place. There aren't a lot of other schools who do it. Can't think of any at all off the top of my head. But if you think about all of the varsity programs getting shut down...
I would venture to say that out of the 170 swimmers on our new club here in SoCal, maybe 3 or 4 max swam in college.
And probably less than 25 ever swam competitively at all.
I got similar problems here, first there's no masters programs even close to me, even if there was, there's no pool meets during the summer for masters in my state. I had to rejoin USS just to get in some summer meets that aren't openwater. :(
Hey, I went to the 88 American Final meet. At the Hall of Fame pool, right? I loved that meet!
Yep! I was in lane 1 for the final heat of the 1500 with Artur Wodjat and Marius z Podkoscielny. Beat Wodjat and was second to Mariusz. Best swim of my life.
Started swimming at 40 due to back issues, but fell right into the training and competing aspect from running.
Swimming is awesome. Wish I discovered it a long time ago.
I never swam age group, high school or college. I started swimming at 48 to lose weight. Did my first swim meet a year later and have been ever since.
:argue: I'm with you....I started swimming consistently at the age of 39. I never thought I would be swimming like I am now. Fortunately, with the encouragement of my brother, I took classes with Doug Stern in NYC. He was one of the most enthusiastic, best "TEACHERs" I have ever had the opportunity to study with. I am very, very grateful that I invested in this. Sad to say Doug passed away. When I swim I think of him often.....
