With the continued growth in USMS membership, I would submit that it's time to eliminate the regional teams at Nationals. Case in point: NCMS sent a "team" of 123 swimmers to Atlanta, enough to enter A, B, C, and D relays in many events (e.g. the mens 35+ 200 free relay in which our club team placed 13th behind eight regional teams). It's been argued that the formation of regional teams allows more swimmers to participate in relays, yet local clubs from North Carolina sent as many as thirty or more athletes and could have entered relays on their own as our club (with eight swimmers) did. Swim with the guys you actually train with.
Normally GAJA only sends 8-12 people to Nationals. Most of us are from different clubs. I would not be able to swim relays at most Nationals because normally I am the only one from Savannah Masters to participate. For this nationals even being in Atlanta only 5 of us from Savannah made the journey and of those 5 we would only have been able to do mixed relays.
Regional clubs lets those who would not normally be able to participate in relays do so.
Normally GAJA only sends 8-12 people to Nationals. Most of us are from different clubs. I would not be able to swim relays at most Nationals because normally I am the only one from Savannah Masters to participate. For this nationals even being in Atlanta only 5 of us from Savannah made the journey and of those 5 we would only have been able to do mixed relays.
Regional clubs lets those who would not normally be able to participate in relays do so.
