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.
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Former Member
(e.g. the mens 35+ 200 free relay in which our club team placed 13th behind eight regional teams)
Aren't regional teams scored separately from club teams?
I think giving people the option to swim relays is pretty important. Whatever has to be done to do that, let's do that.
My team participation at a normal meet is typically 2 swimmers. At the yearly relay meet, we field A, B and C relays. Obviously people are more inclined to participate in relays, at least from my team, than on their own.
I am all for increased participation in the sport, even if it hurts my rankings and makes my lane more crowded.
If regional teams hurt participation, or are even neutral to participation, I think you have a solid case for doing away with them. But with 8 teams beating your team, which I don't think your team is slow, indicates that there are a lot of relays that happened because of regional teams.
(e.g. the mens 35+ 200 free relay in which our club team placed 13th behind eight regional teams)
Aren't regional teams scored separately from club teams?
I think giving people the option to swim relays is pretty important. Whatever has to be done to do that, let's do that.
My team participation at a normal meet is typically 2 swimmers. At the yearly relay meet, we field A, B and C relays. Obviously people are more inclined to participate in relays, at least from my team, than on their own.
I am all for increased participation in the sport, even if it hurts my rankings and makes my lane more crowded.
If regional teams hurt participation, or are even neutral to participation, I think you have a solid case for doing away with them. But with 8 teams beating your team, which I don't think your team is slow, indicates that there are a lot of relays that happened because of regional teams.
