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.
Look, we wanted to win a medal for one of our teammates who was edged out in his individual events. Silly to some, I guess.
It's not silly. No system is perfect, but I still prefer one that encourages relay participation.
Look, we wanted to win a medal for one of our teammates who was edged out in his individual events. Silly to some, I guess.
It's not silly. No system is perfect, but I still prefer one that encourages relay participation.
