It's been cool for me over the last few years seeing and competing against a number of guys from both my age group and collegiate days. However, when I think back to my college team, in particular, I'm struck by how many guys are NOT back swimming and competing in Masters. I realize this is probably the wrong audience to ask (since we're back in the pool), but, since for me swimming & competing go hand in hand and I love swimming, I'm still puzzled why more people don't come back to the sport and to racing?
Parents
Former Member
When I graduated from college I felt that it was time to "grow up" and abandon my carefree college lifestyle. It seemed more important to focus on establishing myself professionally and enjoy some of the little luxuries I couldn't afford while putting myself through school. So I was a fulltime employee and working on my MS nights/weekends. With the little free time I had, I ended up enjoying expensive meals and acquiring a taste for wine; partying with coworkers on weekends.
The next phase in life, I ended up on adult recreational softball, volleyball, bowling, soccer ... teams going out for beer and pizza afterwards.
I had a misperception that only the best age groupers swam in HS, only the best HS swimmers swam in college, and only the best college swimmers swam with Masters. I joined a health club and swam on my own for the first 14 years of my professional career, now and then.
It took a major knee injury retiring me from all other sports to get me into USMS. Swimming was the only activity I could do; and I realized I needed to do something active that wasn't just an token excuse to go get pizza and beer. I also wanted to have the "being part of a team" social atmosphere. I also had unfinished business in the pool from my college days.
I remember the feeling of terror leading up to my first day of USMS practice. I imagined that everybody on the team would be lean and mean and wearing a team competition suit at practice and holding insane intervals.
I was so pleasantly surprised.
When I graduated from college I felt that it was time to "grow up" and abandon my carefree college lifestyle. It seemed more important to focus on establishing myself professionally and enjoy some of the little luxuries I couldn't afford while putting myself through school. So I was a fulltime employee and working on my MS nights/weekends. With the little free time I had, I ended up enjoying expensive meals and acquiring a taste for wine; partying with coworkers on weekends.
The next phase in life, I ended up on adult recreational softball, volleyball, bowling, soccer ... teams going out for beer and pizza afterwards.
I had a misperception that only the best age groupers swam in HS, only the best HS swimmers swam in college, and only the best college swimmers swam with Masters. I joined a health club and swam on my own for the first 14 years of my professional career, now and then.
It took a major knee injury retiring me from all other sports to get me into USMS. Swimming was the only activity I could do; and I realized I needed to do something active that wasn't just an token excuse to go get pizza and beer. I also wanted to have the "being part of a team" social atmosphere. I also had unfinished business in the pool from my college days.
I remember the feeling of terror leading up to my first day of USMS practice. I imagined that everybody on the team would be lean and mean and wearing a team competition suit at practice and holding insane intervals.
I was so pleasantly surprised.
