I think it was Ande that said "it's not how fast you swim, it's how fast you slow down." I read that a few years ago and keep on coming back to it as I have watched my kids grow in their USA Swimming careers. When kids are around 8-10, many of the races are 50s. Lots of kids can swim relatively fast 50s compared to other kids even when their stroke technique is truly awful. But then once the clock strikes 11 (years old), all of the 50s go away (less one) - and magically many of the kids with bad technique who seemed fast start losing to kids in the 100s and 200s with superior strokes. My question is at what age are we masters swimmers when we start thinking 50 backstroke, 50 butterfly and 50 breaststroke are OK to race again? It is not OK. It brings our sport down to a level where people who train only 100s or less and focus on 25s are taking over our pools. No more I say!!! I think USMS rules should only allow these races for people in their 70s and older. Who is with me?!!!
:worms: :bolt:
Parents
Former Member
A boy on my kids' team who hasn't been to a workout in months swam a zone time in a 50. The first thing he said to the coach was, "See!? I don't have to practice to swim fast!" Guaranteed that he couldn't do the same in the 400IM without going to practice.
So this bothers you why? Would you just as well see people that can't or don't want to train for 400IM's completely quit competing in swimming or what?
FTR... 13-18 age group and through college you can and do swim 50's of the strokes on relays. I had to swim 50's of the strokes nearly every meet on relays all the way through college. Not quite sure why you're so diehard against people liking 50's ?? Are you just another biased distance coach that stinks at coaching sprinters? Jealousy? What fuels the attitude?
You still didn't answer my question about the 100m dash track event. Should that not be allowed til people are older?
A boy on my kids' team who hasn't been to a workout in months swam a zone time in a 50. The first thing he said to the coach was, "See!? I don't have to practice to swim fast!" Guaranteed that he couldn't do the same in the 400IM without going to practice.
So this bothers you why? Would you just as well see people that can't or don't want to train for 400IM's completely quit competing in swimming or what?
FTR... 13-18 age group and through college you can and do swim 50's of the strokes on relays. I had to swim 50's of the strokes nearly every meet on relays all the way through college. Not quite sure why you're so diehard against people liking 50's ?? Are you just another biased distance coach that stinks at coaching sprinters? Jealousy? What fuels the attitude?
You still didn't answer my question about the 100m dash track event. Should that not be allowed til people are older?
