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:
Wow! Never did I expect to get such a hostile response from so many people. Zen! Do many young swimmers swim 50s? Undeniably, yes. Do swimmers swim 50s (other than free) between 13-18? No.
I'll accept that in your LMSC they might not have meets with non-free 50s for 13+ but in PVS, there are at least 2 Opens that have, plus several other invitationals that have them also. But to clarify that is for SCY. And even thou, LCM season here is so short and directly contends with several HUGE summer leagues, there are still several LCM meets that offer non-free 50s for 13+.
Wow! Never did I expect to get such a hostile response from so many people. Zen! Do many young swimmers swim 50s? Undeniably, yes. Do swimmers swim 50s (other than free) between 13-18? No.
I'll accept that in your LMSC they might not have meets with non-free 50s for 13+ but in PVS, there are at least 2 Opens that have, plus several other invitationals that have them also. But to clarify that is for SCY. And even thou, LCM season here is so short and directly contends with several HUGE summer leagues, there are still several LCM meets that offer non-free 50s for 13+.
