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:
Which absolute statements are you talking about?
Please stop fabricating statements and stay with the facts. It takes away from your credibility. Show me where it says I am a "long tenured coach?" I never said "beyond a shadow of a doubt" that no LMSC anywhere offers non-free 50s. Again, if you keep making things up, I'll have to keep pointing out the your reading comprehension errors. Keep it civilized bubba.
Not sure where I left the civilized path in my posts but each to his own. But to address your 'points' such as they are.
Hmm, true you never said 'long tenured' but you did state:
"I've been a swimmer and a coach for over 40 years."
So forgive me if I construed 40 years of coaching, as meeting the concept of 'long tenured', I should have said 'so experienced'
"But then once the clock strikes 11 (years old), all of the 50s go away (less one)"
"Then the cycle progresses to where the shortest races are 100s (other than free of course) for 13-18 yo's"
"Do many young swimmers swim 50s? Undeniably, yes. Do swimmers swim 50s (other than free) between 13-18? No."
What am I missing here? Because all these statements that you made seem to indicate that there are no 50s of non-free for swimmers over the age of 12. Please enlighten me as to where my reading comprehension issues appear?
Which absolute statements are you talking about?
Please stop fabricating statements and stay with the facts. It takes away from your credibility. Show me where it says I am a "long tenured coach?" I never said "beyond a shadow of a doubt" that no LMSC anywhere offers non-free 50s. Again, if you keep making things up, I'll have to keep pointing out the your reading comprehension errors. Keep it civilized bubba.
Not sure where I left the civilized path in my posts but each to his own. But to address your 'points' such as they are.
Hmm, true you never said 'long tenured' but you did state:
"I've been a swimmer and a coach for over 40 years."
So forgive me if I construed 40 years of coaching, as meeting the concept of 'long tenured', I should have said 'so experienced'
"But then once the clock strikes 11 (years old), all of the 50s go away (less one)"
"Then the cycle progresses to where the shortest races are 100s (other than free of course) for 13-18 yo's"
"Do many young swimmers swim 50s? Undeniably, yes. Do swimmers swim 50s (other than free) between 13-18? No."
What am I missing here? Because all these statements that you made seem to indicate that there are no 50s of non-free for swimmers over the age of 12. Please enlighten me as to where my reading comprehension issues appear?
