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
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?
OK. Perhaps there are swim meets where 13+ year olds swim 50s. Fine. I haven't seen any of those meets where I live. And I have scowered the USA Swimming web site and can find no indication that anyone over 12 swims 50s other than freestyle. But that doesn't mean that there aren't meets where those races are swum.
See attachement. As far as I can tell, in USA Swimming there are no 50s other than freestyle for 13+ year olds. I understand that does not mean that those races aren't held at some swim meets. I was at a college meet where an event was a 50 x 50 freestyle relay. But that doesn't mean that the 50 x 50 realy is an NCAA event.
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?
OK. Perhaps there are swim meets where 13+ year olds swim 50s. Fine. I haven't seen any of those meets where I live. And I have scowered the USA Swimming web site and can find no indication that anyone over 12 swims 50s other than freestyle. But that doesn't mean that there aren't meets where those races are swum.
See attachement. As far as I can tell, in USA Swimming there are no 50s other than freestyle for 13+ year olds. I understand that does not mean that those races aren't held at some swim meets. I was at a college meet where an event was a 50 x 50 freestyle relay. But that doesn't mean that the 50 x 50 realy is an NCAA event.
