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:
Years ago I attended an out-of-town meet in a location that shall go unnamed. It was a meet that had a long-standing tradition. At the end of the weekend's events, the meet announcer got on the mike and announced that "the USMS portion of the meet has now concluded."
Suddenly a keg of beer appeared on the pool deck. Someone had a stack of plastic cups and cafeteria trays. One person filled cups and another placed six of them on each cafeteria tray. A third person placed one filled tray at the end of each lane.
The teams, composed of six people each, assembled on the pool deck. Many of the experienced teams had brought various props with them. When the starting signal was given, the teams proceeded to get into the pool.
One team had brought an inflatable floating thing that had six cup holders built into it. They put the full cups of beer into the cup holders, got into the lane, pushed the floatie thing into the middle of the pool, and proceeded to drink the beer while treading water. :chug:
Another team brought what looked like a hospital bedpan. They poured all six cups of beer into the bedpan, then proceeded to take turns drinking from it. :drink:
I can't remember what the other teams all did but, as you can imagine, it was hilarious to watch. :anim_coffee:
1992 was the last time I know that a beer relay took place during (actually after) nationals. Hill Carrow has a fabulous story about these relays, just ask him. It was originally started by the Rockie mountain masters and called the sixpack relays for good reason. Some teams came for the beer, some came to swim fast, some cheated. All had fun, because no one really ever knew (or cared) who won.
The historic method was to do a regular diving start, swim a 25 and get out of the pool, drink your beer, dive back in and finish with a regular relay transfer. Some made the shocking and immoral mistake of just pouring the beer on their face or over the shoulder and diving back in.
Years ago I attended an out-of-town meet in a location that shall go unnamed. It was a meet that had a long-standing tradition. At the end of the weekend's events, the meet announcer got on the mike and announced that "the USMS portion of the meet has now concluded."
Suddenly a keg of beer appeared on the pool deck. Someone had a stack of plastic cups and cafeteria trays. One person filled cups and another placed six of them on each cafeteria tray. A third person placed one filled tray at the end of each lane.
The teams, composed of six people each, assembled on the pool deck. Many of the experienced teams had brought various props with them. When the starting signal was given, the teams proceeded to get into the pool.
One team had brought an inflatable floating thing that had six cup holders built into it. They put the full cups of beer into the cup holders, got into the lane, pushed the floatie thing into the middle of the pool, and proceeded to drink the beer while treading water. :chug:
Another team brought what looked like a hospital bedpan. They poured all six cups of beer into the bedpan, then proceeded to take turns drinking from it. :drink:
I can't remember what the other teams all did but, as you can imagine, it was hilarious to watch. :anim_coffee:
1992 was the last time I know that a beer relay took place during (actually after) nationals. Hill Carrow has a fabulous story about these relays, just ask him. It was originally started by the Rockie mountain masters and called the sixpack relays for good reason. Some teams came for the beer, some came to swim fast, some cheated. All had fun, because no one really ever knew (or cared) who won.
The historic method was to do a regular diving start, swim a 25 and get out of the pool, drink your beer, dive back in and finish with a regular relay transfer. Some made the shocking and immoral mistake of just pouring the beer on their face or over the shoulder and diving back in.
