I just started back swimming about six months ago and about two months ago signed up for USMS because there was a Masters swim meet at my pool and I thought it would be a fun goal to eventually compete.
I am seriously thinking about signing up for my first swim meet (Colonial Zone SCY Championships) in April but I am afraid that 1)I will finish dead last in every event I do - I have gotten A LOT faster but I don't I am at race speed yet and 2)The people from my swim club might be irritated that I didn't scored well enough in my races to earn them any club points. I also don't think I will be doing any relays because I think I will hurt the team's chances in placing well. I don't know anyone else in the local swim club (VMST) I signed up for.
Right now, I think I want to do the 50 free, 50 back, and 100 back. Should I really wait to do my first swim meet or should I just do this first one for the experience? I don't want people to snicker at my times.
One thing I have learned about swimming Masters -- no one is judging anyone, especially in the areas you mentioned.
Like Al Davis might say, "Just swim, baby."
I swam my first meet last year and had a lot of the same worries. It had been over 25 years since my last meet when I was in Jr. High School. Back then, being last or slow or awkward would get an occasional snide comment but even as kids most teammates knew that not much good comes from picking on other teammates. From what I've seen so far teams are very welcoming and supportive. When I travel, I'll just show up at master's practices in different parts of the country and they allways take me in and find me a lane.
As suggested by Fortress, this is the perfect time to get used to the race conditions. There's nothing on the line here so get used to the racing atmosphere and how everything runs. Worry about your times next year. You will have a fresh set of "personal bests" to train to beat and hopefully a touch of the competition bug to keep you motivated. That and a bunch of new teammates.
One suggeston: If there aren't any time (or other) constraints, enter more events. Try everything out and see what you enjoy. Last year, I entered a lot of the shorter events but I also entered the 500 free and enjoyed it more than the sprints even though I was dead last in my heat. This year, everything I'm swimming is 200 yds and up (except *** stroke).
Good luck and have fun!
You are seriously thinking about signing up for your first swim meet the Colonial Zone SCY Championships in April
DO IT, its fun
BUT you are afraid that
1) you will finish dead last in every event I do - I have gotten A LOT faster but I don't I am at race speed yet
SO, YOU ARE ONLY COMPETING WITH YOU
2) The people from my swim club might be irritated that I didn't scored well enough in my races to earn them any club points.
HONESTLY, THEY DON'T CARE IF YOU SCORE POINTS OR NOT.
BE A NICE PERSON AND HAVE FUN
I also don't think I will be doing any relays because I think I will hurt the team's chances in placing well.
RELAYS PUT UP THE 4 FASTEST SWIMMERS WHO WANT TO SWIM
I don't know anyone else in the local swim club (VMST) I signed up for.
MAKE FRIENDS, start with Leslie
ENTER THE 50 free, 50 back, and 100 back.
Should I really wait to do my first swim meet?
NO
should I just do this first one for the experience?
YES
I don't want people to snicker at my times
THEY WON'T AND IF THEY DO, THEY SUCK.
now prepare for the meet
you can swim faster faster
get a speedy suit
I just started back swimming about six months ago and about two months ago signed up for USMS because there was a Masters swim meet at my pool and I thought it would be a fun goal to eventually compete.
I am seriously thinking about signing up for my first swim meet (Colonial Zone SCY Championships) in April but I am afraid that 1)I will finish dead last in every event I do - I have gotten A LOT faster but I don't I am at race speed yet and 2)The people from my swim club might be irritated that I didn't scored well enough in my races to earn them any club points. I also don't think I will be doing any relays because I think I will hurt the team's chances in placing well. I don't know anyone else in the local swim club (VMST) I signed up for.
Right now, I think I want to do the 50 free, 50 back, and 100 back. Should I really wait to do my first swim meet or should I just do this first one for the experience? I don't want people to snicker at my times.
As someone who only started competing a year ago, I've found that instead of snickering at slower times, people who know it's your first meet (or first time swimming a particular event) are that much MORE supportive. So go and have fun! You never know... the competition bug just might bite you too! :D
GOOD LUCK! :cheerleader:
Great post, Ande! :applaud: I agree with Ande and every other poster before me. I was a newbie, one year ago today- exactly! :bliss:My first meet was a big one at the end of March, shortly after joining. It had been 31 years since I had last competed, so I didn't have much of a clue, to say the least. Everyone I talked to at the meet was so helpful and encouraging; even one of the meet volunteers from a competing club was cheering me on! I even swam a relay (thanks, Rob Copeland!) and had a blast doing it. Rob was a ringer on the relay, but the two of us gals were slow at backstroke and breaststroke (me). But, nobody cared; we were giving each other high-5's and cheering each other on.
Whatever you do, take the leap and swim at this meet! I'm still thankful I did! I even went to Nationals as a newbie and (almost) came in dead-last in my age group. NOBODY CARED!
Good luck!
:cheerleader:
If you can swim a legal 200 fly, by all means go for it. You will probably win by default since not many people sign up for it.
I was just wondering. One of my goals in swimming is to finally learn the butterfly and master the breaststroke.
As far as points for individual events go, if dead last = 0 points (or possibly more) and not competing = 0 points (definitely), then why not compete? :agree:
