The anti-sandbag law:
"if a swimmer enters an event with a time significantly slower or faster than that swimmer's recorded time in the past two years, the meet director may, after a discussion with the swimmer, change the seeded time to a realistic time" (104.5.5.A(10)).
Concerning my Auburn nationals entry, I confess, when faced with a 7 hour 2 stop flight and 3:45 nonstop at an earlier time, I did what any warm-blooded middle-aged American swimmer with low self-esteem would do--sandbag my entry so I could catch the earlier flight, thus diminishing the possible time spent sitting next to a 400 pound Alabama slammer with sleep apnea wearing nothing but overalls and body odor. Of course, I was caught in my bold fabrication and my time was "fixed."
USMS seems to have an identity problem. Are we hard core with rigid qualifying times? It would seem not as 2 of my not-so-speedy family members were allowed to swim four events last year in Puerto Rico. If we are not hard core, why does anybody care that I sandbag? More to the point, why can one person enter a crappy time and another cannot? Just wondering.:)
Maybe it it time to re-evaluate where competition for "Masters" is going.
In 2012, LCM nationals is being held in the Olympic trials pool in Omaha, 2 days after trials finish.
Are there more of us now than there were 20 years ago ?
Double (almost triple) the number.
Are we great at recruiting beginners at the expense of competition ?
We are not very good at recruiting beginners at all. But we still try new things to get them. There is no connection or cost to competition for this.
Do we have this huge administration that costs lots of money
just to serve a group of folks we have little in common with ?
Just the opposite. Non competitive dues subsidize competitive activities. And the National office consists of about 8 people. Not huge. Little in common? You don't swim to stay or get fit, feel good and live better? We have way more in common than not.
Don't most cities with pools teach beginning swimming ?
Not by a long shot.
What about adult swimming in a local YMCA ?
What about it? If you are referring to competitive training, it is often tough to start a program, since the local board must approve any program changes. Many on the board are the very people who get up and "swim" in the mornings in their own lanes and hate to share.
What amount of money is spent per competition swimmer
vs the "other 80%" of the USMS membership ?
Lots more on competition.
How many of our 50,000 + "members" actually swim in
competition ? 10% ? 20% ?
Actually, according to a survey taken in 2006, it is closer to 40%, counting all of the OW, local meets and nationals.
I hate to wake up one day to find that USMS
no longer serves "Masters."
Won't happen in your lifetime.
Maybe it it time to re-evaluate where competition for "Masters" is going.
In 2012, LCM nationals is being held in the Olympic trials pool in Omaha, 2 days after trials finish.
Are there more of us now than there were 20 years ago ?
Double (almost triple) the number.
Are we great at recruiting beginners at the expense of competition ?
We are not very good at recruiting beginners at all. But we still try new things to get them. There is no connection or cost to competition for this.
Do we have this huge administration that costs lots of money
just to serve a group of folks we have little in common with ?
Just the opposite. Non competitive dues subsidize competitive activities. And the National office consists of about 8 people. Not huge. Little in common? You don't swim to stay or get fit, feel good and live better? We have way more in common than not.
Don't most cities with pools teach beginning swimming ?
Not by a long shot.
What about adult swimming in a local YMCA ?
What about it? If you are referring to competitive training, it is often tough to start a program, since the local board must approve any program changes. Many on the board are the very people who get up and "swim" in the mornings in their own lanes and hate to share.
What amount of money is spent per competition swimmer
vs the "other 80%" of the USMS membership ?
Lots more on competition.
How many of our 50,000 + "members" actually swim in
competition ? 10% ? 20% ?
Actually, according to a survey taken in 2006, it is closer to 40%, counting all of the OW, local meets and nationals.
I hate to wake up one day to find that USMS
no longer serves "Masters."
Won't happen in your lifetime.
