Solo Swimmers

1) If you can't swim with a local group: happened to me in the original group I learned to swim with. They had 4-5 people who were hit/miss. They only pay when they show up. So when the pool is needed for the younger people, guess who was bumped? So USMS loses on their yearly dues, I quit going to meets (so they lose money there), and no club, so USMS loses money there. Multiply that out. Why did you quit going to meets? That contradicts points you made in your previous posts! Very hypocritical in my opinion. This is what you previously posted: "If people don't want to swim, what about volunteering? Most groups I know put on one event a year. One Saturday, no one can help?" If you are so concerned about growing the sport (and USMS), not going to meets and at least volunteering is not doing your part. That's money that can go to things like Adult Learn to Swim month and grants. Not important? I think those who learn would say differently. This is a life saving skill. We have had featured on USMS covers those who went on to compete and do other swim things because of it. One life was touched and look at the result. 2) The reference to can't/won't was more in terms of doing strokes. As in doing *** with no legs. As in not able to do a 50 fly. I do butterstruggle and even with a screwed up lower end, I can still do it legally enough to make it. I've seen a Paralympic swimmer with no arms compete in fly. You may not be good at it (obviously I'm not) but where is the line drawn between can't and won't? Again, to King Frog's point, that's your choice. What other swimmers choose to do is up to them. Point being, until you make up your mind to do it, you don't know that. My coach said no 100/200 fly. Then no 200 fly. My response is do just once what others say you can't do and you'll never pay attention to their limitations again. It's not always about limitations in the context you see them. How can you judge what "limitations" might mean to somebody else? Your definition of "limitation" and your situation is unique you. Not everybody sees their world through your lens. Got a 97 year old doing 200 back and 50 back, 92 year olds doing 50 free, 100 free, Down's Syndrome people swimming 100 free, 50 free. I think "choice", as mentioned, is more of an accurate statement rather than "can't/won't". Yes, they chose to do it because they could swim those events. If they "can't" or "won't" do it, they will choose not to do so. It's up to each person to decide for themselves. 3) "the only problem I see is letting things beyond one's control affect their enjoyment of things they can control". As you saw, my ability and enjoyment went out the door for several years because others didn't make the commitment. Is that something than can be controlled? Yes. When coaches call and check up several times, that says people aren't speaking up and letting the coach know how to plan practice. I would send a note saying I was sick before then. They knew to make up workouts based on that, they weren't doing extra work for nothing. Why did you let that situation control you? Clearly, it was your choice to let your "ability and enjoyment go out the window for several years because others didn't make the commitment." Why didn't you become a solo swimmer (the topic of this thread) and just train on your own? Surely there must have been open swim times at that pool or another pool in your area. If you cared enough about your "ability" and "enjoyment", you could have either found another team, found another pool, hired a personal coach, trained solo without a coach, or even moved to a different neighborhood if that's what it took. The closest team to me is located 50 minutes away, and they train in the evenings. I chose not do make that sacrifice, and I swim solo instead. From time-to-time, I hire a coach. We also chose our community in large part because of the indoor pool, giving me a year-round option for swimming. There are so few lap swimmers here, I always have my own lane. :bliss: It's all about choices. You talk about make the effort to participate. Do they make a *consistent* effort or not? That's where the issue comes for me and why I have the examples of several years worth of what consistency in terms of effort means. I see a lot of people who don't make that effort. People showed up when we had a goal: local meet. After that, it dropped. You still don't get that Masters is all about personal choice. Not everybody has the same goals and priorities as you. That's their choice. Don't like it? SWIM SOLO! I left. Does that help that group? Nope. Greater chances it goes by the wayside and we're always the one who gets dumped if space is an issue. They know the effort won't be made. 4) Think there is a bit of confusion here. "I have ever undertaken and quit every job I had ever had had I let those who didn't try as hard as me, or were more risk averse than me push me out." The ones who didn't try as hard and aren't as more risk averse have caused a group to fold, hence no swim for several years. The reason I left my old club? Same issue. Now the club is tiny, no one competes, and they used to have the bragging rights on a national level swimmer. You can't just have one or two in a group and it pay to have the group, a coach. USMS doesn't make money to pay people, for programs, if people just swim on their own and nothing else. Groups that patronize meets, work together, they bring in money and people. It allows them to have coaching staff that gives helps and hints. That's what USMS needs - and the more people out there who do that, the ones who do try, the more USMS can give back. That means more Adult Learn To Swim events, publication. USMS isn't just for club swimmers; it's for ALL swimmers. Why do you have to be part of a club if it's making you so unhappy, over and over again? I know I'm happier swimming solo on my own term, where, when, and how I want. The reasons I'm attached to a team is to swim relays at meets and be part of a supportive group at those meets. We have solo swimmers from other states who are part of our team for the same reason. They train solo in Tennessee and North Carolina; however, they are my teammates at meets. Have you considered this option for yourself? 5) "I fully recognize that they pay as much for those resources as I do, and have as much right to them as I do." Ok so how about asking a meet why they won't let me swim? My money is the same as everyone elses. I'm handicapped. The assumption was that they had no chair to put me in the water. I said I start in the water and can get in and out on my own. No help needed, and starting in the water is legit. I only am a bit slower and the *** is modified so I can swim it (right now, only the 200, as after years I can finally do something that resembles a legit *** kick). Interferes with "meet ops". At the local rec center, lanes are listed as slow/medium/fast. A guy with very large fins gets in the fast lane with me. Wait a minute! Why were you in the FAST lane? You have said many times you are slow. I swam with you at the Georgia Golden Olympics. You are a lot slower than me, and as a 54 year-old at the time, I didn't even rank on the motivation charts in 200 fly. Sure, this guy ended up being slower than you, but I could just see another swimmer coming in who IS faster than you and wondering why you were in the fast lane. She/he could have felt the same way about you. Besides, what IS the definition of slow/medium/fast? Unless it's defined, it's up to each person to make their best judgment. If I had shown up to the pool, even as slow as I am, I would have wondered why BOTH of you were in the fast lane! Even with the fins he can't swim but at *maybe* early medium speed. I'm on the 2nd lap of the 200 fly and overtaking him. That tells you how slow he was. He was doing backstroke and put his hand up in a stop sign. I kept going. He turned on his back, did free to the end and moved to the medium lane. Now if our money is the same, why should he be allowed to violate swim lane etiquette because his money is the same as mine? When we all pay our money, why am I expected to drop my workout for him? We have lane etiquette for a reason. We have multiple heats for a reason. If I am expected to help others out, and do, then I have every right to expect them to work with me so we all get out of it what we want. There is enough beefing on these forums about people not being in the right swim lane to indicate it is a problem. When the expectation is you do all the adjusting and miss your goals, you will be affected. I am going to beef, as that is not the way it should be. If all pay the same money, then I'd expect people to make allowances for you as you make it for them. With my old club, I would get whatever in the lane and had to miss more and more practices because I can't swim with someone who doesn't block the middle so I can flip turn, can't adjust to circle swim, etc. If my money is the same, they need to learn to adjust also. How do these kids grow the sport for adults? I get a lot of parents saying the kids are burned out after everything and *won't* swim. Ask USMS where the money is and where they put the money from the meets we enter, the clubs, etc. It goes to salaries, to events for us, ALTS, etc. The more people who join clubs, who enter meets, grows the sport visibly. It also means more money and possibly less fees because the overall revenue is greater. Someone swimming alone doesn't - and this is for adults. Swimming alone, no meets, there is every reason to not pay USMS and be a member. I disagree with you on this point more than I can express in words! I'll give you several reasons why I have EVERY reason to pay USMS and be a member; however, I will just list the most important to me: 1. Supporting an organization I believe in. I want to see the organization survive and thrive, whether I compete or not. This organization is just as much for non-competing solo fitness swimmers as it is for King Frog, a World Record holder. Right, King Frog? :D 2. Swimmer Magazine. One of the original reasons I joined (before I got into competition), was to get Swimmer Magazine in my mailbox! I read every issue cover-to-cover. 3. The website, Discussion Forums, and being a part of an awesome swim community. Sure, you can access this stuff as a non-member, but I want to be part of it. 4. Swim clinics and events. Swim Fest was an awesome event, and I could not have attended if I had not been a member. 5. Georgia Masters. I would not receive the newsletters each month (which I enjoy), and I wouldn't be able to write for the newsletter if I hadn't joined USMS. The friends I've made, the experiences I had (such as volunteering in the hospitality room during the annual convention)-- I can't begin to express what it has meant to me, as a SOLO SWIMMER. I was unable to compete for months due to my hip surgery and rehab; however, I was welcomed just the same. I timed at a meet, shot photos, wrote articles-- all things I did as a non-competitor, solo swimmer. Was I happy still paying the dues? You bet! There are so many more comments I could add in response to your posts; however, I have spent way to much time already... As the starter of this thread, may I suggest you take your "beef" to the "Swim Rant" thread in the future? I would like to keep this thread as a positive environment for solo swimmers to come and share their thoughts, questions, and experiences; whether they compete at USMS meets (or not), swim just for fitness, or swim as a triathlete.

1) If you can't swim with a local group: happened to me in the original group I learned to swim with. They had 4-5 people who were hit/miss. They only pay when they show up. So when the pool is needed for the younger people, guess who was bumped? So USMS loses on their yearly dues, I quit going to meets (so they lose money there), and no club, so USMS loses money there. Multiply that out. Why did you quit going to meets? That contradicts points you made in your previous posts! Very hypocritical in my opinion. This is what you previously posted: "If people don't want to swim, what about volunteering? Most groups I know put on one event a year. One Saturday, no one can help?" If you are so concerned about growing the sport (and USMS), not going to meets and at least volunteering is not doing your part. That's money that can go to things like Adult Learn to Swim month and grants. Not important? I think those who learn would say differently. This is a life saving skill. We have had featured on USMS covers those who went on to compete and do other swim things because of it. One life was touched and look at the result. 2) The reference to can't/won't was more in terms of doing strokes. As in doing *** with no legs. As in not able to do a 50 fly. I do butterstruggle and even with a screwed up lower end, I can still do it legally enough to make it. I've seen a Paralympic swimmer with no arms compete in fly. You may not be good at it (obviously I'm not) but where is the line drawn between can't and won't? Again, to King Frog's point, that's your choice. What other swimmers choose to do is up to them. Point being, until you make up your mind to do it, you don't know that. My coach said no 100/200 fly. Then no 200 fly. My response is do just once what others say you can't do and you'll never pay attention to their limitations again. It's not always about limitations in the context you see them. How can you judge what "limitations" might mean to somebody else? Your definition of "limitation" and your situation is unique you. Not everybody sees their world through your lens. Got a 97 year old doing 200 back and 50 back, 92 year olds doing 50 free, 100 free, Down's Syndrome people swimming 100 free, 50 free. I think "choice", as mentioned, is more of an accurate statement rather than "can't/won't". Yes, they chose to do it because they could swim those events. If they "can't" or "won't" do it, they will choose not to do so. It's up to each person to decide for themselves. 3) "the only problem I see is letting things beyond one's control affect their enjoyment of things they can control". As you saw, my ability and enjoyment went out the door for several years because others didn't make the commitment. Is that something than can be controlled? Yes. When coaches call and check up several times, that says people aren't speaking up and letting the coach know how to plan practice. I would send a note saying I was sick before then. They knew to make up workouts based on that, they weren't doing extra work for nothing. Why did you let that situation control you? Clearly, it was your choice to let your "ability and enjoyment go out the window for several years because others didn't make the commitment." Why didn't you become a solo swimmer (the topic of this thread) and just train on your own? Surely there must have been open swim times at that pool or another pool in your area. If you cared enough about your "ability" and "enjoyment", you could have either found another team, found another pool, hired a personal coach, trained solo without a coach, or even moved to a different neighborhood if that's what it took. The closest team to me is located 50 minutes away, and they train in the evenings. I chose not do make that sacrifice, and I swim solo instead. From time-to-time, I hire a coach. We also chose our community in large part because of the indoor pool, giving me a year-round option for swimming. There are so few lap swimmers here, I always have my own lane. :bliss: It's all about choices. You talk about make the effort to participate. Do they make a *consistent* effort or not? That's where the issue comes for me and why I have the examples of several years worth of what consistency in terms of effort means. I see a lot of people who don't make that effort. People showed up when we had a goal: local meet. After that, it dropped. You still don't get that Masters is all about personal choice. Not everybody has the same goals and priorities as you. That's their choice. Don't like it? SWIM SOLO! I left. Does that help that group? Nope. Greater chances it goes by the wayside and we're always the one who gets dumped if space is an issue. They know the effort won't be made. 4) Think there is a bit of confusion here. "I have ever undertaken and quit every job I had ever had had I let those who didn't try as hard as me, or were more risk averse than me push me out." The ones who didn't try as hard and aren't as more risk averse have caused a group to fold, hence no swim for several years. The reason I left my old club? Same issue. Now the club is tiny, no one competes, and they used to have the bragging rights on a national level swimmer. You can't just have one or two in a group and it pay to have the group, a coach. USMS doesn't make money to pay people, for programs, if people just swim on their own and nothing else. Groups that patronize meets, work together, they bring in money and people. It allows them to have coaching staff that gives helps and hints. That's what USMS needs - and the more people out there who do that, the ones who do try, the more USMS can give back. That means more Adult Learn To Swim events, publication. USMS isn't just for club swimmers; it's for ALL swimmers. Why do you have to be part of a club if it's making you so unhappy, over and over again? I know I'm happier swimming solo on my own term, where, when, and how I want. The reasons I'm attached to a team is to swim relays at meets and be part of a supportive group at those meets. We have solo swimmers from other states who are part of our team for the same reason. They train solo in Tennessee and North Carolina; however, they are my teammates at meets. Have you considered this option for yourself? 5) "I fully recognize that they pay as much for those resources as I do, and have as much right to them as I do." Ok so how about asking a meet why they won't let me swim? My money is the same as everyone elses. I'm handicapped. The assumption was that they had no chair to put me in the water. I said I start in the water and can get in and out on my own. No help needed, and starting in the water is legit. I only am a bit slower and the *** is modified so I can swim it (right now, only the 200, as after years I can finally do something that resembles a legit *** kick). Interferes with "meet ops". At the local rec center, lanes are listed as slow/medium/fast. A guy with very large fins gets in the fast lane with me. Wait a minute! Why were you in the FAST lane? You have said many times you are slow. I swam with you at the Georgia Golden Olympics. You are a lot slower than me, and as a 54 year-old at the time, I didn't even rank on the motivation charts in 200 fly. Sure, this guy ended up being slower than you, but I could just see another swimmer coming in who IS faster than you and wondering why you were in the fast lane. She/he could have felt the same way about you. Besides, what IS the definition of slow/medium/fast? Unless it's defined, it's up to each person to make their best judgment. If I had shown up to the pool, even as slow as I am, I would have wondered why BOTH of you were in the fast lane! Even with the fins he can't swim but at *maybe* early medium speed. I'm on the 2nd lap of the 200 fly and overtaking him. That tells you how slow he was. He was doing backstroke and put his hand up in a stop sign. I kept going. He turned on his back, did free to the end and moved to the medium lane. Now if our money is the same, why should he be allowed to violate swim lane etiquette because his money is the same as mine? When we all pay our money, why am I expected to drop my workout for him? We have lane etiquette for a reason. We have multiple heats for a reason. If I am expected to help others out, and do, then I have every right to expect them to work with me so we all get out of it what we want. There is enough beefing on these forums about people not being in the right swim lane to indicate it is a problem. When the expectation is you do all the adjusting and miss your goals, you will be affected. I am going to beef, as that is not the way it should be. If all pay the same money, then I'd expect people to make allowances for you as you make it for them. With my old club, I would get whatever in the lane and had to miss more and more practices because I can't swim with someone who doesn't block the middle so I can flip turn, can't adjust to circle swim, etc. If my money is the same, they need to learn to adjust also. How do these kids grow the sport for adults? I get a lot of parents saying the kids are burned out after everything and *won't* swim. Ask USMS where the money is and where they put the money from the meets we enter, the clubs, etc. It goes to salaries, to events for us, ALTS, etc. The more people who join clubs, who enter meets, grows the sport visibly. It also means more money and possibly less fees because the overall revenue is greater. Someone swimming alone doesn't - and this is for adults. Swimming alone, no meets, there is every reason to not pay USMS and be a member. I disagree with you on this point more than I can express in words! I'll give you several reasons why I have EVERY reason to pay USMS and be a member; however, I will just list the most important to me: 1. Supporting an organization I believe in. I want to see the organization survive and thrive, whether I compete or not. This organization is just as much for non-competing solo fitness swimmers as it is for King Frog, a World Record holder. Right, King Frog? :D 2. Swimmer Magazine. One of the original reasons I joined (before I got into competition), was to get Swimmer Magazine in my mailbox! I read every issue cover-to-cover. 3. The website, Discussion Forums, and being a part of an awesome swim community. Sure, you can access this stuff as a non-member, but I want to be part of it. 4. Swim clinics and events. Swim Fest was an awesome event, and I could not have attended if I had not been a member. 5. Georgia Masters. I would not receive the newsletters each month (which I enjoy), and I wouldn't be able to write for the newsletter if I hadn't joined USMS. The friends I've made, the experiences I had (such as volunteering in the hospitality room during the annual convention)-- I can't begin to express what it has meant to me, as a SOLO SWIMMER. I was unable to compete for months due to my hip surgery and rehab; however, I was welcomed just the same. I timed at a meet, shot photos, wrote articles-- all things I did as a non-competitor, solo swimmer. Was I happy still paying the dues? You bet! There are so many more comments I could add in response to your posts; however, I have spent way to much time already... As the starter of this thread, may I suggest you take your "beef" to the "Swim Rant" thread in the future? I would like to keep this thread as a positive environment for solo swimmers to come and share their thoughts, questions, and experiences; whether they compete at USMS meets (or not), swim just for fitness, or swim as a triathlete.