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United States Masters Swimming
Ms_J1
Posts: 253 Member
Well, I think I may have done a stupid thing. I inadvertently joined a swim team by getting a paid membership to the USMS and I am clueless as to how my membership works and too embarrassed to call the local masters swim club to find out. Does anyone have any experience with USMS? All I know is that I'm a member of the Central Texas Masters Team in the South Texas LMSC. I know where to go and when to go for practices but I don't know if I have to buy a membership to the facility and pay another membership fee to the team or what if I want to participate. I don't even know if I'm fit enough to be on a swim team. The whole thing is intimidating.
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I wish I could help you. But it does sound like a good resource. And I bet you would have to pay to go to whatever facility they use for practice. If your serious about swimming they can probably help you a lot.0
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USMS is a national organization that sanctions swim meets. Your local club is probably registered with USMS. If your club uses USMS certified coaches, they may require that you be a member of USMS to attend practices with coaches on deck.
Contact your local club for details about membership to the club and fees. They probably have an annual fee for membership as well.
On the USMS website, there is a "flog" area where you can log your workouts. I really like this site. As a bonus, if you hit milestones in your yearly swimming, they send you gifts. 50 miles = swim cap, 250 miles = swim bag, etc.
Good luck. Hope this helps.0 -
I have wanted to join but I am too broke and too chicken.0
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Well, I think I may have done a stupid thing. I inadvertently joined a swim team by getting a paid membership to the USMS and I am clueless as to how my membership works and too embarrassed to call the local masters swim club to find out. Does anyone have any experience with USMS? All I know is that I'm a member of the Central Texas Masters Team in the South Texas LMSC. I know where to go and when to go for practices but I don't know if I have to buy a membership to the facility and pay another membership fee to the team or what if I want to participate. I don't even know if I'm fit enough to be on a swim team. The whole thing is intimidating.
Do you know who the coach is? If not, is there a website or Facebook group for the team? That's the best way to find out. Sometimes you have to pay a pool membership fee, other times not. Depends on the facility really.
As was mentioned, being a member of USMS just provides limited insurance coverage for the team during practices and allows you to participate in USMS-sanctioned meets. You are probably required to be a member in order to practice the team. Masters meets are a blast if you've never done one.
Most importantly, don't be intimidated! You don't have to be fast, nor do you need to be able to swim all strokes. If you can swim freestyle and are fit enough to swim a few laps continuously, you should be fine. This applies to both practices as well as meets. Masters coaches tailor workouts to a wide variety of skill levels. If they don't, they are doing it wrong.0 -
I highly recommend USMS for anyone who wants to swim, regardless of their skills or fitness level. I finally started using my membership and the resources they provide to members is awesome. I just got back from visiting my folks in Houston and found a USMS swim team to practice with while I was there and it was awesome. The membership allows you to swim with teams you're not a member of. They also mail you Swimmer (a swimming magazine) every two months, allow you access to coaches online (for free), and provide resources for workouts. The membership price varies depending on whether you join a team but it's not expensive you decide to join a team (it's optional). My membership (including the team membership) is $45 a year.0
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USMS is a national organization that usually sanctions competitions and offers universal insurance to masters clubs/teams/workout groups etc. Membership is a one time yearly fee. They also have a website and some cool resources to learn to swim.
If you want to swim with a masters team on regular basis, you also need to join a local team, most often they have a monthly fee to swim coached workouts. Monthly fee may vary between $25 up to $100 a month, depending on how active the club is and local economy.0 -
I've been afraid to go to a Masters Swim Club (there are two in my town, I think), because of my weight (I'm at 295 after losing 50 lbs). I can swim 30-40 min with minimal breaks (1 min every 100m to drink water and calm my breathing). I can do freestyle, backstroke, and something that bears some resemblance to a breaststroke, or a frog having a seizure. Have you found folks to be pretty accepting and friendly?0
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I've been afraid to go to a Masters Swim Club (there are two in my town, I think), because of my weight (I'm at 295 after losing 50 lbs). I can swim 30-40 min with minimal breaks (1 min every 100m to drink water and calm my breathing). I can do freestyle, backstroke, and something that bears some resemblance to a breaststroke, or a frog having a seizure. Have you found folks to be pretty accepting and friendly?
I have! In fact, tonight's swim practice was canceled due to lightning but since we were all already at the pool, we decided to throw a party at the coach's house. I got to show everyone my before pictures and they were all very supportive and congratulatory.
In a way, your accomplishments become shared accomplishments with the other team members and I don't mean accomplishments in winning competitions either. I mean accomplishments that relate to self-improvement. For them, that includes having the courage to to be a part of the team and seeing you improve week by week. Being slow in the water and/or out of shape doesn't matter - they can accommodate any level swimmer as long as you know how to swim. You don't even have to swim well.
USMS teams are not like high school teams. They're much more relaxed and they just like to swim with other people who like to swim.0 -
I've been afraid to go to a Masters Swim Club (there are two in my town, I think), because of my weight (I'm at 295 after losing 50 lbs). I can swim 30-40 min with minimal breaks (1 min every 100m to drink water and calm my breathing). I can do freestyle, backstroke, and something that bears some resemblance to a breaststroke, or a frog having a seizure. Have you found folks to be pretty accepting and friendly?
Most of masters swimmers are like you (and I'm in the same boat too, in spite of being in masters for 12 or so years). Some teams are a tad more into competition then others, but on average, 75% of masters swimmers are people who are just trying to stay active and be in a little bit of a shape via swimming - and make friends. Lot of masters teams have occasional social get-togethers, not that unlike of adult softball and baseball teams. Pizza, beer, little party, sometimes with a bit healthier food then pizza and beer.
My pet peeve is actually the name, MASTERS, because to general public it implies that you have to be really good before you join.
You just need to be able to swim across the pool a few times. The rest, you can build up to.
Most teams have access to several lanes during the workout and will group you with people your own speed and ability.0 -
Most of masters swimmers are like you (and I'm in the same boat too, in spite of being in masters for 12 or so years). Some teams are a tad more into competition then others, but on average, 75% of masters swimmers are people who are just trying to stay active and be in a little bit of a shape via swimming - and make friends. Lot of masters teams have occasional social get-togethers, not that unlike of adult softball and baseball teams. Pizza, beer, little party, sometimes with a bit healthier food then pizza and beer.
My pet peeve is actually the name, MASTERS, because to general public it implies that you have to be really good before you join.
You just need to be able to swim across the pool a few times. The rest, you can build up to.
Most teams have access to several lanes during the workout and will group you with people your own speed and ability.
Yeah, the "masters" in Masters Swimmers is a bit misleading. They don't mean "master" swimmers, as in people who have mastered swimming. They mean "little" swimmers. At least that's what I read on their website.0 -
My Masters Swim team has been very welcoming and friendly. One of the main members thanked the newcomers for participating after every session. This team does not compete though some members do triathlons and open water swims, they do not do traditional swim meets.
There are lanes of each ability and the best part is having a coach that creates a program for each group each session and will watch your form and give constructive criticism or advice.
I will take exception to the name US Masters since I belong to one is in Canada and its world wide. :happy:0
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