I was interviewed by the 'Wall Street Journal' today!

I got a phone call today from a writer with the Wall Street Journal asking me about my viewpoints on the potential tech suit ban in US Masters Swimming.

One question that came up was what will I do if a tech-suit ban takes effect at the Masters level in January? I replied that I would continue to wear my tech-suit but if I am not able to step up to the blocks and at least get a time before being DQed, I would not compete in the USMS in 2010.

I went on to say that there are open water-events I can do like the Alcatraz Sharkfest, there was the LMU fund-raiser for the womens team, that sprint triathlons had a nice ring to it, and I would even stage my own swim meet. (Something I was going to do at the USMS level through SCAQ but now that it is probably unlikely.)

If I am quoted, I will let you know when it comes out.

Open Letter to Rob Butcher, Chairman of the United States Masters Swimming.

Congratulations on a great year.

You have done such a wonderful job growing our sport and your successes have been numerous: The Southern Pacific Masters Association now has 4,000-plus members. Rowdy Gaines is back in the water as a sponsored swimmer for blueseventy, electronic entries via Club Assistant have made meet sign-up both painless and simple, USMS regional meets and championship meets have seen some incredible and electrifying world record swims and all of the above has happened under your watch.

It has been a terrific time to be a member of the USMS; have we ever seen such a stellar year?

It’s now September and soon you have to walk into the Lion’s den and make a recommendation to FINA Masters Swimming regarding the acceptance or the rejection of tech-suits.

From those bloggers and coaches I have talked with, the general consensus is that half of the masters swimmers are pro tech-suits, and the other misguided, ill informed, and cranky half are purists. (I had to put that joke in to let you know where I stand.)

My recommendation is that you ignore all the emotional arguments from both sides and some how produce a recommendation that will augment all that has been accomplished in 2009. That you produce a recommendation that acknowledges both the needs-and-wants of the purist and still satisfy the pro-technology swimmers and thereby keep our sport growing.

There are many variations for compromise – They could include SCY meets, mixed relays and other swims FINA refuses to acknowledge but I must stress, what really matters is that the USMS remain fun and exciting and whatever recommendation the USMS renders, it will be the membership numbers that determined whether the USMS rendered a good decision or a bad one.

In closing, I think it is time for a selective membership survey. A survey that interviews those USMS members that compete and asked thorough questions so as to get a grasp of the consequences of denying tech-suits or full acceptance. The consequences of guessing could have a devastating effect on our membership rolls.

For instance, some sample questions could be: "Would you as a competitor continue to swim in USMS swim meets if tech-suits were allowed? "Would you as a competitor avoid USMS swim meets all together if tech-suits were allowed?

These sort of questions need to be asked.

I forgot to mention...

At the Southwest Masters meet at Pierce college I was beaten by a guy in the 70-74 age group by nearly 2 seconds. He swam a 58 in the lane next to me and I swam a 1:00.33. I didn't feel bad about it because his name was Jeff Farrell, a fellow who won two gold medals at the 1960 Rome Olympics in the 4 x 100 medley relay and the 4 x 200 free relay. (How he got onto the Olympic team after having his appendix removed two weeks before trials is an even more amazing story.)

When Jeff was in the 60-64 age group he swam an American record of 23.28 and was named swimmer of the year in 1997. There is a bio over at the USMS website where you can read all about his great accomplishments. [Link]