SWIM-MASTER VOL I-No 6 THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE AAU MASTERS SWIMMING COMMITTEE DECEMBER 1972 ics ; have attended many National AAU conven­ tions; have attended National Championships EDITORIAL as a competitor and official; etc. It was time to experiment with all of these new ~ Back in 1970 I received an entry blank to a training techniques that I had listened to National Masters Swimming meet. I did not and observed over the past fifteen years . enter but 50 swimners 25-years- of- age or older did. And so a new dimension was added to my work­ outs - the pace clock. I started keeping my And in 1971, again I received an entry blank repeat times in a note book. I swim all four to the 2nd Annual National Masters Swimming strokes a t different distances and found Championships. This time I also received a that I couldn't remember tl\Y times from one phone call fran John Spannuth trying to en­ day t o the next. If I did 10 x 50 fly I tice me to enter. I did not enter but 137 would average my time and write it down when swimmers did participate in the meet. I got home. This again increased my enthu­ siasm and gave me goals a nd objectives to John' s enthusiasm for the Masters Swimming work towards. Program finally rubbed off and I promised that I would try working out for one year I kept glanci ng over at the BIG 50- meter and enter the 1972 National Masters Swimming pool ne.xt to the diving well and just dared Championships. I did and so did 324 others ! myself to try it. And so one day --- I did. It had been 25 years since tl\Y last workout. I decided to start on May l, 1971. On th.at I found no difficulty swinuning over the 50 day I went to my mother's 10 yard (30 f t) meter course. By now I could cover 3000 to back yard pool located on Middle River in 3500 yards or meters at one time. A few Ft. Lauderdale just a few minutes away. I times I tried 4000 but found it a little too found it very difficult just to swim 10 much and I would really hurt the next day. lengths (100 yards) without stopping. I used my old training m.ethods - kick, swim, pull. I f ound myself feeling more refreshed; keep­ During this time I also tried the dolphin ing my weight steady; and being able to eat kick. Mother would look out the kitchen j ust a little more. During the fall of 1971 window and comment , "but June, you're not I found myself lookill,i for a meet to enter. moving" . And it was so true. I just could We finally had a meet in Miami in December not move forward on a kick board using the of 1971. My first meet in 25 years! My dolphin kick. times were much better t han I thought they wou l d be. We he l d the first AAU Masters By June, I was up to 1500- 2000 yds in the 10 Meet on Jan. l, 1972 a~ the SHOP pool in Ft . yd pool and getting very dizzy. I could also Lauderdale. It wa s loads of fun competing swim 200 yds now without stopping. I decid­ again. I especially enjoy the race when it ed to try a 25-yd course and so went to the is seeded by time no matter what the age. SHOF diving well durilli: my son's water polo Jack Kel ly, President of the AAU was on hand practice time. This was a real experience! to participate. I thought I woul d never get to the end and it was so much harder swimming 100-yds in And so during the year 1972! I swam in five t he 25-yd course. And when I tried kicking meets; two were the Nat onal AAU Masters 50-yds, I thought tl\Y legs would drop off. Championships. My husband became ill in May and I found myself trying to r un the family In the meantime, I learned that the Masters business. I am most grateful f o r this new Swinuning Program might become an AAU Program. Masters Swimming Program as it has afforded John selected me to write up the initial me a few hours a week i n which I can "get legislation for submission to the AAU Joint away from it all". Swimming Committees. This ass ignment really " whetted my appetite" and I worked very hard SWIM-MASTER! I wish to thank each and every on it and at my swimming. · one of you for subscribing and allowing me to be the edit or. I really enjoy doing it As I worked out in the 25-yd course I gradu­ and "creating" each issue. And thanks to ally started glancing at the pace clock on all of t hose that have contributed material the wall. All of the new training methods­ for without their assistance our publication repeats, interval training, etc. - came to would not be nearly so interesting. And my my mind. I have two children in competitive special thanks to John Spannuth; the master ­ swimming ; have attended many swimming clin- mind behind SWIM-MASTER ! Nerves Almost Washed Out 63-Year-Old Champ Swimmer By DONNA KNIGHT years lo praclice. The only other time I ~ad swum ~ n tompetition was at Huntington. I took first place m Mrs. Herschell Lammey, 63, almost panicked and the mile. freestyle, then, but this was a national meet. wanted to cancel her entry in a national swim meet £'d always swum just for fun and exercise and hardly earlier this month. ventured far from the Riviera Club for that." "I got real shaky. I'd never swum in a big meet Her impressive showing astounds her. •·when I and it scared me to death," she recalls. stop to think thal I didn't start taking lessons _until 1 Family and friends persuaded her to participate was 39 and then just to be able ·to do something be­ and were there, cheering, when the novice swimmer sides the 'dog paddle,' it seems unbelievable." won the women's 60-to-64-year-old high point tropl}y Early training consisted of a few private lessons at with seven individual first places and, in winning the '·Rivy," after which she went into a women's class. 200-meter backstroke, lowered the existing national ··once I got used to having my head under water, I record. found I loved it," she recalls. · The competition was the first National Masters The sport has become a year-round hobby. Winter Long Course Swimming Championships, sponsored by and summer, she bicycles over to the club. "My.doctor ·the Amateur Athletic Union of the United States, held sees me going past his house in snow and ra!n and Aug. 11 through 13 at Indiana University for the tells me. 'If all my patients would get the exerc-ise you "older class" of American swimmers. do. they'd all be better off.' When he gives me my SHE WEJ'\T ON TO ESTABLISH automatic na­ regular check-up, he says I'm in better condition than tional records in three other events previously uncon­ he is. tested among women in her age group--the 100-meter "f LOOK FORWARD ,to the opening of the indoor breaststroke. the 200-meter individual medley and the pool at 'Rivy' in the fall. I swim thr~ or four tir_nes 1,500-meter freestyle. She also won national titles in a week all winter. In the summer, I hke to have time the 100-meter backstroke, 50 and 400-meter freestyle. for golf and gardening, my other summer hobbies." "I was the first woman competitor in my age group Her•enthu siasm for swimming has rubbed off on to swim the maximum number of seven events, which friends. "I've talked several friends into joining the is customary with the younger age group swimmers." club and swimming with me. I feel so much better she proudly repoflts. She was also the first. woma!' i~ and more energetic than I did before I started swim­ her age group lo swim in breaststroke and m the md t­ ming. I didn 't have much pep, but now I go for a good vidual medlev which includes all four strokes and swim and come out feeling wonderful." begins with the difficult butterfly stroke and dolphin Fashions in swimwear don't interest her. "I don't kick. wear fancy suits. just tank suits. I'm in the water for The Masters program for swimmers more than 25 a good workout, so it doesn't matter what l look like." was started three years ago and draws contestants from novices as well as past. champions and former HER SWIMMING HAS BROUGHT her many professionals. friends from among youngsters at the club. "There does n·1 SN'fll to he 111u1·h age ronsriou:mess among . ~ "I REALLY HAD THE JITTERS." she admits. "l swimmers. I guess it's because we're all enjoying the kept wishing 1 \\ t're 65 so I'd have had a couple more same fun. The kids yell at me and wave when they see me on the street. I don't know their names but I wave back. They recognize me from seeing me at the pool, I guess." One of her closest swimming friendships is with MARCELLA LA MMEY , Ann Champ, whose experience in swim competitions 1'3.