Pacific Masters Swimming Update, Week of May 11, 2020

Pacific Masters Swimming continues to closely monitor the outbreak and our policies will follow the recommendations and guidelines of the various local public departments in which our swim meets and open water events are conducted, as well as USMS. Changes to the event calendar will be published as soon as they are received.

Ways Swimmers Stay in Touch

Services You Can Use

Swim Swam shared 7 services you can use to stay in touch with others while we're remote. Video communication include Skype, Google Hangouts, and Oovoo. Video live streaming is possible through You Tube and Vimeo.

An 8th service, not mentioned in Swim Swam's article, is group FaceTime on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch. As many as 32 people can be on a group chat at one time. It is as easy as making a phone call. Go here for details.

Maintaining Fitness Out of the Water

USMS recognizes our need to stay strong and fit, offering the COVID-19 Member Resources page where we easily find articles, workouts, benefits, community engagement and catching up on our goals. This list guarantees wonderful ways to nurture the athlete within.

Swim Outlet posts fun dryland workouts. You can find these on Instagram, go to their Swim Outlet IGTV section which allows older workouts to be re-watched!

Each of us have different physical limitations and dryland fitness levels. Dryland workouts are to help us maintain our fitness and improve our ability to transition back into the water when the time comes. Do exercises that do not cause pain. If you feel pain during a workout, stop the specific exercise. Be safe. Be well.

COACHES CORNER

Strengthening Coach Connections

Round Tables

Masters swim coaches are vital to our swim community more than we can express. With this in mind, outreach to all clubs in Pacific Swimming has begun as Chair of Clubs and Coaches, Carol Nip, makes phone call meetings with you. We want to reinvent the way we have been doing swim business, and you are a critical part of the puzzle. Coach Carol will be asking you questions like: certification levels of your coaching staff, needs for clinics, interest level to travel to other areas to attend or coach clinics, accuracy of information posted on the USMS Club Listing site, and whether you are interested in participating in Round Table Connections with coaches in your area. Feel free to contact her directly here to discuss any of these topics. You're the best!

U.S. MASTERS SWIMMING NEWS

Championship Bidding Information

Bid Instructions (.pdf) - Instructions on how to bid for open water national championships. Championships are awarded by the Long Distance Committee at the annual meeting held approximately two years prior to the championship being awarded and are due no later than 30 days prior to the annual meeting. Bidding FAQs .

Open Water Championships Bid Form - Form to be used for bidding on open water national championships. Please download Bid Instructions document for instructions on how to fill out this form.

Want to Host an ePostal?

Bid Instructions (.pdf) - Instructions on how to bid for ePostal national championships. Championships are awarded by the Long Distance Committee at the annual meeting held approximately two years prior to the championship being awarded and are due no later than 30 days prior to the annual meeting. Bidding FAQs .

ePostal Championships Bid Form - Form to be used for bidding on ePostal national championships. Please download Bid Instructions document for instructions on how to fill out this form.

U.S. Masters Swimming Long Distance National Championship Award

The Long Distance National Championship Award is presented annually to a USMS registered individual or group who has made significant contributions to the success and promotion of USMS Long Distance National Championship events. These events include five e-Postals and six Open Water events.

Since last year's open water season trumps this year's competition, let us look back, consider those who are worthy of this award, and recognize the dickens out of them. Award recipients and nomination form.

Nominations are due by July 1

Nominations for Volunteer Service Awards

USMS presents a number of awards annually to members who have excelled in various areas. The details and recipients of each type of award may be found on our Awards page. Send in your nominations today for USMS Coach of the Year, Dorothy Donnelly Service Award, June Krauser Communications Award, and many others. Nominations for all awards are due July 1 (except the Capt. Ransom J. Arthur Award, which was due on March 15).

PACIFIC MASTERS NEWS

Pacific Masters 2020 Annual Celebration

We have decided to hold an Annual Celebration this year in spite of the challenges this will involve. It will be conducted via virtual and web-based formats held over successive Sundays in November and feature exciting speakers representing diverse specialties, club challenges, valuable prizes for contest winners, and most importantly the Annual Meeting (required by law for every nonprofit organization) and Service Award winners.

We hope this will give even more of our members an opportunity to experience this event which is dedicated to our loyal members and provided free of charge. If you have any comments or suggestions regarding this event, please send them to Nancy Rideout. We welcome your input!

Connect with Pacific Masters on Social Media

For more updates and another way to connect with Pacific Masters, join the Official Pacific Masters Facebook page .

With meets on hold, we're missing our swim buddies. Join our Group Forum to continue chatting with fellow swimmers. Share with all of us what you are doing for exercise, what you miss most about working out together, and whether or not swimming is in your dreams!

We would love to share your photos and comments on social media during coaches week! Please send any photos or kind words about your coaches HERE.

Pacific Masters Monthly Meeting

May 20

This will be a call-in meeting only, beginning at 7 PM. All members are encouraged to participate. For details about how to call in, please contact Chris Ottati, Administrator.

EVENTS AND CLINICS

Masters High Performance Camp - 10th Year Anniversary

Campers will be exposed to various training and competition techniques by a highly experienced staff. High Performance Camp is designed specifically for Masters Swimmers who want to improve their swimming. Campers will also participate in both pool and dryland training sessions. Campers will hear from a variety of speakers such as coaches, sports psychologists, and nutritionists, all of whom are focused on the specific demands of masters swimming.

The camp is limited to a small number of dedicated Masters swimmers who are committed to advancing their skills and performance. Significant time will be devoted to providing individual results of, and feedback on, all testing. You'll be taught and analyzed by outstanding U.S. Masters Swimming coaches and professionals in the fields of sports psychology, physiology, biomechanics, nutrition, technique, resistance and flexibility training.

Go here for more information or to register.

Open Water Swim Season

Due to the ongoing safety and health concerns in our communities, events have been cancelled and refunds are being processed for those people who have already registered. Cancellations are listed below:

May 16 Spring Lake Swim by Redwood Coast Masters. Dependent upon the park availability and the safety precautions to come, it may be rescheduled.

June 6 Lake Berryessa OW swim by Davis Masters. The club is investigating possibilities of re-scheduling the event later in September.

June 12-13 Del Valle Open Water Festival by Tri Valley Masters is cancelled. Preparation for this event will now be redirected for 2021.

Coach and Swim Clinics

We look forward to resuming our new coach and swim clinics when the coronavirus outlook has improved.

EDITOR'S NOTE

The Swimmer

A Short Film about The Power of Ritual

This short film tells the story of Walter Strohmeyer who for almost all of his 90 years has been swimming in the waters off Long Island. An honest and at times heartfelt story about the power of ritual.