Another year of high school swimming has ended, and the state meet was very fast and very exciting. We saw three records fall, two in the morning, one at night, and countless others close calls with records that may be broken in the next few years. In the days to come, we will learn of the official all-state selections, as well as the swimmers of the year. Nicole Vernon is the obvious choice for the girls, but the boys decision is not as easy. Based purely on the NISCA power points, Tanner Kurz should be the Swimmer of the Year, but he only won one event, while Clifton Gordon won both of his events, including a win over Tanner. Looking at the tables, it seems to me like the breaststroke power points are a little "higher" than some of the other events, and the 500 seems a little lower. Now, it is hard to judge, and is based a lot on perception, but I agree with one of the comments on the last post that it is tough to determine the all-state swimmers based only on two races at the state meet. I think if they were to use the power points as a "guide" but still took into account some sort of vote by the coaches that it would lead to a better choice of swimmers. Also, I still think they should take into account somehow the swimmers in the Consolation Finals. They can score points for the team, so why not for themselves in the all-state race? Even if they were counted at something like 3/4 value, it would still give them an opportunity to earn some more points, and give the advantage on who makes those last few spots on second team to whoever scores the most points in their second event.
On another note, I wanted to throw in a comment regarding the new controversy over the latest "technical" racing suits. The two most advanced suits these days are the LZR Racer by Speedo and the Nero by blueseventy. The LZR has been shown to set many records at the Olympics and throughout other top level competitions, and costs $290 for the jammer, $350 for the legskin, and $550 for the full body at speedousa.com (women's suits range from $425-$550). The blueseventy suits look like they cost something like $395 for the full suit. For those swimmers and teams who can afford to buy these suits, they certainly are given an edge over those who cannot. Blueseventy is a wetsuit company, meaning their suits are going to be more buoyant (one rumor I have heard is that it takes 50 lbs. to submerge one of those suits), giving wearers extra buoyancy and the ability to float on top of the water. There has been talk of disallowing them by FINA, but for the time being they are perfectly legal. From what I have read though, by next year, some tighter restrictions may be in place, and swimmers may lose the advantage of the latest technologies.
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Jeff, thanks for the blog. It has been great! Much better coverage than the News Journal.
ReplyDeleteThe News Journal? Is that a local paper. I bet tomorrow we can read about Deldonne or DSU vs UD. Swimming is not high on their list of reportinng, unless of course you are caught smoking pot. They like to report on what you should not do, not on your accomplishments.
ReplyDeleteWe all know who the "best" athletes are. Go swimmers!!!!!!
Jeff
ReplyDeleteEach event has equal points. No event has more or less. Your time determines your points. The faster you are the more point you will receive up to "200". The slower you are the reverse to "0".
Fist times will have High School All American written on them...this will be a good stating point to view what High School Fast really is...
You hit the nail on the head regarding technology suits. Thanks
Let me clarify what I was saying about the "more vs. less"... I'm talking about the times relative to each other at the level of competition in Delaware. It is so hard to compare the events, almost like comparing, and excuse the cliche, apples to oranges. It's more of the fact that it seems as though 128 points for breaststroke may not be equal to 128 points for, say a 500 (just as an example). However, this is more based on perception, but I think there should be other factors than just the power points. I see the point in using them - it means that someone won't get swimmer of the year who wins two events that happened to be slower than normal, but there also should be some other factor taken into account, such as finish order, or something like that to try to make the selections a little less "by the books." The power points are a good start I think, but there should still be a human element in the selection process.
ReplyDeleteJeff, I agree with you. Using the power point system only to choose SOY is flawed at best. It's kind of like the BCS poll in college football. Theoretically, a swimmer could swim two "high" power point events, such as 200 IM and 100 breast, finish 2nd in one and 3rd in the other and still have more power points than any other swimmer in the State Meet. Although all events allow 200 points to be earned, the breast and the IM reward more points for "average" times. To earn 120 points the time for the IM is 1:58.83, 100 breast is 1:01.29, 100 fly is 53.54, 50 free is 22.20. Relatively much more difficult times to achieve in the free and fly than in the IM and breast.
ReplyDeleteI agree about the power points system - it is very flawed. If you were to a achieve a junior national time in the 50 free (20.89) or in the 100 fly (50.29) you would get 145 power points. If you got a junior national time in the 500 free (4:33.69) you would only get 141 power points. I think they need to revise these power points if they are going to continue to use them so points awarded are in line with standards set by USA swimming.
ReplyDeleteIt would be nice if your place at States came into play when selecting the all state team. Could they add the points you earned at States to the power points and select based on that? I agree that those special suits should be banned from a meet such as this - all swimmers should start on a relatively level playing field and those suits have been proven to lower times significantly and it creates an unfair advantage to those individuals or teams who can afford to wear them.
Finally, a smart bog about Delaware High School swimming!
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed this dialogue immensely. Hope you will do a repeat next year. Even though I will no longer have a swimmer competing at the high school level, it's nice to keep informed about the kids I've been watching for years and years.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Jeff on the idea that we need a new way of determining All-State. For example look at what there is for the tentative all-state teams. First team includes 6 50 and 100 Freestylers. C'mon you can't say that the best 14 swimmers in the state are purely freestyler sprinters. All-state should reflect some sort of variety and show the best 14 overall swimmers in a variety of events not just a couple. So what if that event is "slow this year". There is only one person in first team that swam the 200 IM and two from the 500 but they also had great 200s. All state should be a reflection against the rest of the state not solely against time. In order to incorporate place into the consideration something such as take your power points that you earned for an event and divide it by your place, and do that for both of them and add them together and the highest wins. This would resolve the idea of not getting two first places and still getting swimmer-of-the-year. Also this would give minimal value to those swims that were in the consoles if they were to be included. I think that this is much the same problem like the BCS is having like someone already said. I just think that the state should talk about it and find a new solution to this because it seems to have become a major point of discussion.
ReplyDeleteJust so you know the Nero is going to be banned after World Champs this summer in mid-June so that resolves that problem. I have also heard discussions about the LZR being banned from meets that aren't on a national level and even at some national meets due to the fact that not everyone on a local level can play a technology game because of the pecuniary factor.
ReplyDeletePlus, having just the legs or the jammer of a suit does really nothing except compression of the legs which is beneficial, but without the full body there is really very little advantage gained by these new technologies.
Finally, just so you know blueseventy has put out legs of the Nero. If you are interested you can find them at D&J Sports or All-American Aquatics, but like I said they are going to be banned this July.
Regarding the comments on Technical Suits, I just want to say that we are americans who live in a free democracy where there are those who have more than others. As long as we remain a free democracy we will all do what is within our means to help our kids succeed. Some more than others. That is just life. I can not afford to send my child to all the great swim camps around the country, but I dont tell my child that those kids that do go have an unfair advantage because they are rich. We do the best we can with what we are given. Here are a few links on this very conversation about the LZR racer:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.topix.com/forum/source/the-morning-call/TSLFUN75F02L2CIOA#comments
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/08/AR2008110802254_pf.html
There is so much bad info here on the suits. Nothing has been banned yet. FINA meets this month to make up new rules
ReplyDeleteI am surprised that no one has discussed the issue of team schedules -- wouldn't have been great to see AI boys swim against Sallies this year? Why doesn't Ai swim Sallies ? They never do! What about AI vs Archmere? Does anyone believe that Archmere had an tougher schedule than Charter or Brandywine? Yet from their win/loss stats, you might think so. Who did they swim against -- Tower Hill, Friends? No offense to those guys. How can SAllies swim AI next year? Mr Hannig, Mrs Drysdale, come on and take the challenge!
ReplyDeleteFirst off, the Nero has already been banned after World Champs this summer.
ReplyDeleteNext having to do with schedules. Archmere is going to have a much tougher schedule next year. It is hard to make schedules sometimes because you don't know how good your team is going to be. Take for example Archmere, they lose a majority of their states team so it is almost pointless to step up the schedule except to set up more races. The best teams should go against the other best teams and the teams that may not be so large or as good should go agianst others like them so that each is challenged and I think that would make the meets more lively.
Finally, what is the purpose of being undefeated? So what if you have a loss outside your conference? What effect is that going to have? I mean come on AI needs to take on sallies. So what you get a loss but it will only make you faster, plus every other team in the state takes them on AI should too.