[PacMasterUpdate] Pacific Masters Update October 17, 2005

[pacmasterupdate at PacificMasters.org]

PACIFIC MASTERS SHORT COURSE METERS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Pacific Masters Short Course Meters Championships are being held on 
November 4 - 6, 2005 at Heather Farms Park in Walnut Creek. At this 
meet you can see if you qualify for the World Champs at Stanford in 
August 2006. FINA times for 50s and 100s are easier to meet than USMS 
Nationals. You may be surprised! It's not too early either - mail-in 
registration for World Champs is available now, and online 
registration will be available on January 1, 2006. Worlds qualifying 
times can be viewed at

	http://www.2006finamasters.org/documents/Standard_Entry_TimesSF.pdf.

Convert your short course meters times to long course meters times at

	http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/results/conversions.asp.

For example, the Men's 35-39 100 Freestyle qualifying time for Worlds 
of 1:06 LCM equates to 1:04.09 in SCM. The women's 75-79 100 
Freestyle qualifying time for Worlds of 2:12 LCM equates to 2:09.62 
SCM. Entries for the Walnut Creek Masters/Pacific Masters Short 
Course Meters Championships must be received by FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21 - 
no late entries will be accepted. Enter now to get your marks!
	http://www.pacificmasters.org/comp/schd.html

Remember, this meet is the first meet where the distance events will 
be held on the last day.

PACIFIC MASTERS SWIMMING MONTHLY MEETING
The October Pacific Masters Swimming Monthly meeting will be held at 
Heather Farms, Walnut Creek, California, Wednesday, October 19, 2005 
at 7:30. All clubs are asked to send a representative. All members 
are invited to attend.

TUOLOMNE COUNTY SHORT COURSE MEET CANCELLED
The Tuolomne County Short Course Meet on October 29th has been 
cancelled. All meet entry fees will be refunded.

COACH NEEDED
Bay Masters (BAY) is in need of an Assistant Masters Coach to run the 
evening practices at the newly opened  UCSF Bakar Fitness Center (at 
Mission Bay). The facility has an outdoor 6 lane x 25 yard pool on 
the roof overlooking the bay.  Interested candidates  should contact 
 Annette Wheeler, Aquatics Manager at: 
    http://awheeler@cls.ucsf.edu  or  phone:  (415) 502-4446.


YOUR ANSWERS ARE HELPFUL TO PACIFIC MASTERS SCHEDULING
Toulomne County Aquatic Masters (TCAM) regretfully decided to cancel 
their pool meet scheduled for Saturday, October 29, 2005. Pacific 
Masters would like feedback from you to assist in future meet 
planning.

1. How far would you travel to a meet?
2. Would you rather attend a one-day meet on Saturday or Sunday?
3. Do you prefer to attend multiple day meets (3-day championship 
meets) or one-day meets?
4. Are there certain times during the year you prefer to attend a 
meet (for example, you only go to meets during summer months)
5. Any other comments on the timing or location of Pacific Masters pool meets?

Please send any responses to MAILTO:barryfasbender at comcast.net

Opportunity Knocks
- Swim for Malaria!
Pacific Masters Swimming encourages you to support the World Swim for 
Malaria, a global grassroots swimming initiative partnering with 
PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Speedo, and Microsoft that can be swum on or 
before December 3rd. The goal is to have a million people participate 
in this event. 100% of all monies raised will go toward the purchase 
and installation of mosquito netting - the single most effective way 
of preventing malaria.

Though we don't experience malaria first hand here in the US, at 
least a million people die from malaria each year. Some put the 
estimates as high as 2.7 million. 70% of the deaths are of children 
under 5. You can find all the information you need at 
http://www.worldswimformalaria including sponsorship forms, how to 
collect and submit donations, the background and goals of this event, 
and the pledges of participation of individuals, groups, Masters 
teams, and corporate organizations around the world.

You can swim this event at Stanford Swimming pool this event on 
December 3rd or you can organize this event at your own pool. Pacific 
Masters encourages you and your friends and teammates to join in this 
effort to make a real difference in the world.


Have a good week

michael

---

October 1985 - October 2005

It is hard for me to believe that it was 20 years ago that I started 
swimming with a Masters team. I had been running and my knees were 
starting to bother me. Phil Skarshaug, who was a customer of mine, 
told me about Masters Swimming. You did not have to be an elite 
swimmer, just someone wanting to participate in fun, fitness and 
competition.  I was certainly not an elite swimmer, I could not even 
do a flip turn.

He said there was a Masters team in San Francisco. I looked it up - 
San Francisco Park and Red swam at the Sava Swimming Pool. Like most 
swimmers, I had no idea what  Masters Swimming was. I just wanted a 
place to swim. It was fun. The people in my lane who were not the 
fast, elite swimmers, the elite swimmers were six lanes over.

I did not get involved in Pacific Masters Swimming until Gail Roper 
needed someone from USF Masters to represent the team at the 
Committee meeting. I think I was there to protest something about 
dual meets not being able to be sanctioned.

I have been on the Pacific Masters Board for about twelve years. 
There was always some job that needs to be done and it normally does 
not take a who lot of time.

I would hope that you will consider coming to the Pacific Masters 
Swimming meeting. You can voice your opinion, maybe you will be the 
team representative. There are a couple of committee chairs that need 
to be done. Plus you meet a group of really great people. I hope you 
will come out. It is very rewarding.
-- 
michael
Michael W. Moore