WHAT'S NEW
WHAT'S NEW
WHAT'S NEW
Meet a Volunteer
Meet a Volunteer!
Barry Roth / AZLMSC Results Administrator
My name is Barry Roth, and I swim with Ford Aquatics in Tucson. I have been swimming
masters on and off since the early 1980s and consistently with Tucson Ford Aquatics since
1999.
As Top 10 Recorder for Arizona, I am responsible for providing USMS with results from
every master’s swim meet held in Arizona. At the conclusion of each meet, the Meet Director
sends me the results in a format accessible to a USMS database. I upload the results, verify
their accuracy and check the membership status of everyone who swam in the meet.
Individuals who swim in “recognized” meets such as USA Swimming meets, can also provide
me with those results for submission.
At the conclusion of each course’s season (SCY, LCM and SCM), I use the database to
create a “Top 10 Report” that includes the fastest times in every event for each swimmer who
competed in Arizona. I also include all relay times submitted. USMS compiles the reports
from every Top 10 Recorder nationwide and publishes the Top 10 times for that course/year.
Throughout the year, swimmers (or anyone for that matter) can view current rankings for
each age group, event and course. From the USMS.com homepage go to <Events>,
<Results and Rankings>, <Overall Rankings> to access the rankings for current and prior
years for each course.
To reach me contact: Barry Roth wbrothswims@gmail.com
Uncategorized
Grown-Up Swimming is Coming to Arizona
Arizona Masters! Grown-Up Swimming is coming to the Phoenix Metro Area in February 2025 because why should the kids have all the fun?
Join us on Saturday afternoons from Feb 22nd through April 5th to swim 25s, 50s, a couple of 100s (Free and IM), and some relays. You remember the glory days growing up swimming in summer league, right? You hang out with your friends, swim a 25 fly, hop out, eat some of those nachos with the gross cheese, and get ice cream at the end of the meet. Grown-Up Swimming lets you relive those days, just with more knee and back pain.
You can join an existing team, form your own, or join unattached. There are no restrictions or costs to create a team. To start a team, all you need to promise is that as a Team Captain you’ll pull together relays and coerce your friends into joining. The Grown-Up Overlords do all the administrative work. Swimmers pay a one-time fee for the season, including entry to all the meets.
We score 16 places in each event, broken out by 10-year age groups. We start with 18-29, but the other age groups are broken out by the decade: 30-39, 40-49…80-89, etc. So be sure to recruit with some age diversity in mind! The season ends with a Championship of the World of Phoenix, and a social gathering will come after each meet for proper refueling and rehydrating.
Contact Regional Grown-Up, Doug Adamavich doug@grownupswimming.com, with any questions.
Find a team, form a team, or join our mailing list! www.grownupswimming.com/phoenix
Sample Event Lineup:
- Exhibition: Multi-Gen Relay
- 200 Medley Relay
- 25 Free
- 25 Back
- 25 Breast
- 25 Fly
- 100 Free
- 100 IM
- 100 Fun Relay
- 50 Free
- 50 Back
- 50 Breast
- 50 Fly
- 200 Free Relay
We’ll see you at the pool!
WHAT'S NEW
AZLMSC Annual Meeeting
Arizona Local Masters Swim Committee
- When: March 19, 2025
- Time: 7:30 PM
- Where: The comfort of your home (Zoom Format meeting)
Join us to plan for the future, review the past year’s accomplishments, and connect with members.
Look for additional email details arriving soon!
Mark your calendar now – YOU are AZLMSC – join your fellow competitors and board as we
Zoom into 2025.
Sincerely,
Barb Sloan
Chair, AZLMSC
COMPETITION
Swim Meets February and March!
There are are 3 swim meets coming up in February and March! Registration closes January 29 for the Polar Bear. The Distance meet and AZ State Championship are scheduled for March.
- February 2 2025 Polar Bear Classic – UofA Hillenbrand Aquatic Center, Tucson, AZ – Meet Information Flyer
- March 1-2 2025 Winter Masters Distance Invitational – Oro Valley, AZ – Registration Link
- March 15-16, 2025 Arizona SCY State Championship Meet : Registration Link
Grow Up Swimming is coming to Arizona!
COMPETITION
Goodbye to Summer
by Terri Stauffer-Schmidt
We said goodbye to summer this year at the 2024 Ron Johnson Invitational Swim Meet. It was unusually warm for late October. But it didn’t distract anyone from another amazing year of great swims and fun times.
A huge shoutout to Swim Devil’s Masters for hosting this meet and to our race director and Swim Devil – Katy James.
Teams were scattered around the three pools attempting to stay out of the sun. Swimming your event was a chance to cool off.
A HUGE Thank you to the officials for their time volunteering and keeping the events moving. Thank you also to all the ASU students who helped keep times.
Gallery
Broken Records
The following records were broken:
World records
- Kelly Harrigan 40yrs Mesa Masters:
- 100 SCM back 1:02.74
- 200 SCM back 2:13.49
- Jeff Commings 50yrs Dolphins of the Desert
- Tied 50 SCM breast 28.72
USMS Individual Records
- Jeff Commings 50 yrs Dolphins of the Desert
- 200 IM 2:11.13
- Trinity Kay 24yrs Swim Devil Masters
- 200 IM 2:16.17
- 200 back 2:15.08
- 50 back 29.07
Relay Records
- The Swim Devil Masters 18-24 woman’s 200 and 400 medley relay
- Trinity Kay 24 back
- Karli Sewell 23 breast
- Emma Treadwell 25 fly
- Kira Stanley 24 free
- 200 MR 1:59.71
- 400 MR 4:23.37
New Board Members
Katy James announced the new 2025 AZLMSC Board Members for 2025. Barbara Sloan chair, Kelly Harrigan, Vice Chair, Lisa Harris secretary and Rome Yount treasurer.
Happy Halloween from Kelly and Barb
Articles
USMS Relay 2024
by Terri Stauffer-Schmidt
Members of our AZLMSC community attended the USMS Relay 2024 event in Houston, Texas. It is held every year and is dedicated to community development and collaboration. It is attended by Coaches, LMSC participants, Officials, USMS Board and committee members, and swimmers interested in getting more involved.
Relay is about recognizing the efforts of volunteers that make USMS happen. Many who attend are unpaid volunteers who devote 1,000’s of hours supporting and promoting all the various programs USMS has to offer, including: competitive swimming, recreational swimming, college clubs, Adult Learn-to-Swim, Grown up Swimming and Lane Mate. Multiple presentations and resource sessions were held throughout the 3-day event.
Marketing sessions for Clubs and LMSC, Recruiting New Volunteers 101, and a Leadership Skills Workshop. Community via Competition discussed how pool meets, open water events, virtual national championships and informal competition during workouts or elsewhere can help develop community. Social Media for Clubs and LMSC discussed the best practices for leveraging social media. These were to name a few of the ways those attending could obtain the tools, to help grow and develop what USMS has to offer.
Coaches and officials devote their time, talents and treasures to their local LMSC’s, serving on National Committees, and promoting outreach in their local communities.
What Does Relay Mean to Me
Barb Sloan wrote. TEAM is something I have used throughout my career in an International Non-Profit organization that could not survive without volunteer support (much like USMS). The Relay weekend is all about recognizing and highlighting the volunteer contributions of ALL who participate to make USMS so successful. It was eye opening to again see just how involved USMS is in communities across the country.
Swimming in a relay refers to a team race where each swimmer completes a portion of the total distance before tagging the next teammate to continue the race. It’s TEAM work – Together Each Achieves More.
As a member of a volunteer board (AZLMSC) teamwork for me means working collaboratively withing USMS and achieving the organization’s mission and goals. It involves each member contributing their skills, expertise, and time, supporting each other, and communicating openly and effectively.
What we experienced this weekend is that teamwork is essential for making collective decisions within USMS (at all levels), addressing challenges, and achieving the members objectives. We also learned that it means respecting diverse opinions, building consensus and maintaining a sense of shared responsibility for the organization’s success up and down the ladder.
As a volunteer member of the AZLMSC board, I clearly see the importance of fostering a positive and cohesive team dynamic which is so crucial to keep everyone engaged and motivated to contribute their best efforts.
I am blessed to be a part of USMS at the National, State and local levels. I personally get back more than I ever expected, which makes me better as a Coach, Instructor, LMSC Board member and participant on a few National Committees. The friendships we forge are the “icing on the cake”.
It must also be noted that before the weekend was over there was some fun competition. Some of our members came together as a team “Mermaids of the Desert”. Their intent was to exhibit diversity and inclusion within USMS.
They did a great job. CONGRATULATIONS on 4th Place! Love the trophy.
Articles
Chair Katy’s’ tribute to Gaile Harden (1940 – 2024)
by Katy James
My friend and fellow competitor, Gaile Harden, passed away comfortably at home, October 8, 2024. For over 30 years, she competed in swim meets and senior games representing Prescott and Arizona, in eighteen states, including nationals. From 1995 to 2020, Gaile placed in the top ten national rankings 15 different times, mostly in 200 backstroke and 200 breaststroke. Gaile didn’t start swimming competitively until she was 54. She was 84 at her passing.
Gaile’s Celebration of Life service will be held, November 3, 2024 from 2:30-4:30 at The Adult Center, 1280 E Rosser St, Prescott, AZ.
She and I attended nationals together last in 2019 in Mission Viejo. We swam together on the 280+ mixed 200 medley relay. I will really miss her.
Articles
USMS Summer Nationals
Its a WRAP!
221 Teams Represented 1268 Swimmers Entered!
by Terri Stauffer-Schmidt
The Summer Nationals Swim Meet in Mission Viejo is over, but how amazing those 5 days were. The weather was more than perfect, and the officials and volunteers carried it off without a hitch. The Marguerite Aquatics Center was a beautiful location that easily accommodated the swimmers and the cheering crowds. The Arizona swimmers were amazing. They not only competed with their strength and their hearts, but they had fun enjoying the event.
Kelly Harrigan shined. This is what she had to say:
Summer Nationals are a wrap. A few months back I decided to look up records for my new age group, 40-44. After seeing the 200 back I thought “hey, that’s possible”. Immediately after, the self-doubt inner voice said “no way, you will fail”. I knew I would have to fight with this voice to succeed and after a few weeks I bought a bracelet that came with a positive quote. “There are sharks all around you, but you’re a shark too. So sharpen your bites, and strap on your fins. Jump into the water and get after those wins”.
Slowly I started to think the world record was achievable, but I was still keeping it a secret. I was afraid if I let people know but then failed, I would not only let myself down, but also my teammates, coaches, family and friends. I knew this was a stupid thought to have and everyone would support me no matter what, but my inner voice was still there.
About 6 weeks ago I pushed through my fears and quietly mentioned to my coach Laura Smith/MAC Swim coach that I thought I could break a world record. I knew Laura would be anything but quiet about it. I was flooded with support everyday at practice from coaches and teammates. That was the last little thing I needed to kill off the little voice saying I couldn’t do it.
So now I am going home with a world record, six gold medals, four top 3 all time world times, two top 10 all time world times, six individual gold medals and multiple best master times. I know I could not have done this without the support I received. I am so thankful to everyone!
Nationals is a great time to find old friends!
On the left is Al Keith, a friend I reconnected with after not seeing him in 20 years (he was swimming for a team in Virginia). In the middle is my husband, Geoff Glaser, who was serving as the coach for Dolphins of the Desert.
Jeff Commings on the right, broke a World Aquatics Masters world record and a USMS record in the men’s 50-54 breast stroke with a time of 29.23.
WHAT'S NEW
AZLMSC Board Meeting News
Hello from Katy James, Chair AZLMSC
A couple great things happened at the July 24, 2024 AZLMSC Board meeting. We selected our delegates to the Annual Meeting to be held virtually September 11-13. There’s a lot of preparation and commitment involved to be a convention delegate and we’re very pleased to announce that our delegates include Judy Gillies, Kathy Gallagher, Virginia Baker, Marnie Whitley and Rome Yount.
We also selected our delegates to Volunteer Relay 2024, October 18-20 in Houston. I can say that this event is the best and most exciting volunteer opportunity that USMS hosts. Our delegates will come back energized and full of fresh new ideas to improve our Arizona swimming experience. They are Liz Hobbs, Barb Sloan, Marnie Whitley and Samantha Martoni.
For the first time, the AZLMSC will reimburse all clubs attending 2024 Summer Nationals August 21-25 in Mission Viejo for relays that they enter and for deck shade tents rented from the facility. Relays typically cost $16 for the 4 relay members and tents (check with the host) cost about $150 each for a 10 x 10. Submit your receipts to AZRegistrar@usms.org after the completion of the meet.
See you in the pool!
WHAT'S NEW
Swimmer Recognition: Gynt Clifford
On May 23, 2024, The Recreational Centers of the Sun City West Governing Board presented Gynt Clifford with a Certificate of Accommodation in Recognition of her Master Swimming Performance at the 2024 World Masters Championship held in Doha, Qatar, February 29 through March 2, 2024. Gynt competed in five events and medaled in every event, receiving three gold and two silver medals!
Gynt is a member of SCW Masters Swimming.
