A brief introduction to our organization and how to join us

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Committee Members |  Past Committee Chairpersons

Notes from Committee Chairpersons

     Getting back into the world of competitive swimming has been a fantastic experience for me. To become acquainted with swimming heroes of my younger years and even compete with them has been so special. The Utah Masters Swimming Program opened the door for me and others to gain friends from all over the country that could not have happened without the generosity of those swimming coaches at the various high schools. Also, the effort of the participating swimmers who donated their time and efforts to make it a success through the years should have special thanks. Getting the program started was easy, but the real efforts have been made by the succeeding chairman and their committees, which make the program a continuing success.

     My tenure as chairman began when Glenn Mortensen, M.D. realized that his marriage, five children, medical practice, church duties, and on top of it all trying to run IMSA as chairman for four years was too much. He was only one guy after all. He brought several overflowing boxes of Masters documents to the June 1986 meet, put them into my car and said "Good luck, Jim." Thereafter, I called him or John Legler, Ph.D., world-renowned herpetologist and IMSA chairman for the six years prior to Glenn, and asked for the advice. Then, I did what I wanted.

     It was not democratic, but really all I wanted was to continue a fine tradition of competitive swimming that embraced personal achievement, good sportsmanship and wholesome fellowship. I have never been prouder of anything I have ever done or seen in swimming than I was of the communion of spirit we experienced at out meets. We had the best high school and university swims coaches who volunteered their time for our cause, and dedicated swimmers of all ages and abilities. It was a transitional period, because our membership gradually increased year after year, from John's first year (1982) as chairman when it was under 100 to my last year when it was about 150. The age groups were fairly even in numbers, but I suspected that would change, as former high school and college swimmers would find out how much they missed the greatest sport in the world.

     The growth of IMSA led to the near extinction of one of our 1980's traditions: the impromptu pizza party after the meet. We were just getting too big, and some had to travel too far, like our Tooele and Pocatella (sic: That's how Idahoans say Pocatello) people. The Pocatella were special favorites of mine; they drove to every meet as their Idaho State president would not permit meets in their home pool. They were like shunned celebrants making their monthly pilgrimage.

     We must have seemed pretty pathetic at times. A Masters friend of mine training for Masters and triathlons would tell his then girlfriend: "I'm going swimming" or whatever. She used to say; "Didn't you get enough of that when you were a kid?"

     Well, we never did and we never will!

     When I agreed to chair Utah Masters, I had only been swimming a little over a year and was perhaps naive about the people and the process. The year was a learning experience for me and I think for our LMSC also. It was a year marked by death, disfigurement, and disaster with some swimming meets mixed in.

     Our first meet of the season was a short course meters meet at Steiner. Although there were several very good swims including two All America relays, attendance was not very good and there was some confusion about timers. The first problem seemed to be that very few of our local masters, even the best swimmers, want to swim any distance other than short course yards. The second problem was a communication failure which I hoped to rectify by the next meet.

     For fun, our vice chair, Will Reeves, organized a relay meet against high school swimmers. The event was a huge success, at least from the masters' point of view, as we trounced the kids. Unfortunately, during one of the relays my ulnar collateral ligament was snapped in two.

     In February our registrar, Wyllis Dorman died leaving a void in Utah Masters Swimming that can't be filled. As the "mother" of QUAC she had an impact on Utah swimming and the Salt Lake community that is a permanent reminder of her liberal spirit. Our meets were continuing but attendance was still low and there were still problems with timers. Promises were never kept but we always managed to dragoon spectators into taking up watches so the meets could go on. The one exception was the QUAC ski and swim meet. Utah attendance was low but out of towners were here in large numbers and timers were available.

     One of our promising younger swimmers had a calamitous car accident and spent the next many months flat on her back in the hospital. Thankfully, she would recover but this was a sobering blow to many.

     At our regional championships, the power failed on the first day of the meet and forced the postponement of many of the day's events. While they were put off until the next day, I was beginning to think that my life was under some black cloud.

     As Utah Masters geared up for nationals two more calamities occurred. I had surgery on my thumb to repair the broken ligament and was out of the water for seven weeks and Robynn Masters had her infamous run in with the yucca plant. Robynn recovered in time to swim at nationals but I developed medial epicondylitis from compensating for my injury and overworking.

     After nationals, I told Will Reeves that he could step up to the chair's position as soon as the long course season was over. Long course meets have never been very popular in Utah (once again that scm mentality) and the two meets held in Utah that summer were no exception. I had no regrets leaving the chair position and wish all subsequent chairs well in their endeavors.

     Priscilla