We have been recently kicking around the idea of doing a "Dash for Cash" type of meet and wanted to know a few things first..
- Is doing this type of meet legal by USMS rules, or is there certain criteria that have to be satisfied (out of the oridnary sanctioning stuff) to keep everything "above board"?
- Has anyone done this before, and if so, what pitfalls / benefits are there for this type of a meet?
- If this has been done before, how was the turnout and what did you think made a great difference in how the meet went overall?
Any constructive feedback on this would be appreciated..
Thanks In Advance!
Rob Nasser
I haven't heard of a Masters Meet giving away a special prize to event winners before (monetary or otherwise). I've heard of meets where there have been raffles or random giveaways...other meets where a heat winner was given a little extra something like a small prize or a gift certificate from a sponsor.
Though never tried, I think that such a "Splash and Dash" is legal with respect to USMS rules. There is a rule (202.1.1D) that says that you can't run a sanctioned meet solely for commercial, "for profit", or pure promotional value. I don't think that applies to what you describe.
That's not to say that there are other hidden issues or other potential show-stoppers outside of USMS rules. For example, it is a general principle that if you give out "awards" they should be of equal value to all age groups. (That is a codified requirement for USMS pool and long distance national championships). I wouldn't know if your local LMSC has a specific policy in this area, whether the host venue would allow it, how your non-profit status might be affected, whether you have to report prizes to the IRS, etc...
I haven't heard of a Masters Meet giving away a special prize to event winners before (monetary or otherwise). I've heard of meets where there have been raffles or random giveaways...other meets where a heat winner was given a little extra something like a small prize or a gift certificate from a sponsor.
Though never tried, I think that such a "Splash and Dash" is legal with respect to USMS rules. There is a rule (202.1.1D) that says that you can't run a sanctioned meet solely for commercial, "for profit", or pure promotional value. I don't think that applies to what you describe.
That's not to say that there are other hidden issues or other potential show-stoppers outside of USMS rules. For example, it is a general principle that if you give out "awards" they should be of equal value to all age groups. (That is a codified requirement for USMS pool and long distance national championships). I wouldn't know if your local LMSC has a specific policy in this area, whether the host venue would allow it, how your non-profit status might be affected, whether you have to report prizes to the IRS, etc...
