The award for the most ridiculous, self-absorbed, overzealous all sports entertainment network in the world goes to...
ESPN, for the 10th year running.
They have once again proven that outside the 4 major sports, Tiger Woods, and the Williams sisters, you're really not much of an athlete. Unless you count token consideration of Cael Sanderson and -ahem- Sarah Hughes (don't even get me started on figure skating).
No offense to college athlete of the year Sue Bird (UConn BB) but a certain swimmer from Cal who set at least 6 AR and 1 WR over the short course season would have had my vote.
Anyone else? Natalie Coughlin, female college athlete of the year as awarded by the USMS discussion crew?
-RM
Parents
Former Member
Several more ideas:
Idea one:
Once a year, towards the end of the college competitive swim season, we send out a mass mailing to EVERY college swim coach in the country (all NCAA divisions, NAIA, etc). The mailing would contain copies of an invitation for graduating seniors to join USMS (maybe at a sharply discounted rate for the first year or for the first few years ???) and outlining the benefits of being in USMS. It also would contain a list of masters teams/facilities that they could join.
In the cover letter to the coach, we explain that due to the serious problems with declining numbers of programs, etc, that we are trying a grassroots approach to keeping people in the sport (read: alums with money to donate to their favorite college swim team program) and also to be the swimming parents in the bleachers for the next generation.
Idea two:
A mass mailing to every YMCA/YWCA/YMHA/etc with a flyer and membership apps for USMS. There are many people who swim at the local YMCA who don't even know about USMS. Most Y's have a bulletin board where they will put up things like this if asked nicely. Again, the same spiel in the cover letter about the grassroots approach/benefits/etc applies.
Idea three:
Put together a "How to Start a Master's Swim Team/Program" brochure and mail it to all the aquatic directors at all the Y's. (Maybe this brochure already exists???)
Idea four:
If possible, buy the membership mailing list of the US Triathlon Federation (or whatever they go by) and mass mail them similar to idea two, above. The pitch here is improved times through organized practices/competitions. Most of the run-of-the-mill triathletes I know are, at best, mediocre swimmers.
Finally:
Commit to do this for, say, three years (one year is too short a period), and assess and track the impact in terms of # of people/clubs/programs gained every year. This will allow you to decide if it is worth continuing.
OK, kill me.
Several more ideas:
Idea one:
Once a year, towards the end of the college competitive swim season, we send out a mass mailing to EVERY college swim coach in the country (all NCAA divisions, NAIA, etc). The mailing would contain copies of an invitation for graduating seniors to join USMS (maybe at a sharply discounted rate for the first year or for the first few years ???) and outlining the benefits of being in USMS. It also would contain a list of masters teams/facilities that they could join.
In the cover letter to the coach, we explain that due to the serious problems with declining numbers of programs, etc, that we are trying a grassroots approach to keeping people in the sport (read: alums with money to donate to their favorite college swim team program) and also to be the swimming parents in the bleachers for the next generation.
Idea two:
A mass mailing to every YMCA/YWCA/YMHA/etc with a flyer and membership apps for USMS. There are many people who swim at the local YMCA who don't even know about USMS. Most Y's have a bulletin board where they will put up things like this if asked nicely. Again, the same spiel in the cover letter about the grassroots approach/benefits/etc applies.
Idea three:
Put together a "How to Start a Master's Swim Team/Program" brochure and mail it to all the aquatic directors at all the Y's. (Maybe this brochure already exists???)
Idea four:
If possible, buy the membership mailing list of the US Triathlon Federation (or whatever they go by) and mass mail them similar to idea two, above. The pitch here is improved times through organized practices/competitions. Most of the run-of-the-mill triathletes I know are, at best, mediocre swimmers.
Finally:
Commit to do this for, say, three years (one year is too short a period), and assess and track the impact in terms of # of people/clubs/programs gained every year. This will allow you to decide if it is worth continuing.
OK, kill me.
