The Afterschool Alliance (www.afterschoolnow.org), supported by the Ad Council and the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, are running a public service ad campaign that appears to ridicule Masters swimmers. According to Alliance’s website, “These PSAs use humor to communicate the importance of taking action to support afterschool programs. The campaign includes TV and radio spots, newspaper ads, billboards, web banners and more.”
One print ad has a facial portrait of a smiling, senior gentleman in a pool, obviously a happy swimmer, with swimming goggles on. Superimposed over the portrait are the following words: “There’s nothing more REFRESHING than neglecting our nation’s YOUTH.” At the bottom, the ad continues to say: “When I don’t support afterschool programs, I feel so relaxed and carefree. It’s like I’m doing nothing at all! Unless you call depriving 15 million kids something…”
You can download a copy of the ad from the following website:
www.afterschoolnow.org/print_ads.cfm
Parents
Former Member
Anyway, most people don't understand that swimming is not only for those 6 to 22 years old. That was true back in the 1970's when masters was new but not today. Second, masters or any other program doesn't take the pool away from children. In fact, except for some private county clubs or health club pools, most programs are geared more for children than adults. In Tucson, they have a good balance, on the eastside of town the rec programs in the pool are geared more for adults since the adult population uses the pool more than does children;however on the westside of town children sue the pool more so the program is geared toward children. I think the ad is a little off of reality, in fact many master swimmers are what can be termed middle aged(40 to 59 years old), the parents of many school aged children from grade school to college rather than their grandparents but even so they are of course masters that are seniors and the ad doesn't reflect reality in my opinion.
Anyway, most people don't understand that swimming is not only for those 6 to 22 years old. That was true back in the 1970's when masters was new but not today. Second, masters or any other program doesn't take the pool away from children. In fact, except for some private county clubs or health club pools, most programs are geared more for children than adults. In Tucson, they have a good balance, on the eastside of town the rec programs in the pool are geared more for adults since the adult population uses the pool more than does children;however on the westside of town children sue the pool more so the program is geared toward children. I think the ad is a little off of reality, in fact many master swimmers are what can be termed middle aged(40 to 59 years old), the parents of many school aged children from grade school to college rather than their grandparents but even so they are of course masters that are seniors and the ad doesn't reflect reality in my opinion.
