At the convention I kept hearing...
"Swimming is the number one choice of exercise in adults" and
"Ask anyone and they'll be able to tell you gow beneficial swimming is" and similar phrases...
Well, I can't dipute the facty that swimming is good for you, one of the best forms of exercise there is.
Now, having said that, I can't help it notice that even in this 'day and age' where so many people are close to obsessed with fitness and exercise - especially in California - the USMS membership of some 40,000 is only 0.15% of the population of the US.
This leads me to think that we (the USMS) has missed the boat somewhere!!!
Coming back from my fiorst convention, I see that thewre is a lot of focus on competetive swimming, and most of the delegates and BOD nad EC are either current or former competetive swimmers, and naturally the focus would be on competing.
That alone is wonderful... BUT...
It is my understanding that close to 80% of the USMS membership consists of fitness swimmers.
Also, I hear that :
- in the last 2-3 years the USMS membership has been stagnating.
- USMS does want to grow in membership.
And...
at the convention, I see 'fitness' as being an auxiliary, almost a stepchild focus to the competetive side.
Don't get me wrong, I love to compete myself, BUT...
Competetive adult swimmers are a very narrow demographic and if USMS wants to grow, they (we) need to find more attractive ways to "build-educate-service" our potential fitness swimmers.
I find it puzzling that many 'fitness swimmers' will readily enter open water swims, but when they hear of a swim meet, they don't think they're good enough for it... I've done both, and let me tewll you, swim meets are much easier, especially for a first timer, then an open water mile swim in an ocean or a lake.
I also see coaches right here in this forum that are having a hard time explaining to their fitness swimmers why (other then insurance that some clubs require) they should be members of USMS.
I think USMS is failing in it's core objectives when it comes to attracting membership, servicing them and educatiing them, which I strongly believe will mostly come from the fitness side.
Well, this is all that comes to mind at the moment. I'm hoping to eventually refine the thoughts.
Comments, thoughts anyone? I'd love to have some dialogue about this and hear what other people think.
Parents
Former Member
The USMS Fitness Committee realizes that the two main reasons a "fitness" or non-competitive swimmer will join USMS is for required insurance coverage to join group practices, and for the social benefits of swimming with a group. We have been trying to provide more than that by attempting to create activities that appeal to the non-competitor no matter where they live or where they swim.
Now I refer to the following comment on this forum.
"Yes, there is a fitness comittee too. My impression is that it's somewhat missing the mark. It needs better demographic representation of USMS fitness swimmers."
First of all, we have a great Fitness section of the USMS Website and the web is worldwide. It is designed so that a swimmer can sit at home and surf swimming information with new articles of the month, activities, and a new section starting up with ideas to make fitness swimming fun. Check out the contributors for articles. They are nationwide.
We also have three events that fitness swimmers can enter on their own, anywhere, without any threat of competition. These include the 30 Minute Swim Challenge with results published without use of age groups but recognizing team participation. Then we have the Virtual Swim Series; a chance to log lap or practice yardage and virtually swim actual waterways, nationwide. Finally, the Check-Off Challenge, prompting a swimmer to try all the pool events either in private or in a meet. Participants last year were from all over the US, with a great number from YMCA's on the East Coast.
So we are offering information and non-competitive participation for any fitness swimmer. Our efforts expand every year and we are now linking in with other committees to spread our coverage. The International Committee is now helping create Virtual Swims with hopes of worldwide participation. And there is even a new plan for a Virtual Swim to Mission Viejo in conjunction with LC Nationals!
If we are "missing the mark", then tell us what "the mark" is. Anyone with ideas to further expand our efforts to serve the fitness swimmer can contact me or any Fitness Committee member at any time.
This year we set our goal to grow the efforts we already have in place and that means getting more local workout groups to participate. You can help in that area too. You can also contribute any articles you have that could benefit the fitness swimmer. We want to hear from all of you on this posting as all of you have the fitness swimmer in mind. And please, encourage your fitness swimmers to check out the Fitness website and the activities available.
Thanks, Pam Himstreet, Chair of the Fitness Committee
The USMS Fitness Committee realizes that the two main reasons a "fitness" or non-competitive swimmer will join USMS is for required insurance coverage to join group practices, and for the social benefits of swimming with a group. We have been trying to provide more than that by attempting to create activities that appeal to the non-competitor no matter where they live or where they swim.
Now I refer to the following comment on this forum.
"Yes, there is a fitness comittee too. My impression is that it's somewhat missing the mark. It needs better demographic representation of USMS fitness swimmers."
First of all, we have a great Fitness section of the USMS Website and the web is worldwide. It is designed so that a swimmer can sit at home and surf swimming information with new articles of the month, activities, and a new section starting up with ideas to make fitness swimming fun. Check out the contributors for articles. They are nationwide.
We also have three events that fitness swimmers can enter on their own, anywhere, without any threat of competition. These include the 30 Minute Swim Challenge with results published without use of age groups but recognizing team participation. Then we have the Virtual Swim Series; a chance to log lap or practice yardage and virtually swim actual waterways, nationwide. Finally, the Check-Off Challenge, prompting a swimmer to try all the pool events either in private or in a meet. Participants last year were from all over the US, with a great number from YMCA's on the East Coast.
So we are offering information and non-competitive participation for any fitness swimmer. Our efforts expand every year and we are now linking in with other committees to spread our coverage. The International Committee is now helping create Virtual Swims with hopes of worldwide participation. And there is even a new plan for a Virtual Swim to Mission Viejo in conjunction with LC Nationals!
If we are "missing the mark", then tell us what "the mark" is. Anyone with ideas to further expand our efforts to serve the fitness swimmer can contact me or any Fitness Committee member at any time.
This year we set our goal to grow the efforts we already have in place and that means getting more local workout groups to participate. You can help in that area too. You can also contribute any articles you have that could benefit the fitness swimmer. We want to hear from all of you on this posting as all of you have the fitness swimmer in mind. And please, encourage your fitness swimmers to check out the Fitness website and the activities available.
Thanks, Pam Himstreet, Chair of the Fitness Committee
