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
Originally posted by Rnovitske
Some quick thoughts for reflection:
If newbies were able to find the USMS discussion boards on our site, chances are they found the "getting started" section, too. Maybe these posts are not really looking for information, but some emotional support. This should be an underlying theme in the responses we give.
Actually, they're not likely to find the getting started section first.
You're right about them most likely looking for some emotional support as well.
I also think that the national organization could be little clearer about where 'newbies' could find most support - which is in their local areas and clubs. This part is very tough to figure out on the USMS website... I see a bit of a 2 prong attack here... people with active clubs in their areas could be quickly directed to that club or LMSC... It could be as easy as "Welcome newbie", contemplating swimming? Here's where to start, type your city in the search section and let's see what local clubs are available in your area.... and here are a few tips: (tips on what a good club usually provides and a note that not all clubs are equal, some are more competetive than others...)
Other portion could be for the unattached swimmers or those who don't have an active club in the area... Here are some online tools, tips, articles, workouts...
I think a lot of this is just the matter of making a lot of the existing information 'repackaged' in a nore 'newbie friendly' format - for the section that pertains to newbies.
Onthe other hand, USMS could help provide the local clubs with marketing materials and strategies focused on one, two or three most likely types of swimmer.
A digression from the subject of newbies...
One area that can be looked into is how to make the LMSC's and Zones little more active in the social aspect that may be of more interest to the fitness swimmer then a serious competitor. Possibly more tips for clubs as well.
Originally posted by Rnovitske
Some quick thoughts for reflection:
If newbies were able to find the USMS discussion boards on our site, chances are they found the "getting started" section, too. Maybe these posts are not really looking for information, but some emotional support. This should be an underlying theme in the responses we give.
Actually, they're not likely to find the getting started section first.
You're right about them most likely looking for some emotional support as well.
I also think that the national organization could be little clearer about where 'newbies' could find most support - which is in their local areas and clubs. This part is very tough to figure out on the USMS website... I see a bit of a 2 prong attack here... people with active clubs in their areas could be quickly directed to that club or LMSC... It could be as easy as "Welcome newbie", contemplating swimming? Here's where to start, type your city in the search section and let's see what local clubs are available in your area.... and here are a few tips: (tips on what a good club usually provides and a note that not all clubs are equal, some are more competetive than others...)
Other portion could be for the unattached swimmers or those who don't have an active club in the area... Here are some online tools, tips, articles, workouts...
I think a lot of this is just the matter of making a lot of the existing information 'repackaged' in a nore 'newbie friendly' format - for the section that pertains to newbies.
Onthe other hand, USMS could help provide the local clubs with marketing materials and strategies focused on one, two or three most likely types of swimmer.
A digression from the subject of newbies...
One area that can be looked into is how to make the LMSC's and Zones little more active in the social aspect that may be of more interest to the fitness swimmer then a serious competitor. Possibly more tips for clubs as well.
