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.
Originally posted by gull80
We could change the name to Let's All Go Swimming! or Jump In, the Water's Great!
LAGS? JIWG? Eh, I dunno.
As long as I could be part of the group that assembles pictures for the workouts, I'd be happy. "Over the Hill Masters and Youngin's, Gathering Aerobic Help Diagrams."
Originally posted by geochuck
Master is to gain control, to gain a skill. I prefer this explanation rather then say these are my masters, I am not good enough.
George
I scoured the dictionaries hoping to find some broader definitions and synonyms for Masters... Hoping that it would also imply 'adult' as opposed to 'kids age groups' and if you want to be little more strict literally, I didn't find a connection.
Colloquially, I suppose there is a connection. It does become more obvious once you become a member, rather than standing on the outside.
Anyway, just thinking out loud.
Originally posted by Conniekat8
I scoured the dictionaries hoping to find some broader definitions and synonyms for Masters... Hoping that it would also imply 'adult' as opposed to 'kids age groups' and if you want to be little more strict literally, I didn't find a connection.
Colloquially, I suppose there is a connection. It does become more obvious once you become a member, rather than standing on the outside.
Anyway, just thinking out loud.
Better get a better dictionary, Websters or Oxford says to master a skill. The verb master, to learn.
George
Originally posted by geochuck
Better get a better dictionary, Websters or Oxford says to master a skill. The verb master, to learn.
George
That's just my point. Word "Master" means proficiency, mastery of a skill.
It doesn't imply, hey, come on in, it's just fun-loving active adults swimming for fitness, and little bit of competition.
(was I unclear with what I meant in my earlier post?)
What I meant by coloquially was within masters swimmers, "Masters swimmer" no longer means someone masterful in swimming - which in plain english would mean someone that is really really good, which may be intimidationg to those who think they aren't.
If you want to get really technical, here:
www.m-w.com/.../dictionary
When I was young (3 years old) I felt I would love to learn to swim in other words I want to master the art of swimming. Now that I am older where better can anyone learn than in a master swimming club.
I guess we had better change the name Master Swimming to Disater Swimming. (Pun)
George
Originally posted by geochuck
When I was young (3 years old) I felt I would love to learn to swim in other words I want to master the art of swimming. Now that I am older where better can anyone learn than in a master swimming club.
I guess we had better change the name Master Swimming to Disater Swimming. (Pun)
George
I see your point - and I raise you one - okay, just kidding.
I agree with you...
I only wish more people thought of it that way rather than seeing the word 'Masters' and think they have to be good at it already, rather than seeing it as a place to learn.
Okay, I suppose my point is that there could be a branch, one of the market focused efforts could be reaching out to newbies and making it clear that you don't have to be a former age group start, or even a former age grouper to join in and start learning.
If I tell 2 people then they each of them tell 2 people and so on. The word gets around fast. When ever I see anyone swimming I try to help them and since I cannot spend all my days giving free instruction I tell them to join the masters team as they usually have lanes for begginers.
I know absolutely nothing about public access television, cost involved etc. But perhaps Masters clubs could put something there demonstrating what they actually do (beginning fitness to competition to social). If Shakey were still around bet he could give the clubs some tips on producing a short, grab your attention, quality 'show'.
If you open this site and click on The Calender you will see they are a really social team. I used to swim there. http://www.winskillotters.com/
George www.swimdownhill.com
With the state of most public access cable shows--only people who are involved with the show are watching--defeats your purpose.
People don't just tune in to see WHAT is on (unless it's early 90s NYC tv when just about anything went) but only if there is adequate advertisement that the show will be on.
A bunch of talking heads about Masters Swimming wouldn't be very interesting. You'd have to videotape an actual practice session and show what's going on (or even a meet) AND you'd have to have the skills for both shooting and editing. That might just scare away people who aren't good at swimming.
Heck--I'm not even sure WHERE the public access channel is on my cable!!!
