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.
Former Member
yeah filming a practice/competition/social event is what I had in mind. Well I know we have two public access channels down here. Between 'shows' is a scroll with event announcements. I admit I don't watch it either, but I do surf through it and if something was on, that I was interested in I'd pause for a bit. Our local PBS station also puts announcements on for festivals, etc. Maybe a masters club could submit something there. Or heck, maybe USMS should get PBS to produce a program about fitness and swimming. This program made possible by a grant from USMS... Yeah Yeah Yeah I know, way to expensive.
Connie, I have people talk to me all the time at the pool about swimming, but when I suggest that we get a group together they immediately start to shy away. I don't even say the word master. I think most people have it in their head that swimming is a sport they can't do because it takes a higher level of ability than they have. Even when I say we would start out very low, like 250 to 300 meters (I don't say those numbers, I say 10 lengths of the pool with rests inbetween) and build from there, as well as work on technique, they are afraid to try it. With as many people who talk to me now, Charlene (the woman who coached me until she moved) and I drew even more interest and comments when we were working together. So, word of mouth may not be enough, you've got to do something to catch eyes.
Connie, I have people talk to me all the time at the pool about swimming, but when I suggest that we get a group together they immediately start to shy away. I don't even say the word master. I think most people have it in their head that swimming is a sport they can't do because it takes a higher level of ability than they have. Even when I say we would start out very low, like 250 to 300 meters (I don't say those numbers, I say 10 lengths of the pool with rests inbetween) and build from there, as well as work on technique, they are afraid to try it. With as many people who talk to me now, Charlene (the woman who coached me until she moved) and I drew even more interest and comments when we were working together. So, word of mouth may not be enough, you've got to do something to catch eyes.
