I have written this idea to Swimming World and USA Swimmer and now I want to share it with my Forum Friends to see if I can garner any support. I just read the report in the ASCA magazine on how the implementation of Title IX has hurt men's swimming. As a supporter of womens sports I think Title IX has done much more good than harm. As a fan of college swimming I think the NCAA has done more harm than good. I was searching for a solution that would get swimming out of being at the mercy of the NCAA.The solution seems to be to start a scholarship fund for swimmers to be administered by USA Swimming. Criteria would be set up,both athletic and academic,for deserving swimmers to earn college scholarships to the college of their choice. The swimmer would be free to swim for the college if they had a team if desired or for the appropriate club if they don't. If they earn a swimming scholarship from the college the extra funds could be recycled back into the program.In the interest of fairness the scholarships would go to an equal number of men and women. This program would not be a way to get around Title IX but to get around the NCAA. Yes,it would take a massive fund raising effort,but I think most swimmers,parents,Masters,and corporate sponsors would be interested in donating(I would.) It would give swimming great publicity and would be a great recruiting tool. What do Y'all think?
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I actually do not know much about title ix other than the basics--trying to keep # of teams equal by gender and such...and obviously as with anything money...
but I know some high school teams in my area had to really fight to keep their mens swimming, because a lot of schools (esp. schools with football) that went on to instate mens' lacrosse were becoming too unbalanced. I can almost see the rationale behind cutting a men's high school swim team, especially in a state like NY where the mens and women's seasons are seperate...the schools paying either a different team of coaches (than the girls team) or the same coach a 2 salary. The team is using the pool (-$), traveling (-$), etc....
However, in college it almost seems pointless to cut one of the swim teams, ESPECIALLY if they are using the same coach for both teams. Because I mean what I know of most teams you have the same coach (1 salary), the same pool times (not using more time where school can be creating outside revenue on open swims or whateveR--and cleaning/maintanence issues), travel together (1 bus) ect... so by cutting the men's team say, how much money overall do you really save? While if you cut say the men's soccer team, you would clearly save a lot more money...
but, thats fisheye view of swimming I suppose...we're expendable.
I actually do not know much about title ix other than the basics--trying to keep # of teams equal by gender and such...and obviously as with anything money...
but I know some high school teams in my area had to really fight to keep their mens swimming, because a lot of schools (esp. schools with football) that went on to instate mens' lacrosse were becoming too unbalanced. I can almost see the rationale behind cutting a men's high school swim team, especially in a state like NY where the mens and women's seasons are seperate...the schools paying either a different team of coaches (than the girls team) or the same coach a 2 salary. The team is using the pool (-$), traveling (-$), etc....
However, in college it almost seems pointless to cut one of the swim teams, ESPECIALLY if they are using the same coach for both teams. Because I mean what I know of most teams you have the same coach (1 salary), the same pool times (not using more time where school can be creating outside revenue on open swims or whateveR--and cleaning/maintanence issues), travel together (1 bus) ect... so by cutting the men's team say, how much money overall do you really save? While if you cut say the men's soccer team, you would clearly save a lot more money...
but, thats fisheye view of swimming I suppose...we're expendable.
