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?
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.
Hey Allen, do you have a cite to that ASCA article?
My alma mater does not have athletic scholarships per se. When it tried to cut the women's and men's swim team in 2003, there was a huge outcry and the team even auctioned itself on ebay and launched a website. The program was ultimately re-established and re-endowed through alumni donations in 2004. They were lucky. The endowment is much less than football for one season, for sure.
I have actually had my daughter ask me why there isn't much in the way of women's sports on TV. I'm hoping she can at least see her swimming heros at the World Championships, even if they are breaststrokers. I hope it's not on at 12:30 PM on a weekday like the women's NCAAs were.
With respect to JMU, for those of you with USS kids, I just read in Splash Magazine that the USOC sent a letter to JMU administrators saying: "We have seen universities across the country inappropriately use Title IX as an exuse to justify the elimination of sport programs, and far too often the programs dropped are Olympic sports." JMU has no plans to change its decision at this point.
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.
Hey Allen, do you have a cite to that ASCA article?
My alma mater does not have athletic scholarships per se. When it tried to cut the women's and men's swim team in 2003, there was a huge outcry and the team even auctioned itself on ebay and launched a website. The program was ultimately re-established and re-endowed through alumni donations in 2004. They were lucky. The endowment is much less than football for one season, for sure.
I have actually had my daughter ask me why there isn't much in the way of women's sports on TV. I'm hoping she can at least see her swimming heros at the World Championships, even if they are breaststrokers. I hope it's not on at 12:30 PM on a weekday like the women's NCAAs were.
With respect to JMU, for those of you with USS kids, I just read in Splash Magazine that the USOC sent a letter to JMU administrators saying: "We have seen universities across the country inappropriately use Title IX as an exuse to justify the elimination of sport programs, and far too often the programs dropped are Olympic sports." JMU has no plans to change its decision at this point.
