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 was answering Poolrat, because he was talking about High School.
Sigh another Big 10 school cutting swimming?
It would be impractical to try and rent space, because we are a smaller town, and the closest pools are in Champaign. Because pool space is at a premium, these pools are all booked up from 6am-10pm, so having outside towns try to come rent would not work. The U of I(when their main pool is open, been renovating for 2 years), does not rent to anyone, their mantra is that the pools belong to the students, and no outside sources can rent, although they will give non-premium hours(read 5am) to swim teams for 60.00 per hour.
I think most parents would be unhappy with the thought of their child driving into C-U everyday, twice a day for practice, and the cost of busses for this would be too much. There is no mass transit, only corn fields and wide open spaces.
I was answering Poolrat, because he was talking about High School.
Sigh another Big 10 school cutting swimming?
It would be impractical to try and rent space, because we are a smaller town, and the closest pools are in Champaign. Because pool space is at a premium, these pools are all booked up from 6am-10pm, so having outside towns try to come rent would not work. The U of I(when their main pool is open, been renovating for 2 years), does not rent to anyone, their mantra is that the pools belong to the students, and no outside sources can rent, although they will give non-premium hours(read 5am) to swim teams for 60.00 per hour.
I think most parents would be unhappy with the thought of their child driving into C-U everyday, twice a day for practice, and the cost of busses for this would be too much. There is no mass transit, only corn fields and wide open spaces.
