"Dara Torres should be the face of United States Masters Swimming"
Brent Rutemiller, October issue Swimming World Magazine
"Of Course, Torres isn't on this trip alone. Aside from the support of Hoffman, her daughter and her coaches, Torres relies on a team. She has a nanny who tends to Tessa, a strength coach, and physical and massage therapists who work her like a piece of dough."
John Lohn, October Swimming World Magazine
With all due respect to Mr. Rutemillier & Mr. Lohn I would suggest that they spend a little more time around the people who not only compete in the meets of our sport but with the people who are the backbone as volunteers in the day to day running of it....Dara's only contribution has been making a few workouts early in her comeback, attending a couple of meets and signing autographs and collecting checks for clinics.
If you want a "face" of Masters Swimming look to Susan Von der Lippe who beat Dara as the first person over 40 to qualify for Trials....and she did it training with a masters team 3x a week...working par time, no nanny, no trainers....no PR person....that to me this is the core of what we are in my opinion.
How about Rob Copeland who somehow manages to run this entire organization, swim extremely well, post on our forum....all without a massage therapist and pilates instructor....again this is what Masters represents...to me.
Dara has done something remarkable for anyone her age... give her credit..but lets see if at some point she wants to time at one of our meets...or be on one of our committee's to help promote masters...without an appearance fee.
Parents
Former Member
Paul Smith is implying that membership in USMS is declining. Is this, in fact, true? Where are the membership numbers?
No, this is not true. Our membership has increased every year for quite a while. We hit 43,000 for the first time in 2006 and our projection for 2007 exceeds that.
What is true, however, is that our turnover rate is very high. We've averaged a "did not renew" rate of 35% for at least the last three years.
This is a big concern to all of us on the Board of Directors. As with many businesses, it's easier to keep a current customer than to find new customers.
The big question is, why do so many people leave USMS? Do you Forumites have any theories?
Anna Lea
Paul Smith is implying that membership in USMS is declining. Is this, in fact, true? Where are the membership numbers?
No, this is not true. Our membership has increased every year for quite a while. We hit 43,000 for the first time in 2006 and our projection for 2007 exceeds that.
What is true, however, is that our turnover rate is very high. We've averaged a "did not renew" rate of 35% for at least the last three years.
This is a big concern to all of us on the Board of Directors. As with many businesses, it's easier to keep a current customer than to find new customers.
The big question is, why do so many people leave USMS? Do you Forumites have any theories?
Anna Lea
