"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
Hmmm....I disagree with most of what Paul Smith posted. Join USMS to get discounts on swim suits? Or health insurance? Tangling USMS up with insurance, especially health insurance, is a bad idea. Car insurance is easier to deal with than health insurance. A health insurance company would want a physical before they'd agree to insure people our age.
I could be wrong here - but based on what I read here - and the Masters swimmers I know personally, paying more to get a discount on goggles just isn't a good formula.
Fewer members means fewer meets. In Central Texas there are already nearly zero Masters meets other than Zones.
Maybe there is a reason to offer a VIP membership, with a special gift package. I would not want a suit though unless it was one I liked. Suits are damned personal. Maybe a USMS swimming watch. Maybe the VIP membership gives you access to a swimming clinic series roadshow - taught by leading coaches or Olympians. The clinics could be the day before Nationals.
As for exclusive deals with big sponsors - that is worth evaluating. I have no idea how much the sponsorship is worth. But if Speedo wants all of the glory, they should pay more than the sum of Speedo, Tyr, and Nike. But if I were Speedo, I would want to know what I got in return.
I tend to think the low renewal rate reflects a lack of interest or dissatisfaction with competition. If there are no meets in the area - why join? I like the magazine but I join USMS because I can't race in a USMS meet without a membership.
Hmmm....I disagree with most of what Paul Smith posted. Join USMS to get discounts on swim suits? Or health insurance? Tangling USMS up with insurance, especially health insurance, is a bad idea. Car insurance is easier to deal with than health insurance. A health insurance company would want a physical before they'd agree to insure people our age.
I could be wrong here - but based on what I read here - and the Masters swimmers I know personally, paying more to get a discount on goggles just isn't a good formula.
Fewer members means fewer meets. In Central Texas there are already nearly zero Masters meets other than Zones.
Maybe there is a reason to offer a VIP membership, with a special gift package. I would not want a suit though unless it was one I liked. Suits are damned personal. Maybe a USMS swimming watch. Maybe the VIP membership gives you access to a swimming clinic series roadshow - taught by leading coaches or Olympians. The clinics could be the day before Nationals.
As for exclusive deals with big sponsors - that is worth evaluating. I have no idea how much the sponsorship is worth. But if Speedo wants all of the glory, they should pay more than the sum of Speedo, Tyr, and Nike. But if I were Speedo, I would want to know what I got in return.
I tend to think the low renewal rate reflects a lack of interest or dissatisfaction with competition. If there are no meets in the area - why join? I like the magazine but I join USMS because I can't race in a USMS meet without a membership.
