"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.
All of this assumes first and foremost that USMS wants to grow....pools are closing, some facilities are not supportive of masters swim programs (Y's, Rec centers), lanes are harder to come by, etc.
If USMS increases its membership base what des it actually gain? What do we as members get out of it?
Heck...I get more out of the coupons in the ValuPaks that come in the mail every week!
Why is it that when I renew my membership I don't get a whole host of discount coupons from our key sponsors?
Who is the "official airline" of USMS where I can get discounted rates on travel to meets? How about car rental, hotel, restaurant?
Why are Speedo, Nike & TYR sponsors? If there is value to a sponsor its in being exclusive....offer them all (and Arena) a chance to bid on becoming the exclusive swimwear sponsor of USMS and as part of that send out a 10% discount coupon for a new suit to all the members....
Why do we have Kast-a-way, Swimoutlet and Kiefer as sponsors? The three largest on line and catalog retailers of swimming gear? Have one...and charge a premium for it...and again have them provide an incentive to shop from them so the recoup their investment.
Even if I'm a Speedo guy (ha, ha) for a break in price I'd buy a TYR (or swim for them!) Heck Finis gives out a 25% discount coupon to USMS All Stars...I applaud them and supported them by using it to buy a new snorkel and pair of fins which I really didn't need now...
Here's a concept...lets have fewer members. Raise the annual membership to $200 a year and get us things like access to discounted health insurance, a membership to 24 Hour fitness and a free training suit from our swimwear sponsor.
Lets have smaller meets. Raise the entry for nationals to $150 and have cash prizes for records that are set...add in a raffle for $500 as well so the so called "elite" who would have a shot at the record had a shot at cash as well.
Last but not least....why is USMS licensing their logo to others to sell the merchandise they could and should be selling themselves at every meet? First...dress up the logo and images associated with our "brand" then create an on line store and start selling...outsource the products to be sold a regional meets as well with a percentage of the profits going to the host team, give away a new hoodie every year with registration.....on and on and on.
Paul, this is why I say that. Raising the fees like this, would lose a lot of people. The kids only pay 65.00 for USA a year. Your fitness swimmer who might go to one meet a year is not going to pay 200.00 a year for this. I don't give a hoot about USMS insurance, because I am work insured. I am not elite, so would not want my fees supporting cash prizes at meets. I do not think I am alone in this. My observation is many elite swimmers have trouble understanding us humble little fitness folks. Just telling it like I see it.
I do think the way to build it is to focus on the fitness community. Most adult swimmers do not compete, but they DO want to improve their swimming. They like organized work-outs because it adds interest to their work-out, therefore keeps them doing it. It allows them to meet and swim with like minded folks, and maybe at some point, when their life allows it, they may compete. These people will not even give USMS a glance if you start jacking up the fees. After all, they can find work-outs on the internet, meet with friends at the pool for a work-out, without paying that money. You will also totally drive out the college kids who don't swim in college. They cannot afford those prices. Therefore, you are driving away your feeding group. I know many college kids who would like to participate, but the cost is prohibiting them(the cost of swimming with an organized group, and the cost of going to meets, not the yearly cost of USMS).
I think Go the Distance is a good plan, but from the looks of the results, I don't see a lot of folks from Illinois participating. At least not compared to the number of swimmers here.
Not sure what to do about the struggle for lack of good coaching and pools at places. We are really hurting in Illinois, especially downstate, and this hurts Masters swimming.
All of this assumes first and foremost that USMS wants to grow....pools are closing, some facilities are not supportive of masters swim programs (Y's, Rec centers), lanes are harder to come by, etc.
If USMS increases its membership base what des it actually gain? What do we as members get out of it?
Heck...I get more out of the coupons in the ValuPaks that come in the mail every week!
Why is it that when I renew my membership I don't get a whole host of discount coupons from our key sponsors?
Who is the "official airline" of USMS where I can get discounted rates on travel to meets? How about car rental, hotel, restaurant?
Why are Speedo, Nike & TYR sponsors? If there is value to a sponsor its in being exclusive....offer them all (and Arena) a chance to bid on becoming the exclusive swimwear sponsor of USMS and as part of that send out a 10% discount coupon for a new suit to all the members....
Why do we have Kast-a-way, Swimoutlet and Kiefer as sponsors? The three largest on line and catalog retailers of swimming gear? Have one...and charge a premium for it...and again have them provide an incentive to shop from them so the recoup their investment.
Even if I'm a Speedo guy (ha, ha) for a break in price I'd buy a TYR (or swim for them!) Heck Finis gives out a 25% discount coupon to USMS All Stars...I applaud them and supported them by using it to buy a new snorkel and pair of fins which I really didn't need now...
Here's a concept...lets have fewer members. Raise the annual membership to $200 a year and get us things like access to discounted health insurance, a membership to 24 Hour fitness and a free training suit from our swimwear sponsor.
Lets have smaller meets. Raise the entry for nationals to $150 and have cash prizes for records that are set...add in a raffle for $500 as well so the so called "elite" who would have a shot at the record had a shot at cash as well.
Last but not least....why is USMS licensing their logo to others to sell the merchandise they could and should be selling themselves at every meet? First...dress up the logo and images associated with our "brand" then create an on line store and start selling...outsource the products to be sold a regional meets as well with a percentage of the profits going to the host team, give away a new hoodie every year with registration.....on and on and on.
Paul, this is why I say that. Raising the fees like this, would lose a lot of people. The kids only pay 65.00 for USA a year. Your fitness swimmer who might go to one meet a year is not going to pay 200.00 a year for this. I don't give a hoot about USMS insurance, because I am work insured. I am not elite, so would not want my fees supporting cash prizes at meets. I do not think I am alone in this. My observation is many elite swimmers have trouble understanding us humble little fitness folks. Just telling it like I see it.
I do think the way to build it is to focus on the fitness community. Most adult swimmers do not compete, but they DO want to improve their swimming. They like organized work-outs because it adds interest to their work-out, therefore keeps them doing it. It allows them to meet and swim with like minded folks, and maybe at some point, when their life allows it, they may compete. These people will not even give USMS a glance if you start jacking up the fees. After all, they can find work-outs on the internet, meet with friends at the pool for a work-out, without paying that money. You will also totally drive out the college kids who don't swim in college. They cannot afford those prices. Therefore, you are driving away your feeding group. I know many college kids who would like to participate, but the cost is prohibiting them(the cost of swimming with an organized group, and the cost of going to meets, not the yearly cost of USMS).
I think Go the Distance is a good plan, but from the looks of the results, I don't see a lot of folks from Illinois participating. At least not compared to the number of swimmers here.
Not sure what to do about the struggle for lack of good coaching and pools at places. We are really hurting in Illinois, especially downstate, and this hurts Masters swimming.
