"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.
I like the idea of swimming clinics/road shows, but not sure what I would link it to. It would be somewhat to very difficult, as not all roads have appropriate facilities and not all excellent swimmers (Olympians, e.g.) are excellent coaches.
The Big Shoulders OW event in Chicago has shot up in popularity, and now gets some newspaper coverage. Maybe that is one model that could be replicated in other locales.
VB
The big question is, why do so many people leave USMS? Do you Forumites have any theories?
My team requires USMS membership to participate in team workouts. People think they want to do it, have to sign up for USMS, and then disappear a few months later. I'm sure they don't renew the next year.
Paul,
Not sure if you still receive information on what is happening at the national level or not, so here are a few updates you should be aware of.
1) This summer the Board of Directors embarked on developing a strategic plan. It was presented to the House of Delegates at the annual convention 3 weeks ago.
2) One of the parts of the strategic plan is branding USMS. As you have correctly pointed out, we are not really sure who we are. Lynn Hazelwood is heading up a task force that is working on the branding.
3) All our committees are in the process of evaluating the activities that they do during the year and making sure that they align with the strategic plan. Each committee is then prioritizing the items to address the most strategic first.
4) Growth is something we are beginning to address. Online membership registration will help some. We are also trying harder to find ways to partner with groups like USA Triathlon, the YMCA, etc.
5) I am not sure where you got the impression that our committee leaders want to avoid growth to protect their own lane space. The leaders I have had the privilidge to work with do not examplify that attitude at all. In fact, they conducted a series of workshops at this years convention on ways to get more swimmers in the pool.
We have a lot of work to do, but I believe the organization is moving in the right direction. It will take longer to get there than we would like, but that is true in most things.
What we need is someone living a true life of mediocrity to represent USMS
Well, crap, since you said mediocre that rules out my first choice, the self proclaimed stud.
Define "valuable"?
Unless you have a clear reason to be a part of USMS I don't think the fact that Dara....training almost exclusively with a USS team....sends any message that would get more people to sign up....if having people sign up is even a goal?
As I stated...if USMS is not providing any tangible benefits to be a part of their organization...individuals will continue to move to their own training groups as many of our tri friends have done...coaches will continue to "self insure" and not require their members to be join USMS....and our numbers will keep dropping off.
Of great importance or service would be the definition implied here. USS uses elite swimmers (Phelps, Hansen, Crocker, etc.) to generate intrest in age group swimming when just a tiny fraction of swimmers will ever make it to their level or even have the opportunity to swim in the same pool. The same idea applies to USMS...desiring to be a part of something that "that swimmer" is part of. I'm not a marketing guru, just presenting some ideas.
Of course having people sign up is a goal. If not to increase membership and revenues, what other purpose would there be to advertise? If there are people in USMS board positions who are reluctant to push for increased membership due to their own lane crowding, then that is sad. Sad for them and sad for USMS as well. I certainly hope this is not the case.
Don't even get me started about people moving over to triathlons. :mooning:
Of great importance or service would be the definition implied here. USS uses elite swimmers (Phelps, Hansen, Crocker, etc.) to generate intrest in age group swimming when just a tiny fraction of swimmers will ever make it to their level or even have the opportunity to swim in the same pool. The same idea applies to USMS...desiring to be a part of something that "that swimmer" is part of. I'm not a marketing guru, just presenting some ideas.
Of course this can have the opposite effect in some grown ups who might feel intimidated about getting into the water or competing. Kids tend to want to "be like Mike," whereas adults look at themselves and say to themselves "Crap, my 5' 8" 190lbs butt has no way of being like Mickey Mouse let alone Mike," and thus feel to intimidated to try. That's my caveat against using an elite swimmer. I've heard this from a personal trainer who explained this phenomenom and thus didn't overdo it with the workout clothes she wore for her sessions.
No Disrespect, but only 1 person can finish first. If promoting wellness through swimming is the goal, then Dara is the wrong choice, IMHO.
If the target segment is ex College and HS swimmers that drifted away (no pun) then maybe she is the right choice.
So perhaps some FA should be the face of USMS.
I see what you are saying Stud, and it has some merit. However, the allure of our elite athletes is quite strong, even to the mature adult. Many friends of mine are into club baseball and softball while following very closely the trials and tribulations of their favorite pro player(s). They know that hitting a homer like ARod is a pipe dream, but they are out there playing the game just like so and so is.
Face of Masters Swimming? More like hid out in Masters Swimming.
Laura Val and Graham Johnston are much better faces then Dara. Heck, how many years has Graham Johnston been smashing World Records in Masters Swimming and I bet he's never had a massage....
So perhaps some FA should be the face of USMS.
I see what you are saying Stud, and it has some merit. However, the allure of our elite athletes is quite strong, even to the mature adult. Many friends of mine are into club baseball and softball while following very closely the trials and tribulations of their favorite pro player(s). They know that hitting a homer like ARod is a pipe dream, but they are out there playing the game just like so and so is.
I agree with that too, so a multi pronged approach would be better. Going after one segment of the population isn't going to reel in everyone. I would submit, that the bulk of folks who actually know who Dara is and/or give a hoot about her are already swimming.
No, putting up someone who is overweight and swimming won't work. Showing someone who dropped a bundle of weight by enrolling in a USMS based swim program, and not starving themselves is better--with no disrespect to our heavier swimmers.
Revising this point; there is no reason why an active but overweight person cannot be used, to show that you don't have to be a stick to swim, and that the water is a great way to train.
No one approach will be right. USMS don't need to spend money on a poll to find out wo we are...we're everyone. The elites have their place as do the "I just do it to finish" swimmers. I didn't compete because of any swimmer, I did it because I stumbled onto this forum for info on how hard I was or wasn't working. Seeing the varied community, and getting their feedback and support got me into swimming races.
Some literature at YMCA's etc would be a good idea; highlighting the knowledge base here for workouts, overcoming obstacles and just fitting the water in around general day to day life. Certainly there could be a join USMS today and get a signed photo of Dara sort of thing too; that or coupons for advil! ;)
Also at the risk of sounding patronising, I think the 4 African-American ladies who were featured in the USMS magazine would be a great promotional asset too. Appealing to women, and also helping smash stupid stereotype myths about swimmers and their ethnicity.
