All,
I'm thinking about attending convention in three weeks. My reasons are several but most important is that I want to become more involved in USMS and I figure the best way to find out how/what/when/where is to attend convention.
Does this make sense? Would it be worthwhile?
Paul
But what I am reacting to was the sense I get from both you of you that (a) USMS isn't serving its members and (b) serving at the national level is not worth the effort. The latter is a defeatist attitude: if USMS isn't serving its members then how will that change unless people are willing to make the effort for it to happen? I don't think it is a "cop-out" to say that.
McDonalds provides "service" which I pay for, however so does Spencers Steak House...which one do you think provides better service? Yes there is a price attached to that better service but just like my choice to pay more to train with a better club/coach I would also be willing to pay more for a higher level of service with USMS. My point again being that I'm not and have never been content to sit back and settle for something I know can be improved.
The examples I used were: USMS Swimmer, the web site (and content like "Places to Swim" and the fora), online registration and Top Ten. All took vast effort to implement and maintain but only the last is overtly and completely geared to the competitive swimmer.
Not one of these things in my opinion would be of enough value to the vast majority of fitness swimmers that make up 90% of our membership...and as I suggested would probably not be members if it wasn't a requirement of the club/facility they swim at.
I'll repeat and earlier suggestion, increase the cost to be a sponsor but offer some exclusivity for that price....instead of having 3 or 4 retailers like Kast Away offer one slot...as part of that sponsorship package they would provide an annual coupon for new and returning registered members of USMS for "X" percentage off purchases.
Or how about a sponsorship with a nationwide health club such as 24 Hour fitness that has 25yd pools at many of their locations and fitness swimmers working out there...USMS members get initiation fee waived and their first month free for example.
How about a major reorganization of the Places to Swim link on the site and an effort to create a nationwide drop in fee for swimmers who are USMS members and traveling on bisness of vacation and want a place to swim? It is sort of in place but nothing formal and there are a LOT of people always looking for training.
How about a sponsorship with Subway or Starbucks that give them rights to sell on sight for national meets and USMS members get some discount coupons as pat of new/rturning memberships.
But what I am reacting to was the sense I get from both you of you that (a) USMS isn't serving its members and (b) serving at the national level is not worth the effort. The latter is a defeatist attitude: if USMS isn't serving its members then how will that change unless people are willing to make the effort for it to happen? I don't think it is a "cop-out" to say that.
McDonalds provides "service" which I pay for, however so does Spencers Steak House...which one do you think provides better service? Yes there is a price attached to that better service but just like my choice to pay more to train with a better club/coach I would also be willing to pay more for a higher level of service with USMS. My point again being that I'm not and have never been content to sit back and settle for something I know can be improved.
The examples I used were: USMS Swimmer, the web site (and content like "Places to Swim" and the fora), online registration and Top Ten. All took vast effort to implement and maintain but only the last is overtly and completely geared to the competitive swimmer.
Not one of these things in my opinion would be of enough value to the vast majority of fitness swimmers that make up 90% of our membership...and as I suggested would probably not be members if it wasn't a requirement of the club/facility they swim at.
I'll repeat and earlier suggestion, increase the cost to be a sponsor but offer some exclusivity for that price....instead of having 3 or 4 retailers like Kast Away offer one slot...as part of that sponsorship package they would provide an annual coupon for new and returning registered members of USMS for "X" percentage off purchases.
Or how about a sponsorship with a nationwide health club such as 24 Hour fitness that has 25yd pools at many of their locations and fitness swimmers working out there...USMS members get initiation fee waived and their first month free for example.
How about a major reorganization of the Places to Swim link on the site and an effort to create a nationwide drop in fee for swimmers who are USMS members and traveling on bisness of vacation and want a place to swim? It is sort of in place but nothing formal and there are a LOT of people always looking for training.
How about a sponsorship with Subway or Starbucks that give them rights to sell on sight for national meets and USMS members get some discount coupons as pat of new/rturning memberships.
