Industry News: United States Masters Swimming and College Swimming Coaches Announce New Program
I like the concept and have always felt that there was an opportunity to coordinate more with colleges when they are in the vicinity of masters teams...will be interesting to see how it works out. I still however believe that just as big of an opportunity exists to partner with High School swimming. My impression is that high school grads who don't go on to swim in college generally have no idea that masters swimming exists.
www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/.../19073.asp
This is an example why I think high school swimmers (who are not recruited for college) are a far more likely group to get involved with masters swimming...so many college swimmers leave very burnt out and need a break...high school kids who were not top tier USS swimmers and did it more for social and fitness reasons would seem to me to be a very recruitable group.
I will echo this. Many of my college teammates went on to do triathlon after they graduated. Some continued on but most either stopped swimming or came back after a protracted (>5 year) break.
The kids are a great growth opportunity if properly marketed.
"Swim for fitness, swim for fun, swim for life" or something like that would be a good tagline for the younger group.
The perception is rampant that masters is for old folk and/or those who swim (slowly) at meets. While this is demonstrably not true, we need to keep in mind what our target markets think of our sport.
This is an example why I think high school swimmers (who are not recruited for college) are a far more likely group to get involved with masters swimming...so many college swimmers leave very burnt out and need a break...high school kids who were not top tier USS swimmers and did it more for social and fitness reasons would seem to me to be a very recruitable group.
I will echo this. Many of my college teammates went on to do triathlon after they graduated. Some continued on but most either stopped swimming or came back after a protracted (>5 year) break.
The kids are a great growth opportunity if properly marketed.
"Swim for fitness, swim for fun, swim for life" or something like that would be a good tagline for the younger group.
The perception is rampant that masters is for old folk and/or those who swim (slowly) at meets. While this is demonstrably not true, we need to keep in mind what our target markets think of our sport.
