Loved the home page feature on the USMS website today...
www.usms.org/features.php
Since the NCAA Championships are all around us these two weeks, who hasn't thought about our outstanding collegiate swimmers?
But have any of us considered inviting them to join us at masters in their near future?
Masters Swim Clubs in college areas could do all kinds of great things to inspire a retiring collegiate swimmer to join them.
Invite them to talk to the team at a social event would be an easy no-brainer.
But even beyond.
How about asking them to hold a clinic for your club?
And pay them since now they can accept the cash - and probably need it?
What else can we do to entice them to join our clubs (rack up points at the championship meets) and begin the rest of their healthy fit lives?
It is surprising to me how many have never heard of this program. I think the ball is in our hands and it is up to masters swimmers to "recruit". Was MS present at the Conference and NCAA meets?
True, it IS surprising how many have never heard of masters swimming. I think partnerships between USAS and USMS clubs are one way to change that...there are three major age-group teams in Richmond and ALL of them share pool time and at some point will see groups of masters swimmers practicing. There are a handful of local masters people who swim at local USA-S meets, too, so I think most age-groupers will grow up knowing that it is "out there," even if the specifics are vague.
I think pushing USMS at college swimmers at NCAAs or conference meets might be a tough sell, however gently it is done. I had a pretty benign college swimming experience, and I wanted nothing to do with competitive swimming after my last event at NCAAs my senior year.
And yet, about nine months later, I started practicing with a masters group...I still wanted to exercise, and I was attracted by the lower yardage, the fact that you could get out of practice -- or change it to your liking -- at any time. The social aspect was good too. So were beer relays.
It might be interesting for USMS to survey their current ranks for former (young) competitive swimmers and find out what drew them back (if this hasn't already been done).
The article talked about varsity college swimmers, but I can tell you one potentially greater source of young USMS members: college club teams. I wouldn't be surprised if there were more people on such teams than on varsity swim teams, and their attitude towards swimming more closely mirrors that of a typical masters swimmer. I think it may be a pretty seamless transition.
Along those lines, I've often thought that USMS should just waive the annual membership fee for swimmers in the 18-24 age group. If even one in ten of such swimmers becomes a lifetime member, I bet the organization would more than recoup the investment.
It is surprising to me how many have never heard of this program. I think the ball is in our hands and it is up to masters swimmers to "recruit". Was MS present at the Conference and NCAA meets?
True, it IS surprising how many have never heard of masters swimming. I think partnerships between USAS and USMS clubs are one way to change that...there are three major age-group teams in Richmond and ALL of them share pool time and at some point will see groups of masters swimmers practicing. There are a handful of local masters people who swim at local USA-S meets, too, so I think most age-groupers will grow up knowing that it is "out there," even if the specifics are vague.
I think pushing USMS at college swimmers at NCAAs or conference meets might be a tough sell, however gently it is done. I had a pretty benign college swimming experience, and I wanted nothing to do with competitive swimming after my last event at NCAAs my senior year.
And yet, about nine months later, I started practicing with a masters group...I still wanted to exercise, and I was attracted by the lower yardage, the fact that you could get out of practice -- or change it to your liking -- at any time. The social aspect was good too. So were beer relays.
It might be interesting for USMS to survey their current ranks for former (young) competitive swimmers and find out what drew them back (if this hasn't already been done).
The article talked about varsity college swimmers, but I can tell you one potentially greater source of young USMS members: college club teams. I wouldn't be surprised if there were more people on such teams than on varsity swim teams, and their attitude towards swimming more closely mirrors that of a typical masters swimmer. I think it may be a pretty seamless transition.
Along those lines, I've often thought that USMS should just waive the annual membership fee for swimmers in the 18-24 age group. If even one in ten of such swimmers becomes a lifetime member, I bet the organization would more than recoup the investment.
