The State of Master Swimming.

Post #20 on this thread Wookie: Rob Butcher is a sales guy - he knows how to sell masters swimming. Challenge Rob to do what he does best - sell his sport. There is a potentially great USMS Club & Coach Development Team. Challenge this team to put a club in every possible town that has a pool. And then assist the head coach to learn how to sign up new USMS members. And - sign them up for free with a confirmed email/address! Even if they do not join the local club right away. A new member might be sold when they attend their first USMS Clinic. Start bringing USMS Clinics and events at the most novice of levels to these areas - and charge $$ for them. Make $$ by charging for clinics & events & sponsorship, not dues. Other options: #1 first year USMS membership is free #2 very low dues (not as likely to succeed) And from Post #27 The greatest asset USMS, it's clubs and coaches could have for revenue is direct leads to people who like or need to swim. USMS already charges for clinics(ie swimfest), nationals(open/pool). There are teams that charge extra for clinics that aren't part of the normal montly fees. Companies that want to sponsor USMS are charged a fee. That fee is based upon what type of sponsor a company wants to be. Again, if USMS drops the $40/year fee(which is cheap for the value that members get) where will USMS make up the lost money from the 50,000 plus members? I agree with Geek that if the fee was $0, the value of USMS membership would become seriously questionable. What worthy organization charges $0 for membership?

Maybe so Geek. But I think masters swimming can help the desperate state of a lot of our communities: Pools are closing Swim Programs are closing Swim Coaches don't have large enough programs to be a "full-time professional coach" Triathletes are racing unsafely Americans are out of shape and obese Depression is rampant Senior citizens are inactive slowing them down faster How many adults still need or would like to learn how to swim? Kids needs to see adults leading an active fit lifestyle as an example Add to the list... USMS can certainly do their part to spread the love. 1st year free. Swimming is a good sport but it isn't the answer for all, as chris pointed out. And I don't see how joining usms for free is the cure for any of the above.

Don't kid yourself by thinking there is no potential for revenue here outside of dues. . Never said there wasn't potential. I asked where usms would make-up for the loss of the member dues. The ideas you suggested, for the most part, are already happening in places. Making membership free isn't the answer to growing usms. A free membership isn't really free. Somewhere that cost must be made-up. If someone doesn't want to pay $40 to join USMS(regardless of joining a club or not) then USMS isn't for them. $40 for a year is not expensive

Maybe we should set up a scholarship fund for the people who refuse to spend $0.11/day on a USMS membership.

One person tells one person, and tells another, and another, Each of those tells one person and another and just keep passing it on. I once read there were over 700,000 people in Canada participating in swimming (not registered in the sport just swimmers). Would it not be nice to have that many Master swimmers in the USA and Canada. When I operated the swimming schools we hand 4,000 registered in classes in each of my three swim pools

My intention is not meant to be lofty or to say we will conquer all these problems. But to suggest that these are places we can draw new members from in the future if our clubs have not pulled from here yet. a few years back, i drew up a strategy to attract and retain more members to our masters club. the BOD was not interested in increasing the membership... even a targeted competitive population. while i thought this response was a bit near sighted, i personally wouldn't want to see our practice times crowded with every rec swimmer, aqua yoga noodler and rehab patient floating around.... having said that, i do prefer sharing my lane with a few other people to swimming alone call me an elitist.

I am still waiting to hear whether USMS is currently reaching out to all of these various groups suggested in this thread to try to promote itself... because if it isn't, it makes sense to try that first with the dues as they are. Only if outreach is failing does it make sense to try sweetening the pot -- even then, we might look at what form the outreach is taking; is the message that USMS might be appealing to your average lap swimmer being conveyed?

Nope, don't think I am mistaken, but I'd have to check to be sure. (Speedo and Jeff Roddin are current USAS members, so they may know the 2010 fee.) I remember thinking the fee was rather high at the time. But I swim in Potomac Valley outside DC where prices are generally extremely elevated and pool space is exceedingly scarce. Here we go, found it for your LSC: www.pvswim.org/.../2011_Athlete_Form.pdf - $47 USA-S + $25 LSC = $72 Long story short, the USA-S fees are higher, but it will vary drastically depending on where you live.

2011 usas fee is $47 + LSC fee. I'm assuming usms fees are pretty similar. I just can't swing joining both, and usms just doesn't offer me enough meet flexibility like usas does to merit spending my registration fee on the usms side. To limit myself by blowing my registration money on 5-6 specific meet dates all year just isn't worthwhile. USMS is $29 + the LMSC fee (some clubs also charge an additional fee at registration) Look, I appreciate that people have different and often challenging financial situations. But, respectfully, when you (or anyone) says "I just can't swing it," I believe that is better phrased as "USMS is not worth the membership fee to me." And that's fine, that's your choice based on your personal cost-benefit calculus.

..But, respectfully, when you (or anyone) says "I just can't swing it," I believe that is better phrased as "USMS is not worth the membership fee to me." And that's fine, that's your choice based on your personal cost-benefit calculus. I agree. I do like the idea of discounted / graduated fees to encourage younger folks to get engaged in Masters (I'd keep that at 25 & under), but I think free is wrong. People don't value "free" and I don't think free will necessarily translate into greater participation in meets, clinics, etc. I think the posts where people have mentioned coaches actively seeking members in their community is the best way to go. I think we'd see greater growth if more coaches had a financial incentive to grow their teams. I can think of two clubs in Arizona -- Sun Devil and Mesa -- where I believe the coaches (at least head coaches) have a stake in the financial health of their clubs and I think both are large, growing and offer a great value to their members (whether competing or not).