US Masters Involvement in Saving College Swimming

I think that the cost is closing non money making programs. Can any of our swim programs help with this?

I think that the cost is closing non money making programs. Can any of our swim programs help with this? My apologies, but I'm not sure that I understand your comment. Can you expand your reply? I doubt whether any collegiate swimming programs make money.

My apologies, but I'm not sure that I understand your comment. Can you expand your reply? I doubt whether any collegiate swimming programs make money. I believe Orca's point is that the collegiate programs are being axed due to lack of funds. Most collegiate swimming programs do not bring in enough revenues to cover the costs of operating the pools, maintaining a coaching staff, travel expenses, insurance, any scholarships, etc. USAS and USMS are not in the habit of handing out money to public and private universities, so what is left to do other than lobby state legislatures and private university boards to maintain funding?

so what is left to do other than lobby state legislatures and private university boards to maintain funding? That's the essence of my question...what can be done, what is being done, etc. I am hoping to see some ideas. Maybe the answer is they are doing nothing and that they can do nothing, but maybe there is a creative solution out there too.

Here is what one of our members did: www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/.../4467.asp A good article. A good speech. Unfortunately, it did not sway the commission, nor the eventual elimination of further collegiate swimming teams, both men and women. Perhaps USMS could approach colleges that lack collegiate swimming and create USMS teams on the campuses. However, it will be likely the schools may charge the teams fees, and require proof of indemnity. Other than that, lobbying (like the well prepared speech in the article) appears about all USMS could do to reverse the trend.

What role, if any, should USMS play in saving college swimming? How about USA Swimming? Are either currently doing anything about the shrinking base? What can they do? When the kids call from my alma mater asking me for support I ask “do you have a swim team?” Usually they answer “yes” and I inform them that they have not had swimming since 1975. I tell them to call me back when they have swimming again. Although it’s not much, I feel I have done something.

Perhaps USMS could approach colleges that lack collegiate swimming and create USMS teams on the campuses. However, it will be likely the schools may charge the teams fees, and require proof of indemnity. Wow - LOVE that idea Matt! And this one from George Mason - 2nd half of clip: www.youtube.com/watch Also John Leonard from ASCA emailed this request to coaches last November: Coaches, Please help by distributing the below to all your swim team families via email! Many thanks! John Leonard, ASCA Help Preserve College Swimming for When YOU (or your child) Goes to College! It’s no secret that college swimming has been “under the gun” due to college budget cuts in recent decades. We want to let NCAA Division I Presidents/Chancellors and Athletic Directors know that there is a large, vibrant, energetic and committed swimming community in the USA that appreciates the fact that THEIR University has kept swimming alive and well at their institutions. AND let them know that we want them to continue that support, and that our Children will consider attending Universities that allow them to continue their swimming excellence during their college years. During the time period Nov. 15, 2010 through Dec. 30, 2010, won’t you take a few minutes and write a letter or send an email to the President and Athletic Director of the institution of your choice. (or more than one if you’d like!) and say THANK YOU for their support of swimming and let them know that the tuition dollars of you or your child will flow towards the institutions that keep swimming opportunities alive. You can find the email and mailing addresses of EVERY NCAA Division I institution in the country on the American Swimming Coaches Association website at www.swimmingcoach.org/ad_addresses.htm Letters from young swimmers are particularly appreciated! How about your swimmer (s) sits down today and does something to preserve their own future opportunities? All the Best, John Leonard, American Swimming Coaches Association. The American Swimming Coaches Association Phone: 800-356-2722 Fax: 954-563-9813

My :2cents:: Swimming is actually a sport that will probably suffer less than others - club swimming has a strong tradition in this country, and so college age athletes will simply train with the local club near their school. Other sports - which may have a weaker "club" structure - may be in worse shape. The challenge for clubs will be their business model. Time to figure out how to take over operations from the local city or parks & rec department, and run the pool "profitably" themselves! "athletes will simply train with the local club near their school." I could see that helping the situation quite a bit. No doubt lots of rules would have to be changed and coaching egos mellowed... Swimming may not have many other options.

Here is what one of our members did: www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/.../4467.asp

I really think swimming is starting to dwindle many high schools as well. This probably isn't true for all of the country (probably not at all in places like FL and CA) but this is the problem I see in the Northeast. None of the towns have the money to build or maintain pools. Lane rentals are atrociously expensive ($8,000 - $10,000 per lane, per season). Many of the divisions have 1-2 good teams and the rest suck. The teams that don't win get their funding cut. These are affluent towns too we're talking about. It's all the impoverished inner city schools that have the teams (numbers, but not usually skill) and the pools. Even the divisions are folding. Teams end up competing with teams on the other side of the state, 1.5hrs away, in towns you've never heard of. I think this year my HS team actually had a couple out of state meets to find teams to compete with. Teams from schools with 600 students compete against schools with over 3,000 students. Add on top of it a decreasing number of available swimmers. Most high school boys in the winter choose to play basketball, indoor track, hockey, wrestling, indoor soccer, box lacrosse, or spend their time skiing. New comers are turned away by the thought of having to wear a Speedo. I'm not even kidding. In high school I tried to get some of buddies to do it and they pulled out at the last minute because of the bathing suit :agree:. The governing body also makes it, in my opinion, very difficult for towns to merge teams to boost numbers. If you get 3 kids from another town, they're not on the main team. They count as a 3 person team from the town they came from and get scored separately from the team they "joined". Maybe Michael Phelps' success will bring attention back to the sport and inspire people to take up swimming again. I started competitive swimming around 6 years of age. I stopped in middle school because I didn't enjoy it. Looking back it was because none of my friends swam. Therefore I focused more of my time on Soccer and Lax, the sports my friends swam. When I returned to swimming in High School, I realized how much I really loved the sport, and met some of the greatest people I would have never met.