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?
Aside from the participants themselves (including coaches), both institutions seem to be the greatest benefactors of keeping college swimming around:
USA Swimming benefits because its membership believes it has the ability to earn a scholarship or admission to a college or university that they might not otherwise. They may continue in the sport when there is the belief that they may be rewarded down the road. Some may continue training for significant International competition while not losing time on their education by competing and training while in college.
US Masters Swimming benefits because they have a significantly larger recruitment base because of existing college swimming programs.
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Former Member
My :2cents::
Outside of a few states or regions, college and high school swimming are doomed. Why? With budgets tight everywhere, it is an easy "discretionary" cut to make - and even I would advocate for keeping two math teachers over the school team.
For the major colleges, the football boosters are strong enough to ensure that the big sports stick around. But I fear for all of the minor sports, whether they disappear because they don't generate enough revenue, because the facilities are too expensive to maintain, Title IX, etc etc.
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. Again, with local finances strained, and apparently no appetite for voters to support much beyond tax cuts, clubs will find their local pools under threat of closure. Time to figure out how to take over operations from the local city or parks & rec department, and run the pool "profitably" themselves!
My :2cents::
Outside of a few states or regions, college and high school swimming are doomed. Why? With budgets tight everywhere, it is an easy "discretionary" cut to make - and even I would advocate for keeping two math teachers over the school team.
For the major colleges, the football boosters are strong enough to ensure that the big sports stick around. But I fear for all of the minor sports, whether they disappear because they don't generate enough revenue, because the facilities are too expensive to maintain, Title IX, etc etc.
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. Again, with local finances strained, and apparently no appetite for voters to support much beyond tax cuts, clubs will find their local pools under threat of closure. Time to figure out how to take over operations from the local city or parks & rec department, and run the pool "profitably" themselves!
