What Does USMS Need to do to grow to 100,000+ Members?

[freestyle7819]

I am an active member of USAT and now USMS. I am a former NCAA Div II Swim champ. Lost interest in swimming for a number of years, then started bike racing and then was talked into Triathlons 5 years ago. Swimming and Bike are my strong legs of a Tri and this year I will be competing in the World Triathlon Championships in London representing Team USA, I also won the Aquabike Nationals for my age group this past year. So I joined the Boston College Masters Swimming Team to improve my swim time. Well now I am signed up for the New England Masters Swimming Championships this coming weekend at Harvard, the bug came back so to speak to compete in a meet.
I sit on the USAT Aquabike (swim/bike of a Triathlon) taskforce. We have had much success in growing this event within a Tri due to injured or older folks that cannot run anymore. We are also finding more swimmers and bikers getting involved.
My ideas:
1. Have the CEO of USMS and the CEO of USAT talk about joint efforts. For open water swimming some Triathlon Race Directors are looking to add a wave for open water swimmers in addition to Aquabike athletes. Many within USMS are interested in Open water swimming, perhaps there could be a dual membership for swimmers USAT/USMS
2. Many Tri coaches are not good swimming coaches. The majority of Triathletes are weak in the swim. With a good working relationship between USMS and USAT, there could be referrals to swimming coaches and the swim coaches in turn could convince the swimmers to try a few events at a swim meet.
3. Many good Triathletes that were also good swimmers could be enticed during the long off season to participate once again in swim meets to improve the swim competitiveness. This happened to me and brought me back into the fold.

Just some ideas to potentially tap into swimmers in the Multi-Sport World.

Mike McCombs

[Bill Sive]

Last month I dialed in to our local LMSC monthly conference call asking for marketing materials they are supplying, upon request. Received nothing. Last evening I dialed in again. This time they stated I needed to send an e-mail to our Registrar. Will see how long this takes. Yes I am skeptial after waiting a month just to be told to send an e-mail. Guess they were not paying attention on the conference call.

In any case, believe it or not, I swim, upon occasion, at two different pools in Los Angeles County that do not have 1) USA-Swimming program, and 2) US Masters program. I have all types of persons approaching me at these pools wanting to know more about US Masters, however, find it difficults to obtain the marketing items I need in a timely manner.

Last week I swam at a pool, which has a US Masters program. The Lifeguard at the pool, is a part time coach for the Master team. The Lifeguard/Coach was un-aware of the availability of USMS swim meets. I went to extra effort to print him a newsletter, with an extra page for all the upcoming swim meets for the balance of the calendar year. This particular swim club focuses on swim workouts and open water swimming during summer. They do not promote swim meets.

Suggest that somehow all swim coaches are knowledgeable in all areas of USMS. If a small fish, like myself, is asking for marketing materials to supply to potential USMS members, or existing members who are less knowledgeable than myself, that the response is timely. I would not be asking if I did not have a need for it.

[NJMastR]

@Bill,

I would recommend calling the National Office directly 800-550-SWIM (7946) to request USMS Marketing Material. They can provide plenty of brochures, caps, club welcome kits. Just ask for Kyle Deery and let him know what you are trying to do. His email address is marketing@usms.org.

I am sorry that the LMSC was not more forthcoming with a response to your inquiry.

Your efforts are greatly appreciated. Let us know how it goes.

Chris

[jroddin]

I am an active member of USAT and now USMS. I am a former NCAA Div II Swim champ. Lost interest in swimming for a number of years, then started bike racing and then was talked into Triathlons 5 years ago. Swimming and Bike are my strong legs of a Tri and this year I will be competing in the World Triathlon Championships in London representing Team USA, I also won the Aquabike Nationals for my age group this past year. So I joined the Boston College Masters Swimming Team to improve my swim time. Well now I am signed up for the New England Masters Swimming Championships this coming weekend at Harvard, the bug came back so to speak to compete in a meet.
I sit on the USAT Aquabike (swim/bike of a Triathlon) taskforce. We have had much success in growing this event within a Tri due to injured or older folks that cannot run anymore. We are also finding more swimmers and bikers getting involved.
My ideas:
1. Have the CEO of USMS and the CEO of USAT talk about joint efforts. For open water swimming some Triathlon Race Directors are looking to add a wave for open water swimmers in addition to Aquabike athletes. Many within USMS are interested in Open water swimming, perhaps there could be a dual membership for swimmers USAT/USMS
2. Many Tri coaches are not good swimming coaches. The majority of Triathletes are weak in the swim. With a good working relationship between USMS and USAT, there could be referrals to swimming coaches and the swim coaches in turn could convince the swimmers to try a few events at a swim meet.
3. Many good Triathletes that were also good swimmers could be enticed during the long off season to participate once again in swim meets to improve the swim competitiveness. This happened to me and brought me back into the fold.

Just some ideas to potentially tap into swimmers in the Multi-Sport World.

Mike McCombs

The largest masters club in Potomac Valley has over 750 registered members. Part of it is because they manage workouts at numerous facilities in VA, MD and DC. But a huge reason is because they are partnered with one of the largest triathlon clubs in the region - one that particularly caters to novice triathletes (and whose owner has a competitive swimming background). Therefore once these new triathletes join the triathlon club, they have to join USMS in order to participate in the swim workouts - where they have access to "real" swim coaches. It is a relationship that has greatly benefited PV masters and USMS.

Jeff Roddin
PV Registrar