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Greetings!
Keep sending in your questions for Bill Brenner for his new column, "Questions From Coaches." We are committed to helping our coaches succeed!
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 | Club and Coach Services
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Need help getting your club up and running?
Club and Coach Services Director: Bill Brenner
Northwest, AZ, NM, South Central, Dixie:
Free marketing materials are available for USMS programs. Caps, stickers, brochures, etc.
Small club? Just starting out? Don't have an advertising budget? We have created free templates that you can use to promote your program, your swim meets and your open water events. |
| Questions From Coaches
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by
Bill Brenner, Club and Coach Services Director
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Lap swimmers are potential members
Questions about growing your club, managing club business, or becoming a better coach? Club and Coach Services Director Bill Brenner has answers.
bill.brenner@usms.org.
Q: We have several lap swimmers who swim at our pool. How do I get them to try Masters?
A: Try starting a conversation with lap swimmers after they finish swimming or when they take a break. Make a positive comment about their stroke or work ethic. Introduce yourself as the coach who works with the adult swimmers at the facility. Keep "Masters" out of the conversation during this initial encounter. Ask them leading questions using their first name as much as possible. Develop an idea of what health and fitness goals they might be trying to achieve. The more you know about them as an athlete and swimmer, the better chance you'll have in getting them to accept an invitation to try your program. Remember, the initial conversation should be about them, not you. |
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Perspective and Managing Expectations
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by
Coach Chris Campbell, Mountain View Masters
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The Measure of Success
 At the end of February, I had a conversation with an old friend who is now the head men's swimming coach at a Division I school. His team had just finished up its conference meet. I dropped him a line, congratulating him for all of the season's best times that I saw. His reply surprised me. He noted that the big drops had come from his B- and C-level swimmers, but his A-level guys didn't perform well enough to take the team to the next level. No one made it to NCAAs this year. He was disappointed, and it was back to the drawing board for next season. When I read that, I thought to myself, "Wow. Masters swimming is really different. It's like we're from different planets." The Olympic Trials in Omaha highlighted that difference in a big way. Read more... |
| Going to the USAS Convention
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On-deck coaching opportunity at USAS Convention
 The Coaches Committee is looking for some help with on-deck coaching at the annual USAS Convention in Greensboro, N.C. On-deck coaches are responsible for running the workouts for attendees, which will be held in the Greensboro Aquatic Center. Workouts are at 6:00 a.m. Thursday and Friday (leave the hotel at 5:45 a.m.) and Saturday at 11:00 a.m. This year they are featuring a special fitness swimmer workout in collaboration with the Fitness Committee on Friday and a stroke and technique workout on Saturday. If you are interested in coaching a workout, helping organize or just hanging out to exchange ideas with other coaches, please email Scott Bay or call him at 386-341-2899. Sign up early as slots fill up fast.
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| Registering Your Swimmers with USMS
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Reduced registration fees
 For your members still registering with USMS for 2012, starting September 1, the fee payable to USMS is
reduced from $31.00 to $26.00. This is called an "End of Year" registration. The member's registration will expire on December 31, 2012 with everyone else. Check with your LMSC, as it may also have a reduced "End of Year" registration fee.
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| Special Offer From Marriott
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Be rewarded for bringing your swimmers together
 Upgrade your celebrations with Marriott. Celebrate and recognize your LMSC and club members in style this year with Marriott Hotels & Resorts. From smart spaces to practical amenities to world-class service, each of our flagship hotel brands delivers the quality reception experience you expect, backed by the Marriott name you trust. As an extension of the USMS/Marriott partnership, Marriott Hotels & Resorts are happy to offer USMS members up to $100 off the cost of meeting rooms* for holiday parties and award ceremonies. In addition to saving money, members will also enjoy earning Marriott Rewards points with Marriott's Rewarding Events. With Rewarding Events you earn up to 50,000 points toward free nights for your ultimate getaway with each group, event or meeting at participating Marriott brand hotels worldwide. Contact Sandy Anderson, USMS Global Marriott account manager at 407-412-3694, or email Sandy Anderson for your customized proposal today.
*Offer valid based on availability and at participating hotels only. Discount can not exceed the normal cost of the meeting room rental. Some blackout dates may apply. Rewarding Event terms and conditions available online at www.marriott.com/rewards.
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What Rule is THAT?!
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with
Kathy Casey, USMS Rules Chair
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The coaches ask and the Rules Chair answers
 Q: I thought I saw swimmers wearing two suits in competition at USMS nationals in Omaha and in the Olympics. Did FINA change the rule so swimmers can now wear two swimsuits? A: No, FINA did not change the rule to allow a swimmer to wear two swimsuits in competition. The lining of some of the new, bright, solid-color and white suits is a print with seams about ½ inch wide that mimic panty lines, making the lining look like a brief underneath, especially when the suit is wet. I examined a few of those suits at USMS nationals in Omaha and they were legal. If you look closely, the new, black "tech" suits also have "panty lines", but because they are black, the seams and lining are not easily visible. FINA rules also require an inspection of every suit at the Olympics as part of the marshaling process, so it would be very difficult for an Olympic swimmer to get through the marshaling with an illegal suit. All suits used in Olympic competition are also required to have a FINA approval stamp, unlike Masters where a suit can meet the FINA swimsuit specifications but might not have a FINA approval stamp. Distribute this information far and wide to help dispel rumors that two suits are suddenly legal or that an Olympian or a swimmer at USMS nationals competed in an illegal suit. For any questions about rules contact Kathy Casey, USMS Rules Chair |
| Certification Opportunities
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Become a certified USMS coach
 The USMS Coaches Committee and Club and Coach Services have developed new curricula for Level 1 and Level 2 USMS Masters Coach Certification. The new courses are taught in classroom settings throughout the country. Participants receive a "Certificate of Participation" once they finish the class. If participants wish to become certified, they must join ASCA and deliver to ASCA the completed tests from the coursework and the application for USMS/ASCA Masters Coach Certification. ASCA will grade the tests, process the applications and deliver the certificates. Level I & II Aug 25 Minneapolis, Minn. Register now Sept. 7 ASCA World Clinic, Las Vegas, Nev. Register now
Sept. 12 USAS Convention, Greensboro, N.C. Register now Sept. 29 Mountain View, Calif. Register now Sept. 30 Davis, Calif. Register now Oct. 13 Cranford, N.J. Register now Nov. 3 Nashville, Tenn. Register now Level III (Level II a prerequisite) Sept. 12 USAS Convention, Greensboro, N.C. Register now Nov. 4 Nashville, Tenn. Register now (Contact Bill Brenner for more information)
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Masters Coaching Opportunities
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Looking for a coach? Looking for a team?
USMS maintains a discussion forum on usms.org to match up coaches and teams. The Coaching Forum has several current threads posted; check back for frequently for updates. And remember, if you are hired in a position or you hire a coach, please update your posting to save time for others who follow you to this helpful forum.
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| Please Support USMS Partners!
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| Affinity Partners
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| Media Partners
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About Us
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About U.S. Masters Swimming
 U.S. Masters Swimming, founded in 1970, is a membership-operated national governing body that promotes health, wellness, fitness and competition for adults through swimming. It does so by partnering with more than 1,500 adult swim programs across the country; promoting information via the bimonthly member magazine, SWIMMER, monthly e-newsletters, STREAMLINES, and website, usms.org; and by sanctioning and promoting pool, open water and virtual events and competitions. More than 55,000 adults are registered members of U.S. Masters Swimming. |
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About STREAMLINES for Coaches
 U.S. Masters Swimming encourages all U.S. Masters Swimming coaches to subscribe to STREAMLINES for Coaches. However if you would rather not receive this update, please do not click the unsubscribe button, as that will remove you from all other USMS National Office mailings. Rather, please click on the "Update Profile/Email Address" link at the bottom of this email. Here you can select to discontinue your STREAMLINES for Coaches service or sign up for the monthly members' newsletter, STREAMLINES, and/or STREAMLINES for Volunteers, a bimonthly publication. |
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