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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016
STREAMLINES for Volunteers

Welcome to 2016! We're excited about what the new year may bring, and we thank you for all your hard work in making big things happen every year! 

Swimming for Life,
Your Friends at U.S. Masters Swimming
Nominate an At-Large Director Today
Elections information for At-Large Directors 
elections
USMS At-Large Directors Nomination information is available at usms.org.
 
U.S. Masters Swimming will hold elections for all At-Large Directors at its Annual Meeting of the House of Delegates, Sept. 21-25, 2016, during the United States Aquatic Sports Convention in Atlanta. The nomination deadline is April 30, 2016, so there's plenty of time to submit your nomination. Nomination packets may be obtained from the Elections page of the USMS website or by contacting Elections Chair Cheryl Gettelfinger.
 
We're looking for energetic volunteers with a desire to help lead U.S. Masters Swimming. If you're interested in leadership and service at our highest level, or you know someone who would be willing to serve, please let us know.
 
To place your name in nomination for an officer position, download the nomination packet and election guidelines or request them by email from Cheryl Gettelfinger. Please read the entire packet, including the election operating guidelines, and return the Candidate Questionnaire/Consent-to-Run form to the elections chair by April 30, 2016.
 
To be eligible for nomination, candidates shall:
  • Be members in good standing of U.S. Masters Swimming for the year when the election is held;
  • Have attended more than one USMS annual meeting of the National House of Delegates in the preceding five years;
  • Plan to attend the Annual Meeting of the House of Delegates for the election year in which they are standing for election, and plan to attend all House of Delegates meetings during their tenure; and
  • Candidates for director shall be a resident and a member of the Zone from which they are seeking election (applicable in even years only).
If, after reading the materials, you have questions about the role of any USMS officer position or the nomination/election process, please contact Cheryl Gettelfinger.

April is Adult Learn-to-Swim Month
Annual initiative provides rewarding volunteer opportunities
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April is right around the corner, and with the success we've had in the past two years with the April is Adult Learn-to-Swim Month campaign, we're really looking forward to what comes about this time. Last year, lots of clubs and LMSCs got involved and hosted free swimming lessons for adults in their communities around the country. We're hoping to increase the number of lessons being offered this year!

If your club wants to participate, talk to your coach or program director and download the April Adult Learn-to-Swim Volunteer Teacher Lesson Guide at usms.org.

If you enjoy your April volunteer experience and want to teach more adults how to swim, you might consider the Adult Learn-to-Swim Instructor Certification Course. This innovative course is being offered in 25 cities this year. Check the course schedule to see if there's a class coming to a city near you.

RJA Award Nominations Due Soon
Don't miss the March 15 deadline
Meg Smath
The Capt. Ransom J. Arthur M.D. Award is USMS's most prestigious award. Named for the founder of Masters Swimming, the award is presented annually to a USMS volunteer who embodies Dr. Arthur's spirit and vision and who contributes at the highest level to advance the objective of Masters Swimming.
 
For nomination materials and information about past recipients, visit the USMS Awards page. Nominations are due March 15, 2016.

Sports Medicine and Science Committee Seeking Specialists
Got expertise?
SMS Blog logo
The Sports Medicine and Science Committee educates members and the public on topics of sports medicine and science by encouraging research pertaining to Masters Swimming and providing information about these topics. The Committee maintains a network of health professionals in various specialties to help questions and article reviews. If you have a background in medicine, sports or exercise science, or a related field, contact Sports Medicine Committee Chair Megan Carlson today and find out how you can help the Committee further its important mission. 
LMSC Financials and Tax Filings
Time to prepare and submit your financial reports
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Per USMS Rule 502.7, each LMSC is required to send a copy of its annual financial report to the USMS national office. The report consists of two simple financial statements: an income/expense report, and a balance sheet. Instructions for preparing the reports can be found in the Treasurer section of the Guide to Operations.
 
The IRS also requires each LMSC to file an annual 990 tax return. The rules were modified during the 2010 tax year. They now allow any LMSC with gross receipts of $50,000 or less to file the 990-N form, which is done completely online. 
 
Please send your 2015 financial report to Anna Lea Matysek by April 30, 2016. She can also provide you with instructions and links for filing your LMSC's 990 tax form.

LMSC Meeting Minutes Due April 30
We know you had a meeting last year!
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Per USMS Rule 502.3, each LMSC is required to hold an annual meeting that is open to all individual members of the LMSC. Your LMSC is required to take minutes at that meeting and, per Rule 502.7, send a copy of your annual minutes to Anna Lea Matysek by April 30, 2016. Don't delay, send in your minutes today!

Read All About It: Committee Blogs
SMS and Rules committees sharing info online
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If you hadn't already heard, both the Sports Medicine and Science and the Rules Committees have started blogging about their work. The SMS Committee recently posted some intriguing information about the association between nutrition and age-related cognitive decline, and Rules Committee Chair Charles Cockrell recently blogged about the intricacies involved in the most important question for a competitive swimmer: What's my time? Check out both blogs to stay current with the important work those committees are doing. You'll definitely learn something useful!
Upcoming P2P Teleconferences
Log on to teleconferences for best practices information
Need to Know
Mark your calendars for the next two peer-to-peer teleconference calls for: 

LMSC Chairs & Vice Chairs - Sunday, January 31, 5:30 p.m. PT | 8:30 p.m. ET

Meet Directors - Sunday, February 21, 5:00 p.m. PT | 8:00 p.m. ET

Additionally, the LMSC Development Committee is planning peer-to-peer teleconferences for the following positions this spring. Stay tuned for more details. 
  • LMSC officials chairs - March
  • LMSC open water chairs and event directors - April
  • LMSC coaches chairs - May
  • Top 10 and records - June
The goal of these calls is to provide an opportunity for you to pose questions, get answers, discuss challenges, and share successes as you fulfill your role. In turn, we can use the information shared to help build a repository of best practices for each of our volunteer positions. 
 
Prior to the call, we encourage you to log on to the LMSC Administration Forum to post questions or topics of interest that you would like covered. Email notifications are sent two to three weeks prior to the respective volunteer and to the LMSC chair. 

Notes from each P2P teleconference are posted to the appropriate USMS forum for that role (typically under LMSC Administration). Or contact the LMSC Development Committee for a copy.

Quick Links
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. Nearly 60,000 adults are registered members of U.S. Masters Swimming.
About STREAMLINES for Volunteers
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