USMS Liaison Reports
CONTROLLER - Roy Abramowitz
As the USMS Controller, I prepare reimbursement request packages for the Treasurer, Jeanne Ensign, about twice month. This process consists of reviewing the request sheet for account numbers and approvals, agreeing totals to the underlying invoices or documentation, making sure requests are in compliance with our financial operating guidelines and the available budget.
Yearly I prepare the year end balance sheet and financial report which includes the year end accrual and inventory adjustments which I determine and post. I also responsible for USMS's annual tax return (form 990). I also work with Susanne Rague with the individual deposit and disbursement data entry and approximately twice a year we send out year to date balances to each committee head and officer so they know what's going on in the accounts they're responsible for.
FINA REPRESENTATIVE - June Krauser
REPORT OF FINA MASTERS COMMITTEE MEETING - June 16 & 17, 1998
Those members present were Victor Norgueira, Lin Min Shan, Bruce Rogers, Farid El Allam, June Krauser, Tarja Liljestrom, Lyall Mortimer, Daniel Garcia, Rose Cody, Frank Stochl, Ivan Wingate and Zvi Ruttert was absent with explanation. Others attending included Mustapha Lafaoui, FINA President, Nory Kruchten, FINA Bureau Coordinator, Nikolas Huber, Representative of the Organizing Committee for the VII FINA World Masters Swimming Championships and FINA office staff.
The committee reviewed the responsibilities of the Members with the Organizing Committee prior to and during the competition. We adjourned to the Sport Complex to meet with members of the Organizing Committee.
The committee reviewed the agenda for the Masters Congress, and the responsibilities of the Members with respect to the Congress. It was determined that the registration would begin at 9:00 am and the Congress would start at 10:00 am. There would be a lunch for everyone at the conclusion of the Congress.
Walt Reid reported that 20 countries had contributed to the 1997 World Top Ten. The committee reviewed the basis for computing relay results. It was the decision of the committee that in the future, for a club to have more than one team entered in the Top Ten results, each additional team must not have any swimmer on the first or other teams. The application form includes a rule of 60 days time limit for submission to the FINA Office after the record has been achieved. In many instances, the information to be submitted as required in the application, is incomplete. It was the decision of the committee to continue with the 60 day rule and only four weeks be allowed for receipt of missing documentation. Walt suggested expanding the FINA website to include more Masters information and Cornel Marculescu said that someone was being made available soon to help with the FINA website, and additional information on Masters will be included on it.
It was agreed by the committee that a special issue of the FINA Masters News be published exclusively with information on the current World Championships, following the completion of the competition (probably in August). One page will be allocated to information on the Championships to be held in Munich - 2000.
Lyall Mortimer presented a draft of a revised "FINA Guide for the Conduct of Masters Swimming Events" with recommendations. It was the decision of the committee that the members review the changes and send them to the Secretary no later than August 30, 1998. The final draft of recommended changes will be sent to the FINA Office for review and approval at the FINA Bureau meeting to be held in November, 1998.
Mr. Huber updated the Committee with respect to the Munich Championships including the information brochures to be issued to the swimmers. Mr. Huber was advised that the brochures he was preparing would first have to be reviewed by the Masters Committee, and approved by the FINA Bureau at their meeting in November.
It was recommended that the proposed dates of the next meeting of the committee by June 11 & 12, 1999.
It was agreed that applications for FINA Masters Official's list #3 be valid from January 1, 1999 - December 31, 2002, should be sent by the FINA Office to the FINA Member Federations. The list for Swimming should be designated for Referees and Starters, and Referees/Judges in the other disciplines. The age limit would be according to those applying in the elite disciplines. The Masters Committee agreed to again recommend to the FINA Bureau that there be no age limit on the application of Masters Officials, since there is no age limit for participation of Masters swimmers in Masters competitions.
The committee must determine necessary restriction to the program for the VIII FINA World Masters Swimming Championships in Munich, to ensure satisfactory completion of the program. The variables to be considered include extension of standards to their age groups and events, determination of standards to be utilized, limitation on number of events per swimmer, etc. Recommendations by the Masters Committee will be sent to the FINA Office for approval of the FINA Bureau at their November meeting and for inclusion in the Information brochures.
The Committee considered the ISHOFs request for confirmation of a Masters Open Water Championship as part of the Open Water World Championships to be held in Ft. Lauderdale - 2000. It was the decision of the Masters Committee not to confirm the Masters competition as part of the FINA Open Water World Championships - 2000.
HISTORIAN - Joan Smith
It is getting time for the Historian's book to be consolidated and if there is any information, any articles of interest, any photographs you which to seen please forward them along. Edie Gruender is doing the photo part of the book so please send yours to her. The rest will come to me, Joan Smith in Sacramento.
INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING HALL OF FAME - June Krauser
I attended the Board meeting on January 28, 1998. As I am not a Board member, I did not get the minutes of that meeting. I believe that Rogers Holmes stepped down as Chairman and T. Denis Jotcham took over.
The International Swimming Hall of Fame congress held a meeting on May 7, 1998. I could not attend that meeting as I was at the USMS National SC Championships in Indianapolis. One of the Founders, Judge G. Harold Martin passed away and Janice and I attended the funeral service. He wrote the original charter and was the originator of "Every Child A Swimmer". Sam is working on his dream. The Judge was 97 when he died.
After 3 years of an IRS examination, we will now be cleared for those 3 years. The financial outlook looks good.
Sam Freas reported on the many things we have done this past year. We have a museum, we run tours and we have materials donated almost daily. We maintain the parking lot, the webpage for FINA and we rent the auditorium. We will be getting a sign on Interstate 95 and the Turnpike. After Bill Clinton's election, 101 organizations together agreed on a national learn to swim program named "Every American a Swimmer For Life".
Bob Duenkel traveled to Japan and retrieved all of our memorabilia that was loaned to Japan. We keep bidding for grants to improve the facility and some pass and some do not. But we will re-submit the request for money again next year.
John Malatak from the Coast Guard explained the large amounts of Federal funds available and perhaps ISHOF could win some of these funds for "Every Child A Swimmer".
It was suggested that perhaps Ft. Lauderdale could get Prince William for a visit as he is involved in swimming and water polo.
Many fine suggestions were forthcoming and help from everyone is most welcome.
The ISHOF Honors Recognition ceremonies were held on May 7 & 8, 1998. While swimming in Indianapolis, Jayne Burner and Graham Johnston were this year's Masters Honorees.
Both Masters Diving and Masters Synchronized Swimmers have asked how they can be honored. There is a form to submit to the Selection Committee and Boy Duenkel is the liaison from the ISHOF to the Selection Committee.
SWIM MAGAZINE EDITOR - Susan Ludwig
This year as USMS Editor for SWIM has been both fun and interesting for me. The editor position entails full on-the-job training - my first issue's deadline was a short 4 weeks from when I took over the appointment from Scott Rabalais - kind of like feeling for your goggles around your neck when you surface from a dive at Nationals.
My basic duties are thus: There at 13 USMS pages in every issue of SWIM. I must plan, delegate, coordinate and write articles for these pages, then send them to the Executive Committee for approval and edits, then on to SWIM for inclusion in that issue. Deadlines are every other month, so I have bout six weeks to get every bimonthly issue together. This may sound like quite a bit of time, but most everyone who assists with an issue has another occupation too (as I do) and I often get pages and articles back at the last possible second before deadline. This keeps me constantly at the edge of my seat.
Perhaps the most rewarding part of my job has been to speak and work with members of the Executive Committee and other people around the country who are involved with Masters swimming. Without exception, everyone has been kind and generous, and it has emphasized to me what a terrific community the people are who make up USMS. Scott Rabalais has been a tremendous support, and replies to my SOS e-mails promptly and with good humor. Nancy Ridout and Tracy Grilli have also been very generous and patient as I have learned the ropes, as has Phil Whitten. I am deeply indebted to everyone who has assisted me in the past year, and I look forward to the year ahead with excitement and confidence.
NEWSLETTER OF THE YEAR
If you would like to have your LMSC or Club Newsletter be considered for USMS's Newsletter of the Year Award, please be sure to have Susan Ludwig, USMS SWIM Editor on your mailing list.
Susan Ludwig, 10333 NW 49th Court, Coral Springs, Florida 33076
USAS REPRESENTATIVE - Nancy Ridout
The USMS President is traditionally its representative to USAS. In this capacity I attended a meeting Sunday morning of the 1997 convention. Since then, I have received a great deal of correspondence from USAS focussing on drug testing, the World Championships, By-Laws revisions, the FINA Masters Technical Congress, updates on FINA policies and items of interest, and convention information. USMS will be written into the USAS By Laws as a full member of USAS at this convention. We will have a voice but no vote except on matters concerning Masters, for which we will have two votes. We also are not required to pay dues but with my voice (but no vote) I will suggest that USMS pay its share of belonging to USAS (approximately $250). As the Masters USAS Representative, I asked John Deininger, President of US Masters Diving to join me as the United States delegates to the FINA Technical Congress in Casablanca, Morocco at the FINA Masters World Championships. We attended the Congress and met many international representatives. We both spoke and voted in support of our organizations' interests. I purchased USMS pins, in the shape of the USA, and distributed them to the other international representatives, as well as to our own swimmers for giving away to their competitors as a good will gesture. I also purchased boxed wooden pen and letter opener sets which I presented to each member of the FINA Technical Committee as to the Moroccan organizers. It has been a distinct pleasure to serve USMS in this capacity and quite enlightening to see FINA at work.
UNITED STATES SWIMMING - F.H. "Ted" Haartz
Following the 1997 National Aquatics Convention in Burlingame, CA, I attended United States Swimming Board of Directors meetings at the USS Headquarters building at the USOC Training Center in Colorado Springs, November 21 - 23, 1997 and January 30 - February 1, 1998. The May 1 - 3 board meeting was held in Bartlesville, OK at the home of Phillips Petroleum, the long time major sponsor of United States Swimming.
Reports of these meetings together with information of mutual interest to USMS have been forwarded to our President, Nancy Ridout, Legal Counsel, Jeanne Crouse, and to other committee chairs where appropriate.
The next meeting of the USS board will be at 2pm on Tuesday, September 29 during the 1998 Annual Aquatics Convention at the Regal Cincinnati Hotel in Cincinnati, Ohio.
YMCA - Gene Donner
I have been a member of the YMCA National Swimming and Diving Committee and the USMS Representative for the past four years. My term with the committee expires at the end of 1998. The National committee rotates three of its' twelve members yearly.
Over the past four years I have also been the Meet Director for the YMCA Masters National Swimming Event. The YMCA National swim competition has had an average of 625 competitors. A very manageable number for a very competitive and social group. The National committee has been the "Championship committee" of the swim competition and as such has been the officials and volunteers running the meets.
The committee decided to bid out the 1999 YMCA National Swim Meet in much the same way as USMS.
The 1999 competition will be held at the Schroeder YMCA in Brown Deer, WI. The dates to be announce later. I will assist in every way I can.
This however will also be my last year as your YMCA Representative.
My thanks to USMS and the YMCA for this opportunity and to the swim facility managers for all their help. It's time for me to get back to swimming.
