Three Presidential Candidates for USA Swimming Chat with SwimmingWorld.TV

PHOENIX, Arizona, September 7. WITH a house of delegates vote on the next USA Swimming President coming during the United States Aquatic Sports Convention in Dearborn, Mich., on Sept. 12-17, Swimming World spoke with all three candidates (Jeff Gudman, Mike Saltzstein and Jim Wood).

To view video interviews of the candidates, click on the SwimmingWorld.TV buttons to the right.

Below are additional questions from our staff and some from our readers.
SWM.com: Why do you want to become the President of USA Swimming?
Jeff Gudman
Based on the breadth and depth of my experience as an athlete, a volunteer, a meet director, an official and a long-time member of the governing bodies of our sport at the local, LSC, sectional and national level, I am ready to continue to articulate the vision of USA Swimming and plan for the future that is based on preserving what USA Swimming does well; identifying and capitalizing on underdeveloped and new opportunities and aggressively confronting the challenges that threaten our future growth and organizational health.

Mike Saltzstein
There are lots of reasons:
* the opportunity to play a leadership role in making Swimming better;
* the chance to grow the number, locations and backgrounds of athletes participating in what experts agree is the healthiest life-long activity;
* the desire to listen to people of all different viewpoints and ensure their input is really heard; and
* the chance to provide new resources to our member clubs, new information, services and education to our coaches and meaningful service opportunities for our officials and volunteers.

I care about each and every athlete who wants to excel and achieve success in our sport. Leaders cannot hope for the best, we must plan, make the right decisions, act with integrity, and honor those who have put their trust in us as their leaders. I have the passion, dignity and the desire to serve that trust.

Jim Wood
I have enjoyed the past 20+ years of my involvement with USA Swimming. I would like to give back to USA Swimming for all the sport has given me over the years and believe this is the area where I can do the most good and have the greatest positive impact.

SWM.com:: Why do you feel you would be the best candidate for this position?
Mike Saltzstein
Again, there are a variety of reasons, from my vision of swimming as a truly athlete-centered sport to the breadth of my experience at all levels – local, Zone, national and International. My professional life in finance, development and leadership, and my experience at swimming events across the country has given me some insight into the qualities needed to do a wide range of tasks. I am confident I would appoint the right people for the right tasks. I feel I’ve been a positive leader in the sport. George Block, past president of ASCA apparently shares that view. Recently, he wrote: “(Mike) has handled both popular and unpopular issues and won praise for his handling of both.”

I have detailed objectives, commitments and goals. Among my objectives: (1) to lead while demonstrating Care for the Sport, Integrity in Action and Dignity in Conduct. Leaders must be more than popular; we must be accountable; (2) To ensure our continued commitment to club programs – budgeting, staffing and publicity; (3) to mine the rich experiences, interests and skills of our organization by surveying the entire membership; and (4) To continue televising our major events.

My goals include: (1) Retaining our gold medal status as the nation’s #1 national governing body (NGB); (2) Making certain our athletes and coaches have everything they need to maximize their success in Beijing 2008 and beyond; (3) Achieving financial independence; (4) Creating an inclusive, vibrant USA Swimming.

Jim Wood
All of the candidates have solid, successful backgrounds in LSC, Zone and national governance. They have good relationships with all members of USA Swimming including athletes, coaches, volunteers, officials and staff.

I believe what I can bring to the table in addition to the above are the following.

First:
For the past 30 years, I have woken up every day thinking about what I can do to help my athletes reach their potential and achieve their goals. Thinking about swimming and how it can get better has been an integral part of my life every day.

Second:
Over the years, I have developed a great personal and professional relationship with many of the outside groups and individuals associated with USA Swimming, both Domestic and International. Over the past 14 years, I have had the opportunity to represent USA Swimming many times on the International level. I have represented USA Swimming in numerous FINA Congresses (dating back to 1994), served as USA Swimming’s Oceania representative, served on the ASUA technical swim committee, represented the National team in Team Leader’s meetings, attended WADA Congresses and have met on numerous occasions with members of the FINA executive and FINA Director.

Relationships based on trust are very important in any organization. International relationships are no exception. They take years to cultivate and mature. I have developed those relationships and believe they will be a great asset for USA Swimming.

Jeff Gudman
Each of the three candidates brings a variety of strengths to the position of President. It is up to each delegate to the national convention to decide which combination of attributes with respect to the ability to formulate and articulate a vision, to implement that vision, to persuade and lead all members of USA Swimming down the road of building the base, promoting the sport and achieving sustained competitive success, the breadth and depth of experience in the sport as an athlete and a volunteer and their diplomatic skills. It is my hope the majority of convention delegates will recognize the experience, vision and style of leadership that I will bring to the position make me uniquely qualified as the best candidate at this point in USA Swimming history.

SWM.com: What is the most pressing issue facing USA Swimming today, and what do you plan to do about it?
Jim Wood
I do not believe there is a single most pressing issue facing USA Swimming today. The landscape of sport changes every day and different and new challenges are constantly appearing. A snapshot of swimming today would show several issues in the forefront, each important.

Funding will continue to be a challenge. With the uncertainty of USOC funding and USSIC rebates, our revenue projections are always subject to change. I believe the creation of the foundation, increased TV projects and the continued great job our marketing division is doing should go far to alleviate the potential revenue shortfalls. Continuing to look for available facilities and building the base will help greatly.

FINA and other outside organization relationships are becoming increasingly important. FINA has taken on a more hands-on approach concerning the NGB selection of athletes for the Olympic Games and the use of athletes for promoting FINA’s sponsors. Both of these go against some of the fundamental beliefs many of us share concerning NGB and athlete’s rights. We need to become more proactive with FINA in developing plans that will allow FINA to progress in the direction they wish to go as an IF and still allow USA Swimming and its athletes the ability to make the choices best for themselves.

The abuse of drugs in sport and the very near possibility of genetic manipulation can destroy sports, as we know them. We must continue to do everything we can to punish the cheaters and allow clean athletes to be successful. Stronger punishments are necessary for those who cheat. A greater degree of urgency and increased funding must become a priority for USADA and WADA in their research to catch up to and eventually get ahead of the curve of the cheaters.

Finally, we need to eliminate, as much as we can, personal agendas in the governance of our sport.

Jeff Gudman
There is no one pressing issue. Rather there are a variety of pressing issues facing USA Swimming at the International, National and local levels.

Internationally, the pressing issue is the catching up of the rest of the world to the level of USA Swimming and our ability to work with the rest of the world to provide the greatest opportunities for our athletes to achieve competitive success. This includes, but is not limited to maintaining a drug-free sport. Further, the United States Olympic Committee is the voice of the United States at the Olympics. The USOC has faced and continues to face many challenges in its efforts to support the athletes. USA Swimming needs to work collaboratively with the USOC in a productive manner to provide for the continued success of the athletes. We face an increasingly difficult environment in international sport, an environment that is made even more difficult because of increasing anti-American sentiments being displayed throughout the world. The President of USA Swimming will be called on to be a diplomat as well as an advocate for USA Swimming in the international arena.

Nationally, one of the pressing issues is the continuing threat of the loss of collegiate swimming programs. To that end, one of my first priorities is the establishment and development of a joint conference between the College Swimming Coaches Association and USA Swimming with the goal being to provide all college coaches with the tools to bring endowment funding to their programs.

Locally, one of the pressing issues is the continuing changes in the demographics of the country and the work force. What worked for clubs in the 1950s and 1960s will not necessarily work in the first decade of the 21st century. Further, the fact the approximately 25 percent of the population of the United States is African–American or Hispanic-American, while these same groups represent less than 2 percent of USA Swimming population means we have both a challenge and a terrific opportunity to build, promote and achieve.

Mike Saltzstein
There probably are two related issues: Remaining relevant and maintaining the integrity of our sport in an age of “extreme” sports and instant gratification; and secondly, making our sport more attractive to boys while ensuring they have plenty of options to compete at the collegiate level – with simultaneous gains in our women’s programs.

There’s no doubt we’ll have to adjust to remain relevant in a society with an ever-decreasing attention span, but I have no doubt this can be done with integrity while not sacrificing our sport’s core values. So I would consult coaches such as Dave Salo, Teri McKeever, Peter Malone, Jimmy Ellis and Eddie Reese who have already demonstrated it can be done.

As for the second issue, I believe the entire swimming community must work together to preserve opportunities at the collegiate level, where programs across the nation are under assault primarily from college athletic directors who, cynically, are using budgetary concerns and misusing Title IX to destroy college swim teams, particularly men’s teams.

Here, I would work closely with people such as Phil Whitten, head of the College Swimming Coaches Association (CSCAA), who have taken the lead on this issue.

SWM.com: How do you see your interaction between the volunteer and the staff side of running USA Swimming?
Jeff Gudman
USA Swimming functions at its highest level when you have a strong staff, a strong board and strong committees all working together to achieve the core objectives of Build, Promote and Achieve. One of the major responsibilities of the President of USA Swimming is through leadership, communication and support to insure all parts of USA Swimming are doing their best to achieve those objectives.

Mike Saltzstein
In Chuck Wielgus, we have the best Executive Director/CEO in the Olympic and youth-sport family. It is the Board’s role to work with Chuck in setting organizational policy – and his staff’s responsibility to make it happen.

Jim Wood
I envision my role as that of a leader, who along with others can create a vision of where we would like to go and how to get there. I have a great relationship with our volunteer base and our staff. I have a high level of respect for both groups and believe that with their help we can go wherever we decide to go. I am not a micro-manager. My interaction with volunteers will come through the vice presidents and committee chairs and my interaction with staff will go through our CEO. They are both very competent individuals and groups and do not need me looking over their shoulders. Going in the other direction, I will always be available at my end to answers questions and help.

SWM.com: What is your most positive contribution to USA Swimming?
Mike Saltzstein
Rather than point to a specific action, I believe my major impact has been in continually moving USA Swimming towards being a true athlete-centered sport.

Jim Wood
Very simple – Teaching young people that their greatest gift is the ability to make choices and then helping them grow up and learn how to make the right choices.

Jeff Gudman
Looking backward, was and is my role in establishing the Oregon Swimming long-term travel fund for athletes and coaches. This program is now 16 years in the making and has succeeded in providing almost complete support to any athlete and their coach who make it to the national level of swimming. At the same time of the establishment of the long-term travel fund was my role in helping to put in place the state of Oregon legislation providing for the right of any high school athlete in Oregon competing in an Olympic sport to be able to participate with their club without penalty from the high school.

At the national level, the most satisfying, among many satisfying moments, was serving as co-chair of the Programs and Services Task Force. The task force represented a wide variety of opinions and personalities and we were able to forge a unanimous agreement on a series of recommendations to better the sport. Through the programs and services recommended by the taskforce, USA Swimming is reinvesting $55 to $60 million back into grassroots programming in the next 10 years.

SWM.com: Why do you love the sport of swimming?
Jim Wood
The people involved in the sport are the best. I believe sports teach great life lessons and swimming may do that better than any other sport. What you learn in the daily routine of striving to reach your goals in swimming is an invaluable lesson for the rest of your life. I love working with swimming people every day of my life.

Jeff Gudman
As an athlete at the club, high school and college level I had some success in swimming. The friendships formed, the lessons learned have provided a base to operate every day of my life. For that, I am enormously grateful.

Mike Saltzstein
Ours is a life-long sport where the benefits of fitness, competition, success, dedication, sport, team, challenge and commitment are both celebrated and permanently imprinted. Swimming’s opportunities exist for people of all athletic stature, social/economic backgrounds and volunteer interests. Swimming’s impact is positive on those who participate, providing opportunities for personal growth and recognition for accomplishment.

SWM.com: Who is your most respected figure(s) in swimming?
Jeff Gudman
There is no one single respected figure. It is, instead, all the people in the sport who throughout the history of sport have sought and demanded an excellence in achievement in and outside of the pool.

Mike Saltzstein
I respect each person who enjoys and engages in swimming (be it as an athlete, coach, official or volunteer), but the single individual I respect most is the late Doc Counsilman. A war hero, national champion, founder of the science of swimming and phenomenally successful coach, Doc set aside personal ego to better the sport and its athletes while remaining true to his core beliefs. Few have risked as much as Doc; none have had as great an impact on the sport, an impact that continues today.

Jim Wood
Coach Peter Deland, Jerry Olsen, Lauren Reynolds (paralympic Gold medalist who swam for me at Berkeley), Ron Hess and Dennis Pursley.

SWM.com: What is your stance on the possibility of morning finals in Beijing?
Mike Saltzstein
If the decision is made to have morning finals, I am confident in the ability of our athletes to follow the leadership of their coaches. Whenever the finals are held – 8 a.m., 6 p.m. or midnight — I am confident our athletes will be ready to perform at their optimal level.

Jim Wood
Tom Dolan made a comment in a team meeting leading up to the Olympics in Sydney when we were all talking about overcoming the Australians home pool advantage. He said the Olympics were our Home Pool! I firmly believe that whenever finals are held, evening, morning, 2 a.m., 11 p.m., we will be the best prepared and the most successful team. Everyone will be swimming at the same time and in a fair battle we will prevail.

Jeff Gudman
The possibility and decision of morning finals in Beijing will be made by the International Olympic Committee. The goal of USA Swimming is to make sure the members of the Olympic Swim team will be prepared and ready to compete regardless of the time.

SWM.com: How do you see you tenure as president carrying out USA Swimming’s Core Objectives of building the base, promoting the sport, and achieving competitive success?

Jim Wood
Everything we do every day must be in line with our core objectives and must be done with the goal of helping those involved in USA Swimming receive the opportunity to reach their potential.

We have motivated, unselfish, creative and enthusiastic people in our organization that given the direction, responsibility and resources to help us reach our core objectives will carry us far. I believe everyone working together can make USA Swimming even better than it is today. Inclusion and everyone working together are two keys to our future success.

Jeff Gudman
It will be important that our membership base continues to grow, just at it will be equally important that the demographics of our membership will come to more accurately reflect the changing demographics of our country. Success in this area will not come overnight, but rather will be evolutionary and the result of committed and steady leadership.

We must continue to be proactive in finding ways to reach a broader audience. To be successful, we will also have to determine how to effectively leverage, utilize and measure an ever-widening range of technologies and communication tools to reach people. Our recent Summer National Championships are but one example of how USA Swimming is attempting to do this.

As the world continues to shrink and as increasing numbers of foreign athletes come to this country to train and compete, we will have to find ways to attract and motivate more American athletes to our sport.

As President of USA Swimming, I envision an organization that continues build, promote and achieve by:

* An expanding base of athletes and coaches providing more opportunities for each athlete to achieve the maximum they can.
* To strengthen and support the national infrastructure of club swimming through athlete pipeline development, club development, coach development and support and facility advocacy.
* A focus on elite-level athletes and team performance at the Olympic Games through athlete assistance and effective coach programs and services.
* A Foundation that is well on its way to achieving the financial success it needs to replace the likely loss of USOC funding through the growth of the endowment by more successful retention of fundraising programs and alumni communications and reunions.
* A greater number of high school athletes who are able to compete both for their high school and their club without fear or favor. Through advocacy and education the athletes must have the right to choose.

Mike Saltzstein
At Chuck’s urging, USA Swimming adopted three core objectives: Build the Base; Promote the Sport; and Achieve Competitive Success.

As simple and straight-forward as they are, these core objectives are nothing less than a stroke of genius. Since adopting them, they have guided our efforts and rewarded those efforts with tremendous success. My intention, as president, would be to continue down this path, which has been so productive: Expanding our outreach efforts; continuing to promote our sport and its values, especially in communities where we’ve been largely invisible; and providing our athletes, coaches and clubs with all the tools they need to continue the USA’s unparalleled Olympic success.

SWM.com: What is your record supporting and advocating for athletes?
Jeff Gudman
I have been a long-time advocate for the athletes. Three examples: One, establishing the Oregon Swimming long term travel fund for athletes and coaches. This program is now 16 years in the making and has succeeded in providing almost complete support to any athlete and coach who make it to the national level of swimming. Two, at the same time of the establishment of the long-term travel fund was my role in helping to put in place, state of Oregon legislation providing for the right of any high school athlete in Oregon competing in an Olympic sport to be able to participate with their club without penalty from the high school. Three, serving as co-chair of the Programs and Services Task Force. The task force represented a wide variety of opinions and personalities and we were able to forge a unanimous agreement on a series of recommendations to better the sport.

Mike Saltzstein
I hope that all my actions as a leader and elected representative have supported and advocated for our athletes. Advocacy and supporting an athlete-centered sport have been my hallmark during more than 25 years of volunteer service including:

1. Enhancing opportunities for all athletes to excel.
2. Ensuring that coaches have the needed resources, development opportunities and recognition of their efforts and clubs.
3. Providing officials and volunteers opportunities to provide recognized leadership and needed service.
4. Developing and supporting LSCs – promoting inclusion. And I always insist, of course, on having athlete representation on all committees and task forces. In fact, at the recent Executive Committee Meeting, I asked our President to remind a partner organization that a key task group had been formed without an athlete’s voice.

Jim Wood
I have coached athletes for the past 30 + years. Since 1992, I have served as the chair of OIOC or the Technical Vice President of USA Swimming, both positions require very close contact with the athletes and their issues. During that time I have fought tirelessly for athletes’ issues, rights and opportunities both domestically and internationally. Most recently, I along with Bryan Jones and Dale Neuberger, have been leading the fight against advertising on bibs and caps that FINA was proposing without athlete input or consent. I believe over the years I have been a very strong supporter and advocated for the athletes both in the public format and in private meetings.

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