USAS Convention Kicks Off in Orlando

ORLANDO, Fla., September 16. USA Swimming began meetings this week, at the USAS convention in Orlando. USAS is the entity which is America's official link to FINA, the international aquatic governing body.

USAS is made up of US governing bodies for diving, synchronized swimming, masters swimming and water polo. Each year the USAS members, historically aside from Water Polo which has usually met at another time, gather at a common location to hold convention meetings for their organizations and share a celebration of aquatics at a banquet on the final evening of the event. The USA Swimming portion of the USAS Convention kicked off this week on Tuesday.

USA Swimming shares ideas and make decisions during this annual event affecting administration of our sport from league meets to international competition selection and evaluation, and everything between. Delegate constituencies generally include certain LSC, Zone and National officers, athletes, officials, members of national committees, at large delegates and representatives of affiliated groups.

This year’s event is in Orlando Florida at the Wyndham Palace Resort & Spa at 1900 Buena Vista Drive, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830; Phone: (407) 827-2727.

Every year each of the committees considers issues related to their charge and proposals for changes to either the “blue” pages or “white” pages of the USA Swimming Rulebook are considered both by affected committees and eventually the full House of Delegates. Some of the items on the legislative agenda affect safety issues related to pool depth restrictions, a modified event program, the formula for credential allowances at national meets, code of conduct issues and much more. The convention schedule is set out below.

In even numbered years USA Swimming elects the bulk of its Officers and Board members, generally to serve two year terms. In those years, a higher voting standard (90%)is placed on passage of most legislation so that the delegates can concentrate both on the election and on studied preparation of possible legislative matters for the next year when the voting requirement for legislation is reduced (50%). Thus, much of the concern at this convention is the election of the President, administrative Vice-Presidents and various other positions. Important work is also done every year regarding ongoing administrative activities of bodies such as the Olympic International Operations Committee, for international competition matters, Registration for helping everyone involved in that thankless task understand better and more efficient ways of keeping those records and many others.

Maybe you have feelings about some of the items which might be going before a particular committee or the committee of the whole, and you know a delegate who is in Orlando. If you are a USA Swimming member and have some great idea, call the hotel and track down your contact to make sure your point is raised and considered!

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USA SWIMMING – 2004 CONVENTION SCHEDULE MEETING SPONSOR
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

8:00am – 11:50am Board of Directors
12:00pm – 1:00pm Board of Directors Luncheon
1:00pm – 5:00pm Managers' Training Seminar OIOC
1:30pm – 5:00pm Board of Directors
1:30pm – 5:30pm Club Development Committee – Business Meeting
4:00pm – 6:00pm Awards Committee
6:00pm – 6:50pm [Awards Committee] [denotes closed meeting]
7:00pm – 10:00pm Senior Swimming Committee
Central Zone Forum
Southern Zone Forum
Western Zone Forum
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

6:45am – 7:50am Coaches Meeting
8:00am – 9:50am The Early Show for New Delegates Education Cmte
Outreach Committee – Business Meeting
8:00am – 10:50am Senior Swimming Committee
8:30am – 11:50am Board of Directors
9:00am – 10:50am Top 16 & National Times Verification Workshop National Times Cmte
10:00am – 11:50am Communications Cmte – Business Meeting
Age Group Planning Committee – Business Meeting
Officials Cmte Mtg/Workshop
10:00am – 1:00pm [National Team Evaluation Committee] [denotes closed meeting]
12:00pm – 1:00pm Athletes' Welcome Reception – Athletes Meet & Greet Athletes Committee
12:00pm – 2:00pm General Chairs' Luncheon President
1:00pm – 2:30pm Open Water Officials Seminar Open Water Cmte
1:00pm – 2:50pm 2005 Budget Meeting Treasurer
Waterworks Committee
Outreach Workshop Outreach Cmte
1:00pm – 3:50pm Steering Committee
1:00pm – 5:20pm Rules & Regulations Committee
1:00pm – 2:15pm Registration I – Accepting Electronic Registration from Clubs Registration/Membership Cmte
2:00pm – 2:50pm Age Group Time Standards AGTS Committee
2:15pm – 3:30pm Registration II – Meet Recon Registration/Membership Cmte
2:30pm – 3:50pm Open Water Committee
3:00pm – 3:20pm National Records Committee
3:00pm – 3:50pm Age Group Records
3:00pm – 4:50pm Athletes Meeting Athletes Committee
4:00pm – 5:00pm All America Committee
4:00pm – 5:20pm Championship Time Standards Committee
4:00pm – 6:00pm Novice to National (How They Did It) Education Cmte
Safety/Risk Management Workshop USSIC & Safety Ed Cmte
Open Water International Committee
5:00pm – 7:00pm Women In Aquatics Reception
5:30pm – 6:50pm National Team and OIOC Athlete Issues Athletes Committee
7:00pm – 8:00pm Burning Issues for Officials Officials Committee
7:00pm – 10:00pm Olympic Int'l Operations Cmte (OIOC)
7:30pm – 9:00pm Males In Swimming Task Force Report & Discussion Club Development Cmte
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16

8:00am – 9:50am Eastern Zone
Central Zone
Southern Zone
Western Zone
10:00am – 10:50am All Age Group Committee Reports
10:00am – 11:50am Athletes Meeting Athletes Committee
Camp Committee – Business Meeting/Camp Improv
Club Fundraising Cmte (incl Swim-a-thon)
Olympic Int'l Operations Cmte (OIOC)
Sports Medicine/Sports Science Committee
Rules & Regulations Committee
11:00am – 11:50am Reimbursement Committee
1:00pm – 2:50pm Adapted Swimming Workshop Adapted Swimming Cmte
USA Swimming's Club Recognition Program Club Development Cmte
Club Resources and Drug Control Education Committee
Registration Forum – Open Discussion Registration/Membership Cmte
National Events: Your Opinion Counts! Champ Meet Eval Cmte & MAFDA
National Times Verification & Top 16 Workshop National Times Cmte
1:00pm – 4:50pm Olympic Int'l Operations Cmte (OIOC)
3:00pm – 4:50pm Registration/Membership Cmte – Business Mtg
LSC Age Group Chairs Workshop Age Group Planning Cmte
LSC Board of Review Workshop Nat'l Bd of Review/General Counsel
Athletes Meeting Athletes Committee
4:00pm – 4:50pm Championship Coordination Committee
5:00pm – 6:00pm Major Aquatic Facility Directors' Association MAFDA
5:00pm – 6:30pm Meet the Candidates Board of Directors
7:00pm – 9:00pm Welcome Reception USAS/Risk Mgnmt Svcs
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17

7:00am – 9:00am Challenges – CPR, First Aid, Safety Trng for Swim Coaches Safety Education Cmte
8:00am – 9:50am Athletes' Seminar – Tools To Be A Successful Swimmer Education Committee
Tricks, Tips & Traps – Club & LSC Financial Management Treasurer
National Board of Review Certification Nat'l Bd of Review/General Counsel
Program Operations Reports
9:00am – 9:50am USA Swimming Facilities Development Services Club Development Staff
9:00am – 11:50am International Relations Committee
Adapted Swimming Cmte – Business Mtg
10:00am – 11:30am Sport Science & Technology Presentations Sports Sci & Natl Tm Staff
10:00am – 11:50am Best Practices for LSC Webmasters Communications Cmte
Counselors' Committee Workshop Counselors' Committee
Safety Education Committee
Growth, Development and Retention of Age Group Swimmers Age Group Planning Committee
Athletes – Gold Medal Clinic Athletes Committee
12:00pm – 1:00pm Committee Chairs' Luncheon President
1:00pm – 2:50pm Coaches' Caucus
1:00pm – 3:20pm Investment Committee
International Relations Committee
Natl Team Alumni Committee
1:30pm – 2:00pm Athletes – Board of Review Certification Athletes Committee
1:30pm – 2:50pm Waterworks Workshop Waterworks Committee
Championship Meet Eval Cmte – Business Mtg
1:30pm – 3:20pm Open Water Committee
Advanced Website Development for LSC Webmasters Communications Cmte
2:00pm – 2:50pm Education Committee – Business Mtg
2:00pm – 3:20pm Athletes Committee
3:30pm – 5:00pm Athletes Exec Cmte & Alumni Committee
3:30pm – 5:30pm Eastern Zone
Central Zone
Southern Zone
Western Zone
7:00pm – 10:00pm House of Delegates
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

8:00am – 12:00pm House of Delegates
1:00pm – 5:00pm House of Delegates
7:00pm Aquatics Award Banquet USAS
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 19

8:00am – 9:00am United States Aquatic Sports Trustees USAS
9:00am – 11:00am Board of Directors
9:00am – 12:00pm Club Leadership/Business Mgmt School Program & Services Dept
1:30pm – 4:30pm Club Leadership/Business Mgmt School Program & Services Dept

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