Where is College Swimming at the Division I Level Headed?

PHOENIX, Arizona, November 6. SWIMMING World CEO Brent Rutemiller looks at "Where is College Swimming at the Division I Level Headed?" in the latest Voice for the Sport. This article is found in the November issue of Swimming World Magazine, but is also re-printed below.

Recently, I listened to two great video interviews from the American Swim Coaches Association clinic in September.

The first was Garrett McCaffrey's interview with Chuck Wielgus, executive director for USA Swimming.

Wielgus basically admitted that college swimming will continue to suffer setbacks at the Division I level and that it will be difficult to stop the attrition.

McCaffrey's second interview with Bob Groseth, executive director for the College Swimming Coaches Association of America, expressed a similar point of view.

However, Groseth said that adding and dropping college swimming programs is cyclical through the years. He acknowledged that DI programs will continue to be dropped, but that DII and DIII programs will continue to be added.

Wielgus pointed out that the problem is not limited to swimming, but that other Olympic sports programs are experiencing the same NCAA DI setbacks. He outlined USA Swimming's efforts to save college swimming by helping to raise the profile of NCAA championship events.

Specifically, he said USA Swimming has offered help in marketing the NCAA championship events similar to how USA Swimming markets its Olympic Trials. He suggested that the NCAA may need to make the NCAA Championships a destination event and not just another meet in a pool to raise more awareness.

Groseth echoed the need to raise the profile of college swimming, but offered a more grassroots approach, suggesting that colleges need to be more involved with community service programs and the creation of promotional videos showcasing the sport.

Groseth admitted that the opportunity to showcase the sport online and on television is still in its early stages. He implied that the sport is being held back by networks that hold rights to college swimming, but do not exercise those rights. The end result is poor or subpar visibility. Colleges and coaches need to open doors for non-rights holders to air content about swimming.

As for things that can be done immediately, Groseth took a more hands-on approach by suggesting that college endowment programs need to be established now and that colleges need to set up a nationwide template or mechanism for getting endowments in place today.

Wielgus revealed that USA Swimming has had discussions with the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), encouraging it to take a leadership role in raising the level of importance for college swimming.

He suggested that the USOC create a staff whose purpose is to identify colleges with healthy or endangered Olympic sports programs. The staff would learn from those that are healthy and help those that were in danger.

Both agree that the worst is not over when it comes to NCAA Division I swimming program stability.

Wielgus, as the leader of swimming in the United States, needs to take visible action now to lay out a realistic roadmap that helps stabilize NCAA Division I swimming programs. Groseth, as the leader of college swimming coaches, needs to make a strong statement that is in lockstep with Wielgus to collectively bring a bold plan of action forward.

SwimmingWorld.TV and SwimNetwork.com are both poised to provide video coverage to promote the sport if rights holders would allow for third-party access to events.

To watch the interviews with Chuck Wielgus and Bob Groseth, visit http://www.swimmingworld.tv/2009-asca-clinic/

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Video Preview of November Issue

November 2009 Issue
Contents of The November issue:


8 ALL OR NOTHING by Steven Munatones
The RCP Tiburon Mile is considered by many to be the most competitive open water swim in the world. Adding intrigue to the race is the $10,000 winner-take-all cash prize for both men and women, won this year by Kane Radford and Melissa Gorman.
11 RETURNING TO RELEVANCE by Eric Velazquez
In a sport in which success is measured by an absence of splash, the U.S. diving team cannonballed its way back into international relevance with four silver medals at the 2009 World Championships.
14 CARRYING THE BANNER by John Lohn
Even when Michael Phelps eventually decides to retire from swimming, the future for U.S. men's swimming will still look bright with the likes of Tyler Clary.
16 CELEBRATING 50+ YEARS IN AQUATICS: 1997-2000 by Jeff Commings
As we celebrate 50+ years in aquatics, Swimming World Magazine will be taking a trip through history, highlighting some of the top moments of the magazine's existence.
18 THEN AND NOW by Jeff Commings
After extremely successful swimming seasons in 2008 and 2009, Germany's Britta Steffen has become the successor to The Netherlands' Inge de Bruijn as the world's sprint queen.
20 IN A CLASS OF THEIR OWN by Jason Marsteller
Kristian Ipsen and Victoria Lamp were honored as NISCA's 2009 High School Divers of the Year.
23 MARTIN STREL vs. THE AMAZON RIVER by Dr. Mateja de Leonni Stanonik
Martin Strel has demonstrated over the course of his swimming career the power of his mind in overcoming considerable adversity.

DEPARTMENTS:
6 A VOICE for the SPORT
31 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
48 CALENDAR
49 FOR THE RECORD
54 PARTING SHOT

In the Swimming Technique portion of the magazine you will find the following:

36 Q&A WITH COACH MIKE DeBOOR by Michael J. Stott
38 HOW THEY TRAIN: Maclin Simpson by Michael J. Stott
39 GETTING RACE-READY by Michael J. Stott
Here is a coaches' guide to pre-meet warm-up and post-meet warm-down.

In the SWIM portion of the magazine you will find the following:

25 THE POOL'S EDGE: Superfoods: The Real Breakfast of Champions by Karlyn Pipes-Neilsen
26 DRYSIDE TRAINING: Tempo in the Weight Room by J.R. Rosania
28 WORKOUT CARD: Training with Dayton Raiders Masters by Ann Brewer
30 LANE LEADERS: Bobby Patten

In the Junior Swimmer portion of the magazine you will find the following:
42 NATIONAL AGE GROUP RECORD SETTERS:
Lake Oswego 15-16 Boys 200 Meter Freestyle Relay
43 AMERICAN RELAY by Judy Jacob
44 TYR AGE GROUP SWIMMER OF THE MONTH: Jamie Kolar
45 GOLDMINDS: Questions You Always Wanted to Ask Your Coach, but Were Afraid to Ask by Wayne Goldsmith

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