Among the items being voted upon by the House of Delegates at the United States Aquatic Sports Convention in Jacksonville, Florida this weekend is an increase to membership dues. Under current rules, dues for athlete and non-athlete members increases by one dollar per year through the end of 2014.
USA Swimming is asking, beginning in 2015, for this increase to become $2 per year in Resolution 2, for a period of 10 years.
WHEREAS, we desire that the United States continue to be recognized as the #1 swimming nation in the world; and
WHEREAS, USA Swimming desires to continue to be recognized as being among the flagship National Governing Bodies in the U.S. Olympic Committee’s family of sports; and
WHEREAS, the current membership dues schedule for athlete and non-athlete members increases by $1 per year and expires at the of the 2014 membership year; and
WHEREAS, membership dues have been the major funding source for USA Swimming’s successful efforts over the past decade to meet the objectives of Building the Base,Promoting the Sport, and Achieving Sustained Competitive Success in International Competition; and
WHEREAS, USA Swimming’s plans for the future seek to continue Building the Base, Promoting the Sport, and Achieving Sustained Competitive Success in International Competition; and
WHEREAS, USA Swimming also seeks to continue the expansion of its Safe Sport education, training, complaint reporting, and adjudication processes to ensure that our sport is doing everything possible to protect its athlete members;
WHEREAS, the USA Swimming Board of Directors has approved the proposal to increase membership dues for athlete and non-athlete members by $2 per year for a period of ten (10) years beginning with the 2015 membership year.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the USA Swimming House of Delegates approve a dues increase of $2 per year for a period of ten (10) years beginning with the 2015 membership year.
According to the organization’s official financial records for 2012, the membership revenue was almost $16.8 million: roughly half of USA Swimming’s revenue.
With over 300,000 year-round athletes, 30,000 seasonal athletes, and 32,000 non-athlete members (as of 2012 figures), each $1 increase in dues results in $360,000 in extra revenue per year for USA Swimming (with increasing membership, this would eventually grow to around half-a-million
In 2013, full-year membership for an athlete to USA Swimming was $49; season athletes was $29; non-athlete individual membership $49; and non-athlete family membership was $98. These are annual dues that go directly to USA Swimming, as compared to fees paid to clubs.
Under the new deal, by the expiration at the end of 2024, dues would be increased by $20 over a 10 year period, which is approximately a 42% increase over 10 years for individual year-round athlete and non-athlete members. That would slightly outpace the historical average annual inflation of 2.4% in the United States over the last 14 years.
AAU basketball and club soccer will typically cost more money than a swim club even factoring in USA Swimming dues. AAU basketball also always charges entry fees at all sponsored tournament games.
Swimming will cost you more if you get sucked into travelling every other weekend to invitational meets. Save yourself and your kids some sanity and limit these.
My swimmer is registered as a USA swimmer and for another country as she has dual citizenship. We get a lot more support from USA swimming than the other. Every time I have had to contact USA Swimming they have responded immediately and done all they could to help the situation or explain what was need to resolve an issue. There are clear guidelines for what it takes to make a National , Junior National, or Zone Team, and what support your swimmer will receive. Yes I think they could do a better job with getting sponsors, and perhaps there is a way for the LSC communities to help with that. But costs are going up everywhere for everything and… Read more »
Swim Parent,
Do you understand that swim clubs are businesses??? Why, you ask? Because coaches are not volunteers. On the business side of things, clubs want to do their registrations all at once so it’s more efficient. They want to do it early so when there are inevitably problems they can be handled before the reg deadline.
Coaches love helping kids improve, and volunteer boards exist to help coaches do this. Why are you always so sour grapes on these boards??? You complain about everything related to SoCal swimming.
Hiswimcoach,
Yes, I understand Swim Clubs are businesses. I prefer to pay my bills when they are due and not months early. My paychecks do not come months early. I can’t predict the future to know if my kids are willing or able to continue swimming. Initially, the renewals were mailed to the athletes homes and the families were responsible for the renewal.
The LSC pays the registration chair plenty of money to do her job. Families shouldn’t be harassed or financially burdened in order to make her job easier! If a person says that they will pay in December – that should be the end of the conversation. If a family renews early and the kids decide not to… Read more »
My cable TV has a channel for golf, another for car racing both of which I do not watch. I would rather watch swimming, diving, or even water polo or even surfing. ESPN or any of the major networks do not seem to cover these water sports at all. What the heck.
My cable TV has a channel for golf, another for car racing both of I do not watch. I would rather watch swimming, diving, or even water polo or even surfing. ESPN or any of the major networks cover these water sports at all. What the heck.
Well, billy, now that you ask…i kbow of at least one on this string of folks who will be in Anaheim next week.
Billy and LGIQ –
Coming soon to the weekly Chuck Weilgus blog – “Why the dues increase is necessary.” Bank on it.
No doubt about that. Of course, blogs from guys that should be out of the overpaid jobs they hold don’t tend to hold my interest.
My LSC would prefer to collect the fee in September. September is an expensive month with school expenses, club dues, club registration fees ($150.00-$200.00). I informed the club that since my kids USA Swimming membership was valid through December 31, I would pay in December. After being constantly hassled for not paying early, I phoned the LSC. The LSC told me that they wanted the membership money early because it was easier for them instead of receiving renewals in December. They also told me that if I renewed early, but my kids couldn’t or didn’t want to continue swimming they would not give a refund.
I don’t think it’s right for an LSC or team to badger people into buying… Read more »
Our LSC encourages early registration to mid Oct. with a discount to encouage it so it helps the office to handle the numbers and this is when clubs are getting their things in order. New swimmers have to be for insurance. There is nothing in US Swimming that says you can’t wait.till Dec for renewals.
No discount for us – only harassment until you pay up!
I just paid $1000 for registration, team dues, first month lessons, and USA Swimming fee for our three kids. Our team also charges USA swimming membership in September. I despise USA Swimming and greed is taking over even in clubs. For recent long course Texas age group champs, Longhorn Aquatics (Austin) charged tickets, first time in history of the meet. Parents of a swimmer had to pay $100 just for tickets (4 days) and parking, I stopped officiating swim meets and renewing certification because of USA Swimming and Longhorn Aquatics (do not want to help them in any way in their meets).
How much of that is a result of University facility rental fees? Often the University clubs have little or no control over that – falls under Rec Sports institutional control.
Isn’t she also a meet starter?
I hope that the voting delegates who attend will reflect the thoughts of the comments made here, rather than just rubber-stamping a (bad) decision. USA Swimming needs to be held accountable for every dollar. It is the Clubs that develop the talent that keeps the United States at the top of the Olympic ladder, not the National Governing Body. How many people here who are commenting (or just silently agreeing with the comments) can attend the House of Delegates and voice these thoughts? I hope the answer is a lot.
Here is how it will go:
15min: There will be a passionate voice from the floor for each side of this.
30-40min: We will fix the grammar and rule references in the document.
15min: we go back to passionate pleas from both sides.
someone will suggest that if this passes, then executives receive no pay increase during the period of dues increase and no new hires in the exec side.
the whole room murmurs and a peculiar odor takes over the room from the staff section.
everyone starts looking at their watch to see we are getting close to airport time.
someone will call the question.
we will vote by voice. the side… Read more »