USA Swimming announced an update to its House of Delegates Working Group Proposal on Wednesday, increasing coach representation within its composition in a move that should appease concerned raised by both the LSCs and the American Swim Coaches Association (ASCA).
The ASCA recently issued a statement calling on USA Swimming to give coaches equal representation to the athletes, who are now required to have 33.3% of the HOD voting structure by USOPC bylaws.
Additionally, the increase in athlete representation would lead to a reduction in voting power from the LSCs, something that they raised concern about.
Now, USA Swimming has moved to have 34.36% of the HOD voting structure go to coaches, with the 18 largest LSCs appointing one additional coach as a delegate. However, the guaranteed coaching percentage is still only 26.7%.
“There has been broad expression of support for a House of Delegates composition that complements the 33.33% 10 Year Athlete requirement with a like number of coaches, and the final 33.33% being At-Large,” USA Swimming said in a statement sent to House of Delegates members. “Last night, on May 4, the HOD Working Group met to discuss this suggested requirement and updated their proposal as a result of this discussion.
“The new proposal, given the number of coaches who are currently Local Swimming Committee (LSC) General Chairs and USA-S Board members, results in the following proportional breakdown of the HOD voting structure: 33.33% 10 Year Athletes; 34.36% Coaches; 32.31% At-Large.”
However, now that the 18 largest LSCs have a coach member as an additional delegate, their original third vote from an additional delegate (LSCs get three votes: General Chair, coach member of the LSC BOD, and one additional delegate) can not be a coach member. This is in order to ensure an adequate number of spots for at-large members.
You can find the entirety of the current proposal here.
UPDATE
Following USA Swimming’s proposal update, the ASCA issued a statement regarding the fact that the guaranteed coaching representation still isn’t equal to the athletes, and to remove the HOD proposals from the June 30 agenda.
ASCA continues to advocate for 33.3% GUARANTEED coach representation, the same as the athletes have, AND that the HOD, Board of Directors and National Committees proposals be pulled from the June 30, 2021 HOD meeting agenda. This will allow for the AAC to be set, and for all stakeholders to have the appropriate time to consider, vet and share ideas on these proposals.
-American Swimming Coaches Association
This is great news. Thanks go out to ASCA’s new CEO Jennifer LaMont to take lead to rectify this situation. Also to all the coaches who emailed USA Swimming and voiced their concerns regarding the proposal’s lack of coach representation.
I’m happy that ASCA took the lead on getting this changed. There might be hope for this organization, yet. Now let’s take civil and/or criminal action to get that missing membership $$$ back that walked out the door with John Leonard when he “retired”.
Nice job ASCA.