Senior Coaches Representative Report
Bill Marlin
BoD Report - September 21, 2003


Report from USAS Convention 2003

I attended the Steering Committee meeting where they:

  1. Updated everyone on the progress of the Olympic Plans.
  2. Talked about the Dart Fish project
  3. Talked about the Grand Prix meets for 2005…there will only be two sites…Ann Arbor being dropped due to host team not wanting to run it anymore.
  4. Athlete Rep talked about the success of the Records Bonus this past year
  5. Lengthy talk on Sports Medicine
    1. Many over the counter supplements contain banned substances (due to industry being un-regulated), so use at own risk
    2. Encouraged everyone to get flu vaccines. Heppatitis-A vaccine for Olympic athletes
  • NCAA report given which said that the NCAA is considering dropping the minimum # of sport needed to be considered Div. I…this could hurt swimming if passed.
  • Voted to make the Olympic Trials a Selection meet for the National Jr. Team.
  • Members of the Steering Committee requesting the NCAA Championships go to a cycle of 3 years at 25 meters and the Olympic Year in 50 meter format. No Reply yet.

    • I attended a seminar called "Novice to National, How they did it" Three teams represented, Mission Veijo, Alamo Area Aquatics and North Baltimore. They each talked about how they ran their programs.

    I attended the Sports Medicine Seminar. Committee Members gave reports on:

    1. Dis-Ordered Eating (will be available in Coaches Quarterly) Asthma Study is next.
    2. 3 additional grant studies will also appear in Coaches Quarterly
      1. Strength vs. Power and how each relate to swimming
      2. Positive Thinking and Mental Outlook vs. performance
      3. Speed Suits study…5 out of 7 "speed suits" studied provided more buoyancy than a regular swim suit. This extra buoyancy decreased over time but this may lead to a ban on the speed suits by FINA.
  • Announced that Rowdy Gains has been hired by USA Swimming to head up Fund raising efforts. Announced that research funding from the dues increase will start in 2005.
  • Sports massage guidelines have been put together which may be available on the USA Web site
    • .
  • Went over plans for 2004 Athens Olympic Games
  • Announced that FINA is going to require that all beta-2 Agonists Asthma patients provide PROOF that they need to use an inhaler. This proof needs to be documented by a doctor and a Pulmonary Function Test be taken. Results of the test need to be submitted to USA Swimming.

    • Test goes as follows: Athlete must be off medication for 3-4 weeks:
    Establish a resting base line reading…If there normal flow rate on a challenge test is decreased by 10% or more and they show a 15% improvement on the inhaler, they will be allowed to use the inhaler. This goes for any Senior Level athlete competing in national and international meets or those that will make the national level meets.

    I also attended the Science and technology Presentation where Jonty Skinner gave an over view of the program. Charlene Boudrou navigated the USA web site to show everyone where they can find all this information and finally John walker talked about current projects they are working on and then demonstrated the Dart Swim program.

    At the House of delegates meeting, legislation was proposed, then withdrawn, to start a 3 site Junior National meet once in the Spring, and once in the summer to be placed before Phillips 66 nationals and Spring Championships meets at a time most conducive to the Jr. level athlete. A new committee was to be formed to oversee the Jr. Nationals meet. There was overwhelming support for this but it was pulled because the senior Swimming committee promised that they would discuss this and implement this program so it fits in with the rest of the national schedule.




    Bill Marlin
    PVS Sr. Coaches Rep