See Sunday's post: [Link]
Chuck Wieglus will never answer my phone calls NEVER! - In fact, nobody there or at FINA have ever answered my phone calls or my emails.
Executive
Brenda Adams: 719.866.3536 - Executive Administrative Assistant
Business Development
Business Operations/Member Services
Carol Burch: 719.866.3552 - Member Services Director
[...]
Club Development
Pat Hogan: 719.866.3534 - Club Development Managing Director
Tom Avischious: 719.866.3555 - Field Services Director
[...]
Ruth Flint: 719.866.3576 - Club Development Administrative Assistant
Helen Uchiyama: 719.866.3529 - Field Services Administrative Assistant
Carrie Waters: 719.866.3571 - Programs and Services Administrative Assistant
Financial Affairs
National Team
[...]
USA Swimming Foundation
[...]
8 comments:
Titles are like... well... you know how the rest of that goes. A while back, I wanted to rent a facility for a clinic I was putting on. The school "required" I had a title in order to put the deal together. I think it was about 8 years ago, and I still get a Christmas card from the school addressed to:
Director of External Extracurricular Activity Planning
I've always been surprised that their address labels somehow accept that.
I'd give a letter a go if the calling and emailing isn't working.
I am going to do both, send a letter and send an email.
As for the titles, I would have expected to see a title that was dedicated to assisting parents, athletes, or accepting suggestions.
Are you a registered USA Swimming Coach or Athlete?
NO! I am not a USAS coach or athlete, I am a masters swimmers but one of my kids was an athlete at the local level. Why are you asking me this anonymously?
Also, I am currently writing the Club Development boss a letter right now.
Should I publish it?
I just sent off two letters to both membership services and PR. It went like this:
Hello Public Relations:
My name is Tony Austin, I am a masters swimmer and a swim blogger. Last year my blog had over 1/3-million page views and over 225,000 unique visitors. I allow no advertising, I accepts no gifts. I swim and blog because I love the sport.
Fro brevity, I am going to be blunt: The sport of swimming does not need a Catholic Priest problem.
It is time for USA Swimming to publish a child protection plan/policy to protect both age-group swimmers from pedophiles and coaches from false accusations.
The gold standard for such a policy is the 'Boy Scouts of America: Youth Protection and Adult Leadership Policy.'
Said plan or policy could be a hand out with club materials or it could be published monthly in "Splash" magazine.
Here is a link to the BSA policy that could ostensibly reduce or eliminate pedophile problems and false accusations: http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/HealthandSafety/GSS/gss01.aspx
Also note that the military has a similar policy in that a reader sent me this: "... for perspective even the Army has rules where a trainee can't be alone with a sergeant or officer of the opposite sex and this is for adults! Good luck in getting someone over there to talk to you...."
Thank you for your time, please read and acknowledge this letter.
Tony Austin
www.scaq.blogspot.com
The point is that most of these items are proposed and discussed at USAS convention. I don't think you can vote/participate in the USA Swimming if you are not a USA Swimming member first - coach or non-athlete, and delegate second. If your child is/was involved in USA Swimming, get involved at the LSC level - it's a great way to affect change. Most clubs have policies regarding contact with kids in their bylaws/coaching rules of conduct/contracts. I think the easier way to handle the situation is to speak with someone at Southern California Swimming (I'm assuming this is your LSC) and ask them where the best place to voice your opinion is.
No insult or paranoia intended - it's just easier to post anonymously. I didn't this time!
Anoher great model USAS should follow is the re-branded Swim Ireland. Re-branded and with a new approach to Child Protection after 3 decades of Child Sexual Abuse and Rape. If you or anyone at USAS is interested they can also gain much prevention information from www.abusewatch.net I am also a masters swimmer with children who swam competitively- with me watching- ALWAYS.- L Daly
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