Strategic Planning Chair
Greg York
Annual Report
House of Delegates 2002


The past year several goals were set forth for this division, scheduling, awareness, officials, and outside expert input into Potomac Valley Swimming.

Scheduling:
I met several times over the course of the year with different groups of coaches, board members and the administrative staff to review and plan various season schedules in response to numerous requests from the coaching community. Several season plans were developed which included meet format changes and various weekend and championship formats. Although we have said the board cannot legislate morality to the coaches we have felt that PVS has had little focus over the past several seasons due to the change in the SCY Zone format, the addition of the Speedo Championship Series meets, and now the added distraction of the NESCA Jr National format meet in Long Beach California.

In each incidence when these suggestions were brought forward to the Competition Committee they were rejected. I hope that with additional coach input and the Zone level meets now being bid much farther out we can revisit the goals of each season again and provide more guidance and stability in the season in the future.

Awareness:
One issue coming out of the Board Retreat last spring was the issue of awareness of associations, athletes, and parents about PVS. We have increased our advertising in the surrounding summer leagues; we have placed ads in the High School Championship programs, and continued to reach out to parents in the form of presentations at the camps. I hope that in the future more of this type of out reach can continue and can be enhanced by forming more direct liaisons with other competitive swimming associations in the Washington Metropolitan area.

Officials:
Concern had been raised over the past years regarding making the official's clinic more accessible, and drawing new parents into the program. To enhance an already ample clinic schedule, several officials clinics were held at meets during the fall season. Coaches were asked to encourage more parents to become involved.

Expert Input:
For some time it has been recognized that what fuel is feed into an athlete's body has a direct impact on their performance, as much in some cases as their training program. PVS has had little contact with these types of professionals on a board level. Most clubs don't have a nutritionist as a consultant to assist the coaching staff with the education process of their athletes and parents.

Sue Rosselle, has met with Bill Marlin, worked with his club, met with my self, the Administrative Office and now spoken at a camp this past weekend and has plans to be back with us for other camps in the fall. Her practice goes beyond that of nutritional counseling, she has on staff a chiropractor, massage therapist, acupressure therapy, and physical therapists. All though she does not hold regular classes she is willing to work with clubs, camps and the association in smaller groups. She is an experienced swim mom and can bring a lot of input into PVS.