Swimmers helping Swimmers

Last Friday, in Greensboro, North Carolina, 38 members of the Athletes' Committee from around the nation took time out of their busy meeting schedule at the United States Aquatic Sports Convention to teach some local children how to swim (and have fun!)

OPEN WATER UPDATES continued

The last week has been full of movement in Open Water Swimming on the National and International Level. Since the release recommendations from the USA Swimming Open Water Review Committee three major headlines have been posted with regards to Open Water Safety.

1. USA Swimming BOD votes to Relocate US Nationals to Fort Lauderdale

4/22/2011 - The 2011 USA Swimming Open Water National Championships have been relocated from Fort Myers, Fla., to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The 10k race will be held June 10 and the 5k race will remain on June 12. The USA Swimming Board of Directors approved this change in venue.

The change in venue is designed to provide the safest possible environment for the event, and is in keeping with recommendations made by the Open Water Commission, which included the recommendation that races exceeding 5K should not be held in water above 31 degrees Celsius (87.8 degrees Fahrenheit). Because the water temperature in Fort Myers could exceed that temperature, the decision was made to move the event now, rather than potentially having to cancel the race on or near the day.

2. FINA Releases Report

Francis Crippen, a long distance swimmer from the United States of America (USA) passed away during the FINA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup race that took place in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Saturday 23 October 2010.

In order to better understand the circumstances surrounding the tragic accident, the International Swimming Federation (FINA) appointed a Task Force to address all the issues related to the death of open water swimmer Francis Crippen.


3. OPEN WATER GRAND PRIX 2011: Sumidero Canyon Event cancelled

26 April 2011 - Please be informed that the FINA Executive has decided to cancel the Sumidero Canyon Event of the 2011 FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix Series scheduled for May 7, 2011.

This decision has been reached following the recommendation of the FINA Sports Medicine Committee on the water quality in order to ensure the Health and Safety of the FINA open water swimmers.

OPEN WATER UPDATES

Nearly six months after the tragic and untimely death of USA Swimming National Team Member Fran Crippen, steps are being taken Stateside. This week, the USA Swimming Appointed Open Water Commission Releases Recommendations, the Crippen Family (see below) and FINA respond, and USA Swimming announces the hire of an Open Water Program Manager.

Crippen Family Statement:
"The Crippen family is grateful for the time and effort USA Swimming and the USA Swimming's Open Water Swimming Commission put into the development of this report. The Commission's report will help facilitate the development of safer guidelines for open water swimming and aid in assuring athlete's safety moving forward. As a family, we know we can not change the circumstances that led to the tragedy that occurred on October 23rd, but it is our goal to honor Fran and his legacy by looking to the future and advocating for athlete's safety moving forward."

Big Names in International Swimming News This Week

FRANK BUSCH -Named USA Swimming National Team Director

IAN THORPE - Returns to Competition

AARON PEIRSOL - Retires from Competition

MICHAEL PHELPS - Announces Video Game

Worldwide Tribute to Fran Crippen

If you are looking for a way to be a part of Fran Crippen's memorial this weekend, but can't make to Conshohocken, PA. Take part in the Worldwide Tribute to Fran Crippen.

Details below.

Time: Saturday, October 30 · 9:00am - 9:30am
Location: Your Closest Body of Water (ocean, lake, river...)
Created By: Alyss Lange, Brent Anhorn
More Info: Over 21,000 people have shown they care on the "In Memory of Fran Crippen" FB page. We also hope thousands will take the time to attend this Saturday's Worldwide Event.

For those who cannot attend the funeral this Saturday and would like to pay tribute to Fran, please join us by bringing fresh rose petals (or any flower) to your nearest ocean, lake or river and releasing them into the open water at exactly 9:00am EDT.

Take a moment of silence to celebrate the life of a true hero, friend, brother, son, teammate and inspiration to all who knew him...

==> Capture the moment on camera and upload it to the "In Memory of Fran Crippen" Facebook Page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/In-Memory-of-Fran-Crippen/118842241510389) and share it with the world.

May you forever swim in peace.

Men's 4x100 Ranked Among Top Sports Calls

Earlier this month Joe Posnanski of Sports Illustrated put together a list of 32 great sports calls. If you're a sports aficionado like me, you'll appreciate each of the calls on this the well rounded list. And if you're a die hard swimming fan, you'll get chills reliving this Beijing moment. Enjoy!

18. Dan Hicks on Jason Lezak’s comeback to keep Michael Phelps’ dream of eight gold medals alive at the 2008 Olympics

What I love about this call is that Hicks, like the rest of us, is quite certain that the U.S. is going to lose. He only slowly figures out that Jason Lezak, against all odds, is gaining ground. And we figure it out with him.*

“The world record is absolutely going to be shattered here. The United States trying to hang on to second, they should get the silver medal. … Now, though, Lezak is closing a little bit on Bernard. Can the veteran chase him down and pull off a shocker here?… Bernard is losing some ground! Here comes Lezak! Unbelievable at the end! He’s done it! The U.S. has done it! (3:25 mark on the video.)

*This reminds me of the classic call of the Rumble in the Jungle between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. For seven rounds Ali basically leaned on the loose ropes and let Foreman hit him. It was such a shocking strategy that it did not seem possible that he was doing it on purpose. Who would let George Foreman hit him?

The announcer, Colonel Bob Sheridan, didn’t see it, couldn’t see it, he was like the rest of us. But late in the eighth round, it suddenly dawned on him. “Maybe,” he said, “this could be the tactic of Ali to let the man punch himself out.” Absolutely perfect. By the time Sheridan realized it, by the time Foreman realized it, by the time the rest of the world realized it, it was too late. Twenty seconds later, Ali landed his flurry, Foreman fell, and the fight was over.

Remembering Fran

On Saturday, October 23rd, USA Swimming National Team Member Fran Crippen passed away during the Open Water World Cup 10k race in the United Arab Emirates. The cause of death remains unknown, however USA Swimming announced today that, regardless of the actions taken by others, they plan to investigate the cause of death in hopes of preventing a tragedy of this nature from happening again.

The following articles express some of the reactions of those who were closest to him, including German Town Academy Coach Richard Shoulberg, Mission Viejo Nadadores Coach Bill Rose, and Sister Maddy Crippen.

As a competitor Fran was a force to be reckoned with, as a National Team Member he had become a veteran leader, as a friend he was a compassionate individual, and as a brother he was a 'hero.' Above all he was Fran.

Fran was more than a National Team Athlete, he was a National Team Advocate. He cared deeply about athlete rights and had an incredible ability to put personal opinion aside and make decisions based on the athletes as a whole. Most recently he was outspoken in favor of the Athletes Partnership Plan during the annual USAS Convention in Dallas, TX.

On Sunday evening during a USA Swimming Athletes Executive Committee (AEC) conference call, Fran was unanimously voted the National Team Vice Chair - a position for which he had accepted the nomination just prior to leaving for the U.A.E. Fran will remain in this position as an honorary member through the end of the term in 2012.

Condolences to the Crippen Family - one of the quintessential families of our sport.

Swimmer's Creed goes to a Vote

America's Swim Team is looking for a new declaration to add to the Swimmer's Creed and its putting the finalists against each other in a vote. Visit the America's Swim Team website to vote for your favorite declaration, as well as download wallpapers and read the rest of the creed.

Vote Swimmers as Top Sports Kids of the Year

USA Swimming has two of the ten finalists for the 2010 Sports Illustrated for Kids "Sports Kid of the Year." 11 year old Olivia Calegan of Quad Cities Aquatics and 15 year old Missy Franklin of the Colorado Stars.

Voting is unlimited, so visit the SI for Kids website this week. Voting closes on October 18 at 12 P.M. EST.

The three finalists, as chosen by your votes, will be revealed on October 19.

WEEKLY WRAP UP

For those of you that couldn't follow along daily, here's a recap of some of the major news affecting USA Swimming Athletes over the past week, as well as some additional info worth reading:

A Three-peat for LA?

Athlete Rep Erin Popovich Retires

USA Swimming Board of Directors Announced

Make A Splash Reaches half a Million

A THREE-PEAT FOR LA?

The article below gives insight into what might need to happen in order for the 'rings' to return state side and why LA (although losing to Chicago for the US bid, who then lost to Madrid, Tokyo, and Rio for the actual games) might be our best shot.

When can LA host the Olympics again?

Phil Wallace • October 4 2010 5:38 PM

Last week the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) met and unveiled some of the considerable progress they are making under new president Scott Blackmun. Naturally, one of the questions that came up was whether a U.S. city could bid for the 2020 Olympic Games. USOC chairman Larry Probst had some interesting comments about Chicago.

"I think it would be challenging for any other city to organize a bid in that time frame but not impossible," Probst told the Chicago Tribune in an article headlined "Chicago likely USOC's strongest candid for U.S. bid for 2020 Olympics."

The comments probably raised a few eyebrows here in Los Angeles where the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games is always ready for a bid. Despite Probst's comments, Los Angeles is the most Olympic-ready city in the United States.

I say this with some knowledge, as I worked for New York's 2012 Olympic bid and was a consultant for Chicago's 2016 bid. That's not to say that Chicago could not host an excellent Olympics, because it could. Their plan for 2016 was first-rate, and they deserved to go well past the first round in voting. But in order for Chicago to bid again, they would need to find political and community support, and the city still needs to build an Olympic Stadium, an Olympic Village, and several other venues.

Conversely, Los Angeles can host the Olympics using entirely existing venues. And unlike virtually every other bold proposal in this city, an Olympic bid is the one thing that has broad political and community support because of the great success of the 1984 Games.

I will get into how a Los Angeles Olympic Games would work later in this column, but this LA vs. Chicago argument may be moot because the United States is unlikely to host the Summer Olympics any time soon.

While the United States is obviously in a different continent from South America, many IOC members consider the Americas to be one region. After being in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, the IOC will not want to go back to the Western Hemisphere in 2020. Additionally, the USOC still has a long ways to go in order to rebuild its reputation in the international Olympic community. Scott Blackmun has made progress on a wide variety of issues, particularly distribution of marketing and television revenues, but the USOC still needs to work on building relationships with IOC members, and other "sports politicians" around the world.

Chicago Mayor Richard Daley was particularly pessimistic about the US's chances.

"If it's a political decision, they have to go to India, they have to go to Africa, they have to go to the Middle East," Daley offered as advice to the next mayor. "You can't participate. So be careful how much money you spend.

"Whoever it is (serving as mayor) has to figure that out," he said. "You just can't bid for it and all of a sudden, say, 'Johannesburg or Cape Town's going to get it. They're going to get it. New Delhi, they're going to get it. Someplace in the Middle East, they should get it.' That's the same reason they give for Rio de Janeiro."

There's some truth to what Daley is saying, but he's not completely right. Early signs point to the 2020 Olympic bid contest shaping up to be a two-horse race between Rome and a South Africa city - most likely Durban. New Delhi was supposed to use the 2010 Commonwealth Games as a springboard to an Olympic bid, but those Games have been a disaster.

It will be a long time before India is able to prove to the IOC that it is capable of hosting an Olympic Games. And despite Daley's comments, many IOC members are still not comfortable with the idea of a Middle East Olympics. Most recently, Doha in Qatar bid for 2016 and failed to pass the technical stage. One of the main reasons cited was weather, as hot temperatures would have led Doha to stage the Games in October, later than the IOC would like. Doha's population is relatively small for an Olympic host city.

Dubai in U.A.E. has announced its intention to bid for 2020, but the city has the same weather concerns as Doha. Additionally, Dubai is facing significant problems with its debt, and when I went there last year, even local sports officials acknowledged they were years away from being able to mount a realistic Olympic bid.

Conversely, the relatively positive feedback on the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa has boosted that nation's hopes. The entire IOC will be in Durban next year to vote on the host for the 2018 Winter Olympics (where PyeongChang, South Korea is currently favored over Munich, Germany and Annecy, France). That's an incredible advantage for any bid city. Since the Salt Lake City scandal, there have been significant travel restrictions placed on IOC members during bid campaigns, so this is a real coup for Durban.

There are several Asian cities that could bid for 2020, but none of their prospects are bright. Busan, South Korea has shown interest, but if PyeongChang wins for 2018, then that would end Busan's chances. Tokyo and Hiroshima have expressed interest, but after Tokyo's second round exit for 2016, it's unclear if enough enthusiasm exists for a second straight Japanese bid.

In Europe, Istanbul has made it clear that it will bid for 2020, but it has bid multiple times and not come close to winning. Budapest, Bucharest, Lisbon, and St. Petersburg have made murmurs about bidding, but Rome is the continent's only city that seems truly organized to this point.

It's still extremely early, but the success of the 2010 World Cup, the sentiment that Africa should host its first Olympics, and the IOC session next year, all seem to make Durban the current favorite for 2020. Additionally, the IOC has never held three consecutive Olympics outside of Europe. Knowing this, European members who want the 2024 Games in their country will vote for Durban.

Whichever city loses between Durban and a European city will likely be the favorite in 2024. By that bidding cycle, it figures that Madrid could mount a viable campaign after strong bids for 2012 and 2016. Paris might also have a good chance, since it would be the 100th anniversary of the famed "Chariots of Fire" Games, which are considered one of the greatest ever. A U.S. city could bid for 2024, but they would be the underdogs against an African bid or a European bid.

All this means, that Los Angeles or any other U.S. city might have to wait until 2028 to host the Summer Olympics, a mere 32 years after Atlanta. Of course, that could be further delayed if Denver or Reno/Tahoe realize their dreams of hosting the Winter Olympics in either 2022 or 2026. It's not clear yet if the USOC wants to entertain Winter bids, or made a stronger effort at Summer bids.

2028 might sound ridiculously far away, but that would basically mean that Blackmun and Probst would have 11 years to repair the damage wrought by past USOC instability. Olympics are awarded seven years in advance. If Blackmun can stay in his current position for that long, then the U.S. would be primed to win by then.

As for which U.S. city could win, the real question on this site is whether it could be Los Angeles. The USOC has basically made it clear that only Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and possibly San Francisco have a realistic shot at being the official U.S. Candidate City. San Francisco is too spread out though, and there are too many political landmines at this time.

The IOC would love to be in New York for the first time, but there is no obvious site for an Olympic Stadium. A stadium proposal on the West Side of Manhattan died in 2005, and the Jets (who would have used the facility) now share a brand new stadium in New Jersey with the Giants. A second stadium proposal is now Citi Field, home of the Mets, and the team would have to agree to move out for a year or more while the venue is temporarily changed for the Olympics. Another stadium site has yet to emerge, and building any sports facility in New York is notoriously difficult.

That basically leaves Los Angeles and Chicago as the most likely future candidates to host the next Olympic Games in the United States. While Chicago doesn't have an Olympic Stadium or a Village, they at least have a blueprint for a bid. It's possible that later this decade the city could regenerate the political and community support that frayed close to the end of their bid.

On the other hand, Los Angeles's biggest challenge will be to form a compelling reason as to why the city should get to host the Olympics a third time, and not too long after the 1984 Games (in Olympic time). As Alan Abrahamson likes to say, every bid needs a "why." Arguing that Los Angeles saved the Olympic Movement in 1984 and therefore deserves the Games again, will not work with the IOC. Even though it's basically true, some IOC members look at that statement as arrogant and several other IOC members like to think they saved the Olympic Movement themselves.

Additionally, pointing out the low cost of a Los Angeles Olympic Games is not necessarily appealing to some IOC members. It may help win over the Finance Commission, but often times IOC members like to see the Games as a mechanism to build grandiose facilities for sports they love. They also want to see the Games as an opportunity to advance a particular cause or promote a certain sport in an area where it needs a boost.

Los Angeles could appeal to the IOC through celebrity. The ability to align Hollywood with certain IOC members' causes or favorite sports would win over some members. Additionally, Los Angeles' diversity is a strength, as many athletes from around the world could compete before a virtual "hometown crowd" here. The terrific weather here is also appealing, particularly to members of the Athletes Commission. Los Angeles is already a great place for athletes to workout and there is an excellent sports culture here.

So how would a Los Angeles Olympics work? Well, L.A. is already in the fortunate position where it would not need to build a single new venue. The city's official Bid Book for the 2016 Games outlines a bid that uses existing facilities. Very few of them were even used in 1984 because of the stadium construction done in LA by AEG and others over the past 25 years.

Effectively, there would be three Olympic clusters. The main cluster would extend from Downtown to the Coliseum with events taking place at the Convention Center, STAPLES Center, L.A. Live, and then on down to USC and Exposition Park. A second cluster would include all of the facilities in Carson at Home Depot Center. And a third major cluster would be in Long Beach where aquatics facilities exist and sailing and rowing could take place. The Honda Center in Anaheim would need to be used for either gymnastics or basketball, and other venues like the Forum, Pauley Pavilion, Santa Anita (for equestrian), the Pomona Fairplex (for shooting), and Raging Waters (for whitewater canoeing) would be used as well.

Golf and rugby sevens have been added to the Olympic program, but those would not be difficult to accommodate. LA has several world-class golf courses including Riviera and Trump National. The Home Depot Center seems like a natural fit for rugby sevens, but even Dodger or Angel Stadium could be used (since baseball and softball have been eliminated from the Olympic program).

Traffic was not problematic in 1984, and it would not be problematic again because of Olympic priority lanes and the addition of a real subway system.

There would still probably need to be additional slight modifications to the 2016 plan for Los Angeles to win. Originally, the LA bid team planned a $112 million renovation of the Coliseum that would have reinstalled a track and included the building of luxury suites. But having gone to several USC football games in recent years, I think the Coliseum will need a more thorough renovation to win over the IOC. That could be paid for using Games revenue. (Of course a new LA NFL stadium could change everything, but it doesn't look like the City of Industry site will have space for a track, and we don't know much yet about a proposed downtown stadium.)

Another issue is the Olympic Village. While USC and UCLA dorms worked in 1984, today's standard of Olympic Villages is so high-tech and luxurious that the LA bid team would need to find land to build a residential facility that could house over 12,000 athletes, and even more coaches. Since the IOC prefers a compact bid, the Village would have to be near Downtown.

All of this is fun to speculate about, but again, it may be a while before LA can host the Games again.

WEEKLY WRAP UP

For those of you that couldn't follow along daily, here's a recap of some of the major news affecting USA Swimming Athletes over the past week:

Make a Splash Receives USOC Honors

Logos on Swimwear

Athlete Partnership Agreement Still in the Works

USOC Olympic Assembly

USOC Safe Training Environments Efforts

USA Swimming Launches Athlete Protection Page

Success for US at Open Water World Cup

Jessica Hardy Tops Rankings in Brazil

USA Swimming Launches Athlete Protection Page

The Athlete Protection page is currently accessible under “MY USA SWIMMING” on the drop-down menu under MEMBER RESOURCES. You can also access it directly through www.usaswimming.org/protect

Athlete Protection for all NGB's in the US

Athlete Protections Efforts in USA Swimming lead the way, but the USOC is taking actions to parallel efforts to keep athletes safe. On the USOC side the effort are led by four-time Olympian Nina Kemppel who has called on the USOC to take a "leadership role"

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) released a report today from its Working Group for Safe Training Environments that details key recommendations for the consideration of the USOC board of directors and USOC Chief Executive Officer Scott Blackmun, and calls on the USOC to take a "leadership role" in promoting safe training environments.

"I'm grateful to Nina and the entire working group for their dedication to this incredibly important initiative," said Blackmun. "This is a thorough report with a set of recommendations that we will promptly consider."

The working group, led by four-time U.S. Olympian Nina Kemppel, presented their findings to the USOC board of directors over the weekend. Kemppel's report includes a suggestion that the USOC board adopt a policy statement regarding the utmost importance of athlete safety. During Saturday's meeting, the board unanimously voted to adopt the following statement:

"Sexual and physical abuse is intolerable and in direct conflict with Olympic Ideals. The USOC will work with its partners to play a leadership role promoting safe sport environments for athletes, with a goal of implementing new policies, safeguards and protective practices within six months."

In addition to calling on the USOC to take a leadership role, the report calls for the development of centralized and standardized resources for use by National Governing Bodies (NGBs) and encourages NGBs to adopt policies, practices, programs and tools to address sexual and physical misconduct.

"The commitment that Scott has shown to this issue is to be commended, and it's a great first step toward addressing the issue of athlete safety in a comprehensive way," said Kemppel. "We have invested many hours into making this a meaningful report, and I trust that Scott and his team will be vigilant in the coming months to ensure that our recommendations are implemented in the most effective manner."

Members of the working group include:

· Nina Kemppel, Vice Chair of the Athletes Advisory Committee and four-time U.S. Olympian (Skiing)

· Alison Alfers, Attorney

· Antonia Baum, Psychiatrist

· Suzette Bewley, Attorney

· Jim Fox, Asst. Executive Director of U.S. Figure Skating

· Amy Gantz, Redwood Group Insurance

· Rita Gladstone, Coach and Parent

· Raymond Mey, FBI / Law Enforcement

· Steve Stenersen, Executive Director of US Lacrosse

· Justin Wilcox, U.S. Olympian (Diving)

A full copy of the working group's report is available at www.TeamUSA.org

LOGOS on SWIMWEAR

In the midst of all the discussion about increased stipends and the Athlete Partnership Agreement, I wanted to be sure that everyone was aware of another key change that took place in Dallas this past week.

At the House of Delegates Meeting, a rule was passed to allow advertising on swimwear effective October 1, 2010 for domestic competitions only. While this legislation was initially proposed to generate income for Professional and Post Graduate Athletes, this also allows teams to generate income as well. Additionally, unless an athlete exhausts or forgoes NCAA eligibility, they cannot except direct compensation for logo placement. I have tried to explain this in the simplest terms below, however, please refer to the official wording of the rule (102.9.3 attached).

GENERAL INFO:
Advertising means the normal display of the name, designation, trademark, logo or any other distinctive sign of the manufacturer of the item or any other advertiser permitted in accordance with this rule. FINA labeling and the USA Swimming logo or club logo shall not be considered as advertisements. Logos of the swimwear manufacturer shall be considered as advertising and are included in the limits described below.

ALLOWED:
Suits: Allowed 2 different logos no larger than 20 square cm each
Caps: Allowed 2 different logos no larger than 20 square cm each
Googles: Allowed 2 different logos no larger than 6 square cm each
Dress Sweats / T-shirts / Other Non Competition Outfitting: No Restrictions to Size or Quantity

NOT ALLOWED:
- Body Advertisements (Permanent or Temporary Tattoos)
- Tobacco, Alcohol, Pharmaceuticals banned by IOC/FINA
- Political Statements
- Products or Services counter to the value of USA Swimming

Athlete Partnership Update

The 2010 USAS Convention in Dallas was initially supposed to be the end of the Pro Swimming Task Force and the submission of a budget and legislation that would drastically change the status of USA Swimming National Team Funding. Over the last year the Task Force has presented approximately a half a dozen different plans, but it has become a challenge to get everyone in agreement. Between the USOC, the entire National Team, the Board of Directors, and the USA Swimming Staff it has been difficult to present a plan that is both appealing to our Elite level Swimmers and Financially Viable to our Supporters. Below are a series of articles and interviews that have been published in the last 10 days with regards to the state of athlete funding.

Craig Lord (SwimNews Reporter) Writes an outsiders reactionary piece to the Board of Directors meeting on the first day of the USAS Convention.

Tyler Clary (American Record Holder / National Team Member) Speaks out about why he was initially hesitant and what is crucial for the plan to be successful.

Chuck Wielgus (USA Swimming Executive Director) Clarifies the state of the Athlete Partnership.

Tyler Storie (Athletes VP on the Board of Directors) Speaks about the plan moving forward and the time line to get it done.

2010 USOC Olympic Assembly

2010 U.S. Olympic Assembly Ends on Positive Note for
U.S. Olympic Family

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - After three days of meetings between the various constituencies of the U.S. Olympic Family - including the Athlete's Advisory Council (AAC), Multi-Sport Organizations (MSO) Council, National Governing Body (NGB) Council, U.S. Olympians and Paralympians Association, U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) Board of Directors and representatives from the USOC family of partners - the sixth annual U.S. Olympic Assembly closed Saturday in Colorado Springs, Colo.

"This year's Olympic Assembly has set a new level of collaboration and teamwork within the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movements, and it is only the beginning," USOC Chairman of the BoardLarry Probst said. "The USOC is committed to new heights of inclusiveness and engagement, which we have strengthened in our organization from top to bottom. As a family, we now step forward with a united front, dedicated to our mission of supporting athletes, preserving the Olympic Ideals and inspiring Americans."

The assembly, themed "One Team," opened Thursday night with a reception at the Garden of the Gods Club. It continued Friday and Saturday at the Antlers Hilton in downtown Colorado Springs with keynote speeches, roundtables, town hall meetings, award presentations, forums and council meetings. The assembly was also held in conjunction with the USOC Partner Workshop, Olympic SportsLink and the Olympic Public Relations Association workshop.

"I couldn't be more pleased with the openness and spirit of partnership that was demonstrated at this year's U.S. Olympic Assembly," USOC Chief Executive Scott Blackmun said. "I will say, though, I'm not surprised. The character of the people involved in the U.S. Olympic Movement at this time is truly outstanding, and I am proud to be one of them."

Together, Probst and Blackmun set the tone for the assembly with their general address to the various constituent groups Friday morning. To read a full transcript of the general address, visitUSOC Press Box. A video of the address is available on TeamUSA.org.

Chairman of NBC Universal Sports & Olympics, Dick Ebersol, engages U.S. Olympic Family in keynote

The keynote speaker at Friday night's reception was Chairman of NBC Universal Sports & Olympics Dick Ebersol. With more than 40 years of involvement in Olympic broadcasting, Ebersol spoke to a room of nearly 400 people. Below are excerpts from his address:

"Just think, a year ago, many of us in this room were very upset in the aftermath of Chicago; I'd say some were downright angry. We wanted change in leadership, in vision, in direction and especially in inclusiveness. Well, we've gotten that vision, we certainly have that direction, and we've got that inclusiveness in spades, and remarkably, we've got that leadership from a man that many of us wanted out a year ago - mistakenly - but nevertheless we wanted him out.

"Larry Probst did not bunker down, he did not feel sorry for himself but he saw what had been lost - the trust and broken relationships - and he set on a bold course to change that.

"In Scott Blackmun, Probst picked a CEO whose skill set and remarkable temperament and inclusiveness is second-to-none.

"Let me say it very clearly: congratulations for the start of this remarkable turnaround. We are very lucky to have your leadership, and we hope to have it for a very long time."

Ebersol also announced that NBC will air more than 200 hours from the 2012 Olympic Games in London, almost a 25 percent increase from the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, and 185 more hours than the company's first broadcast of the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo. London marks the coverage of NBC's seventh straight Games. In addition, NBC's cable partners will also expand their coverage by 100 hours and average 50 hours a day.

U.S. Olympic Family reflects on 2010 U.S. Olympic Assembly

"There's no question that this year's assembly was the best ever. I know that our group, the athletes, came out of this weekend extremely energized and optimistic about the direction of the U.S. Olympic Movement. The spirit of collaboration between the AAC, NGB Council, and the U.S. Olympians and Paralympians was clear and powerful, and the opportunity to interact directly with the USOC Board of Directors and CEO was unprecedented." - Matthew Van Houten, AAC Chair

"This year's Olympic Assembly was the best USOC meeting we've attended since 1998. This year's meeting was more positive and goal-oriented. We were pleased with the inclusion of the Paralympic Movement into U.S. Olympians and the USOC board. The MSO Council determined priority goals into the next year and beyond focusing on implementing additional collaborative opportunities with the USOC, NGBs and athletes. We thank all members of the U.S. Olympic family for their efforts and contributions toward this new era of collaboration." - Jeanne Picariello, MSO Council Chair

"It was very exciting to experience such optimism this weekend, and I believe it has been some time since the Olympic Family has had such overall cohesiveness. Communication is certainly a key to our success, and I believe that the dialogue between the USOC and the National Governing Bodies has been active and healthy." - Rich Bender, NGB Council Chair and Executive Director of USA Wrestling

"I have been attending sports conventions and assemblies for 30 years, and this is the first time I felt like we were truly a family. There is a sense that our leadership is eager to set a course for success." - Willie Banks, President, U.S. Olympians and Paralympians Association

USOC Board of Directors approves bylaw changes

The assembly concluded Saturday with the following bylaw changes approved by the USOC Board of Directors:

Expanding the board by four new members
Adding the USOC's chief executive officer to the board as an ex-officio, non-voting member
Extending the length of board member terms
Eliminating term limits placed upon the chairman of the board
Additionally, the board voted to revamp the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Assembly, alter the process by which new directors are elected to the board, and eliminate the severance requirements for certain constituent director positions. To read the by-law changes, visitTeamUSA.org.

The board also received a report outlining the recommendations of the working group on safe training environments from its chair, Nina Kemppel,thefirst vice chair of the AAC and a four-time Olympian in cross-country skiing. More information on the recommendations of the working group will be made available Tuesday.

The USOC board will reconvene December 16 in San Francisco.

U.S. Olympians Association votes to include Paralympians

The U.S. Olympians and Paralympians Association, formerly known as the U.S. Olympians Association (USOA), voted unanimously on Friday to include Paralympians in its ranks. The integration will enable U.S. Olympians and U.S. Paralympians to work side-by-side on organizational initiatives that impact the larger movement and educate young athletes.

"In a show of solidarity, the U.S. Olympians Association has unanimously voted to include the Paralympians to form the U.S. Olympians and Paralympians Association," Banks said. "This is a milestone that will set the tone for integration and inclusion."

USOC presents annual awards

Throughout the assembly, several annual awards were presented by the USOC, including:

• Jack Kelly Fair Play Award: USA Table Tennis athlete, Steve Pupel (Grand Rapids, Mich.) was awarded the Jack Kelly Fair Play Award for his sportsmanship at the 76 thAnnual Michigan Closed Table Tennis Championships April 17-18, 2010.

• Olympic Torch Award: The Olympic Torch Award was presented to George E. Killian , a former member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and former USOC board member, in recognition of his meaningful impact on the U.S. Olympic Movement.

• Rings of Gold: Figure skater Melissa Gregory (Hartford, Conn.) and the USA Swimming Foundation's Make a Splash initiative were selected as the year's individual and program Rings of Gold award winners, respectively. The two annual awards recognize both an individual and a program dedicated to helping children develop their Olympic or Paralympic dreams and reach their highest athletic and personal potential.

USOC engages in Colorado Springs community

Nearly 60 USOC staff members and Olympians volunteered their time in the USOC's first-ever "Commitment to Community" project Saturday at four locations in Colorado Springs. The various projects included cleaning up America the Beautiful Park, renovating a baseball field at Meadows Park Community Center, and painting at both the Briargate and Southeast YCMAs.

The USOC is committed to being fully engaged in the Colorado Springs community and future Commitment to Community projects will be announced at a later date.

Make a Splash Earns USOC Honors

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Gregory, Make a Splash take home USOC Rings of Gold Awards

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) unveiled the recipients of the 2010 Rings of Gold awards on Saturday afternoon during the 2010 U.S. Olympic Assembly in Colorado Springs, Colo. Figure skater Melissa Gregory (Hartford, Conn.) and the USA Swimming Foundation's Make a Splash initiative were selected as the year's individual and program winners, respectively.

The two annual Rings of Gold awards recognize both an individual and a program dedicated to helping children develop their Olympic or Paralympic dreams and reach their highest athletic and personal potential. The awards were inaugurated in 1996 and now return after a brief hiatus.

"It is an honor to recognize Melissa and Make a Splash for their commitment to the lives of children," Scott Blackmun, USOC Chief Executive Officer, said. "Through programming and personal passion, each is making a difference and not only supporting the athletic talent of young people but also teaching skills those children will carry with them for a lifetime."

Gregory, a 2006 Olympian who competed in ice dancing along with her husband Denis Petukhov, developed and facilitates Fever on Ice. The program combines ice skating instruction and academics while fostering cultural diversity, relationship-building skills and teaching children about the Olympic Movement.

Fever on Ice reaches middle school students in the Portland, Conn. and Hartford, Conn., areas. Participants are given homework assignments in addition to learning how to skate. Instruction, bus transport, ice skates, and ice time at the Koeppel Community Sports Center at Trinity College, are provided free of charge due to a two-year grant from the Hartford Board of Education and the State of Connecticut Department of Education. In March, the participants were showcased in an ice skating show alongside Olympians and elite skaters which generated funds for the McKinney Homeless Shelter in Hartford - a charity chosen by the students. Gregory is the first figure skater to receive this award.

"I am very honored to be acknowledged by the USOC and to receive the Rings of Gold award," Gregory said. "This unique program aims to inspire students, enrich and improve their lives, and engage the Olympic spirit through education. It is so rewarding to get to work with youth and make a difference in their lives. We are grateful for all the support that we have been given on this program."

The USA Swimming Foundation created the Make a Splash initiative in 2007 in response to the fact that drowning is the second-leading cause of accidental death for youth in America. The national child-focused water safety campaign aims to provide the opportunity for every child in the nation to learn to swim.

Make a Splash works by educating parents through a national awareness campaign, and by providing opportunities for kids to learn to swim through a growing network of providers. Currently there are 260 local partner programs in 43 states, and the initiative also focuses on ethnically diverse areas. To date, more than 500,000 children have taken lessons through Make a Splash local partners, and 22,000 of those youth received discounted lessons through USA Swimming Foundation donations. Through the program, Olympic gold medalist Cullen Jones (New Brunswick, N.J.) annually speaks to and provides a free lesson to thousands of school children.

"It is a great honor to have our efforts recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee," Chuck Wielgus, USA Swimming's Executive Director, said. "The Make a Splash initiative has grown significantly since its inception in 2007, and we find ourselves continually inspired to continue to expand our reach so that we can raise awareness and ultimately reach more children with the life-saving message of learn-to-swim. We'd like to thank our 260 local partners, who are our arms into local communities and we hope more organizations will join us and our mission to provide the opportunity for every child to learn to swim."

Gregory and Make a Splash were recognized during a luncheon on Saturday, Sept. 25, as part of the 2010 U.S. Olympic Assembly. The annual Assembly is taking place in Colorado Springs, Colo., at the Antlers Hilton hotel from Sept. 23-25 with more than 500 participants. Through this year's theme of "One Team," the Assembly engages the various members of the U.S. Olympic Family in meetings, workshops and presentations with a focus on fostering communication, cooperation and developing new initiatives.

About the Rings of Gold Awards
Inaugurated in 1996, the Rings of Gold Awards highlight individuals and programs making a difference in the lives of children by bringing the Olympic Movement and its ideals to the playing field. The individual honor recognizes someone who has dedicated his/her life to helping young people achieve their highest athletic potential, while also assisting them in setting goals and establishing the mechanisms needed to achieve personal success on and off the field of play. The program award honors those programs committed to nurturing and developing the Olympic and Paralympic dreams and goals of children, teaching America's youth valuable life skills, in addition to making a positive impact in their community.

Rings of Gold Individual of the Year
1997 Al Mitchell, U.S. Olympic Education Center Boxing Coach
1998 Georgianna Buford, Mother of Tonya Buford-Bailey
1999 Walt Culbertson, John Muir H.S. Swimming/Water Polo Coach
2000 Richard Davis, Head Rowing Coach at St. Paul's School
2001 Richard Quick, U.S. Olympic Women's Swimming Coach
2002 Dorothy Baker, Delaware State Olympic Chairwoman
2002 Jean Lopez, Taekwondo Coach and Brother of Olympic Gold Medalist Steven Lopez
2003 Clair Young, Founding Member of Wolverine Sports Club
2010 Melissa Gregory, Olympic Figure Skater and Founder of Fever on Ice

Rings of Gold Program of the Year
1997 "Dreams for Youth," San Antonio Sports Foundation
1998 National Congress of State Games
1999 National Youth Sports Program
2000 Native American Sports Council
2001 Boys & Girls Clubs of America
2002 YMCA of the USA
2003 National Association of Police Athletic Leagues (PAL)
2010 Make a Splash, USA Swimming Foundation

USA SWIMMING EXPANDS ATHLETE PROTECTION EFFORTS ACROSS MULTIPLE AREAS

The article below was first published on USASwimming.org (9/18/2010)

Through decisive action at today's House of Delegates meeting, USA Swimming will expand its athlete protection efforts across multiple areas. The measures, which were put forth by the Board of Directors, will educate the membership on the issue, implement athlete protection policies, expand background checking to include all non-athlete members and require those employees and volunteers that interact with athletes to become members, and therefore undergo background checking. Additionally, the House of Delegates passed legislation making it mandatory to report credible information regarding sexual abuse.


By USA Swimming bylaws, the above legislation had to pass by at least a 90% margin, with the exception of the non-athlete member background checking and education requirement, which required a two-thirds vote.

"We have been committed throughout this process, to doing the right thing, and taking actions that, first and foremost, will foster a safe and positive environment for our athletes.” said out-going USA Swimming President Jim Wood. “Our membership really stepped up today to provide their overwhelming support to this important issue.”

The background checking program was expanded in two ways with Saturday’s action. First, all non-athlete members (volunteers, officials, etc.) must satisfactorily pass a criminal background check as a condition of membership .This represents between 30,000-40,000 additional background checks for the organization. Coach members have been required to pass a background check since 2006.

The House of Delegates also voted to require employees and volunteers of USA Swimming, Local Swimming Committees and clubs who interact directly and frequently with athletes, to become members of USA Swimming, and therefore be subject to the background check requirement. This will also apply to club owners. The checks, which have been required every two years for coaches, will now be updated on a continual basis, to avoid any gap in information.

Additionally, the Board voted earlier this year to implement expanded background checking criteria. Along with the database check, coaches and officials will now be required to undergo a county court search (all counties of residence in the last 7 years) prior to becoming a member of USA Swimming.
All background checking legislation will go into effect January 1, 2011.

With legislation passed on Saturday, all non-athlete members of USA Swimming will be required to complete an “Athlete Protection Education” requirement as a condition of membership. The education must be updated every three years. All members must be in compliance with this rule prior to registering for the 2011-2012 season.

The House of Delegates voted to formally add the Board-approved Athlete Protection Policies to the USA Swimming Code of Conduct. Any violation of these policies can result in disciplinary action up to and including revocation of membership. The Policies are effective immediately. Earlier this year the Board also adopted “Best Practice Guidelines for Athlete Protection.”

The House of Delegates added Article 306 to the USA Swimming rulebook, which reads in part, “It is every member’s responsibility to promptly report any incident regarding sexual misconduct by a member … to USA Swimming’s Athlete Protection Officer. Reporting must occur when an individual has firsthand knowledge of misconduct or where specific and credible information has been received from a victim or knowledgeable third party….” Failure to report, retaliation against any individual who reports in good faith, and reporting in bad faith were added as Code of Conduct violations.
By Board action earlier this year, it is USA Swimming’s policy to report any such incident involving a minor, to law enforcement.

USA Swimming Clubs, will now be required to conduct specific pre-employment screenings prior to hiring any coach, employee or volunteer who would be in a supervisory position over athletes. To assist clubs in fulfilling this requirement, USA Swimming recently completed a 20+ company RFP process to identify approved third-party providers.

Earlier this year, the USA Swimming Board approved a proposed policy that USA Swimming will, after offering a due process hearing, add individuals who are no longer members, but who are found to have committed misconduct or who refuse a hearing, to its suspended-for-life-list. The House of Delegates strengthened that action Saturday, by adding verbiage to USA Swimming’s rule book, that makes it a condition of membership that an individual submit to the jurisdiction of USA Swimming with respect to any rule or code violation that occurred during the period of membership, whether or not that individual is still a member.

The USA Swimming Convention concludes Sunday, September 19, 2010.

2010 Athletes Appreciation Award

Trent Staley started as an LSC representative in Cincinnati in 1998 and has been a consistent voice in favor of athletes on a number of National Committees ever since. Those who have served with him on Senior Swimming, OIO, IRC, and Steering have all been witness to his strong voice and conviction for athlete rights. Those who have worked with him on the Board of Directors over the past 6 years or on the Executive Committee are familiar with his incredible attention to detail and thoughtful insight.

During his service to USA Swimming he has fought for the state of Men’s Swimming within the NCAA as well as Safe Conditions for Athletes in Open Water Competition. He has initiated Task Forces to insure athlete awareness of USADA policy and provided valuable input while he served on the SwimNetwork Board of Directors. Most recently, he was named co-chair of the Professional Swimming Task Force, which has proposed legislation to allow advertisements on caps and swimwear for all athletes and introduced an Athlete Partnership Agreement that could drastically change the way USA Swimming and the USOC look at elite athlete support. His efforts to forge relationships with international athlete leaders earned him the honor of serving as an official US representative at the LEN Championships in Turkey last year.

During the 8-years he has committed to the Athletes Executive Committee, especially the 2 as Athletes Vice President, he fostered new athlete leadership and laid the foundation for the next generation of voices to direct the athlete movement.

Congratulations Trent!