Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.
The World Swimming Association (WSA) was launched today.
The WSA is an idea born in September 2015 to address the failure of the existing world bodies to fairly, openly, and honestly administer the sport of swimming. After 11 decades of failure to become athlete-centered, the coaches of the World Swimming Coaches Association decided that it was time to develop something new and different.
The World Swimming Association’s purpose is to provide an organization for swimming that is Athlete Centered, Administratively Transparent, and Professionally Managed.
The WSA is currently developing its Constitution that will definitively describe the WSA Structure. It is an open discussion on its website here. Its Constitutional Convention will be held in Washington, D.C. in September 2017. Unlike existing organizations which tend to develop self-perpetuating permanent committees, we envision the WSA operating with “Task Forces” which are made of appropriate members, then disbanded when their tasks are completed.
The functions of the WSA as decided at the convention will be specifically implemented by professionals in the sport of swimming.
What is the history of the WSA?
The WSA doesn’t have one. The WSA is an idea born in 2015 to address the failure of existing world bodies to fairly, openly and honestly administer our sport and provide for the athletes. The coaches of the World Swimming Coaches Association decided that it was time to develop something new, athlete-centered, transparently managed, and professionally directed.
What will the WSA include?
At this time, the WSA is only dealing with the sports of pool and open water swimming. This can change if people wish it to do so.
Why are membership funds collected?
Every organization needs operational funds. Once the WSA has an official constitution, the WSA will have professional staff that will need to be paid, as well as administrative costs.
Where does the money go?
Right now, all WSA membership dues (US$5.00) and donations will be deposited into an account that will be audited as with all other 501(C)(3) organizations, by the United States Federal Government, as opposed to the Olympic organizations in Switzerland who have no federal requirement for any audit of proper expenditure of funds.
Who are the key people forming the WSA?
There are 3 primary entities:
1. The World Swimming Coaches Association is overseeing the process of the birth of the WSA. Why? Because no one else can…no other international, independent body exists. The WSCA will have a role in its ongoing structure as well.
2. The World Open Water Swimming Association (WOWSA) with its thousands of members and hundreds of existing open water events is another entity.
3. The third yet to be formed is the Association of Professional Swimmers who are at the peak of the sport of swimming.
The WSA will be athlete-centered and will create the proper environment for competing athletes of all ages.
Will the WSA run swim meets?
It certainly expects to do so. The form and substance of that will be decided in its Constitutional discussions.
How can I join the WSA?
Simply sign up here for a nominal fee to become a member. This will give you a voice in all things WSA. The key point is that members make a choice to join. It is not a presumptive assumption that if an individual swims, they automatically belong to something they never chose to join.
Questions?
Contact George Block, President of the World Swimming Coaches Association at georgeblock511@yahoo.com, or John Leonard, Executive Director of the World Swimming Coaches Association at asca@swimmingcoach.org.
Copyright © 2016 by World Open Water Swimming Association