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 GRIN News and Notes
Read the latest Board news, get updates from the USMS National Convention, learn who is the Hardest Worker, nominate your Most Amazing Volunteer, and check out upcoming meets.
A Word from Our President
It is time to Fall into swimming! This is the time of year that US Masters come back inside and can concentrate on swimming fitness, stroke technique, and pace! There are several meets posted; they are always FUN and rewarding. Postal fitness events are great for tracking fitness. Another great opportunity that is FREE to all USMS members is the Fitness Log. Simply log your swims into the Fitness Log and earn prizes as you accumulate miles. Personally, I love seeing how many miles I swim throughout the year. I compete against myself and see if I increase my total miles year to year.
The GRIN State Meet is ready for bidding. If your club is interested, please consider submitting a bid for Spring 2016. Ideally, the meet will be held before the USMS Spring National Championships that begin in Greensboro, NC, on April 28th.
Several GRIN board members attended the USMS National Convention in Kansas City from October 1 - 3. Our newly elected Executive Board learned a great deal about the US Masters Swimming and all that goes in to building an sustaining such a great organization. We attended all meeting and workshops. These included all House of Delegates and committee meetings, as well as workshops on Media, Governance and Leadership, Recruiting and Managing Volunteers, and Why We Swim. We also met with the staff from the National Office. Program Development was also a hot topic. Meg Carlson and I will be attending a free Program Development training session on October 25th. The purpose of this training is to come back and help you develop and grow your programs. There are so many opportunities to reach more adult swimmers and share our love of the water with those who are afraid to dive in!
A tremendous THANK YOU to GRIN's Nadine Day, who just completed her 4-year term as the President of US Masters Swimming! We appreciate Nadine's leadership and direction, and are glad to have Nadine back home in Indiana! The new President of USMS is Patty Miller.
There were several rule changes presented and approved by the House of Delegates. Look for details on rules aligning our rules to USA Swimming's IM rules, as well as a new sanction fee. Effective October 3rd, sanctioned swim meets and open water events will be charged a fee to cover the cost of insurance. The details will be coming soon from the USMS National Office. The fee was approved by a simple majority of the House of Delegates to cover insurance expenses. The pool meets will be charged $50 and open water events will be charged $100, plus a $5 per swimmer fee with a $1,000 maximum fee. Recognized and calendar events will not be charged a fee. These details are being worked out and will be communicated to you as soon as possible. The fee does not apply to any meets already sanctioned.
We have had six meetings of the Bylaws Committee and are making great progress on more specific rules and procedures. We are now meeting weekly to meet the December 31st deadline. We will call a membership meeting when the rules are completed and ready for approval. Look for this date to be in early December.
Have a wonderful October and we will see you in the pool!
Swimmingly,
Lisa L. Brown
Board News
Upcoming Board Meeting
There will be a GRIN Board meeting via conference call on Tuesday, November 10, from 8:00-9:00p. All GRIN members are invited to call in. Please let us know if you plan to participate, so we can get you the call-in information prior to the meeting.
Bids for the 2016 GRIN State Championship Meet
Bids are now being accepted for the 2016 GRIN State Championship Meet. Interested parties should download the Information Letter and Bid Form. All bids (and any supporting documentation) must be submitted to the GRIN Chair by December 1.
Congratulations to our Hardest Worker
Our Hardest Worker award goes out this month to Jeff Halbert from Indy Aquatic Masters. As stated by his teammate, Jeff "puts the work in workout." Your intensity and work ethic is inspiring to those swimming with you. Congratulations, Jeff.
Nominations Needed - Most Amazing Volunteer
You know who they are - the swimmers who work endlessly behind the scenes to make everything run smoothly for the rest of us. Often unnoticed and definitely under appreciated, these volunteers go above and beyond. This month, let us know who is the Most Amazing Volunteer you know. Winners will be recognized in next month's newsletter.
Meet the Munster Masters Association
Swimming in the Jon Jepsen pool at Munster High School, the Munster Masters Association is a diverse Masters program with members ranging in age from 21-70+ years old. Head Coach Matt Lee believes that it's never too late to start competing - whether just starting out or rediscovering the desire to compete - and his 3-time Small Team State Champion team certainly bears that out. Learn more about the Munster Masters and be sure to check out their upcoming 4th Annual Munster Masters Fall Frenzy on November 15. Contact Coach Matt for additional information.
Upcoming Events
Lake Central Masters Pumpkin Plunge
The 2015 Lake Central Masters Pumpkin Plunge will be held at the Lake Central High School Aquatic Center in St. John on Saturday, October 17. Register for up to 5 individual events (mailed entries by October 10; online by October 15); deck entries also accepted. This is a short course yards meet you don't want to miss. Register today!
Sugar Creek Swim Club Pumpkin Paddle Invitational
Taking place at the Crawfordsville Aquatic Center, the SCSC Pumpkin Paddle Invitational is a SCY meet that takes place from Friday, November 6 through Sunday, November 8. Masters swimmers will compete on Friday evening, as well as Saturday and Sunday mornings in the Open Division. Are you ready to test your racing mettle against the younger set? Register by Friday, 10/23.
Munster Masters Fall Frenzy
Featuring the 400 IM and the 1650 Free, the 4th Annual Munster Masters Fall Frenzy will take place on Sunday, November 15. Both mailed entries (received by 11/12) and deck entries will be accepted. The meet will take place at the Munster High School Aquatic Center. As an added bonus, there will be SWIMMER hospitality at this meet. Great food and fast water. What could be better?
What Do You Think?
 Let us know what you think. We'd love to hear your suggestions for improving Masters swimming in Indiana. Check out the GRIN website, join our Facebook page, and get in the conversation. Contact us with your suggestions, feedback, and questions. We look forward to hearing from YOU!
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