I’ve been in involved with swimming for a long time. Decades, in fact. During that time, I’ve had opportunities to do both volunteer and paid work, efforts which I hope have furthered the sport a bit.
If you’ve been reading along for awhile now, you already know that the past year has been pretty tumultous for me, both in and out of the pool. You know what I’m talking about, one of those years when everything that was once stable or in place implodes either with or without your help.
Processing such dynamic change (and I’ve already done a few cycles in my lifetime), is both good and bad. Sitting through all of it emotionally can be tough, but I also firmly believe that the window of opportunity is never wider open than at such times: after you reach ground zero, when everything old had been cleared from your life, you are granted with the gift of re-thinking and re-visioning.
For example, after making up and doing a little self-assesment test, I realize I need a fresh approach to swim-evangelism.
First, I listed all of the volunteer and paid work* I’ve done on behalf of swimming. Here’s what was on my volunteer list after just a few minutes:
–as a teenager, co-organize and run the annual swim team summer picnic for my age group team each year (think hundreds of kids and adults!)
–swim in swim-a-thons; collect donation money
–serve as captain of JV & Varsity scholastic teams (lead cheers, do team bulletin, organize banquet with awards, get gifts for coaches, order team loot, etc.)
–swim/not swim on relays as needed
–open/close facilities
–pull tarps on/off of pools
–put laneropes in/out
–serve as timer
–serve as counter
–pick up/put out equipment/clock
–drive meet/open water carpool
–set LC relays for nationals for two years
–attend numerous planning/recap meetings
–set up/pick up pre/post meet/open water swim
–attend conventions as a delegate
–write/deliver countless bulletins, emails, letters, press releases, newsletters, et al
Probably, I’ve done other things that I have forgotten about at the moment. And of course, other people have done way more than me. But the point of my made-up exercise was self-assessment. So I reviewed the list. Certainly, stuff like meets and picnics don’t happen unless people pitch in. In fact, it seems as if there is always an endless list of this sort of thing to do to keep “swimming” up and running on a day-to-day basis.
But as I sit here at ground zero, I’m also struck by the thought: haven’t I done the enough of the same thing through organized channels with little impact? Maybe it’s time to re-think (or maybe for the first time just think) about what I would really want to do for swimming if the sky were the limit.
I’m not sure what will come of my re-visioning stage. And it may have a very lengthy detonation wire. But I’m curious and excited to see what happens.
Until next time,
Rebecca, swim evangelist
*I know you are all curious to read the “paid work” list. I will post it soon.