Participation in Committees is Needed
Everyone has been to at least one swim meet and recognizes that running a meet involves many people who volunteer to help at the meet: meet directors, entry/heat sheet sales people, set-up and tear-down staff, concessions personnel, timers, hospitality hosts, marshals, and officials, etc..
In addition to all those volunteers, there is the “behind the scenes” activities of the Local Swim Committee (LSC): Pacific Northwest Swimming. This less visible core of folks plans the seasons and the Championship Meets. They operate the “Back room”; the functions that are provided by Pacific Northwest Swimming. The Board and the committees of PNS provide the planning for meets, establish the structure and organization of meets, create time standards, schedule the meet calendar, support swimmer and coach travel, process meet results and plan and coordinate all-star and zone teams and clinics for athletes along with a myriad of other activities.
All of the activities are conducted by committees of the Board and all are volunteer. All committees will welcome folks to attend to learn more as almost all meetings are open to parents, coaches, athletes, and any other interested parties. Joining a committee is as simple as contacting the chair to learn about the current efforts and the schedule of meetings.
Joining a committee is now easier than ever as meetings can be conducted by Zoom videoconference so one’s commute is to the den or office where your personal computer is located. And meetings are most commonly in the evening to accommodate regular daily work schedules.
In 2020, PNS is again updating the By-Laws for the organization. These amendments will be discussed and voted on during the upcoming House of Delegates meeting on Saturday, June 27, 2020. One of the modifications creates a new Governance Committee that needs members.
Call for Self-Nominations
The purpose of the Governance Committee is to ensure focus on the strategic vision of PNS and to create and maintain the processes and policies by which PNS fulfills that mission and vision (details are in Article 7.4.3 D). At least two (2) of the four (4) non-athlete members must not be members of the PNS Board of Directors. Please send an email to: generalchair@pns.org if you are interested in serving as a member of this Committee. Self-nomination is appropriate. If you want to nominate someone else, please ensure that they understand and agree to the nomination.
In addition, there are several other committees that also need membership and support (LSC Committee List). Parents, coaches, and athletes (more below) are all encouraged to participate. Some Committees meet regularly; others may meet only once or twice a year. Please contact the Chair of the Committee to understand more about both its function and the effort involved in the Committee.
Athlete Participation Is Needed! (And Required)
Pacific Northwest Swimming and the 53 member clubs were created to support competitive swimming. All of these organizations exist to support the athletes and assist the swimmers in fulfilling their goals both in swimming and in preparing for adult life. Long before any of today’s swimmers were born, the federal government passed a requirement that those who benefit from a youth organization should participate in the governance of that organization. Hence, PNS has a requirement to have 20% of the Board and each committee membership be athletes. The athletes will meet during the HOD meeting to elect 2 new Athlete Representatives (2 representatives are elected each year for a 2 year term). There are 4 athletes on the PNS Board of Directors.
In addition to the Board, swimmers need to be members of all of the PNS committees that conduct the functions of PNS. Most committees are small enough that a single athlete can meet the 20% membership requirement. However, that does NOT prevent additional swimmers from attending or participating in the committee.
We all recognize that athletes are incredibly busy. However, they also need to understand, influence, and help determine the direction and decisions of the organization. As a swimmer in PNS, PLEASE consider joining one of the committees of the organization.
Remember that now Joining a committee is easier than ever as meetings can be conducted by Zoom videoconference so one’s commute is to the den or office where your personal computer is located. You do not have to miss practice or spend time driving to some potentially distant location. And meetings are most commonly in the evening to accommodate regular daily school schedules and practice times.
PNS needs your participation as the planning for the 2020-21 season continues. See you on deck.
