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Happy Thanksgiving fellow swimmers! Despite COVID-19 and the disruption it has brought to our lives, I hope there is still much in your lives for which you can be grateful. It goes without saying that this has been a difficult year for USMS. Membership will be down approximately fifteen percent, all our in-person pool and open water championships were canceled, most programs were forced to shut down for several months, and many clubs are still without facilities. Despite those challenges, USMS is forecasting a smaller deficit then originally planned for 2020 (~$78k) which is the result of quick adjustments and deliberate financial management. Nevertheless, the year’s challenges demonstrate the resilience of USMS. Dryland workouts have been published locally and nationally, clubs found ways to adapt to local health department requirements, and our members have continued to support each other. As the president of this great organization, I am thankful for the dedication of our national office staff, coaches, and volunteers.

 

As we look forward to next year, there is reason for hope. Recent news on vaccines leads us to anticipate the pandemic is likely to recede next year. While there is confidence that USMS membership levels will approach pre-pandemic levels in 2022, there is uncertainty on our 2021 membership numbers. Our national office team prepared two proposed budgets for 2021, one assumed 40,000 members and the other assumed 50,000. For comparison, 2019 membership was 59,778 and we will finished 2020 at 51,413 members   After careful deliberation and discussion, the Finance Committee recommended the 40,000-member budget with its $552,000 deficit . The committee made this recommendation with some trepidation but believes USMS reserves of $3.3 million provide a cushion to maintain the service levels provided in the budget.  The Board approved the Finance Committee recommendation earlier this month. Please note that no one considers this budget set in stone and we all recognize many budget line-items are place holders. Staff, the Finance Committee, and the Board will continue to review and adjust our spending plans and expense forecasts as new information becomes available. The budget and an overview memo have been posted on the USMS website.