Thank you to Jeff Allen the Former Eastern Zone Sport Development Consultant for USA Swimming, for submitting this article, we hope that it helps you in this strange time!

Hello Coaches and Team Board Members of the Eastern Zone. While our world may be upside down currently with no end is sight, I thought I would share with you some options that you could do while your programs are out of the water. This list is like most lists that you may have as a competitive swimming club but may never have enough time to get to.

In my travels with USA Swimming the past three years these seem to be the items that most often get put on the back burner. Now I think would be a great time to revisit them, update, or add to your program. Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or need any help. My email is jdallen77@gmail.com.

1. Review, update your team by-laws
2. Review, update, add to your team policies
3. Review, update your team Mission Statement
   1. Do you know what it is?
   2. Is it relevant to where your team is now?
   3. Is it on the front page of your team webpage?
4. Review your team budget
5. Work on the next level for USA Swimming’s Club Recognition Program
6. Begin or finish your Safe Sport Recognition Program
7. Update, create job descriptions
   1. For your board members
   2. For all your coaching/team staff
8. Update, refresh your team web site
9. Social Media, what does you team have and use
   1. Facebook
      1. Team Page
      2. Alumni Page
   2. Instagram
   3. Twitter
   4. LinkedIn
10. Develop a Community Service Program for your team
11. Clean your timing system if you have one and have access to it
12. Clean out the team office if you have access to it
13. Education for the coaches and board members
    1. Online programming with USA Swimming Learn Platform
    2. Safe Sport Training for Coaches, Parents, Athletes
14. Revisit/develop a long-range plan for your program
15. Do a SWOT analysis of your program, Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats?
16. Plan for next season