1.         Introduction:

New Zealand Masters Swimming Inc. (NZMS) is an adult swim organization committed to fostering, developing, and promoting swimming as a means of fun, fitness, and friendship through programmes for members over the age of 20.  NZMS  has been operating since the early 1970s.

2.         The Organisation

2.1       Adults who enjoy swimming as a means of keeping fit find the comradeship and friendship of Master Swimmers a great benefit.  To complement the Club scene organised competition opportunities are provided.

2.2       Masters who compete swim in 5 year age groups i.e. 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39 etc up to 95+.

2.3       NZMS maintains a full set of records for all age groups in both long and short course, i.e. 50metre and 25metre pools.  World records are maintained by FINA (World Swimming Federation) to which NZMS contributes.  The NZMS top ten rankings for long and short course events are included in the World Top Ten also maintained by FINA.

2.4       A computer database of all members has been developed and maintained.  Software suitable for Swim Meets is used for the running of all swim competitions.

2.5       The determination of age for Masters swimming in respect to competition is "age at 31 December in the year of competition".  The financial year for NZMS is 1 January to 31 December.

3.         Current structure of Masters Swimming:

3.1       NZMS is based on five regions -

1.         Northern

2.         Districts

3.         Central

4.         Capital

5.         Southern

3.2       The regional committee structure is made up of two delegates from each club who meet at least once a year under the leadership of a Chairman.  Officers and Committee Representatives are elected for two years.  The executive, consisting of a President and Vice-President are elected by the Council Members every two years.  The current President and Vice-President were elected in 2005 and therefore have a further 12 months of office yet to run.  A Secretary/Treasurer is appointed by the Council.  National standing committees for swimming meets, open water swimming and editorials have been set up.  There is also a National Recorder, Web Master and Computer Officer.

4.         Main Objective:

4.1       To offer the benefits of swimming, both recreational and competitive, and including open water swimming, at a reasonable cost within a modern organisation catering for a broad spectrum of interest from swimmers aged 20 to the elderly.  Annual subscriptions are currently $40.00 per person

5.         Strategic Plan:

5.1       At the Annual General Meeting in 2004 a Four Year Strategic Plan was adopted.  It recorded the immediate challenges facing NZMS as -

5.2       Restoration of the financial strength of NZMS, which has diminished in recent years

5.3       Development of a drug policy which satisfies both the demands of public expectation as to drug-free competition and which finds acceptance amongst the majority of NZMS members most of whom compete for fun, fitness and friendship and who find the prospect of possible drug testing an unwelcome intrusion

5.4       Dealing administratively with the recently-announced retirements of the National Recorder and Editor of MasterScrawl and putting in place systems to ensure the continuity of those functions in a way which will satisfy members

5.5       Longer term, moving to develop existing strengths of organisation and performance and looking for new ways of attracting and retaining members, Learn to Swim and Coaching programmes a real possibility

6.         Response to 2004 Four Year Strategic Plan:

6.1       As at 31 December 2003 (the end of the nearest financial year) NZMS had net assets left of $24,426.00.  In the same financial year expenditure exceeded income by $22,415.00.

6.2      As at 31 December 2004 net assets had reduced further to $18,718.00 and expenditure exceeded income for that year by $5,903.00.        

6.3      As at October 2005 net assets had improved to $43,718.31 and actual and budgeted income estimated to 31 December 2005 indicated a likely operating excess of income over expenditure in the sum of just over $9,000.00.  A SPARC grant of $7,200.00 banked in September improved the financial position of NZMS.

 In summary the financial position of NZMS has been turned around and excess of expenditure over income caused by the production of MasterScrawl in an unaffordable format and inadequate subscriptions has been haltered.  NZMS is now running at a surplus.  

6.4      At the Annual General Meeting in March 2005 NZMS authorised the Executive to proceed to implement a comprehensive Drugs Policy.  NZMS has been dealing with SPARC and the New Zealand Sports Drugs Agency (about to be re-named Drug Free Sport NZ) and commencing from the first sanctioned Meet in 2006 (Nationals at Auckland) all entrants for sanctioned Meets will have to sign an acknowledgment that they will comply with the NZMS Drugs Policy (posted on the website) and also any drug testing as required by Drug Free Sport NZ.  Any disputes over doping violations will be referred to the New Zealand Sports Disputes Tribunal (about to be re-named Sports Tribunal of NZ).  Competitors on medically-prescribed banned drugs for performance purposes will be able to apply for a Therapeutic Use Exemption.  Certainty as to whether or not Therapeutic Use Exemption Applications will need to be filed has not been established as Drug Free Sport NZ has suggested this may not be required for Masters competitors.  This will clarified in early 2006.

 In summary in respect to the drugs policy we have moved ourselves to be up to date, or are doing so, and are putting ourselves on par with other modern sporting organisations, transparent with good procedures for resolving disputes and we have met the requirements of SPARC with whom we wish to have many future dealings to develop our sector of the sport.

6.5      Following the retirement of Jan Fulton as National Secretary and National Recorder, new appointments were made.  Rachel Harris was appointed as National Secretary and Jan O'Donnell as National Recorder and they have been undertaking their responsibilities since early 2005.

6.6      After Tom Logan retired as Editor of MasterScrawl, Ingrid Saxton agreed to act as Editor for a two year term through until June 2006.  A written contract of engagement was completed dated 14 November 2004.  MasterScrawl has been produced in an electronic format on a quarterly basis.  It has enabled the costs of production to be fixed and within budget.

6.7      NZMS has looked for ways of developing existing strengths of organisation and performance and for new ways of attracting and retaining members as follows-

6.8      Communicating with SPARC to try to get NZMS involved in Green Prescription and other programmes offered by SPARC.  We want to have our local clubs nominated as places of contact for medical practitioners, physiotherapists, triathletes and many other groups within the community both for remedial, competitive and recreational purposes.

6.9      Early in 2005 we contacted some 500 members who had not renewed their memberships.  77 agreed to re-join Masters swimming and a number said they would consider it again in the future.  We will try again next year and we are encouraging clubs to chase up retired or absent members, find out what those members are looking for or would like to see in their clubs, and try to meet their expectations

6.10    The Executive will look to the possible implementation of a National Coach and/or coaching resources.

Overall, challenges spelled out in 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 and 5.4 in 2004 have been met and answered.  5.5 is ongoing.

7.        Ongoing and New Objectives:

The main objections now for NZMS are -

7.1      To develop a more efficient computer and other administrative systems, including the development and reporting on key performance indicators.

7.2      To stress the health benefits accruing from swimming as well as the notions of fun, fitness and friendship.

7.3      To encourage swimmers with health-related problems to participate.

7.4      To integrate the activities of NZMS and its constituent clubs with programmes offered by SPARC,  Regional Sports Trusts and other regional sporting organizations, the medical professional and related health agencies.

7.5      To continue to liaise with and contribute to other related organisations including Aquatics New Zealand and Swimming New Zealand.

7.6      To continue to seek ways to increase our membership.

7.7      To seek an increase in the number of sanctioned and non-sanctioned pool and open water events and coaching clinics.

7.8      The Executive will consider and report to the AGM in 2007 on the possible introduction of a two-tier membership with the aim of increasing membership and further promoting NZMS for health and fitness.

7.9      The Executive will undertake a review of all NZMS activities to ascertain what NZMS as an organisation is doing well or doing not so well.

New Zealand Master Swimming

As approved by the Executive, August 2006