Letter to AMS swim coaches at swim meet at Highland Park Pool

Mark Rauterkus
formal role and job title to be announced later
108 South 12th Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15203-1226
Mark@

AMS Coaches

Dear Coach,

Welcome to Pittsburgh's Highland Park Pool! 

I'm passing around this letter as a way to get your feedback and make an introduction of myself. Are you ready to share ideas? Let's touch base with one another, anytime, anyway, if you so desire. Catch me on-deck, send email, call, or let's talk on the first day of JOs.

Pittsburgh's city-based team, Three Rivers Aquatics, is going to attempt to make some changes with its programs. TRA does not need a head coach. Hosea is going to continue as the head coach, for sure. Perhaps you can help in other ways?

I'm going to lend administrative assistance and leadership with TRA. A news release about this role is pending for the weeks ahead. But for now, can you please spare some of your insights as we make an evaluation and inventory of assets? 

This city has some excellent facilities. However, we realize that the city kids and region's competitive swimmers are not connecting with excellent programs. We want better opportunities with facilities, city-kids and regional swimmers.

The TRA team is small and central to the city. One potential agenda is to host and coordinate a number of special events that can include swimmers from your team. But, what to host, when, and for what groups is our question. What activities do you desire and what would gain your comfortable endorsement and encouragement? Some examples follow to stimulate early discussions.

We'd like to hold a week-long day camp at Highland Park that would feature morning long-course practices and an afternoon zoo camp.

We'd like to hold spring water polo practices one-time per week and a summer evening practices geared for boys and girls over the age of 13. Perhaps a Pittsburgh team could travel to an out-of-town tournament as well.

We'd like to have a youth bike race and some developmental sessions at the new bike course very near to Highland Park. A staged triathlon, perhaps in association with the Marathon or Great Race could be held too.

We'd like to utilize the month of August, after zones, for swim carnival events. The beach volleyball courts are to be done soon. Even Lifeguard Competitions and Canoe Polo could help to stimulate and engage the senior male swimmers.

We'd like to hold challenge practices on a monthly basis for test-sets, data collection and pulse-plots.

We'd like to host a sports-lecture series attracting national and international sports coaches and athletes from Olympic sports. Furthermore, we'd like to have a literacy program/book club that could supplement the headline events. Cable and radio broadcasting crew duties.

Other considerations include built-in extras to better accommodate participation. Finder's fees, open records, optional attendance, open-door welcoming of area coaches, advanced booking of visiting experts, flexible co-leader roles, team-wide reservations, and summary statements mailed to your home.

Reminder: These are all simply ideas. No program decisions or announcement is included in this letter. Rather, we are most interested in getting your feedback and insights for the betterment of the region's suite of swimming experiences.

Thanks  for your interest.

Sincerely yours,

Mark Rauterkus

Sports Advocate, Retired Publisher, Full-time Dad