SOS -- for Rutgers Swimming. Jersey Legislatures get calls

CollegeSwimming.com: Bob Steele, retired men's coach at California State Bakersfield and head of the College Swimming Coaches Assocation of America's Save Our Sport (SOS) committee, has been coordinating efforts to preserve the Rutger's men's swimming program.

Steele is working to contact all of New Jersey’s swimmers (past and present), swim parents, coaches and fans of swimming and eliciting their efforts to contact New Jersey state Legislators. This all-out effort, designed to take the high road, by showing why saving the program is good, not just for the swimmers, but also for the university and the state. Steele is also requesting that Non-Jerseyites, 'help by sending letters to university president and people of influence.

Making the process easier is the organization's website, saverutgersswimming. There volunteers can see how they can help, get links to their New Jersey representatives, and send a letter in your own words.

The site also offers valuable talking points to help supporters as they craft their communications. Supporting Rutgers will help stem the tide of cutting swimming in American universities and colleges and thus provide opportunities for men AND women swimmers to:

* compete in a sport they love
* continue developing as a person and student-athlete
* perhaps receive an athletic scholarship
* contribute to the Rutgers university/community
* become a loyal, giving Rutgers alumnus