Points Press, deal flopped

This was fruitless.

Sports Support Syndicate & Points Press

Introduction

To the Publishers and Producers of

Sports Intelligence Products

Sports Support Syndicate Facts

The Leadership Double-Team

Mark Rauterkus, founder of the Sports Support Syndicate and Publisher and Points Press of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Paul Mathews, President of Points Press and Officer of Mathews Printing.

Points Press Order Center

Points Press is a new, independent, mid-sized, wholesale operation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As the name implies, the business prides itself on titles with a strong message and the inventory includes more than 1,000 different titles, and the list is growing as other sources are discovered.

Points Press serves as the exclusive order center and production headquarters for a number of publisher inprints, including the Sports Support Syndicate. All the Syndicate's products are developed, manufactured, ordered, stocked and delivered from the Points Press.

Besides retail activities, Points Press offers extended services that include: 1-800 service; informed telephone operators available than 80-hours a week; credit-card acceptance with MasterCard, VISA, and American Express; electronic mail communications from headquarters; acceptance of school purchase-orders and a credit department willing to sell to the trade and special markets.

Sports Intelligence Products

Books, video tapes, audio tapes and computer software are the major product categories of "Intelligence Products". Intelligence products and other interactive media appeal to the user's cognitive process to disseminate information and ideas for education and enrichment.

Uniforms, clothing, equipment, accessories, games and coaching/training aids might have "intelligence" value, but these types of products are not part of Syndicate's product line.

The Syndicate's scope of sports includes the Olympic boundaries and extends far beyond. The Syndicate covers the major sports as well as anyone, but our strength comes through the variety

and depth of specialized activity selections. Marathon Swimming, Beach Volleyball and Powerlifting are few of the 50 different sports categories which are all important.

No-Cut Try-outs

Unlimited Selection

All publishers and producers with sports related titles are already on our team. We carry all sports-related titles.

Ninety-nine percent of the publishers accept the invitation to join our team as vendors. The Syndicate is striving to contact the missing one-percent. Our open invitation to sports publishers and additional discoveries continually expand our product-line.

It is easy to include your products as a part of our product-line. We can sign-up any title in an instant. But the Syndicate hopes for more than a simple involvement from the publishers.

Just as in sports, it's easy to sign-up for a team, but difficult to play in the games. Athletics are not about casual involvement, neither is the Syndicate. The Syndicate wants to engage publishers in a profitable partnership. The Syndicate wants to work with publishers in a dynamic program with Double-Win results.

The Syndicate is turning all titles into play-makers, not bench-warmers.

Today's Marketplace

• Today's sports marketplace is fragmented, specialized and more technical than ever.

• Today's products are produced to appeal to narrow populations in vertical markets.

• Today's knowledge is the sports sciences has expanded and is stressing the traditional sources of information.

• Today's consumers are spending more time and money in leisure activities.

• Today's consumers thrive on cross-training and have diverse interests in a variety of activities.

• Today's costs for advertising and direct mail prohibit profitability for most titles.

• Today's one-stop solution for consumers, dealers and media is the Sports Support Syndicate.

Specific Sales Markets for the Syndicate

The Syndicate's operational plan includes sales activities in every type of market. All aspects of the plan are functioning at present, and dramatic growth is projected throughout the 1990's.

Consumers:

Visit the retail store.

Repeat customer request the general, seasonal and mini catalogs.

Direct Mail delivers mini-catalogs to specific-sport participants.

Special event promotions attract customers and builds demand for products.

Institutional-Based Consumers:

Direct mail promotions aids coaches and athletic directors.

Direct mail literature targets schools for text book and library needs.

Sports Wholesale:

Independant, sports-specific stores benefit from the dealer program.

Super-Dealer program offers many support services including joint promotional assistance.

Publications:

Publisher program establishes comprehensive and customized interaction with vertical market magazines.

Media press-releases and articles are made available to editors on a regular basis.

Book Trade:

Experience and available resources allow the represenative from Points Press assist your staff to service and sell directly to retail bookstores.

Support is our Middle-Name

Normal Customer Service Includes

• Toll-Free numbers from anywhere in USA and Canada.

• Telephone receptionists with hands-on knowledge of stock levels, prices, delivery dates, full-title list, alternative suggestions, order process and every other detail necessary for customer assistance.

• Telephone support lasting for 12 hours a day, seven days a week, including Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.

• Accepted credit cards include MasterCard, VISA, American Express.

• Institutional purchase orders accepted.

• Catalogs available in sports-specific areas.

• Syndicate Cognitive Coupons sent to customers to encourage repeat sales.

Normal Dealer Service Includes:

• Easy credit applications.

• Net 30-day terms with approved credit applications.

• Discounts on quick payments.

• Minimal volume restrictions start on orders as small as 10 items with mixed titles.

• Expanded sales support with a service fee for as few as one item.

• Orders accepted via electronic mail which support local phone calls.

• Supplemental dealer literature to assist with sales without inventory.

• Custom-designed, camera-ready art provided for use in the dealer's own sales materials.

• Confidential dealer price lists mailed free of charge.

Normal Special Event Services Include:

• Syndicate Cognitive Coupons offer discounts to participants at tournaments.

• Sales booth for regional and national events for direct consumer contact.

Normal Media and Magazine Services Include:

• Press release information on specific titles.

• Advertisements from classified to 2-page spreads.

• Annual Press Release covering product trends on the global market.

• Advisory Board activities and press-release information on top products, evaluations, rankings and recommendations.*

* All programs scheduled for implementation in 1989.

Our Game Plan

Publishers' Interaction with the Syndicate

The Syndicate seeks start-up assistance from Publishers in only two areas. Then the publishers can step aside and let the Syndicate carry the ball. We will score with sales.

Publishers Provide Product Information to the Syndicate Publishers are encouraged to educate, inform, and interact with the Syndicate about their title. Please keep us up-to-date with press-releases, review copies, sales literature, artwork, review article clippings, and possible trends.

The Syndicate thrives on product knowledge. We recommend reading lists. We have an expansive file system and computer data base which is organized for productivity. The Syndicate needs to know you products before we can promote them properly.

The last page of this introduction lists many of our questions about your titles that are most helpful to us. Send us a copy of that page for every sports-title you carry. Send us copies of important notes from the files of your sports titles.

Put the Syndicate's headquarters and the Points Press Order Center on all your mailing lists:

Publishers Communicate Pricing Approval

The Syndicate want to purchase your titles at wholesale or mail-order prices. Most publishers have this type of schedule in place. The Syndicate needs at least a 50% discount off of the suggested retail price.

The Syndicate price for your products have to reflect our additional efforts to resell and promote the titles to dealers and a national market. The news releases, direct mail, catalogs, advertisements and other services and proposals cost much more than setting the book on a shelf in a store.

Review of the Syndicate Requests

1. Send us as much product information as possible.

2. Allow a 50% to 55% discount schedule.

Title

Sub-Title

Author

Publisher

Vendor of choice

Alternative vendor

Date of First Publication:

ISBN #

# of pages

hard or soft cover

Describe the illustrations:

(i.e. number of photos, drawings, charts, in color or b&w, subjective judgment)

target audience:

sporting activities:

suggested retail price:

Syndicate % discount:

Syndicate Price (s):

Cost for shipping 1 book via US Mail book rate: $

Book reviews on hand?:

B&W photo on hand?:

Catalog description:

Short Sales Discription for ads:

Overall Subjective rating of book:

More File's open

• Mark To Do by Project

  • Pull

    • Work with the authors to get final elements of manuscripts.

    • Work with the authors to lend support for their special sales activities with major organizations.

    • Pull together all the existing elements and send books to printers.

    • Write sales mission for books with special populations as needed, including other equipment manufactures.

  • Aquatics

    • Work with the authors to get final elements of the last two manuscripts.

    • Work with the authors to lend support for their special sales activities with major organizations.

    • Pull together all the existing elements and send books to printers.

    • Build marketing package with special sales agents.

    • Help get our books into catalogs by providing film output when necessary.

    • Send an opening inventory of all our books to the special sales agents to assist in moving books.

    • Consider dropping the price on books to turn the inventory when helpful.

  • Judd

    • Work with the author to get final elements of manuscripts.

    • Work with the author and visit magazine publishers to lend support for their special reprinting of Dr. Judd’s articles.

    • Send books to printers.

    • Write article sales missions so other magazines can start to publish Dr. Judd’s articles.

    • Launch PR campaing once Dr. Judd’s final books are available, i.e. reviews, samples, interviews.

  • VB

    • Deliver final manuscripts

  • USVBA

    • Pull together all the existing elements and send books to printers.

    • Supervise production of final VHS and send the existing elements to printers.

    • Write sales mission for books with special populations as needed, including other equipment manufactures.

  • Audio

    • Work with the authors to get final elements of manuscripts.

    • Work with the authors to lend support for their special sales activities with major organizations.

    • Pull together all the existing elements and send books to printers.

    • Write sales mission for books with special populations as needed, including other equipment manufactures.

  • Swim & Aquatics (part 2)

    • Work with the authors to get final elements of manuscripts.

    • Work with the authors to lend support for their special sales activities with major organizations.

    • Pull together all the existing elements and send books to printers.

    • Write sales mission for books with special populations as needed, including other equipment manufactures.

  • Bird

    • Work with the authors to get final elements of manuscripts.

    • Work with the authors to lend support for their special sales activities with major organizations.

    • Pull together all the existing elements and send books to printers.

    • Write sales mission for books with special populations as needed, including other equipment manufactures.

  • Misc. Fitness

    • Work with the authors to get final elements of manuscripts.

    • Work with the authors to lend support for their special sales activities with major organizations.

    • Pull together all the existing elements and send books to printers.

    • Write sales mission for books with special populations as needed, including other equipment manufactures.

  • Best Sellers

    • Work with the authors to get final elements of manuscripts.

    • Work with the authors to lend support for their special sales activities with major organizations.

    • Pull together all the existing elements and send books to printers.

    • Write sales mission for books with special populations as needed, including other equipment manufactures.

  • Reference

    • Work with the authors to get final elements of manuscripts.

    • Work with the authors to lend support for their special sales activities with major organizations.

    • Pull together all the existing elements and send books to printers.

    • Write sales mission for books with special populations as needed, including other equipment manufactures.

  • Series

    • Work with the authors to get final elements of manuscripts.

    • Work with the authors to lend support for their special sales activities with major organizations.

    • Pull together all the existing elements and send books to printers.

    • Write sales mission for books with special populations as needed, including other equipment manufactures.

Letter from Australia and a Powerlifting advertisement

Post-Gazette Letter to Editor from Mark Rauterkus rips John Craig's about schools and youth violence

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The grade is in for John Craig Jr.’s column: A big, fat zero

 

Regarding John G. Craig Jr.’s Jan. 30 column, “Zero in on Specifics” about a forum

he attended on the media, gangs and youth violence. John, before you read my suggestions, you might want to get a copy of your column and read it aloud. Then try to put your thoughts into an outline.

You ask if we – “regardless of race, creed or national origin” – can agree on something.

Well, I can’t easily agree with you because your communication skills are foggy and your

lack of logic makes for confusing statements.

 

You talk about the need for “calm and peaceful” schools. I don’t want “calm and

peaceful” schools. Knowledge enrichment can be brutal. and it can’t be achieved in an

environment riddled with compromises.

 

Let’s not make nice. There is a war in our midst. We are either winning or losing, and I

contend that if we make an easy peace today and allow gangs’ existence, we are losing.

 

The “keystones” of your “new policy” to combat the problems of youth violence are

useless. “A sense of proportion”? A tiny bit of poison can kill. Informed choices are what’s

needed. “A sense of responsibility”? To me, it’s irresponsible to come down hard on

parents, like those of the Carrick girls’ basketball team, who were looking out for their

children. “A sense of reality”? Refer back to proportion. “A sense of fairness”? Agreed. But

Why should “getting tough” on crime cost money?

Here is an old idea. You have an institution at your disposal called the Post-Gazette. Why

not use it to effectively communicate clearly thought-out, well-written ideas and solutions?

 

Don’t use up space in your paper with some gibberish that in reality is only meant to say

that the Post-Gazette is fair and responsible.

 

John, please get a critical proofreader and a specific sense of a logic in your writings.

Your column gets a zero in rhetoric by my standards.

MARK RAUTERKUS

South Side

 

Letter to editor: Headline = The grade is in for John G. Criag Jr.'s column: A big, fat zero

Published in the Post-Gazette on Tuesday, Feb 16, 1993.

Regarding John G. Craig Jr.'s Jan. 30, 1993 column, "Zero in on Specifics," about a forum he attended on the media, gangs and youth violence:

John, before you read my suggestions, you might want to get a copy of your column and read it aloud. Then try to put your thoughts into an outline.

You ask if we -- "regardless of race, creed or national orgin" -- can agree on someting. Well, I can't easily agree with you because your communication skills are foggy and your lack of logic makes for confusing statements.

You talk about the need for "calm and peaceful" schools. I don't want "calm and peaceful" schools. Knowledge enrichment can be brutal, and it can't be achieved in an environment riddled with compromises.

Let's not make nice. There is a war in our midst. We are either winning or losing, and I contend that if we make an easy pace today and allow gangs' existence, we are losing.

The "keystones" of your "new policy" to combat the problems of youth violence are useless. "A sense of proportion"? A tiny bit of poison can kill. Informed choices are what's needed. "A sense of responsibility"? To me, it's irresponsible to come down hard on parents, like those of the Carrick girls' basketball team, who were looking out for their children. "A sense of reality"? Refer back to proportion. "A sense of fairness"? Agreed. But why should "getting tough" on crime cost money?

Here is an old idea. You have an institution at your disposal called the Post-Gazette. Why not use it to effectively communicate clearly thought-out, well-written ideas and solutions? Don't use up space in your paper with some gibberish that in reality is only meant to say that the Post-Gazette is fair ad responsible.

John, please get a critical proofreader and a specific sense of logic in your writings. Your column gets a zero in rhetoric by my standards.

Mark Rauterkus
South Side

---

This old letter, in a swim book file, clipped and yellow, was re-typed and posted to the Running Mates blog on Dec 6, 2005. The original editorial by Craig isn't here.

Mail from P. Lawson of Highlands, Harare, Zimbabwe

Plum will experiement with pater polo team

OLD NEWS to be inserted into this blog for the sake of HISTORY!
By Michelle Kanche, Tri-State Sports & News Service

A unamimous school board vote has given Plum High School the go-ahead for the school's first water polo team and aquatics game program.

The program will have a trial period, which will run from March 15 - Aug 1. At the end of that time, a full report and evaluation will be presented to the board. The report will describe the program's acceptance in the community and future feasibility.

"The success of this program will depend on the right communication," said Plum superintendent John Cummings. "If it turns out to be a wholesome experience, the committee will look at it favorably for the future."

The program has been coordinated to make it possible for a wide variety of players to participate.

Co-ed sessions for adults, college students, high school students are scheduled.

"The creation of the water polo program does not mean that we'll be fielding a varsity team next year," said Mark Rauterkus, Plum's head swim coach and coordinator of the water polo team. "But if this trial period generates enough interest on the high school level, then I hope it will increase the probability of that happening in the future."

Penn-Trafford head swim coach Dave Babbick is interested in seeing Plum get its water polo program started. Last December, the P-T swim team visited Plum for a joint practice and water polo scrimmage to complement their swimming schedules. Plum hopes to coordinate some exhibition matches this year throughout the state.

In order to help raise money for the program, Rauterkus will conduct a Sports Lecture Seris. Modest admission charges to hear lectures will generate money for the student-activitie fund, but will also allow for interaction with respected athletes and coaches with educational messages.

"You can sell candy bars, or you can teach kids important things," said Rauterkus. "Kids today need to see and hear from experts in the field."

Potential speakers, according to Rauterkus, include former USA Olympic water polo coach Monty Nitzkowski and Olympic gold medal-winning swimmers.

---

A handout had this extra text:

For futther information, please call of visit the Plum High School pool on Tuesday (HS & college students) or Thursday (adults) evening from 8:30 - 9:30 pm. The Plum HS is on the Orange Belt.

Call Mark Rauterkus.

Swimmers, old and young, fast and slow, male and female, needed for water polo fun. No prior experience preferred!

Plum opens pool to water polo program

Tuesday, Feb 2, 1993, Valley News Dispatch - page B3

By Joe Starkey, staff writer

Mark Rauterkus hates to see a swimming pool with no people in it.

Rauterkus, in his second year as Plum High School swimming coach, couldn't believe the school's indoor pool lay dormant nearly all of last summer -- and he's determined to fill it wiht activity once school lets out this year.

In fact, he's going to get an early start.

Beginning March 16 and running through Aug. 1, Rauterkus will direct a water polo program at the Plum pool.

The Plum School board voted unanimously Tuesday to give him the go-ahead and Rauterkus can't wait to get started.

"There is a need to use the facilities herer," he said. "Last summer, we must have had the only pool in America that kept its doors locked all day. I had wanted to run an entire aquatics program here, but (the school board) said to pick one thing. I came up with the water polo idea.

"Hopefeull, it's the first step to a more advanced aquatics program. After it's finished I hope to go back to the board and say, 'Let's talk about some other things.'"

The obvious question is -- why water polo? Even Rauterkus knows it's not the most popular sport in the world.

"The standing joke in water polo is that you don't need your own horse to play," he said. "But I wanted something that might appeal to more than just swimmers on the swim team or just divers. And this is a good recreational outlet for kids in the summer. I thought I could reach a large population with this and have maybe 100 people or so get excited about it."

Once person ready to play is Plum diving coach Fred Luffey, who played on Franklin Regional High School's now defunct traveling water polo team in 1978-79. He hasn't played since, but is looking forward to the opportunity. And he says others are, too.

"There's a free swim over at Plum on weeknights and I've talked to a few guys there about water polo," he said. "Some of them are interested. I think it's a great sport.

"It's a great tool for conditioning -- a lot like baseketball. But it's easy on the knees compared to basketball or jogging. Plus, all you need is 15 people or so."

Rauterkus is countin on many more than that. He will divide the co-ed sessions into three classification: adults, students (high school and college) and kids. Rauterkus has projected 25 people each for the adult and student sessions and 60 for the kids'.

Most sessions will be divided into periods of instruction, clinics and scrimmaging. Robert Webster, formerly the head water polo coach at Harvard University, might be one of a handful of guest coaches Rauterkus plans to utilize.

Rauterkus claims anyone can get the hang of water polo.

"If you can float and feel like you can pass a ball to someone else, you might be interested," he said.

And if you feel like you can't float?

"Well, there is a shallow end," Rauterkus said. "And in the shallow end the goalie can stand on the bottom. Maybe after a few weeks you could build some stamina and be able to float a little."

---

This article will be put back into is proper place in time, 1993, shortly.

---

Plum Water Polo (printed in a box on the page)
Director: Plum High School swimming coach Mark Rauterkus
Begins: Tuesday, March 16, 1993
Ends: Sunday, August 1, 1993
Sessions: Tuesdays - high school and college students 8:30-9:30 pm; Thursdays -- adults 8:30-9:30 pm. Saturdays = kids 3-6 pm.
Fees: Adults, Plum residents, $20, non-residents $23; Students, Plum residents $15, non-residents $18; Kids -- $3.

Modest Expansion of Plum's Aquatics Program with Heach Coach Leaderships

Page 9 -- reprinted

Further Explanation:

Why These Activities?

The aquatic environment is a fantastic setting to exercise and learn about health, tewamwork and kinetic senses. Since the first priority of the pool, swimming lessons, is generally covered, let's enhance further learning activities. Water polo and aquatic games are fresh, new, dynamic areas that have not been tried locally in the past.

Water Polo is an excellent Olympic Sport, played in the pool with boys, girls, men and women.

New Games Clinics are action packed, moveent oriented and teach both cooperation and competition to engaged, thinking and fitness-striving participants.

the combination of water polo and new games clinics will serve as a valid test area to Mark's overall plan of increased usage and programming based upon challenging, learning opportunities.

More Reasons for Water Polo and New Games Clinics:

Our water polo and underwater hockey teams can succeed early and beecome the best around with modest improvements.

A literacy component can be built into these activities.

We should play polo because we have already purchased the goals and getting a few more balls and hats are quite inexpensive items. (The school owned the goal. The goals were in storage and not ever used since the pool was built.) (The polo hats were purchased by myself, personally. I still have them.)

Water polo, underwater hockey and fin swimming have international status with cross-cultural events.

Mark wants to have fun when he is at the pool too.

These activities can succeed with a larger base of participants and a smaller staff, making the supervision costs easier to recover from the user fees.

Plum Counter Offer

Plum School District’s Aquatic Expansion Program

History, Summary, Counter Offer

1. A 35-page Aquatics Expansion (Water Polo) proposal was presented to the board by the Head Coach and voted down (3-4) in December, 1992.

2. In January, the proposal was voted up with the following conditions. The salary paid to Mark Rauterkus, the head coach, is to be equal to the amount of revenue generated by the program minus the expenses paid out by the program.

3. This counter offer by the board was stated verbally by Mr. Neff to Mark Rauterkus.

4. Quick action was favored so that the time-line could be adhered to. However, plenty of new questions and issues need to be formally written before the head coach would consider and accept this plan.

a. Sunday sessions are permissible.

b. Sunday custodial services are not necessary.

c. The Head Coach must authorize all expenditures.

In writing, the Program Administration = coach, lifeguards, etc., not Mr. Neff.

d. In the event that the program’s total revenues do not exceed total authorized expenditures, Mark Rauterkus will not be liable in any manner.

e. Minor schedule adjustments are permissible.

f. The head coach need not be present for every activity.

g. Minor variations to the plan are permissible.

h. This Aquatic Program, since it is a School District sponsored event, will be classified by the school district as a School Function similar to the PTA, School Booster Groups, and the YMCA Latch-key program. This program is not a private interest group, nor is it a community organization like a church, nor is it even a youth group from Plum Borough.

i. The Aquatic Program will request the use of the auditorium and adjoining cafeteria for three events to be held in the trial period, ending August 1, 1993. All the board policies will be followed including security, custodial charges and Air Conditioning payments. The events will include ticket sales and possible appearances of Matt Biondi, an Olympic Water Polo Coach, a Sports Psychologist, a weight lifter, a professional golfer, a scientist and any other author/expert that can be scheduled for a community appearance. Co-Sponsorships packages might be solicited from national organizations that do not already sponsor board activities and no sponsorship will be for alcohol or tobacco products.

Australian Institute of Sport gets water polo book

Date unsure.

Plum Swimming Recap

Attention Kevin Smith, Sports Editors, Valley News 

For the Special Edition, 40-year history.

Competition in Swimming, Diving and Aquatic Programing

by Mark Rauterkus, Head Swim Coach at Plum High School

Both the boys and girls swimming teams at Plum finished among the sweet-16 at last year’s state championships. Plum swimming, like that of most of the other programs throughout the area, is as strong as ever. Good programs stretch from Penn Hills, to Kiski Area and local bragging-rights encompass the state-champions, North Allegheny.

High school swimmers and divers look forward to the WPIAL meet and advancing to states. For serious athletes, it is a big-deal to compete at WPIALs. This year, the WPIAL championships are split into two different meets, one for large schools and another for smaller schools.

 The kids on today’s scholastic teams know that to be good, it takes year-round involvement and plenty of additional practice beyond the school team season. The club swimmers and divers rule at the championship meets. For decades, the champion athletes could be found on the club teams which offer year-round training. Everyone knows that the best way to reach the finals in swimming or diving is to stay in shape and practice well beyond the short, 4-month high school season. Hard work pays off in swimming, and it will continue to do so for many years to come.

Forty years ago, many of the suburban and rural schools did not have swim teams. And in the near future, the swim team structure in place today in many of our area schools might die. Today, many of the swim teams are alive, but a majority are choking and could be in their final twilight hours.

Don’t get me wrong. Swimming and the equally important aquatic sports are here to stay. However, things are bound to be quite different in the years to come. Dr. Robert Thomas, assistant swim coach at Penn Hills said, “Swimming, as a recreational form will always be around.” But he sees some changes, like co-ed mixed relays and diving leaving the scene—“unfortunately.”

“I don’t think diving has a chance in the long-term, said Scott Klugh, Shaler’s diving coach. “When I was a kid, if a school had enough people to do an activity, it would start something, even if it was intra-murals at first. Now the administrators at the schools are worried about money.”

Communities will continue to operate their facilities and realize a return on its investments, but community leaders will further emphasize programing and educational enrichment, rather than the recreational benefits. The trend toward more independent coaches will lead to  partnerships in the schools and at the pools in due time.

Plum built its pool in ’76 and Penn Hills started its team in ’62. In the older years, kids swam at the Ys and in the summers.

Back in the ’50s, the good teams were in the City of Pittsburgh where swimming pools were in the schools. Vandergrift High also had a pool and a team in its old school, which became part of Kiski Area in ’63. Obviously, swimming pools and swimming teams go hand-in-hand and as the modern high schools in the area were built, they included the pool within the school facilities. 

Today’s exceptions are Oakland Catholic and Central Catholic who bus their teams to practices and survive with rented pool time.

Robert Kozak was a Pittsburgh resident and former, City Swimming Champion in the past period of time. Kozak recently retired after working a career in the printing trade.and he is now living in the North Hills. Kozak says he thoroughly enjoys swimming at the N.A. pool in the evenings and weekends. 

“When I competed for the city title, we were in the war years and there were races such as the tired-swimmers-carry, the 60-yards underwater and one race where you had to kick and carry a rifle over your head as you swam.” 

Forty years ago butterfly wasn’t in the rulebooks and the 220-yard race was competed at A.A.U. Nationals.

In those times, the war was near and it touched everything, including swimming. For competition, the focus was the U.S.A. against the world. The swim races reflected the times of society. 

In the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, the competitive focus became more localized and pitted one school against another. In the ’80s and ’90s, the competitive drive is often now only found in face-to-face settings, often among classmates. In today’s competitive swimming meets, it is rare to find a school or a team getting an overtly competitive focus of beating an arch-rival. The great team battles in swimming with months of total team involvement are dying.

Individually, some awesome talent and excellent results are being posted in the aquatic sports at today’s schools. But the gap between the competitors is huge. 

At Plum, there are no “try-outs and cuts” to make varsity teams. Plum does not have enough students on the team to complete a meet line-up. Plum does not have any male divers. Anyone who shows-up for practice can make the swimming team.

It is common to see the star swimmers lap the field. A 55-second race for some finds others finishing in 1-minute-55-seconds. The best athletes are getting better and better while the lower-end seem to be getting progressively worse.

Chris Troilo, Kiski Area Swim Coach said, “With better training and better preparation, the kids are going faster and faster. Swimming has less in quantity but more in quality.”

Head-to-head, close races are rare. In swimming, the clock is an objective judge and improving one’s time is where self-satisfaction occurs, not in winning.

The future for swimming needs to stress personal excellence. Swim teams should be incubators for excellence. With a shift in athletics away from the team concepts, coaches and athletes can get individualized attention and develop personal bonds. Teams with 3–6 members will be common.

Team sports needing large numbers of participants will flounder or have to adapt in the future. The best athletes will compete in individual sports. Plus, professional swimming will exist and the other professional leagues, like the NFL will diminish.

In the future, athletic departments in schools will not be able to boast valid win-loss records because the competition will be too diverse and unreliable. 

Swimming is an ideal environment to teach and experiment with high-level learning. The technical, physical and motivational components of the aquatic sports are demanding and require year-round attention. The fundamental lessons in ethics, decision-making, analysis and performance are difficult concepts to teach and study. The lessons of hard-work and fitness at the pool transfer beyond the athletic arena and into everyday life. 

In the future, let’s utilize swimming pools and coaches with vision to capture the imaginations and to inspire greatness in some of our students.

About the author:

Mark Rauterkus, Head Swim Coach at Plum High School, is publisher of the Sports Support Syndicate, Inc. now in Pittsburgh. His company publishes cutting-edge books on sports-participation. Mark has coached swimming state-record holders in five different states. In Mark’s first year of coaching swimming at Plum, the girls team finished in 2nd place at the WPIAL championships in 1992.

Introduction letter for Dr. Judd's visit to Napa and the Pacific Coaches Clinic speaking gig

Diving Accidents

Mark Rauterkus

Sports Support Syndicate, Inc.

108 South 12th Street

Pittsburgh, PA 15203

Orders: 1-800-869-0758

Business Phone: 412-481-2497

FAX #: 412-481-2540

December 4, 1992

Newsroom

Reporter

Chanel 11

Pittsburgh

phone: 412-237-1111

Dear Donna Froeman,

Regarding your news segment on last nights 11:00 pm news and the wrong fact of, “Only the sport of diving has more spinal-cord injuries than football.”

That news is so grossly wrong that I am going to do my best to educate you of the facts and settle for some type of retraction or updated feature on the sport of diving here in Pennsylvania.

Our state board of health has some foolish person who made a recent rule interpretation because of bad news similar to that which was reported last evening. Our state has made lots of waves nationally, our local kids are getting their opportunities robbed by dropping programs from administrators and this is a hot issue in the news today. But you blew it.

Let me explain. After talking with U.S. Diving in Indiana (call 317-237-5252) and with their safety chairperson, Janet Gabriel at the ISHOF at (305-462-6536), I can report,

“The Sport of Diving has never had a fatality or catastrophic injury in the United States. This includes U.S. Diving (club-level like at Pitt, coached by Julian Krug), NCAA Diving or any in High School as a part of the National Federation.”

These issues have been researched extensively over the years to combat the foolishness that you’ve recently promoted.

Did you know that 75% of all diving injuries occur in the natural environment? That includes lakes, rock quarries, off of boats in rivers, etc. The other small portion of injuries all occur in water depth of less than 4 feet. The sport of diving is contested in swimming pools with deep water, like 12 feet or so.

The sport of diving is very safe. And it is not worse than football.

At Plum High School, where I am also the swimming coach, we don’t have a male diver on the team, and we need 3 to field the event in the High School meets, which begin December 17. Furthermore, many of the schools have been yanking their boards and dropping their diving teams due to some bone-head, uninformed, safety interpretation by state government.

I don’t know all the facts of what has transpired in our state the last 10 weeks or so, but others do. You might call Don Lees at Clarion (814-226-7351). He could tell you what’s what.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Thanks.

Sincerely Yours,

SPORTS SUPPORT SYNDICATE, INC.

Mark Rauterkus, President &

Plum High School’s Head Swimming Coach

Q-tips, Ceramics, Chuck Nogel and life with fan mail

To Plum, Speech

Excellent Speech

by Mark Rauterkus

Head Swim Coach &

Publisher, Sports Support Syndicate, Inc.

Presented November 23, 1992

Regarding the Expansion of the Aquatic Programs at Plum High School, Pittsburgh, PA, 15239 USA

This is the last time I am going to write a proposal to this board regarding the expansion of the aquatics program.

I’m not going to do any more business plan writing about swimming. This is it. I hope we can settle something now, with appropriate approval, and have a good-old fashioned motion and eventual vote in this meeting. I’m most willing to make adjustments, and plug something into place.

Just so everyone understands me, I might however come back to the board with proposals about other issues of interest. In a couple years, I might have applied reading and writing, or libraries, or joint book authoring projects in mind.

Furthermore, there is no telling me when I might get back here again with my major complaints that need to be ironed out. As I’m still quite certain that there are people around here that will not want to return my phone calls. When I get turned off and when I’m not even given the satisfaction of a returned phone call, then I can be a pesky rebel rouser. When and if I ever come back o the board, you can bet, I’ve already tried to go through channels, and you can bet that I’m fighting for the sake of the students.

So, this is my last aquatic expansion proposal.

This process began for me in March. I went through the proper channels. Mr. Terlinski, Mr. Neff, etc. I suggested Plum get and Aquatics Director position created and they said, “No, an Aquatics Director just wouldn’t work at this time.”

Then I witnessed the cancelation of the summer lesson program. I didn’t like seeing that happen. Plus, I had made plans to work with the students at the wave pool just when they needed instructors at the Plum pool. Obviously to me, more coordination was needed.

I offered to help. I went out of my way and I wrote an original 4-page pitch that went to summer athletic committee meeting and to the board in July.

My proposal got squeezed in among a pay-phone for the football office and the nervousness of a new teacher’s contract. People were busy, but I took your suggestions to heart and molded the plan as a result of our meeting here at this table.

Then I was told in a letter the one-issue of concern was that the board did not want to give up total control of the existing programs. The plan went back to the drawing board with the athletic committee.

Since September, Mr. Neff and I got together and I began working more at the pool. I took over as manager for the evening swim program for two-nights per week. I also got the instructors scheduled for the free-Saturday-Swim lessons.

To me, this period was a maintenance period and an in-between time where I would get to see what goes on at the pool first hand, observe, get into the flow so to speak. I knew that if my grand plans did not take hold here in the district, I didn’t want to be a lifeguard in the evenings and that I’d back away and from those “recreational” hours. And, I knew that I wanted to keep in touch with the kids a bit before their season began in earnest on Nov. 23.

This fall I wasn’t out to make a lot of changes. I believe I made some improvements, with lessons as proven with the parents evaluations, with Thursday night water polo, with a market testing of private lessons, with an expanded staff list, with ADA facility suggestions, with an increase in lap swimming to meet the demand of fitness swimmers, and with general solid coordination and responsibility.

Meanwhile, the teacher strike was averted and my plan for expanded aquatics programing got put on the next athletic committee meeting agenda.

So, I made the suggested changes regarding the issue of control for the board.

I went back to the athletic committee with a revised plan that really changes the scope of the original plan.

As the plan was rewritten, I sent it on to Mr. Becker, but my biggest wish was that I would have been able to meet with each of you individually, in depth, to comfort your concerns, address your specific questions in a one-on-one setting. This goes for board members as well as administrators.

You see my track record is not that long with each of you and you don’t really understand what makes me tick. I’m not like anyone you have ever met and I needed time to share and I asked, and I didn’t get it.

I wish I had someone to champion this concept and take some ownership with me.

Maybe you thought that I wasn’t worth the time or maybe my ideas weren't good enough, but that is neither here nor there. I don’t need to second guess the past. I’m not interested in shooting you down, nor am I interested in shooting down the existing aquatics program.

But with regard to this plan, I’ve done what you have asked me to do. Everything is here in black and white. This 3-ring binder includes deep dark secrets. This should paints a brilliant picture for you. Plum can create a bright, shinning star.

These ideas are good for the kids, good to the educational mission of the district, good for America, and you know, they are more healthy than Apple Pie.

I’ve cooked up this plan, maybe I should be more seasonal and say it is a pumpkin pie. But the ingredients I’ve used are what is here before me. The existing lesson program has great merits. The evening swim is wonderful in and of itself. The PAYS swim team is doing a wonderful service and we got them to increase their numbers by 80% over last year.

There are lots of additional numbers pointed out in this plan. As you read it, you don’t need to read between the lines. That is for sure as everything is there in black and white.

I hate when, for example a letter is sent and it says one thing, and it really meant another thing. I value words and I value clear communication, and I could say honesty. I also am not opposed to negotiations, but it takes two to have a dialog.

But, I say I’ve got something to offer that is much better than good old American apple pie. But what I feel like I’ve had to deliver a pumpkin pie. I felt I’ve had to have the role of a mean spirited Jack-o-lantern to get this far. I’ve been pushy. I’ve sent faxes to unanswered corners of the district. I’m sorry I’ve been putting an edge on this, but I’ve found that very few people want to do anything extra for the kids these days.

These days are not like the good old times. You say it yourself at these meetings.

In a mid-sized city, towards the edge of a town called Jacksonville, as we speak, public officials are having to spending $10,000 a day for the national guard to patrol the beltway to catch adolescents. The high school aged kids have been shooting guns at passing cars and pitching rocks from bridges.

Meanwhile, tonight in Plum, I’ve got 16-20 guys over at the pool with Fred Luffy, our diving coach. Fred is an engineer, a father of 2 little boys, and his wife is expecting a third child this winter. Do you get the picture. Well they are to be playing water polo. On Thursday nights, I’ve been staying at the pool extra, a little bit after hours to teach them a new sport and new skills.

Water polo has a different teamwork component to the game which makes it quite different from swimming.

Getting into water polo is my way of showing them I care. I’m glad they are staying off drugs, avoiding alcohol, not shooting at passing motorist on the turnpike.

But do you know what rots my socks? Someone, years ago went ahead and built that lovely pool, and even went so far as to buy professional, stainless steel water polo goals, the good kind that set right into the deck. At one time, someone was on the ball.

But now, those water polo goals are in storage, behind two doors in the back of the team room on a dirt floor under the gym floor. The goals with the nets and all are mixed in with a lot of desks, chairs, and a ladder is sitting on one of the goals.

I don’t have a key to that room. I’ve been asking for months for a little bit of assistance so that I can take those water polo goals out of storage and put them to good use. It would take someone no more than 5 minutes to help me. And no body has so much as lifted a finger.

Tonight, those guys are playing water polo again without any goals. That is the type of thing that rots my socks, and that is the type of thing that is wrong with America and Education today.

How can we be competitive globally when the kids are not given a goal to shoot for?

By and large, your kids, Plum kids, not kids from Franklin or Penn Hills, are swimming in circles. They are waiting for a little scrap of nourishment to fall from this table. And they are hungry and they are going to eat it up.

This is where I come in. I’ve been an entrepreneur. An outsider who is a citizen an frustrated by the status quo. I’ve had some excellent experiences. I publish books.

Barbara Bush, Swimming World, Skip Bird, Disney Educator of the Year, many many Olympic coaches,

My books are being exported to Europe.

There is somewhat a global demand for what I do. As we speak, my wife is presenting at a national conference with 20,000 people in attendance in San Antonio. We have a joint software company, and she went to Texas for 6 days without me with a box full of catalogs and handouts. I could be with her, yet alone growing the business, yet along being on the River Walk, but no. I’m seeking a balance lifestyle, and I’ve made a commitment to carry this through. Plus, I’ve got a birthday party on Friday night from 7:00-9:00 pm.

Earlier this year, the first week of January, I was a guest speaker at a coaches conference in Napa, California. I spoke to 225 coaches in Northern California. When you think of swimming, you think of places like Matt Biondi’s home town, right? Well, those coaches, the leaders in the sport in the hot-bed of the sport wanted to hear my ideas.

I took a red-eye out of San Francisco at 11:30 on a Sunday night, arrived in Pittsburgh at 9 am had 3 hours of sleep and went to a Plum H.S. swim meet that night, dead tired, but proud to be able to share with the kids.

I’m not just some type of crack-pot, pushy guy. I’m an expert. I’ve forgotten more about swimming than most of the coaches in Pennsylvania will ever know.

I’ve been working extremely hard throughout my life and have been dedicated to my causes of education and excellence.

I proved myself last year. In one short year we were awesome. State records, 2nd in WPIAL, 5 All-Americans. Swimming is the number one sport in that school. Furthermore, I can guide the Plum Swim Team with a comprehensive program to become the #1 sports team in any school in any sport.

Take this all into account, and remember I have-been and will-continue-to work here on a very-part-time basis.

But finally, I’m not an outsider at all. I’m a local boy. I graduated from Penn Hills. My mother and my wife chaperoned the 8 or 9 kids I took up to Penn State for three days for the PIAA Championships. We’ve had the team over to our house and my offices on the South Side on a number of occasions.

And for these political informational lectures, I’m not interested in spin doctor BS. I’ve worked at school districts in the past. I’ve negotiated with park directors and superintendents before. I know what an executive director or a chairperson is to do. I know what purchasing is all about. I’ve managed a summer staff of 80 employees in 6 pools. I know how the game should be played. I know some will think I’m out of bounds now, but this is the end of the line for me. I shouldn’t need to be saying these things to the whole board at this time. And, I also understand accountability.

However, it is better to hear straight from me rather than a parking lot full of others going every which way. I’ve been given no other options, and I’m done presenting proposals, but sparks could still fly.

Everyone I’ve talked to is in favor of expanding the programing. Nobody likes an idle facility. We have some agreements. Frank Jones wrote to me in his letter. And I’m confident the board is going to see the big picture and vote.

You see, my battle has been that you don’t know me. And now that I’ve got the floor I’ve got a little more dancing to do.

I’ve coached swimmers who have set state records 4 states. I’ve been a NCAA Div. I coach for 6 seasons employed by 3 different universities. I’ve taken 10 year olds to meets held at a school district in Gillette, Wyoming and I’ve hitch-hiked across Wisconsin and Florida to see swim meets while I was in college.

Just last week, the greatest mind in the sport, Dr. Ernie Maglischo, sent me copies of his swimming software for review. I think I can improve upon it and possibly publish it and distribute it for him.

Our kids are going to be exposed to that software. I think he sent it to me because I reminded him of the time when I visited his pool at Cal State Bakersfield for a 5:00 am practice and he eventually left and locked me in the pool. I was ready for more talking, more questions. He thought I was gone and out to breakfast with his assistant coaches. He left, and I was locked inside.

But with all of these experiences, I don’t need to prove myself to the kids. I don’t want to stand up here and boast or beg with you. I just want to jump out of my car at 2:15, put on a ball hat, and get it on with the kids. I get them doing weird things on the track, and get them confidence in their own abilities, and I push them to get a great education in college. Eventually, I’ll be making new friends for life.

I want to do all these activities here in Plum. Don’t worry about me leaving. Instead, you should worry about me moving in next door. But don’t worry to much, because my wife more than makes up for any boldness that I might cause you to contend with.

I promised you that I would write you an updated plan. But these binders are sealed. I would prefer to not even open this plan tonight.

A copy of this talk is in there. Some outlines, budgets, letters, evaluations and such is in there. But those things are not important.

Each and everyone of you can shoot holes through this plan. There is detail after detail that we can trip up on. Even if you don’t have a backyard pool, you’ll be able to tear this to bits. Plus, we can trip and stumble tonight, even if there aren’t any pot holes in the parking.

You can shoot holes into this just like those other high school kids have been shooting holes in speeding cars on Interstate 295. And do you know what?

Keith W, a Plum junior, our Monday night lifeguard and WPIAL swimmer is going to miss practice all next week. This is our first official week of practice. But that is OK with me. Keith is going to take a trip with his family, to Florida, for Thanksgiving vacation and all. I’m not worried about Keith missing practice, but I am a bit concerned about him and his family getting shot at as they drive to Florida.

Remember those National Guardsmen? M-16? At $10,000 a day? And local kids with nothing better to do?

When Keith comes back into town, I hope he is in one piece. And we will probably want to play water polo. I hope we can work it out so that we can install the goals right there on the spot and give him and his classmates something better to shoot at.

So tonight, I’m not interested in you shooting holes at me. I’m interested in working together, as a board, as a coach, as a parents booster group, as community leaders and as a superintendent should.

During this proposal process I’ve been out here alone, going fishing, using my ideas, but I’m probably not using the right bait on my hook. I love the water, but I never was much for fishing.

But I am the hook. I don’t use bait. I don’t carry around a lot of false pretenses. I don’t want to go fishing with this board any longer. Because I’m wasting time here in the board room going fishing with all of you. You see, I’ve got a net and it is over there at the high school back at the pool.

You see I can work my magic, and use this huge net and it can gather a lot of kids. My net is more efficient than fishing with a hook without any bait. This net of mine is built with my spirit.

But I need somebody else to lend a hand, and possibly get their feet wet too.

Mr. Chairperson, I thank you for listening and I would like to yield the floor to Board Member Tom McGough as it is my belief and hope that he is going to read the motion that he intends put to a vote at the next meeting.