In This Section
The USMS Planning Committee developed these hints using questionnaires sent to all LMSCs.
Possible Contributors
- LMSC officers and committee chairs
- Clubs reporting activities
- Regular columnists
- Coaches or swimmers submitting favorite workouts
Possible Topics
- Meet entries
- Meet results
- Write-up about meets
- Places to swim with workout times
- Social and locker room chit chat about members
- News-making activities of members
- Technique articles
- Workouts
- Health articles
- Weight training
- Open water events
- Triathlons
- List those who are aging up
- Focus on a member
- Calendar of local meets
- List officers
- List website address
- Top Ten from your LMSC
Hints to Make Editing the Newsletter Easier
- Use an electronic folder for articles to be used in each issue. Aim to receive articles by email or to download them.
- Keep a folder for "fillers"—short articles or workouts to fill a page. Pictures and graphics also work well.
- Use a familiar computer program. Start out just using a word processor (there are templates for newsletters). Some LMSCs use word processors, some use publishing programs—whatever works. Switch to a publishing program as you feel comfortable.
- If possible, use a professional printer for printing, collating, mailing the newsletter. Your Registrar can provide addresses electronically, on a disk or can produce labels.
- If you cannot afford to use a printer for collating and mailing, get a workout group to help one day after practice.
- Set a format and stick with it.
- Recruit others to contribute regularly. Once contributors see their articles in print, they tend to send new articles. Possible items: columns, profiles, meet write-ups, workouts, nutrition, and news about members.
- Use the USMS website as a source for articles. Go to www.usms.org. Check the list on the left of the screen.
- LMSC Info: Click here and a map pops up. Select an LMSC to get a link to that LMSCs Website. Many LMSCs publish their newsletters online.
- Fitness: Provides an article per month.
- Training: Articles on drills, etc.
- Links to other sources can be found at http://www.usms.org/links/
*** When using articles from another source, be sure to get permission, list the author and the location of the article (website, another LMSC’s newsletter, etc).***
- Use Hy-Tek to print results in a condensed format (small print and three columns). This option works well for newsletters.
- Find a local swimmer who has a digital camera. Pictures can be emailed and inserted into newsletter.
- Have someone proofread.
- Have contributors send articles electronically. Try not to retype anything.
- Develop a list of website addresses for various clubs and LMSCs that have a good newsletter.
- Try to include more than just meet entries, results and announcements. Include at least one article on technique, training, etc.
- Ask other LMSCs or clubs to include you on their mailing list.
- Two excellent sources for graphics/clipart are www.swim-city.com and www.swimgraphics.com.Be sure to include the website address when using their graphics.
- When using photos in newsletters, particularly online newsletters, be sure to reduce the file size so the photos don't cause loading and printing problems.
- Distribution method hint: E-mail a link to the electronic newsletter rather than attaching it to an e-mail.
