Triangle Sports Commission of North Carolina Named U.S. Masters Swimming Community Partner

U.S. Masters Swimming has designated the Triangle Sports Commission of North Carolina, encompassing Raleigh, Durham, Cary and Chapel Hill, as a U.S. Masters Swimming Community Partner. The Triangle Sports Commission joins Sarasota as an official community partner.

The U.S. Masters Swimming Community Partner designation is awarded to localities that commit to increasing public awareness of U.S. Masters Swimming and supporting the organization's mission of promoting health and fitness in adults through Masters swimming. Community Partners will promote Masters swimming locally by collaborating with USMS to increase programming, awareness, events and membership.

"The entire Triangle area is a hotbed and growing area for aquatics and especially Masters swimming," commented U.S. Masters Swimming Executive Director Rob Butcher. "They have a successful record hosting Masters Nationals and state championships. They have terrific coaches who have created opportunities for the competitive adult swimmer, the open water/triathlete swimmer and the beginner adult new to swimming. Their base of volunteers is passionate about swimming, and the Triangle Sports Commission recently developed partnerships with the major universities to host a 2010 Masters swimming high performance clinic. We are pleased to grant this recognition to the Triangle area and work in the future with them on growing Masters swimming."

"We are honored to be named one of the first U.S. Masters Swimming Community Partners," said Hill Carrow, CEO of the Triangle Sports Commission. "It is thanks to the combined efforts of our five major Masters teams in the Triangle and the interest and support of our major universities that we have been given this special designation. We also received very strong backing from our local business community. The 2010 USMS High Performance Clinic in the Triangle will bring both national swimmers to train in the area and national recognition. It is further evidence of the Triangle's standing as one of the premier amateur and Olympic sports hubs in the country."

About U.S. Masters Swimming

U.S. Masters Swimming, founded in 1971, is a membership-operated national governing body that promotes adult health, fitness and wellness through aquatics. It does so by partnering with more than 1,000 adult swim clubs across the country that offer swim/fitness programs, promoting information via a bimonthly member magazine, USMS.org, and sanctioning and promoting pool, open water and virtual competitions. Nearly 50,000 adults are registered members of U.S. Masters Swimming.

About the Triangle Sports Commission

The Triangle Sports Commission, a nonprofit, charitable organization founded in 2001, is the sports commission for the Research Triangle region of North Carolina. The TSC focuses on Olympic and amateur sports activities that help unite the Triangle communities and have positive economic impacts on the region. For more information on the TSC, visit www.trianglesportscommission.com.