President Bruce Stratton Sees A Bright Future for USA Swimming
President Bruce Stratton Sees A Bright Future for USA Swimming
By Mike Watkins//Correspondent
When Bruce Stratton became involved with USA Swimming as a swim parent in 1984, he never imagined he’d still be involved with the organization almost 30 years later – let alone be starting his second term as president of the USA Swimming Board of Directors.
But as has been the case since his first time at a meet watching his sons compete, Stratton still finds immense joy and pride in being involved with USA Swimming and anticipates that’s something that won’t change even after he serves out his final two years and moves on to serve in a different capacity within the organization.
“I remember going to a meeting a couple of years after I started officiating and seeing these people being honored for 25 and 30 years of service,” said Stratton, who works full-time as a certified public accountant (CPA) in Boise, Idaho. “I laughed to myself, thinking how crazy they were to be involved for that long and there was no way I was going to be involved that long. But here I am, and I still love it.
“On top of that, I really enjoy working with Chuck (Wielgus) and the USA Swimming staff, and that makes my job that much easier and comfortable. As far as I’m concerned, they are the best group of professionals in the business, and it’s a great pleasure getting to interact and know more people in the organization.”
His indoctrination into the sport – one he didn’t participate in as a competitor but has a brother who swam and is a coach now – began after sitting through his first two-day swim meet and watching his kids swim a total of about four minutes. He said it was during that experience when he knew he wanted and needed to be more than a spectator.
“I decided I needed something to do, and became an official,” said Stratton, who was re-elected board president this month for another two-year term. “I found officiating to be very satisfying, and as my children progressed to the regional, zone and national levels, I continued to officiate at those levels as well.
“I also became involved with our LSC and served as the general chair, treasurer and officials’ chair. This led to my attending convention and getting involved at the national level.”
In addition to feeling a great sense of pride for helping get the USA Swimming House of Delegates to accept having a balanced budget on a quadrennial rather than annual basis and dues increased, Stratton has been very pleased with the accomplishments he and his board have made over the past two years to protect athletes of all ages and levels.
And after watching the U.S. team dominate at this year’s Olympics in London, he said he’s equally proud of the role he played – however big or small – in helping those athletes along their journey to compete at such a high level at the Games.
Ultimately, however, he is honored to be seen in such a positive light that his peers recognized him as board president once again.
“The thing that I’m most proud of is that our members considered the manner in which I carried out my responsibilities as president as well as treasurer and chair of the Rules & Regulations Committee to be of the quality such that they would elect me as president of the USA Swimming board and then re-elect me,” Stratton said.
“Swimmers on the U.S. Olympic team represented 16 different clubs this year, showing that we have a very strong base out there to train our athletes and prepare them. I’m really proud of that.”
While he loves being a board member, Stratton admits he spends between two and six hours each day answering email, telephone calls and dealing with other USA Swimming matters.
Fortunately, his work allows him the flexibility during his normal work hours to make the necessary commitment to fulfill his board president duties – but he couldn’t do it without the support and assistance of his co-workers, one of whom is son Ryan.
And while he is happy with the accomplishments he and his board have made thus far, Stratton admits he knows there is still much left to do and he’s excited to make the sport safer at the club level as well as in open water competition
Good thing he is always up for a challenge.
“I have always believed that challenges are opportunities, and as we move forward, we need to continue our efforts toward the protection of our athletes,” said Stratton, who also makes time to serve as the treasurer of the Ore-Ida Council of the Boy Scouts of America and as a trustee of the Treasure Valley YMCA Endowment Fund.
“We need to continue to seek ways to help our National Team athletes sustain the great competitive success we have enjoyed, and we need to continue to develop programs to enhance the recruiting and training of our younger athletes at the club and LSC levels.”
Regardless, Stratton said he sees continued happy days ahead for the organization that he considers family and friends.
“Working with the volunteers, coaches, athletes and staff is what I have enjoyed most about being a board member,” he said. “One of the great joys of being involved with USA Swimming is the people you get to know. The future for USA Swimming is as bright as it has ever been, and I am looking forward to being able to provide leadership to our sport during my second term as president.”
