The Ultra-Short Race-Pace Training International Association Launched

A new international association has been launched for the swimming community. It is the Ultra-short Race-pace Training International Association (USRPTIA). Joining is free and activities only occur over the Internet.

The USRPTIA is formed with three goals in mind:

1. To function under a structure that will welcome coaches, swimmers, masters swimmers, parents, and sport administrators from anywhere in the world through the medium of the Internet.
2. To establish a communication network that will provide information about Ultra-short Race-pace Training (USRPT) so that persons interested in USRPT as a sport training structure can receive the latest news about the training method, its application to sport settings, and have questions answered.
3. To foster, stimulate, and support data-based research in USRPT structure, content, and applications so that the method will continue to be refined with the view of making it more effective for improving the performance of athletes.

Initial activities are modest and limited to swimming.

The first principal activity will be pay-per-view webinars which will be released at a rate of about one per month. The first webinar is now available. Viewing webinars is the only fundraising activity.

Webinar viewing and attending USRPTIA sanctioned clinics, presentations, and other educational activities also yield “certification-points” which can be applied to earning a USRPT coaching certificate. The coaching accreditation scheme, (with the Gold Level being the highest, and on-going membership in the Association) involves a compulsory continuing education requirement to fulfill the belief that coaches should never stop learning.

For the first two years of the existence of the USRPTIA, a Steering Committee of four dedicated individuals is working on developing an eventual organization of full governance which hopefully will involve persons from around the world.

This swimming news story is courtesy of Brent S. Rushall, member of Ultra-Short Race-Pace Training International Association.