THE PRIVILEGE TO COMPETE
Athletic members sharpen the club’s competitive edge.
Among the many opportunities MAC provides to talented athletes
ATHLETIC MEMBERS’ CONTRIBUTIONS
is its athletic member program. As the club’s athletic membership The club has an extensive policy regarding athletic memberships,
policy states: but the best explanation for how well the program works comes
“Athletic memberships have been established to augment the
from the staff that coaches and interacts with the athletic members.
A
excellence of the club’s athletic pr
THLETIC
“Athletic members provide inspiration, enhance a team’s skill
ogram and to raise the level of
level and help all members achieve goals they might not have
member experience and participation within a particular sport.
been able to reach on their own,” says Athletic Director Ed Stoner.
“The Multnomah Athletic Club offers special athletic As he explains, one of the best examples of this concept is in
memberships to outstanding athletes who have achieved
the gymnastics program. A single member might be able to win
a state, regional or national title in an event on their own, but
recognized status at the highest level of competition within their
would likely not do the same with a team, given the limited pool
sport, or those who have a signifi cant contribution to make to
of members that could compete at that level. With the addition of
the excellence of an athletic program at the club, or those who, athletic members, several gymnasts are now competing at that level
in the opinion of our professional coaching staff, demonstrate
in one place, they push each other, and as such achieve more indi-
excellent athletic potential and character representative of a
vidually as well as a team.
“Similarly, college coaches are far more likely to make a
Multnomah Athletic Club athlete.”
recruiting visit to a program that has numerous prospects versus just
Athletic memberships can be applied in 15 sports: basketball,
one; and/or other prospects (members) may be noticed because
MEMBERS
cycling, dance, gymnastics, handball, karate, racquetball, ski,
they are at the same gym as a highly recruited athlete (athletic
soccer, squash, swimming, synchro, tennis, triathlon/running, and
member),” Stoner adds.
volleyball. Not all of these sports maintain athletic members. The
Head Swim Coach Alex Nikitin believes the athletic member-
Athletic Committee supervises a pool of 90 athletic members and
ship program has made an immeasurable contribution to the sport
can allocate a slot from that pool to any sport committee that seeks to
of swimming at the club. He says athletic members have, histori-
add an athletic member to its ranks. The number of athletic members
cally, invigorated MAC’s swim team.
in any given sport can fl uctuate based on the needs of each sport.
“They strengthened the team competitively, and most importantly,
Athletic memberships are reviewed quarterly by the professional
they brought a fi ne work ethic and burning desire to get better and
coach and/or sport committee in sports where a coach exists, or
succeed,” says Nikitin. “Such qualities help members gain new
by the sport committee when a coach does not exist. The Athletic
perspective on their training and
Committee oversees this process to
team, and develop a whole new
ensure that athletic members meet
appreciation, loyalty and respect
their performance criteria.
for the program and the club,” he
Athletic members represent
adds.
between 10 and 15 percent
Athletic members’ contribu-
of the club’s competitive
tions in the pool date back to
athletes. Within the past few
the 1930s. MAC swimming icon
months, following a board
Nancy Merki was invited to join
charge presented to the Athletic
the club as an athletic member
Committee, the pool of available
when she was 8 years old. She
athletic memberships dropped
was a member of the well-known
from 108 to 90. If there is a
Athletic members in gymnastics were key players at the
group known as Cody’s Kids,
legitimate reason to exceed 90
2009 MAC Open. At the conclusion of the meet, the club’s
which helped put MAC’s swim-
(although the club has never had
men’s and women’s teams clenched fi rst-place victories. ming program on the national
more than 82 athletic members
map.
at one time), the Athletic Committee must request an increase of that
“We coaches focus on the mindset and individual qualities of
number from the Board of Trustees.
prospective athletic members,” Nikitin explains. “It is our expecta-
The program lives by word of mouth. Sport committees may not
tion that athletic members help us instill in the team members the
recruit athletic members from other teams or programs outside the
qualities of excellent and consistent work ethic; be process-focused;
club. All candidates must approach the coach or club to initiate
and provide leadership by personal example.”
consideration for an athletic membership.
The club’s synchronized swimming program consistently incorpo-
rates athletic members into its squads.
34 | The Wınged M | JANUARY 2010
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