May 20, 2015
Family ‘carries through’ for USA Swimming executive director
By Brendan McGair ’03
Family and community.
The connection and bonds associated with pairing the two words have stuck with Chuck Wielgus ’72 since his Providence College days. The executive director of USA Swimming, Wielgus transferred to PC after two years at Virginia Military Institute.
Coming to Providence and not knowing a soul other than his brother Paul ’74, Wielgus made it his mission to get involved. Once he was selected to join the Friars Club, everything else fell into place. Describing himself as an “absolute gym rat,” Wielgus was an intramural and pickup basketball fixture at Alumni Hall when he wasn’t studying or tending to his Friars Club duties.
“The Friars Club gave me an entry point to meet a lot of people, and that was a big deal to me,” said Wielgus. “Family and community are such great touchstones and were the number one things I took away from PC.”
When Wielgus refers to the 85-person staff he oversees at USA Swimming in Colorado Springs, Colo., he calls them his family. The 400,000 members and 3,000 clubs scattered across the country represent his extended family.
“Family has really carried through for me,” said Wielgus about a life lesson that first took shape while at Providence.
To those who have worked closely with Wielgus at USA Swimming, his understanding of the importance of family and community is reflected whenever there’s a project to undertake. A colleague of Wielgus went as far as to dub these projects “collaborative efforts.”
“I’ve worked for Chuck and with him, and that’s a really key thing to say,” said Mike Unger, assistant executive director for USA Swimming. “I’ll get into arguments or discussions with him about many different topics and what’s beautiful is that Chuck is comfortable in his position and will allow what you want to say without the feeling of repercussions.
“I like to argue with him on topics, but I never have to worry about ‘Oh I’m going to insult him or get fired.’ He’s not insulted by that.”
Wielgus’ involvement in USA Swimming began in 1997 when he was named executive director. He’s also been the CEO of the USA Swimming Foundation since its inception in 2004. Prior to his work with aquatics, the Larchmont, N.Y., native was the executive director of the Senior PGA TOUR Tournament Directors Association (now the Champions Tour).
From 1989-1996, he was the executive director of the U.S. Canoe and Kayak Team, which is the national governing body for that particular Olympic sport.
“It’s a very niche sport, but what it did was get me my master’s degree in Olympic sports work. Working in professional golf expanded my horizons, and when I was recruited to the swimming job, it was the combination of those two things that very much appealed to the people here,” said Wielgus.
During Wielgus’ tenure with USA Swimming, the U.S. Olympic Swim Team’s profile has risen dramatically, winning a combined 123 medals during the past four Summer Games.
“It used to be that swimmers were coming from just Florida and California, but today they’re coming from all around the country,” said Wielgus. “We have three basic objectives: build a base, promote the sport, and achieve success. We’ve stayed true to those.”
In addition, USA Swimming has seen membership increase by approximately 45 percent over the past decade with interest sparking sponsorships with notable companies such as AT&T, BMW, Marriott, and Phillips 66.
Certainly much of the credit goes to the swimmers and coaches who have helped to popularize the sport, yet as Unger pointed out, “I believe Chuck’s entrepreneurial spirit has been a perfect match for USA Swimming, but he also has a respect for tradition.”
“I like to think swimming has become the marquee Olympic sport,” said Wielgus. “I’ve had the fortune of being in the driver’s seat during this incredible growth.”
What’s remarkable is that Wielgus has been able to keep a firm handle on his USA Swimming duties while continuing to battle colon cancer. His USA Swimming family has made it a point to surround him with support during this challenge.
“He’s got so much tenacity in the way he still attacks the job. I think that’s so admirable,” said Unger. “The best part of Chuck is that he’s a tremendous person. He’s like the coach you want to lay it on the line for. Chuck is the guy you want to play for.”
“I’ve lived with some chronic issues, but being able to get up every day and go to work and do what I love and being around the people I like, that’s the inspiration,” said Wielgus. “I have two awesome families. I have an awesome family at home and an awesome family at work. That’s what inspires me to keep going.”
Throughout his tenure, Wielgus, who is married and has four children, has seen many of his goals for USA Swimming realized. Not surprisingly, he has been the recipient of numerous accolades and awards. In January, he was honored by the Association of Chief Executives of Sport with the organization’s first Leadership Award.
“Any time you’re recognized by your peers, it’s about as sweet as it gets,” said Wielgus. “Awards like this cause you to be a little bit more reflective, and you start to appreciate things in different ways. I know that’s certainly been the case for me.
“I think the true leaders understand that their achievements come hand-in-hand when they work with others,” said Wielgus. “Again, there’s that sense of family, but it’s been so true.”
Brendan McGair ’03 is a freelance writer from Cranston, R.I.
