SCWDC'S "NAME CHANGE" is adding a marketing phrase, "Doing Business As...Ski and Sports Club of Washington DC"

Effective January 1, 2021 - WHEN YOU READ THIS PAGE, YOU'LL SEE THAT WE ARE ADOPTING A "DOING BUSINESS AS" NAME ,
BUT NOT CHANGING OUR LEGAL NAME OR CHANGING THE #1 PURPOSE OF THE CLUB, PROMOTION OF ALL FORMS SKIING.  

HOW THE CLUB CHANGED OVER TIME FROM SOLELY FOCUSED ON SKIING TO BECOMING AN ALL-YEAR CLUB WITH MANY NON-SKI ACTIVITIES AND TRAVEL OPPORTUNITIES

Past Club Officers responded to changes in what SCWDC members wanted:  Beginning in the 60's and continuing into the 90's,  club membership greatly expanded.  Social and athletic needs came to the forefront because skiing depended on snow and winter conditions for only a few months a year.  The Washington Metro population increased due to the expansion of the the federal government and related commercial support activities.  There was a huge influx of 20's and 30's singles seeking social and athletic opportunities who joined the SCWDC for those.  The club's volunteers developed many different activities that turned the club into an 12-month activity club.   This did not change the club's focus on skiing and actually this led to a huge growth in skiing, SCWDC annually planned and ran in 80's:

- 50-60 ski bus trips with 2,000 individual skier spots to Mid-Atlantic and New England ski slopes 
- 12 - 18 week-long Western & European ski trips for 600+ skiers, complete vacations:  travel, lodging, lift tickets and social outings

+ SCWDC's Ski School - offered both "dryland" and on the slope instruction,  turning 100's & 100's of beginners and rusty skiers into proficient skiers

Fast forward to present time, the 2018 Board of Directors established a Marketing Committee.  After discussions and contact with many officers, the Committee recommended that the BOD change the name of the club to "Ski and Sports Club of Washington DC."  The BOD agreed to do this.  This "Doing Business As" name will be effective this coming January 2021.  The new "name" reflects our long heritage as a ski club, satisfies a need to remain relevant to our members, and recognizes that we offer much more than skiing.   Over time, fewer members want to ski but many want to continue to live a rich athletic and social life and this has evolved into taking vacations with other SCWDC members.  In the last 10 years, we have run multiple  Bike and Barge European trips, Club Med vacations, and Viking cruises.  

Our long-time motto: "Great Sports For All Seasons”, implies that we are much more than a ski club.  The 2020-2021 Board of Directors believed that it was time to express that in a more descriptive Club name, not just in our motto.  It happens fairly often, that when a SCWDC member approaches a non-skier to join the Club, their first reaction often is, "I don't ski, why would I join a ski club?".  SCWDC will continue to sponsor ski trips, but nationally, skiing is no longer a growth sport, and older skiers are aging out.  This is reflected in the aging demographics of our members.  Changing our name really means re-branding the club.  This is an opportunity to get our new name into the public eye, refresh our image, market our programs more effectively, and attract new members.  Our “value proposition” remains:  Providing active adults with a wide array of group activities, places to meet others and make new friends, ski trips and recreational travel at group rates.  

The club has run many non-ski events through the years.  Before COVID (& after vaccines are distributed and inoculated) , these included/ will include the following:

· Tennis Saturday Night Parties & Sunday Instructional Tennis on afternoon & evenings - instruction and fun play, & summer outdoors play...Tuesday Night Tennis

· Sailing on the Potomac from Belle Haven Marina on Tuesday Nights and alternate Saturday mornings from May through October

· Club Med vacations mostly to the Caribbean, Viking cruises in European and US waters, European Bike & Barge excursions on various rivers, & sightseeing trips 

· Hiking, biking, beach trips to Virginia Beach, bowling, indoor fall/winter volleyball, Wednesday Night Golf and weekend golf trips to VA, WV and PA resorts

· Tickets for Nats games, CITI Open tennis, & theater / concert performances

· Happy Hours and Social Meetings - now on hold, will resume when declared safe

The club has run many non-ski events through the years.  before COVID (and after vaccines are distributed) , these included / will include the following:

·        Tennis at Saturday night tennis parties, Sunday Instructional & fun play (1PM-9PM) and Tuesday Night - summer outdoors

·        Sailing on the Potomac, the Chesapeake Bay and the Caribbean

·        Club Med, Viking cruises, European Bike & Barge trips

·        Hiking, biking, beach trips to Rehobeth, DE and Virginia Beach, VA, bowling, indoor volleyball, weekly Wednesday golf and weekend golf trips

·        Tickets for Nats games, CITI Open tennis, theater performances

·        Happy hours and Social meetings