By Tina Murray and Team
Over a decade ago SWTU lead the nation in offering intensive women’s fly fishing clinics. In 2009 very few chapters or other groups across the nation could offer women clinics lead by other fisher women.  SWTU’s clinics were groundbreaking. TU National came to see how we do what we do and how we are so successful at it.  Almost 10 years later Orvis started the 50/50 on the Water movement and here we are today offering a spectrum of opportunities for women fishers to build confidence and competence.

Our clinics have been a catalyst and model for all other chapters in WI. It has also offered all chapter members across the state the opportunity to participate in the clinics and many members across the state who do share that it is the highlight of their summer.   The ripple effect of our clinics have brought scores of women into the sport from WI, IA, IN, MN, MI, IL the UP and beyond.   We are proud of our accomplishments and thankful for all who contribute to make the clinics highly successful and fun.  These women trust us to offer quality programming that is meaningful to their lives.

NOW it’s time for SWTU to take the lead again and model for the nation a pathway where women feel capable and can step into leadership roles. To our knowledge no other chapters are offering programming, let alone intensive clinics to build future women leaders.

In June 2021 the WWFFC/ SWTU offered a Women’s Leadership Institute. Lead by the instructors of the WWFFC with a curriculum designed to support women to step into leadership roles within TU.  As we evolve as an organization, we can empower women to step up locally, regionally and nationally and add value to our mission. When polled as to why women do not step up they state that they don’t feel heard, their ideas are not valued and that even today they don’t feel welcome walking into local chapter meetings. More importantly they don’t feel like their contributions are self-identified and instead they are suppose to “fit into a norm predetermined for them by TU” and that the norm is outdated and unappreciated.  This information tells us we are truly not offering women the opportunity to add value to our activities, chapters or mission. Imagine how it feels to want to contribute but not have your contributions be seen, acknowledged or appreciated.  The result is they just don’t come to meetings let alone start women and diversity programming in their areas. We have come a long way in the last 10 years, however, not far enough to increase women’s presence in leadership within the organization.   We can either ignore the fact that there still are not women or biPoc people in our meetings or boldly confront it, doing something about it that could change the norm for the nation. The Women’s clinics we started in 2009 increased the standards and expectations for women’s clinics across the nation.  Now there are multitudes of learning opportunities for women in the sport in nearly every state, but not regional locations.

SWTU chooses to do something about it!
Twelve women from 4 states and from an abundance of chapters across the state (see map below) of WI chose to participate in a clinic where they learned how to work as a team to produce women’s clinics and step up as leaders. More women already want to participate for 2022.

During the Institute we focused on communication and problem-solving skills, team building and the elements of successful programs / clinics.  The focus of the clinic was to teach them the elements required of a cohesive team and to teach them how to be teachers. They don’t need to be masters of fly fishing skills to provide quality programming. Instead, they need to be confident in their abilities to provide programming and work as a team to provide quality learning opportunities to others.  Using an experiential education pedagogy these women participated in fun, hands on activities to learn the needed skills to become future leaders.  They also were given many resources to determine where their skills were pre institute and during the institute with targeted skills and abilities identified by self reflection to show the progression of cohesive team and skill building. These women will work on these skills through many opportunities over the next year.  In 2022 they will in taking the lead teaching at the 2022 clinics with the support and expertise of the current instructors.

From the map you can see how influential this leadership work can be to our state and the Midwest. Last year I presented to multiple chapters how to be more welcoming to new members and particularly women/ diverse members.   That slide is below.  IF chapters can begin to let women know their skills and ideas will be valued, they may become more involved in TU.  If TU can begin setting a standard of “welcoming” others our makeup will change to be more diverse and vibrant.

We look forward to the ripple effect these women will have within chapters and across the Midwest and the new norm they will set over time for women in leadership roles.  We will do a check in in another 10 years and look back to see the great work the chapter started by investing in future leaders for TU.  This investment will pay off both locally and regionally and maybe even become the new standard nationally.  Good Job SWTU members for supporting work that keeps our chapter, mission and women’s clinics sustainable!