REGISTRATION AND FEES
Am I required to pay the USA Swimming fee?
Yes. For insurance reasons, we require ALL swimmers to be USA Swimming registered.
Are my dues refundable?
No. Dues are non-refundable. We allow swimmers to try the team out for up to a week BEFORE registering.
What are the fees for meets?
This varies, depending on the meet but there is typically a surcharge per swimmer of $5-$8 in addition to the fee per event (usually $5/event). Fees for each individual meet can be found on the Meet Announcement that is posted for each meet. Meet fees are invoiced and billed monthly.
I signed my child up for a meet, but then he/she wasn’t able to attend. Do I still have to pay the meet fees?
Yes. Meet entry fees are paid by the club prior to the meet, so you will still have to pay the fees for the events that your child was registered to swim.
VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENT
As parents, are we required to volunteer at meets?
No, but... hosting meets is a huge undertaking and we need all hands on deck! It used to be that each family is required to volunteer 60 hours/year at team hosted meets. Unmet volunteer hours are billed at the end of the year at a rate of $10/hour.
We decided several years ago that we did not want to have an adversarial relationship with families. We ask families to give as much of thier time as possible. Some give well over 80 each year. We treat our team like a family, and we need everyone to respect each other by giving of their time.
PRACTICE
How many practices should my child attend?
Each training group has a suggested minimum number of practices. Please see the “Swim Groups” heading on our website and select “Practice Times” for those guidelines.
How do I enter the facility?
Practices are held at Trees Hall pool on the University of Pittsburgh campus. You can gain access to the facility by entering the Trees Hall main doors on Allequippa Street. From there, you will go to the left of the security desk and through the door straight ahead at the end of the hallway.
Who determines what group my child practices with and how is this determined?
The coaches determine what group your child practices with. Unlike many clubs, Team Pittsburgh Elite Aquatics does not rely strictly on an objective set of criteria to determine what groups swimmers are in. There are a number of factors involved, of which “performance” (meet times as well as practice habits) is but one criterion. In addition to swimming ability, the coaches also take into account athlete age/maturity, practice attendance, and group size when we are determining where to place swimmers.
Am I allowed to be on the pool deck at practice?
No. Parents are not allowed on the pool deck or in the locker rooms during practice. Parents are able to watch practice from the stands if they wish.
MEETS
Does my child have to swim in meets?
No, but participating in meets is strongly encouraged, as meets provide a multitude of learning opportunities for kids.
How do I know what events to sign my child up for?
You will sign your child up for events and have the opportunity to pick events. Your swimmer’s primary coach may make changes as needed and will approve entries before every meet. Please leave note if your swimmer can only participate in only one day of the meet.
How do I sign up for a meet?
You will sign up for a meet through the Team Unify website by selecting the attend/ decline button next to a meet that has been opened. You will then follow the prompts that are given to select events.
How do I know if my child qualifies for a meet?
Each meet has its own structure. Once a meet is open for sign ups, you can click on the meet invitation on our website to see its structure. Qualifying times, event order, and event session information are all available in the meet invitation. Some meets are open meets, meaning there are no qualifying times, while other meets have qualifying times based on The 2021-2024 National Age Group Motivational Time Standards issued by USA Swimming.
What should my swimmer bring to a meet?
Your child should bring a swimsuit, towels, a team t-shirt, a healthy snack, a water bottle, a sharpie or pen (for writing their events with their corresponding heats and lanes on their arms), etc.
Where will my child sit at a meet?
Your child will sit on the pool deck with his or her teammates and coach.
What should my child do after he or she races?
All of the kids are told to see their coach after a race. If you notice that your child is not doing this, please remind your child that this is an important swimmer responsibility. The coaches will always provide feedback after a race, but they are unable to track a swimmer down after a race because they are busy watching and helping other swimmers.
EQUIPMENT
What equipment do I need, and where do I buy it?
The equipment that a swimmer will need to purchase will vary based on the swimmer’s group. Please see the “Parents” heading on the Team Unify website and select “Equipment Ordering” for a list of recommended equipment. Most swim equipment can be purchased through B and R Pools where Team Pittsburgh Elite Aquatics swimmers receive a 10% discount. Additionally, there are various online websites and outlets that sell equipment.
VOLUNTEERING
Am I expected to volunteer?
It takes a tremendous amount of volunteers to host a successful meet. Every family is expected to volunteer at Team Pittsburgh Elite Aquatics hosted meets, or incur a financial penalty for not volunteering.
IMX AND IMR
What is an IMX and IMR Score?
The IMX Challenge was created to promote and reward versatility in age group swimming while advocating greater participation and development across a range of events. The IMX challenge, with its two components, IMReady and IMXtreme is a motivational program where swimmers are scored on their performance in a combination of five or six events. An IMX or IM Ready score is only established after a swimmer has swum all of the events required for their age group in a sanctioned meet since the start of the current season; both short and long course seasons start September 1 and end August 31 for IMX/ IMR purposes. Additionally, a swimmer must complete all of the events in the same course (SCY or LCM) to have a score in that particular course.
IM Ready (IMR) Requirements
The first step in the IMX Challenge is IM Ready (or IMR). To get “IM Ready,” swimmers compete in a series of five events at shorter distances. The requirements for each age group are listed below:
10 & Under: 100 Free, 50 Back, 50 Breast, 50 Fly, 100 IM (SC) or 200 IM (LC)
11-12: 200 Free, 50 Back, 50 Breast, 50 Fly, 100 IM (SC) or 200 IM (LC)
13 & Over: 200 Free, 100 Back, 100 Breast, 100 Fly, 200
IMXtreme (IMX) Requirements
The IMX ranking includes a series of five or six events at longer distances. Once you’ve completed the IMX program, you can find out where your IMX score ranks nationally, within your zone, within your LSC rank and on your club. The requirements for each age group is listed below:
10 & Under: 200 Free, 100 Back, 100 Breast, 100 Fly, 200 IM
11-12: 400 Free (LC) or 500 Free (SC), 100 Back, 100 Breast,100 Fly, 200 IM
13 & Over: 400 Free (LC) or 500 Free (SC), 200 Back, 200 Breast, 200 Fly, 200 IM, 400 IM
IMR/IMX Score
Rankings in the program are based on POWER POINTS, a system developed by USA Swimming and Hy-Tek. See the Power Points page at www.usaswimming.org for more information and search for the Power Point Calculator.
How do I participate?
Participation in the IMR and IMX is easy. USA Swimming automatically scores and calculates results for all athlete members! Swimmers only need to sign up for a Deck Pass Account, then compete in each required event, at a sanctioned meet, at least once in a season.
