New Parent Information Documents
NEW PARENT INFO
How much are monthly dues and when will are they billed?
Monthly dues are invoiced on the first of the month and billed on the next business day to the bank account or credit card on file.
Monthly dues for each group are as follows:
What are my options for paying?
ACH or Credit card is the preferred method. If setting up auto payments to a bank account or credit card, make sure you have selected “Use for fees associated with your account” and “Use for On demand Payments”. Payments can also be mailed to Sioux Falls Swim Team Po Box 758 Sioux Falls SD 57101
How long do the fall/winter and summer seasons last?
Monthly dues for fall/winter season bills September-February (6 months) for swimmers located in Sioux Falls. Summer season bills April-July (4 months) for swimmers in Sioux Falls.
Do I need to register again for summer if I elect to keep swimming?
Yes. Every returning swimmer would need to register for the fall/winter and summer seasons.
How much is there registration fee?
Registration fees vary from fall/winter and summer seasons. Registration fees are determined by the board prior to each season. The registration fee for fall/winter 2021/2022 is $35 and will be paid during the registration process..
Are there fees associated with swim meets?
Yes. All meets have fees associated with them that are billed to your account. Swimmers are charged a South Dakota head tax, a fee (varies) for each individual and relay event they are in and a coach’s fee. Total amounts can vary but estimate $50 if swimming in 6 events. Fees for meets are billed approximately a week after the event. No swim meets are required though, swim meet attendance is based solely on your family's decision to participate.
Are there any other fees?
All newly registered swimmers will be charged a USA Swim registration fee (prior year was $73). Annual renewal of the USA Swim Registration fee is charged and paid during the registration process.
What if I want to cancel or terminate our membership?
You may cancel your Sioux Falls Swim Team membership at any time by completing this written notice. A 30-day (*) notice of cancellation is required. The termination date must correspond to a month end. If this form is received less than 30 days (*) before your specified month end Termination Date, you will be responsible for monthly swimming dues for the following month (as well as for the month the form is turned in).
For example, if your Termination Form is received on December 1st, you are obligated to pay dues for December and January, and your Termination Date is January 31th.
Can we take time off for other activities during swim season?
Rules and Guidelines:
- A written request must be received and approved by the Board of Directors prior to the start of the requested time off period
- After the time off period has expired, the family account will be credited with an amount equal to the charges for the time period requested
- The time off period may vary in length from one (1) to four (4) consecutive weeks and is available in one (1) week increments
- Each swimmer is allowed only one (1) time off period during the Short Course and/or Long Course Season
- If the time off request is approved, the swimmer must not practice or attend a meet during the approved time off period
- If a swimmer does attend practice during the approved time off period, the account credit will be forfeited and the charge for the entire length of the approved time off period will remain on the family account until payment is made
- The swimmer(s) and family may take part in all other team activities such as fund raisers, team parties, or meetings during the time off period
- The family applying for time off may continue to participate in the family discount programs throughout the time off period
How do I register my swimmer for a swim meet?
Log on to the website. Click on the “Meets/Events” tab on the top of our website. Scroll down to the meet you wish your child to attend, and click on the “Attend this Event” button. Choose the name of the child you wish to register, and click on it. You will see a tab that asks for YES or NO; choose YES. You can then choose which session your child is able to attend and leave a note in the comments box for the coaches to see.
How do meet entries work?
At the beginning of every season, the coaching staff will post the meet schedule to the website under the “Meets/Events” tab at the top of the website. Scan the list and commit your swimmers to the meets in which you will be able to attend. After you are committed the coach will select the events for the swimmers and send entries in the host team. However please know that if your schedule changes during the season and you cannot attend a meet that you had originally planned on attending, notify the coaching staff prior to meet entries being sent to the host team otherwise you will be responsible for the meet fees billed to your account.
What does my swimmer need to bring to a swim meet?
Swimmers need to bring the following things to all swim meets:
A. At least 2 towels
B. 2 caps
C. 2 pairs of goggles
D. 2 swim suits (this includes your team suit if you have one)
E. Team t-shirt (coaches will send emails out before meets to tell you which colors for which days)
F. Shoes
G. Warm clothes
H. Healthy snacks (NO OUTSIDE FOOD/DRINKS ARE ALLOWED IN THE MIDCO AQUATICS CENTER)
I. Water bottle
J. Entertainment:
1. iPod, book to read, playing cards, homework, etc.
Outdoor Meets:
A. Sunscreen
B. Bug Spray
C. Sunglasses
D. Tinted goggles
E. Water
Parents should bring the following to swim meets as well:
A. Cash for snacks and heat sheets
B. Pen, Highlighter, and Sharpie
C. Portable folding chairs
D. Healthy snacks (NO OUTSIDE FOOD/DRINKS ARE ALLOWED IN THE MIDCO AQUATICS CENTER)
1. Water / Gatorade
2. Peanut butter sandwiches
3. Bagels
4. Slices of lean ham or tuna
5. Protein bars
6. Cut up fruit and vegetables
What a program reads like:
When swimmer goes down for their heat?
Swimmers should speak to their coach 15 to 20 min before their event is scheduled. The program usually gives an estimated time of the heat. This allows you to see if the meet is running on time as scheduled. The timeline in the program is only an estimate and meets can run ahead of or behind schedule. On the rare occasion that meets run ahead, we’ve had kids miss their races because parents are paying too close attention to time instead of what event is happening. Once a swimmer speaks with their coach they should head over to the lane they are expected to swim in.
When to meet with your coach?
Swimmers should speak with their coach before and after each event they participate in at a meet. This allows the swimmer to get valid and current feedback on how they did in their event.
When to warm up for event?
If the facility has a warm-up area for swimmers during a meet it is a good idea for a swimmer to warm up 25-30 min before their event unless instructed differently by their coach.
What parents can do during a meet?
Volunteering is a great way for parents to pass the time during a swim meet. A meet can not be held if parents don’t volunteer. SFST volunteer coordinator can be contacted to get a full description of all volunteer positions. Shadowing any of the positions is your best way to learn. Some of the meet volunteer positions are
1. Timer/Head timer
2. Meet Marshall
3. Program Distributor
4. Official
5. Awards
6. Tear Down / Set Up
When and how often should a parent volunteer?
A. Sioux Falls Swim Team is a parent/volunteer run organization. As part of your commitment to the team, parents are expected to volunteer when their child is participating. Parents can volunteer at a hosted swim meet by being a timer, official, running concessions, etc. or they can help at a team organized event such as a bus trip chaperone, team social event, team banquet, etc. However, please note that the SFST requires that all families who have swimmers participating in the meet must help at all meets hosted by the club.
B. Also please note that if you do not fulfill your home meet volunteer commitments, your online account will be charged $20.00 per hour at the end of each season.
How do I get more involved/volunteer?
SFST is always looking for more parental involvement. You can contact any board member or coach with your interests and we will be happy to have you as part of the volunteer team. For volunteering at meets, signup is done online as part of the meet registration process for you swimmer. Whenever you register your swimmer for a home meet, you are encouraged to click on the “Job Sign-Up” button to see what volunteers are needed for that meet.
When should we get to the meet?
Each swim meet is broken down into sessions. Depending on what session your swimmer is in will determine the appropriate time to arrive at the meet. We recommend that all swimmers arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of warm-ups so the coaches know they are there and ready to swim.
What are time standards and where do I find them?
Time standards are a set of times set by South Dakota Swimming or USA Swimming meant to encourage swimmers to step their swimming up to the next level and to also allow swimmers to compete against swimmers of similar ability. The Time Standards are posted on the website under the “Meets/Events” tab. Also when you click on a meet that requires time standards, they will be listed there as well. However please note that not all meets have time standards.
Are team suits required at swim meets?
Team suits are NOT required at swim meets. It is highly encouraged that all swimmers either compete in the team suit or a plain blue suit to go with our team colors. Team suits can be order from the Team Store. There is a link on the SFST website.
How do I purchase a swim cap?
A. Swim caps can be purchased from a coach. They range from $5.00 to$10.00. New swimmers to the team will receive a free cap.
B. There is also an option on the team store intermittently to purchase personalized team caps.
What is spirit wear and how does it work?
Spirit Wear is offered intermittently with purchases of t-shirts, caps, etc. There is a Team Store button. There are times when the team orders shirts for state meets that a mass order will be done for members to order on the team website.
