General Frequently Asked Questions
Is a special team bathing suit required to join Mason City Swim Club?
We recommend that female swimmers wear a one piece suit. There are some older female swimmers that like to wear two piece work out bikini style suits in the summer (for tan lines). As long as they have appropriate coverage, and stay up when training, that is fine with the coaching staff. Male swimmers should look into a jammer (a suit that looks like a pair of biking shorts). A jammer usually goes down to just above the knees. Male swimmers also can choose to wear a brief, sometimes referred to as a “Speedo”. Speedo is a suit maker, brief is a style of suit that looks like a bikini bottom. Many older swimmers are starting to move back to the brief. Please leave the swim trunks at home. The baggy long board shorts, and pockets can really drag a swimmer down in the water.
Are there other items I need to bring to practice?
If you click on the SWIM GROUPS tab, you will see the items that are required for each group. These training items are needed from practice to practice. Also, a good pair of goggles is a must. Please try to stay away from the $3 goggles at Walmart. They are usually difficult to size on swimmers faces, they do not seal well on the face - so leaking is an issue, and they are usually difficult for swimmers to adjust the straps. A competition goggle from Speedo, TYR, Nike and so on can be had for as low as $9-$13. A swim cap for female swimmers is a good idea also. The cap works great for keeping long hair out of a swimmers face, and also give some protection from chlorine damage
How many practices must my child attend each week?
The answer for that is different for each team, but one thing that is consistent with all practice groups and that is a child will never be penalized or thrown off the team for missing a practice. With the younger kids (Novice and Age Group), it is suggested that they attend two of the three practices offered in a week, although they are more than welcome to attend all Four. Groups such as Junior and Senior are usually more committed and attend all of the practices offered for most of the weeks. Older kids that are serious about swimming, often times attend every practice, every week. No certain number of practices are mandatory, and a child will not be punished for having schoolwork or participating in other activities. There is however, a direct correlation between good attendance and good performance.
How will we be notified of meet schedules, practice schedules, etc.?
Schedules are posted online on the MCSC page (www.masoncityswimming.com). More information about schedules can be answered by the coaching staff at your practice.
Are there breaks in the season when practices are not held?
Yes. The month of August and half of September are the break between the Long Course and Short Course seasons. The month of March and some of April is the break before the summer starts. There are special holidays that we will take off as well, those days, meet schedules, announcements at the pool, and spoken reminders by coaches will inform swimmers and parents of our scheduled breaks.
If my swimmer earns awards as a result of participation in a meet, where do I pick them up?
After the meet, the coaches will pick-up awards from the host team and bring them back to the pool. You can pick them up when you come to your next practice.
USAS ID Number
Every swimmer has a USAS ID Number. This is a unique swimmer identification that can be figured out using the following formula: Birth Date - Put a “0” in front of any single digits, then First Three Letters of the Swimmer’s Legal First Name, Middle Initial of the Swimmer’s Middle Name. If the swimmer does not have a Middle Name, put an (*) in that spot. First Four Letters of the Swimmer’s Legal Last Name For example, if Suzanne Taylor Smith was born 10/01/95, her USAS ID Number would be 100195SUZTSMIT.
Meet Policies
Each meet will be listed on the Mason City Swim Club page. There are certain meets that we will consider “Team Meets”, where we will try to get as many of the team to travel to as possible. Those will be highlighted. Any MCSC swimmer may attend any meet they wish. Please talk to your coach if you would like to attend a certain meet that MCSC is not planning to travel as a team. You will sign up for the meets online, by making a “declaration” of your attendance. You may give the coaching staff ideas of what events you would like to swim, but the coaching staff will decide on your meet events. We want to see you swim all the events - not get stuck swimming the 50 and 100 free every meet.
Meet fees will be added to your monthly billing. This billing will be generated the first of each month, and charged against the credit/debit card you have on file.
What if I enter a swim meet and then cannot attend?
Unfortunately, meet entry fees are non-refundable regardless of reason. Mason City Swim Club pays for meet entries in advance, and once your entry form is submitted, payment is due no matter if your swimmer attends the meet or not. No exceptions can be made!
Late Entry Policies
Once our meet entry deadline has passed, we cannot guarantee that you can get into the meet if you are late getting the info to us. We will do our best to accommodate your requests, but it sometimes can not be helped. If you late enter at the meet, or contact the meet director directly. You will be responsible paying the entry fees, and any late fees directly to the host team.
Meet Relay Policies
Relays will be prepared prior to the first day of the meet. Before the meet begins, an effort will be made to let each child know which relay or relays he or she will be swimming. Swimmers will be notified verbally and a list will be posted at the meet site. Please keep in mind that it is difficult for every coach at North Iowa Splash to know every child’s best time. Relays will be drawn from the best times of the swimmers attending the meet. Parents and swimmers are expected to stay for relays. Many times, championship swim meets are won or lost by performances in relays. Relays will only be changed during the meet at the coaches’ discretion. If you have any questions, please contact your child’s coach for clarification.
Dues Account FAQs
When is my first dues payment due?
If you choose to pay monthly, the first payment is due at the time of registration. April for the Long Course season, and September for the Short Course season. Then the monthly billing will happen the first of each month for the duration of the season. If you choose to pay the full season fee, that will be charged at the time of registration.
Who do I contact about my dues account?
If you have questions about dues, please contact Coach Lisa at [email protected]
When are Dues due?
Dues will be generated and billed the 1st of each month and is considered late by the 15th. If your account becomes 30 days past due and no communication (to the accounting office) has been made, you will be contacted to inform you that your child will be unable to practice until a payment on your account is made.
Will I receive a bill each month?
On the 1st of each month, a reminder that monthly dues have been posted to your account will be emailed to the email address you provided during registration. Furthermore, additional email invoices are emailed if payment has not been received by that time. Please contact us at [email protected] immediately if you have received an email in error or a payment you made is not reflected on your invoice.
If I have more than one child is there a discount?
Yes. For families with two or more swimmers on the same account, the discounts will be as follows. Two swimmers = 10% discount. Three swimmers = 15% discount. 4 or more swimmers = 20% discount.
What do I do if my child is going to miss a month of practice or decides not to swim?
You should discuss any changes in your child’s status with their coach and then contact Lisa Cole at [email protected] as soon as possible so that your account may be adjusted accordingly. If you do not notify us of your status change your account will be charged as though your child was training for that period. You must notify the club of your intent to no longer participate before the 1st of the month to not be charged for that month. To clear up any billing problems, please contact Lisa directly so that the problem does not persist on future bills.
