Big Sky. Big Dreams. Big Success!

Susan Huckeby and Jay Friend, Co-MT Swimming Membership and Registration Chairs

email : [email protected] and [email protected]

cell:  (406) 491-4698 (Susan) or (760) 333-7382 (Jay)

2026 Montana Swimming Registration Information

 

Important - Registrations are effective immediately upon completion of the Online Member Registration process (after payment is complete). There is no additional approval required at the LSC level. 

Important - Because registrations are effective immediately, there is no adjusting the dates of registrations. Under no circumstances can athletes compete or practice without a valid registration (no backdating!)

Important - The club renewal links (regular and outreach memberhsips) will reset for club administrators starting September 1. Do not send links for the new season prior to September or they will register for the current season. There is no immediate need for clubs to renew, but all Montana clubs must be renewed by December 1 or there is a $100 fine. Club registration is valid thorugh December 31.

All club board memebrs must be current members of USA Swimming. If a club board member is not a current USA-S member, the club is not compliant. Club board members (if not coaches, officials or other members), may join using the administrator membership which has the lowest non-athlete registration fee.

SWIMS General Tutorial and Detailed Information for Clubs: Click here.

2026 Montana Swimming Registration Fees:    PDF

Seasonal Memberships: Montana Swimming now offers one individual seasonal membership. It valid for only 150 days and begins the day the athlete is registered and the fee paid. An athlete may only register as a seasonal athlete member one time (1) per registration year.

To continue swimming past the end of the 150 days, the swimmer must purchase a premium membership. Begining with the 2025 registration year, the price for the premium membership willl be the difference between the seasonal membership and the premium membership. 2025 premium memberships are valid from September 1, 2024 through December 31, 2025.

 

Outreach Membership:

Montana Swimming offers a reduced price year round outreach membership to athletes whose families who meet the income requirements or are registered athletes with a disability. An outreach membership is now $5.00. In addition to the redced price membership, outreach athletes pay a flat $10 fee to enter the Montana Swimming championship meets. The outreach policy is listed below. Families must provide proof of income or show the disability information listed to the club registrar to qualify.

Outreach memberships are available for athletes whose families have a financial need. Montana Swimming has a generous listing of eligibity criteria for low income families. Plus outreach memberships are available for swimmers with disabilities. Read though the membership policy below to see if you qualify.

If your club is using bulk renew, your club will register you as an outreach member. If your club is using self renewal, you may need the club's OMR outreach link to register or select outreach memebrship when you self renew in the hub. New athletes must use the club's outreach OMR link to register.

Montana Swimming Outreach Athlete Membership Policy (effective 9-1-2025)    PDF

 

Teams -- are you having problems syncing your athlete roster in Team Unify with your club roster in SWIMS? Read this article on how to fix the problem.    PDF

Each year swimmers must register with USA Swimming. For registration, we are using the USA Swimming Online Membership Registration (OMR) platform.

Joining Montana Swimming as a club board member and not sure what membership level to apply for?

  • If you are only participating as a club board member or club adminstrator sign up for the administrator membership.
  • If you will be a meet manager or meet director, register as a non-athlete with an other membership. You can then add an adminstrator membership if you are also a board member or club administrator. Other can also be combined with offcial or coach membership.
  • If you are also a coach, official, or other, you will need to register for either a coach, official and/or other non-athlete memberships.
  • If you are an administrative official -- register as an official - not as an administrator.

The 2026 registration period runs from September 1, 2025 - December 31, 2026. Payment is made online as your register (unless your team has opt-in for bulk registration). Do not send registration payments to Montana Swimming. The 2026 registration year does not open until September 1, 2025. Do not register athletes or non-athletes for the 2026 year before September 1, 2026. Teams holding try-outs in August should wait to register new athletes until September 1, 2025.

Club Bulk Renewal -- For 2026, clubs may opt in or opt out for bulk renewal of athletes and/or non-athletes. Clubs wishing to opt in to use bulk renewal must log into their club account no later than 5:00 pm on August 25 to select yes to opt in. Clubs who do not choose to opt in do not need to do anything and will have their athletes and/or non-athletes self renew form their accounts in the hub.

USA Swimming clubs can now choose how to renew their athletes and non-athlete members for the 2026 season. Through August 25, clubs will select whether they want to accept the responsibility of renewing their members or let their members self- renew. A “no response" will default to the self-renewal process.

Team leaders need to opt-in by 5:00 PM on August 25, 2025, to utilize bulk renewal for the 2026 season. On September 1, 2025, SWIMS will reflect each club's choice. For further questions or FAQ’s click here.

NOTE: Registration for the 2026 swim year will NOT open until September 1, 2025.


Please log-in to your  club account (in the hub) to opt-in.

For help navigating the opt-in process please utilize this guide:
How to opt-in to bulk renewal


CLUBS: What it means to opt-out of bulk renewal (or take no action in your SWIMS account) before 5:00 PM on Aug 25, 2025:

  • Renewing members from your club will be required to complete their own membership renewals for the 2026 season.
  • The club will NOT be able to renew memberships; each member must handle their own renewals. 
  • USA Swimming will distribute a series of messages, prior to the member's expiration on December 31, 2025, including a step-by-step guide on how to renew. 
  • Membership support will come from your LSC registrar.

CLUBS: What it means to opt-in for bulk renewal:

  • Your club is responsible for the management and completion of all the membership renewals for the upcoming 2026 season.
  • Clubs are required to inform their members that the club is renewing their annual USA Swimming membership and collecting the associated fee. .
  • Payment for bulk renewed members must be submitted by the club when the bulk renewal is submitted. Credit Card or ACH payments only.
  • Members will not see their membership renewed for 2026 until USA Swimming has been paid.
  • Membership support will come from your club and the LSC registrar, Susan Huckeby. 
  • Only persons who were members last year (2024-2025) may be bulk renewed. All others -- whether new or a previous member (prior to September 1, 2022) must set up an account and follow the proces to join as a new member.

If you have additional questions or want to know what it will look like for either bulk renew or self-renew, USA Swimming created two guides to help. The guides include screen shots and “how-to” instructions for either scenario:

Unattached members will use the individual self renewal that will be available in your hub.

New members will set up an account and use the club OMR link to join -- the same process people used last year to join.

If you are transferring from your old team to a new team and the new team is using bulk renewal, transfer to the new team first, then have the team bulk renew your membership.

 

Instructions for USA Swimming registration:

Upgrading Seasonal Membership

  • A member can  upgrade from Seasonal to Premium Membership.
  • Step-by-step instructions can be found here.
  • USA Swimming will not refund any seasonal Membership payments after the seasonal expiration date.
  • Once a seasonal membership expires, you will pay the difference between a seasonal membership and a premium membership to upgrade to a premium membership. The member may need to use the club specific OMR link to register if the seasonal membership has expired.
  • Note -- Flex members may also upgrade their memberships using the same steps.

USA Swimming Refund Policy

USA Swimming will refund membership fees using these guidelines.

IF YOU EXPERIENCE ISSUES WITH REGISTRATION: Submit a ticket through the following link ( Support) to fix any issues with registraton or to ask any questions about your account.  

Officials and Coaches - Check Your Credentials Before You Go to a Meet:

As swim meet season quickly approaches, we want to ensure all USA Swimming members in good standing can continue to be credentialed for on deck access. We have heard your concerns as some of your membership cards do not reflect your recently completed required trainings, and therefore are not completely up to date.

Before you arrive at a swim meet, we suggest you do the following.

Check your current SWIMS membership card:

  1. Login to your USA Swimming hub account on your computer or on the USA Swimming app;
  2. Click your membership card to view all membership requirements; and
  3. Confirm all membership requirements are not expired and your membership status states you are a member in good standing. (Memberships in good standing should have a gold check mark).

If you have courses that have not been completed or are expired:

  • Login to your USA Swimming account dashboard on the USA Swimming website;
  • Click the "Education" tab in the blue banner towards the top of the website;
  • Click "Course Catalog";
  • Find the expired course and complete it (we suggest saving a PDF or other proof of completion).

APT, Background Check, and Coach Education Courses will update on your member record within 48 hours. CPR/First Aid, Concussion Protocol Training, and Safety Training for Swim Coaches completion certificates should be sent to your LSC registrar. 

If you have a completed APT, Background Check, or any Coach Education course which is not up to date on your membership card and it has been more than 48 hours since completion:

  • Click  here to submit a ticket with proof of completion. This can include a PDF or screenshot.
  • Please be advised that turnaround time could take up to 30 days.

If your CPR/First Aid, Concussion Protocol Training, or Safety Training for Swim Coaches is not up to date on your membership card:

  • Contact your LSC. The LSC is responsible for maintaining these requirements.

If your membership requirements are not displaying on your member card correctly before you attend a meet, be prepared to do the following to demonstrate you are a member in good standing. Contact your LSC registrar immediately or submit a help ticket in your hub account. 

Athlete Protection Training (APT)
Adult members of USA Swimming (i.e., those 18 years and older) must complete APT annually. To demonstrate compliance, members must first show their member card via the USA Swimming App. You may then show your APT certificate of completion via hard copy, PDF or screenshot. Certificates of completion must show the corresponding member name and an up-to-date expiration date for the CORE or Refresher course from the U.S. Center for SafeSport to be accepted.

Athlete Protection Training for USA Swimming members -- How To's:    PDF

Background Check
For those members that must complete a background check, there is NO substitute for demonstrating a completed background check. If your USA Swimming account does not reflect a current background check, you will not receive deck access and/or a credential.

CPR/First Aid, Concussion Protocol Training and Safety Training for Swim Coaches
Members must first show their member card via the USA Swimming App, then show their completion of CPR/First Aid, Concussion Protocol and Safety Training for Swim Coaches via hard copy, PDF or screenshot. Completion must show the corresponding member name and an up-to-date expiration date to be accepted.
 

Thank you,
USA Swimming

 

CHECK THE BOX

When you register with USA Swimming be sure to include your ethnicity or disability. 

Increase Diversity: Increase Ethnic, Multicultural, Disability, and Socio-Economic Diversity at all levels of our sport. We cannot change what we do not measure.

Encourage New Initiatives Be counted! Let USA Swimming and Montana Swimming know you are out there and you want them to continue to find new ways to encourage diversity and inclusion.

Stay Informed Stay informed of opportunities for swimmers like you! 

USAS Coach Registration Requirements

Miscellaneous USAS Forms and Information

Other important forms and instructions may be accessed below:

  • Racing Start Certification Form
  • Racing Start Certification FAQ's