Welcome to Seattle Metropolitan Aquatic Club (SMAC). SMAC is a year-round swim club dedicated to providing swimming opportunities to members of our community in the greater Seattle area, and to all seeking a diverse, fun, challenging environment in which to learn and train. SMAC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and is a member of USA Swimming and Pacific Northwest Swimming
Our mailing address is PO Box 22564, Seattle, WA 98122
1. SMAC Team Info & Communications
SMAC provides information electronically through email and our website. This includes training schedules, training locations, contact information for coaches, calendars, and event information. Please visit this site often to keep up to date on team happenings. We are also on Facebook and Instagram where you can find photos and more team related information.
Since email is the primary mode of communications between the Board, coaches, swimmers, and parents, please be sure we have an active email address that you check regularly. This email address also serves as the username for your online account and will allow you to sign up for meets, view your times and results, and check the status of your bill. You can enter additional email addresses to keep all parents or key contact people informed of SMAC schedules and information. We also use text messaging for last minute schedule changes such as unexpected pool closures. Please ensure all contact information is up to date.
2. SMAC Programs & Groups
Our practice groups are structured to support new and competitively focused swimmers with a wide range of interests and abilities. The group structure and criteria for each group are described in the Groups/Schedules tab.
We provide an age group program designed to develop each athlete technically, physically, and mentally in a progressive fashion. At the early levels, technique is the top priority. As each athlete matures more emphasis is placed on maintaining technique while progressively developing their physiological and psychological capacities. At each level of our program, we evaluate and adapt to the factors that impact the growth and development of young athletes.
These groups represent broad age ranges and abilities. The practice sessions will span a range of swimming abilities. We strive to have 2-3 coaches on deck to work with lanes in the practice session. The lanes for each practice session will be fluid, as swimmers progress, they may move from one set of lanes to another. Based on the workout focus coaches may move the swimmers around even from one practice to another. Swimmers are re-evaluated annually for group placement at the end of each swim season. Occasionally coaches may recommend movement to a different group mid-year.
3. Swim Meets
The coaching staff will select approximately 10-15 meets per year for team participation. Swimmers in Age Group Performance, Senior, Senior Performance, and National are expected to swim in all target meets. Age Group, Stroke Development, and Catfish swimmers are highly encouraged but not required to swim in meets. For some meets the team will participate only on certain days. SMAC will also host in-house meets and encourages all swimmers to participate.
4. Swim-a-Thon
SMAC’s annual Swim-a-Thon is our major fundraiser. All SMAC swimmers are expected to participate. Swimmers are allotted a specific amount of time (up to two hours) to complete as many lengths as possible (up to 200). Our swimmers work to receive pledges and donations from family members, friends, neighbors, and local businesses. About a month after the Swim-a-Thon we hold a team event to celebrate and recognize our swimmers’ success in the pool and their fundraising efforts.
Five percent of the funds raised go to the USA Swimming Foundation to support their national mission to save lives and build champions – in the pool and in life. The remaining proceeds go to fund our financial aid program, Get Wet, team travel assistance, equipment purchases, and social events. Over 50% of the Swim-a-thon proceeds goes towards financial aid and our outreach efforts so that any swimmer, regardless of their ability to pay, has the opportunity to participate and excel in USA Swimming. This is our chance to ensure SMAC continues to be an inclusive, fun, respectful, and diverse swim team, and community.
5. SMAC Board of Directors
SMAC's legal name is the Seattle Metropolitan Aquatic Team Parents’ Association, and the organization is run by its board of directors. SMAC is a non-profit, parent-Board run team not a for profit, coach owned team. We hire a professional and highly skilled coaching staff, but the rest of the program (the non-water side) is powered by volunteers.
Current board members and their contact information may be found in the About SMAC section of our website. Please contact any board member if you have questions or concerns.
As a parent board team, we rely on our volunteer efforts of the board and the entire SMAC community.
8. Annual Meeting
SMAC holds an annual parent meeting to fill any Board vacancies, to review the budget, and to address any questions of parents. It is required that parents attend this meeting. The specific date and time of the meeting will be announced via email. This is a good opportunity to meet other parents, meet the coaches, learn about swim meets, arrange carpools, organize volunteer tasks for the year, and express any concerns or compliments about team policies.
9. Financial Obligations and Policies
a. Payment
SMAC is a volunteer organization. We rely on timely payment of your fees to compensate employees, pay bills, offer scholarships, and create reserves recommended by USA Swimming. We use an entirely online payment system through TeamUnify. You may pay by submission of electronic funds transfer information (EFT) (also referred to as bank draft or ACH) or credit card (CC) information. All sensitive account information is encrypted and cannot be accessed by SMAC. Please note that we will add on the processing fee of $1.25 for ACH Payments and the cost of credit card processing to your bill (currently, 3%). SMAC reserves the right to initiate a charge on any credit card or checking account that has ever been used in your account if you are delinquent in paying your bill.
****SMAC strongly encourages the use of bank draft/EFT/ACH transfer over credit card payment****
****SMAC will add the appropriate processing fees to your account****
Once your information is entered, your electronic funds source will transfer your invoiced fees to SMAC automatically every month.
Instructions to Enter Payment Information:
- Have your credit card or bank account routing information handy
- Sign In to www.smac.club
- Under “My Account” at the left margin, click on “Setup Auto Pay”
- Follow the simple instructions
You will receive message at the end of the process, but remember your swimmers are not authorized to swim until you receive an email notification from the Registrar.
b. Billing
Families’ bills are generated on the 1st of each month for the upcoming month (e.g., invoices for October include October’s swim fees and other charges for the month, generated on October 1st) and email notification of upcoming invoices is sent around the 28th of the month prior. Payment is due by the second week of the month (electronic payment methods assure this will happen). If payment is not received by the second week of the month, the swimmer(s) may be removed from practices until the account is settled. If there is a second occurrence of late payment the family’s membership in SMAC may be voided, with no return of any payments or fees. In addition, for any invoices that are not paid in full by the 10th of the month, you will be charged a late fee of the greater of $10 or 1.5% of the amount.
While this may sound strict, the only way we can run SMAC on a balanced budget is to rigorously enforce the payment of fees. Remember that SMAC is a parent-owned, not-for-profit club, so these policies are designed by SMAC families for the benefit of all SMAC families.
c. No Pro-rata (partial) billing
No credit or refund will be given for workouts or portions of a month missed, nor will dues be prorated for portions of a month missed. SMAC is sensitive to family and medical issues which may affect a swimmer’s ability to attend, and families with unexpected serious difficulties may contact the Registrar or Treasurer for consideration.
d. Swimmers Leaving or Suspending SMAC
Families with swimmers not returning for subsequent months after initial registration or suspending for break during the seasons must notify the office via email at [email protected] by the 15th of the month before their suspension begins. For example, notification must be received by January 15th in order to suspend February dues. If notification is not received in this manner, then the next month’s training fees will be billed, and payment will be owed. Please review our Resignation/Suspension of Membership Policy below.
e. Fees
- Philosophy of Fees
Fees are set by the SMAC Board after a budgeting process and before the start of the first practice session. They reflect assessments of team composition and growth, other revenue sources, team expenses, and long-term financial health of SMAC. Approximately 40% of your fees go to pay pool costs and 50% pays for coaching services, while the remainder pays for team administration and other functions. The Board reviews other area team’s fees and fee structures prior to setting SMAC fees. SMAC fees are divided into two broad categories: one-time fees and recurring fees.
- Training Group Fees are listed under the “About SMAC Fees/Commitments” tab
- Once-yearly Fees
Your registration fees help cover the overall administrative costs of running the team, such as team USA Swimming membership, website hosting, outside contracting, marketing, supplies, and equipment. The annual registration fee is $150 per family plus $38 per swimmer. This fee is charged automatically to your account on registration confirmation. Registration fees decrease on April 1.
USA/PNS Swimming Fees (Pacific Northwest Swimming) are required by our parent organization for liability coverage, meet participation, national standards, and team development. Every club in the area charges this fee. USA/PNS Swimming fees are a non-refundable yearly per swimmer, with a pro-rated “seasonal” fee starting in the month of April following the beginning of a season the previous September. This fee is charged automatically to your account on registration confirmation. These fees are set forth under the "Register/Policies" Tab "Fees" Section.
Mandatory Fundraising Fee for Each Swimmer: Every swimmer is obligated to raise money at the Swim-a-Thon that SMAC holds each year as a fundraising event for team financial aid. SMAC is proud to raise sufficient funds to allow about 10% of our swimmers to be supported in part through financial aid. Swimmers who do not raise the required fundraising fee at the Swim-a-Thon will be assessed the balance of the obligatory fundraising fee soon after the SMAC fundraiser. Even if you do not swim in the Swim-a-Thon, join the team after the Swim-a-Thon or leave the team before the Swim-a-Thon, you are still obligated to satisfy the fundraising obligation.
10. Volunteer Commitment
Every family is required to volunteer time each year. There are a huge variety of tasks that need your support including, but not limited to, timing at meets, hosting meets, hosting team events, participating in team events, and the annual Swim-a-thon. The time commitment varies based on the group your swimmer is in (the more senior the group, the more hours required). We also require each family to volunteer a shift at each SMAC hosted meet. If you do not perform these volunteer hours, you will be charged for each hour of shortfall. This more fully explained on the “Fees” page under the “Register” Tab.
Charitable Contributions: SMAC is a registered 501(c)(3) organization. If at any time during the year you would like to make a charitable donation to SMAC (including any matching donation from your place of work), SMAC would be very appreciative of that donation. To donate, please contact any Board member.
