Pacific Swimming

Pacifica Sea Lions FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

My child is interested in trying out for the team. What is the procedure, and when can they try out?

TRYOUTS are held Mon-Fri 3:45 pm or Mon/Wed/Thu 6:00 pm by appointment (or 4:15pm and 6:30pm in Feb/Mar/Apr). You may sign-up for tryouts here

Athletes with previous swim team experience may be invited to a trial workout instead of scheduling an individual tryout.

What are the fees to participate on the Pacifica Sea Lions Swim Team?

There are two monthly fees and two annual fees to participate on the PSL Swim Team. Additional fees apply to competitions and events (see FAQ about entering meets below) 

MONTHLY

  • Practice Dues - Depend on group assignment as determined by the coaching staff
    • Bronze $162 per athlete
    • Silver $180
    • Gold $203
    • ​​Junior Sea Lions $151
    • SwimFit $162 
  • Multi-athlete discounts - Households enjoy a 20% discount for the 2nd athlete and a 30% discount for a 3rd athlete. Additional athletes (more than three) may now join the Pacifica Sea Lions at no additional cost!

Monthly Dues are auto-deducted from the credit card you put on file after joining the team.

ANNUAL

  • USA SWIMMING MEMBERSHIP All swimmers must be members of USA Swimming to practice with the team (and compete at meets). Membership for USA Swimming is $89 per year (as of 2022). USA Swimming Registration Fees are paid through the USA Swimming Membership portal. Please wait for instructions from the PSL coaching staff before registering. USA Swimming Registration must be renewed every year, usually in the Fall for the following year
  • TEAM REGISTRATION All PSL members receive team shirts and caps as part of their registration packet. Registration is for each swim year (Sep-Aug)
    • ​$100 Bronze, Silver, Gold - includes team caps, shirts, team crewneck
    • $50 Jr Sea Lions & SwimFit - includes team caps, shirts

My child has tried out for the team and wishes to join. What is the process to do that?

If you have not already done so, you need to create an account on www.pacificasealions.org, then expect and email from one of our coaches with information regarding next steps.

Is there an app for my phone that will enable me to access information about my account and my swimmers?

Yes. You will need your login/password from our website to access the online app which has a much better features related to standards comparison. To get and use the app:

  1. Search for “OnDeck Parent” from TeamUnify through the appropriate app store to match your device.
  2. Your username/password is your email login/password from our website. Our alias is “psl” (lowercase). Follow the set up instructions. While the app will automatically refresh, use the “Sync” after you make any significant changes.
  3. Set the standards to compare under “Prefs”. Our specific standards are located under “PC”. For all the current standards, choose: PC 2013 SC Times (displays both “B” and “A” times), PC 2013 SC PRT and PC 2013 SC JO & FW (displays both JO and FW times). As soon as Long Course season starts, add the current year standards for Long Course. Make sure you SAVE your preferences!
  4. Click on Account home to view your swimmers. Click on your swimmer to view attendance, meet performance, and best times. From best times, click on the specific event to view each performance, then on the tab, show standards to compare. 

What organization is the PSL Swim Team affiliated with?

The team is affiliated with Zone 1 North of Pacific Swimming. Pacific Swimming is part of USA Swimming. To learn more, go to www.PacSwim.org

How do I register my child(ren) for USA Swimming?

All swimmers must join USA Swimming. Membership for USA Swimming is $89 per year. 

Register for USA SWIMMING MEMBERSHIP here ($89)

NOTE Eligible families may apply for USA SWIMMING OUTREACH MEMBERSHIP here ($10) (eligibility here)

  • Outreach Membership is confidential
  • Outreach Members do not pay Monthly dues to PSL
  • Outreach Members are eligible for decreased meet entry fees

What are the differences between PSL Swim Team's Practice Groups?

Read about our Practice Groups here

Group assignments are typically based on the following criteria:

  • Experience & Commitment
  • Practice performance
  • Age & Grade
  • Attitude & Maturity
  • Meet performance

Because all team members are required to register with USA Swimming annually, PSL members from any practice group may compete in meets. Coaches work with pre-competitive members to determine when it is appropriate to attend meets. Swimmers in the competitive groups are expected to participate at all meets on the schedule.

What are my obligations as a parent of a PSL swim team member?

All PSL families are expected to volunteer to help us host our swim meets (twice/year), time at other meets, run fundraising events, etc. To support your athlete, the coaches, and the club, speak with a coach or a Board member for advice!

My child no longer wants to swim on the team. How do I withdraw them and stop automatic charges to my credit card?

Contact [email protected] or [email protected]

My child needs to take a few months off from the team (due to injury, other commitments, vacation, etc.). Can our account be placed on hold during that time?

Yes. Contact [email protected] or [email protected] when your child will stop participating and when they intend to rejoin.

When does the PSL swim team practice?

Practice times vary per practice group. Group assignments are determined by the coaching staff. Our current practice schedule is posted on the groups page. 

Are there age and/or skill requirements to join the PSL Swim Team?

Yes. Young athletes who wish to join the team must be between 5-18 years of age and be able to swim independently.  Experience with all four swimming strokes is encouraged but not required to join pre-competitive groups. In considering whether your child should join the team, you should remember that this is a swim team, not swimming lessons.

My child has joined the club, but I am not receiving any emails from the coaches or Board. What should I do?

Contact [email protected] or [email protected] for more information.

How can I get involved and support the PSL swim team?

Volunteer at meets, participate on the PSL Parent Board, help with fundraising, cheer! Volunteer sign-ups are often posted on our EVENTS PAGES

How do I know what meets the team will attend?

Each year, the coaches prepare a list of the swim meets our team will likely attend. The schedule is shared with the club on our EVENT PAGES and updates are provided via email.

Where are swim meets held?

Generally speaking, PSL competes in meets held at pools in the Bay Area between South San Francisco and San Jose. Many meets are held at our pool even if we are not the host team because other teams rent our facility to host their meet.

How do I enter my child in a meet?

The coaches submit entries for all athletes. Meet entry fees vary from $10-50 depending on the meet. 

Bronze, Silver & Gold athletes are entered in meets by detault. Bronze, Silver & Gold families must update their meet commitments to NO if they are unable to participate. NO's must be submitted by the commitment deadline (usually 4-6 weeks before the meet dates for USA Swimming meets and 3 days before Candy Meets)

Jr Sea Lions & SwimFit athletes are only entered meets for which they update their meet commitments to YES. Commitments must be submitted by the commitment deadline (usually 4-6 weeks before the meet dates for USA Swimming meets and 3 days before Candy Meets)

What is the address for the team website?

www.pacificasealions.org

How will I receive information about meets, practice changes, team events, etc?

The coaches and/or the PSL Board will email the family email addresses on record with this type of information. All communication about the team is through email. 

Information is also available on the website once you are logged in.  You can:

  • Use the “Schedule” to plan for upcoming meets and events.
  • Check out the “Team News” for the latest accomplishments of our competitive swimmers. Did you get some great pictures from the last meet? Please send them to [email protected] to be included. Meet results are usually posted by the Wednesday after a weekend meet.
  • Use “Links” for shortcuts to enter meets, see current time standards and get more information from swimming specific websites.
  • From the left-hand navigation bar, click on “My Account” to update your account information or to change or add an email address. 
  • Click on “My Meet Results” to view all your swimmer’s performances since September 2012. Use the filters to fine-tune the information you receive.
  • Be sure to check out the “Top Times” tab to see the three fastest PSL swimmers in each event. We’ve also added a tab that shows PSL Team Records…. Will your child hold this prestigious distinction for years to come?

What does the PSL Parent Board do?

The Board maintains the PSL website, plans fundraising and away meet travel, plans events for swimmers, allocates money to buy new equipment and other supplies for the team, assists the coaches with family communication, communicates family concerns to the coaches, etc.

I want to get more involved. When and where does the PSL Board meet? Are there other ways I can get involved?

The Board meets on the third Tuesday of every month at 7 PM via Zoom. Email [email protected] to get involved! Besides joining the board or volunteering at meets, there are many other opportunities to support the team!