In operation since 1982, the Okotoks Stingrays Summer Swim Club is a community-based summer club swim team in Okotoks, Alberta. We swim from May 1st through mid-August.
At the beginning of each season, there are a number of commonly asked questions that new and returning swim families have for us. We created this FAQs sheet to help provide the information needed to answer some of these queries. Listed below are the most common questions and their answers. We hope this helps.
If you have any other questions, please email our Registrar or President directly at: [email protected] [email protected]
How long is the season?
Our season runs from May 1st through to mid August. Swim meets begin in early June.
Do we have to attend every single practice? There seem to be a lot!
We offer practices for all groups, multiples times a week, depending on their placement. Try to attend as many scheduled practices as you can, though we understand that the swimmers still have school and other recreational commitments. Attendance is not mandatory, though encouraged, for swimmers to get the most out of their swim season. It is solely up to your swimmer and your family.
What are the practice groups, and how do I work out which group my child is in?
We have swimmers tiered between 5 groups; ages 5 - 17
Galaxy Rays, Tiger Rays, Manta Rays, Pacific Rays and Atlantic Rays are placed based on skill and age.
Generally, Galaxy Rays begins for those aged: 5 - 7 years old.
What we recommend for 1st year swimmers: Be able to swim unassisted for 15m, be comfortable in deep water, and be coachable.
Please note however that these are guidelines and coaches will assign swimmers to a swim level based on the assessment of their skills and fitness level, as Stingrays swim practices are very different from a 30-minute group swim lesson. The final decision to your swimmer's group will be determined by the coaches during assessment week.
Is there a withdrawal policy?
Returning members may withdraw from the club up until April 30th, and will be refunded their registration fee, less $150 to cover a non-refundable ASSA fee and an administration fee. No refunds will be given after May 1st for returning members, unless it is for a valid medical reason. Written notice along with a doctor’s note and date of withdrawal must be given to the board. Please note, fundraising money will not be refunded.
New members may only withdraw from the program within the first week of the swim season (May 1st to 7th- the trial swim period). Written notice must be given to the board with the date of withdrawal. Fees will be refunded less $150 (ASSA fee and administrative fee).
What is the definition of an Exhibition Swimmer?
Any individual who receives instruction in competitive swimming skills between September 1 and April 30 will result in a swimmer being ineligible to join the OSSSC as a competitive swimmer for the following season. Swimmers who are ineligible to join as a competitive swimmer may register as an exhibition swimmer, however the club only accepts exhibition swimmers if space permits and after general full membership has been closed.
Exhibition swimmer definition by Alberta Summer Swim Association (ASSA). See ASSA rules and regulations for more details.
How many meets are there, and do we need to attend them all?
There are 6 local meets that are open to all swimmers. The Okotoks Stingrays Home Meet in June at the Okotoks Recreation Centre and Regionals in Calgary at the end of the season are mandatory for all OSSSC swimmers. You can attend as many of the other meets as you would like - these costs are included in your Registration Fee and subsidized by Team Fundraising.
How long is a swim meet?
Summer swim meets usually last all day Saturday starting at approximately 7:00am with warmups and usually ending between 5pm and 6pm.
Where are the meets held?
The 6 meets will be held in Okotoks, Calgary area, Cochrane, Didsbury and High River. Provincials are held in Edmonton.
What do we need to bring to a swim meet? (For more details see Swim Meet FAQ)
Team-sanctioned swim suit and swim cap(s), team shirt, multiple towels as swimmers compete in multiple races throughout the day, warm/comfortable clothing and clean footwear, food and beverages for your swimmer. There are often food options available for purchase at swim meets but providing a variety of snack and drink options for your swimmer(s) is highly recommended.
Some swim meet venues allow bringing in camp chairs, wagons, or other seating options for swimmers between races, others do not. Parents will be informed of which venues do not allow seats and/or parents staying on deck with swimmers.
Swimmers often bring card games, board games, tablets/ipads, books, etc. for entertainment. It is the swimmer's sole responsibility to ensure these items are stored safely/packed away during swim events they are competing in. We are not responsible for any lost, stolen, or damaged items brought to swim meets for personal use.
What do I feed my competative swimmer-- Is there a nutrition guide?
Under the website's Documents tab, there is a Nutrition Guide book PDF document.
Why is fundraising necessary - I'm already paying registration fees?
The actual cost for a swimmer to swim for a season is double the registration fee amount (coaching fees, pool rentals, swim meet fees, club insurance, administrative and other operating costs, etc).
Our registration fees are a lot less than this (and we'd like to keep it this way!). We offer fundraising as an opportunity for families to help raise funds to cover some of this cost difference. We also participate in an AGLC casino every 3 years (2025 is a casino year) that contributes to the cost shortfall.
We require that families take part in all of the fundraising opportunities offered which can include: bottle drives, supplying items for the Okotoks Swim Meet gift basket silent auction, a food sales campaign, and/or working a casino.
There will be up to three (3) post-dated cheques required by OSSSC for your swimmer to participate in the season:
Volunteer Commitment Cheque in the amount of $200 (Families must earn 5 points in volunteer hours and completion of an officials course) post-dated to Aug 1.
Fundraising Commitment Cheque in the amount of $250 – except for Casino years (every 3 years) when the commitment cheque required is $50 post-dated to Aug 1.
Casino Commitment Cheque that is required only every 3 years of $400 post-dated to Aug 1.
All three cheques are held until the commitment is fulfilled, at which point they are either shredded or returned to you.
How much time do I have to commit to volunteering?
Parent Volunteers are a vital part of OSSSC - the club is entirely run by volunteers and without each family stepping up we would not be able to succeed. The average swim meet needs 45 volunteers per session. A Saturday swim meet has 2 volunteer session times: am + pm. An adult from each family is required to take a Level 1 officials course if your swim family does not have a valid Timer or Stroke and Turn official certification.
Here are some examples of how to earn volunteer credits:
- Attend the Parent Info Meeting at the start of the season
- Help with 2 sessions at the Okotoks Home Swim Meet (AM and PM shifts available)
- Help with 1 session at the Regionals Swim Meet
- Help with 1 session at the remaining 5 Swim Meets
- Attend the Stingrays AGM at the end of the season
In order that each family completes their volunteer commitment, volunteer points will be tracked throughout the season. The volunteer points requirement for each family is: 5 points.
If you have younger children and are concerned that you won't be able to help during a meet as you have no one else to watch them, there are other club tasks that need volunteers and can be done on your own time at home such as: photo coordinator, ribbon coordinator, year-end party helper, volunteer for any Stingrays exective board position currently open.
Contact: [email protected]
For more information about OSSSC, check out the Stingrays Club Handbook PDF in Documents.
Last Update: October 21, 2025
