We would love to meet you!
If you have questions about joining our program, e-mail us at [email protected]! Or you can check out our practice schedule below and come by the Mitchell Rec Center or the Huron Nordby Center to see our swimmers in action! We have a two-week, no-obligation, trial period for swimmers interested in joining the team. You can also visit the USA Swimming website which is linked from our home page to get a better overview of the sport. No matter your ability level, we would love to have you become a part of the Riptide family!
Practice Groups
Waves Group - $60/month
Ages 5-10 - New swimmers learning stroke basics.
Goals
- Listening to coaches
- Interacting with teammates in a positive fashion
- Knowing backstroke count from flags to wall
- Completing assigned swims without stopping
- Legally Swim 50 Free and 50 Back in a swim meet
Practices: 3 30-minute practices are offered per week; recommend attending 2-3 times per week
Lakes 1 Group - $75/month
Ages 6-11 – Young swimmers focusing on stroke development and swimming each stroke legally. Lakes 1 swimmers must be able to swim 25s of freestyle and backstroke without stopping or assistance.
Goals
- Continue goals from the Waves Group
- Participate in simple drills
- Complete streamline and flip turns without being reminded
- Breath every 3 strokes on Freestyle
- Legally Swim 100s of Free and Back, 50s of Fly and Breast, and 100 IM
Practices: 4 45-minute practices are offered per week; recommend attending 2-4 times per week
Lakes 2 Group - $80/month
Ages 8-11 – Intermediate young swimmers with at least three legal strokes.
Goals
- Continue practice goals from Lakes 1 Group
- Learn how to read a pace clock
- Complete more advanced skills and drills
- Begin completing longer swims in practice without stopping
- Legally swim 200 Freestyle, 100s of Back, Breast, and Fly, and 200 IM
Practices: 4 45-60-minute practices are offered per week; recommend attending 3-4 times per week
Oceans Group - $90/month
Ages 9-12 – Advanced young swimmers with swim team experience with a focus on refining technique
Goals
- Continue practice goals from Lakes 2 Group
- Begin building aerobic capacity
- Complete longer swim and kick sets
- Legally swim 500 Free, 100s of Back, Breast, and Fly, and 200 IM
Practices: 5 60-75-minute practices are offered per week; recommend attending 3-5 times per week
Junior Group - $95/month
Ages 11-14 – Swimmers with significant competitive swimming experience with a focus on building aerobic endurance while maintaining proper technique.
Goals
- Continue practice goals from Oceans Group
- Develop greater aerobic capacity
- Begin developing more anaerobic capacity
- Complete dryland training outside of regular swim practice
- Legally swim 1000/1650 Free, 200s of Back and Breast, and 200 Fly or 400 IM
Practices: 6 90-minute practices are offered per week; recommend attending 4-6 times per week
Senior 1 Group - $100/month
Ages 13-20 – Advanced older swimmers who are very experienced in competitive swimming with a focus on advanced training and racing strategies.
Goals
- Continue practice goals from Junior Group
- Introduce greater resistance and strength training to practices
- Be a positive influence on younger swimmers
Practices: 6 90-120-minute practices offered per week; recommend attending 5-6 times per week
Senior 2 Group - $105/month
Ages 15-20 – Advanced older swimmers who have goals of qualifying for USA Swimming National Level meets.
Goals
- Continue practice goals from Senior 1 Group
- Attend all practices each week
- Attend Speedo Sectional Meets and above
Practices: 8 90-120 minute practices offered per week; recommend attending 6-8 times per week
Fitness Swimmer - $75/month
Ages 12-20 – Swimmers at all levels looking to build cardio, stamina, strength, and overall endurance through swimming. These swimmers will not compete and will only make a few practices a week.
Practice times will be based on the level of swimmer they are. They will practice with the groups listed above.
Fundraising is the primary means of financing the team, paying our coaches, and operating costs. Dakota Riptide conducts fundraisers during the year in which all families are obligated to participate in. This is a critical part of the swim family’s responsibility for vital and healthy swim club.
● Operations costs include but not limited to:
▪ Facility (cost, rent, maintenance, staffing etc.)
▪ Coaching staff salaries, travel, and continuing education
▪ Travel cost for team trips
▪ Awards, public relations, and marketing
▪ Costs associated with operation of the team
● The Fundraising committee sets the fundraisers of the year along with the rules and obligation(s) per family. See Fundraising Policies
● Hosting swim meets is another fundraising activity that takes place during the year, which may include hosting meets throughout the short course and long course seasons. Every family is expected to supply at a minimum one-two worker(s) to assist in running the meet, food donations for concessions, and/or other items needed to host a successful swim meet.
● Summer swimmers are required to help in fundraising efforts during the summer season.
● Summer only swimmers will be required to pay one-third of the full fundraising fee per family for the fundraising fee of Calendar sales.
● Fitness swimmer’s fundraising obligations will be one-half of the rate of other competitive designations, with only the first season reduction applying. Fitness swimmers still must assist with hosting our meets at the same level as our other families.
Dakota Riptide Swimmer Registration Policy
Any current DAKOTA RIPTIDE swimmer who registers for a session owes the USA Swimming fees (if applicable) and current session dues regardless of amount of participation during that session. The only exception would be in the event of a medical injury that is supported by a physician’s letter stating child’s inability to participate the duration of that session. In the event a swimmer/parent forwards to the DAKOTA RIPTIDE Parent Board of Directors a physician’s letter of a medical condition that prevents the swimmer from participating the remainder of the session, session fees will be refunded on a pro-rated basis. USA swimming fees will not be refunded.
This situation, however, does not relinquish the family’s responsibility on other obligations to the team such as fundraising and assistance at swim meets.
The Dakota Riptide does not allow any deck registration for any member who wishes to swim for Dakota Riptide. The registrar is the only individual permitted to register any swimmers for the Dakota Riptide Club.
● Fundraising Policies: The Fundraising committee sets the fundraisers of the year along with the rules and obligation(s) per family. Which may include, but not limited to:
● Calendar Raffle
● Swim-A-Thon
● Hosting Swim Meets
● Various fundraising opportunities provided through community organizations
● Grants
● Donations
Policy for Calendar Raffle
All families will be required to sell a required number of calendars annually. During November each family will receive their allotted number of calendars, set forth by the Fundraising Committee and Board of Directors. If a family chooses to begin swimming with Dakota Riptide after December 1st, the family will be assessed the entire amount of the calendar obligation as a fundraising fee. All calendar sales and monies are due on January 7th (approximate) of each year. Calendars will not be distributed for sales after the January 7th deadline.
Policy for Disbursement of Calendar Raffle
The following shall be the policy of the Mitchell/Huron area Dakota Riptide in accordance with distribution of Calendar monies to members of Dakota Riptide.
1. Members must have sold their required allotment and each calendar paid in full.
2. If the member wishes to pay the fundraising fee and waive selling calendars, that money is due and owed at the designated deadline for turning in calendars.
3. Dakota Riptide will not distribute any winnings to Riptide families unless the above two criteria are satisfactorily met. Questions about this policy can be directed to the Dakota Riptide Board of Directors.
