Membership Information

Welcome to the Delmar Dolfins Swim Club

We are one of the oldest swim clubs in the Capital Region, celebrating our 47th anniversary this 2010-2011 swim year. We are a private, nonprofit organization whose purpose is to promote the sport of age-group swimming. We strive to provide a positive atmosphere in which to learn and develop the skills of competitive swimming. The Dolfins Swim Club is registered with USA Swimming, the national governing body for amateur swimming in this country. All members of the Delmar Dolfins Swim Club, our coaches, and all officials at swim meets are registered as members of USA Swimming. As members of USA Swimming, we compete only with registered clubs.

Membership

Membership in the Delmar Dolfins Swim Club is contingent on available space and is open to individuals who meet all the following criteria:

• Between the ages of 6 and 18 (including Dolfins who currently attend college)
• Able to pass a swim test administered by the head coach
• Payment of Delmar Dolfins dues

The benefits of competitive swimming include the following:

• Opportunity to meet people and make new friends
• Participation in one of the most beneficial forms of cardiovascular exercise
• Development of the lifetime sport of swimming
• Development of time management skills, self-discipline, and sportsmanship

Your swimmer will continue to reap the benefits of participation long after his or her association with the Delmar Dolfins.

To join the club, please contact our head coach, Doug Gross, at headcoach@delmardolfins.com or our Registrar, Collen Ayer, at registrar@delmardolfins.com

2009-2010 Season

USA Swimming recognizes two seasons within each calendar year. The season beginning around Labor Day and ending mid-March is referred to as the short course swim season. During the short course swim season, practices are indoors only and all meets are recognized to include “yard” events. There are as many as 20 or more opportunities each year to compete in USA Swimming meets. In the short course season, most meets occur during the winter months. There is also a long course swim season, which begins for the Dolfins in April and ends in early August. The long course season uses both the indoor pools and the 50-meter pool at the park. Meet events are recognized as “meter” swims. Dolfin practices are offered twice daily during late June, all of July, and early August. The morning practice is offered from 7 to 9 a.m. at the Town Park swimming complex. These practices are available to all Dolfin swimmers. During the morning practice session at the Town Park, the Delmar Dolfins Swim Club runs a six-week swim program (Summer Morning Program) geared toward scholastic swimmers. A typical participant would be a scholastic swimmer looking to prepare physically for the upcoming scholastic season. This is a noninstructional program.

Fees

The fee for the 2009-2010 Short Course swim season are:

Some swimmers may be eligible for a discount. In addition to membership dues, each athlete must be registered with USA Swimming at an additional annual fee of $62.00. Each athlete’s membership in USA Swimming is renewed automatically at the beginning of the short course swim season.
 

Typically, long course season fees have been comparable to the prorated weekly rate of the short course swim season. The fee for the 2010 Long Course season ranged from $349 for Group 1 & 2 to $599 for Group 5 & 6. Additional fees to consider include the following: team suit and cap for meets ($25 to $75); goggles for practice and competition ($4 to $20); swim meet entry fees ($3.50 to $4.50 per event).

Membership for all swimmers remains contingent upon timely payment of dues and USA Swimming membership fees. In the event a swimmer moves into a higher group, that swimmer will be responsible for the difference between the original group fee and the new group fee, prorated based on the time remaining for that season (short or long course).

Tryouts

Tryouts are held in the first two weeks of each season. Once your swimmer has completed the tryout and has been assigned to a group, you will then register for the full season.

Refund Policy

A. Within the first 3 weeks of the practice season

Any requests for refunds made within the first 3 weeks of the practice season will be reviewed by the Finance Committee on a case-by-case basis. The request should be made to the Treasurer of the Club, and the following general guidelines have been established:

Club registration fees. If a swimmer is injured or determines he/she does not want to continue within three (3) weeks after the commencement of the squad’s practice season, the Finance Committee will consider a refund of the Club registration fees. However USA fees cannot be refunded.

B. After the first 3 weeks of the practice season

The Delmar Dolfins Swim Club has found it necessary to establish a firm NO REFUND POLICY concerning annual swimming dues and registration fees for swimmers who have registered with our club and have requested a refund after the first 3 weeks of the practice season. Our financial commitments involve annual contracts based on swimmer registrations. Delmar Dolfins Swim Club is obligated to fulfill these contracts regardless of the number of swimmers we have in the water at any time.

We understand many of our swimmers will experience, at some time during the season, illness, injury, overcommitment, decreased interest or problems that may take them out of the water. While we regret these problems, NO REFUND OF REGISTRATION FEE AND/OR DUES can be made for swimmers who are out of the water.

C. Meet Fee Refunds

Once a swimmer has been entered in a meet, the meet fees are due and no refunds can be made. The Club has a responsibility to pay those meet fees to the host club on a timely basis.