New to SMAC? Here is a list of the most Frequently Asked Questions from new Parents.
Q. How do we know what group my child swims with?
A. If your swimmer is returning from the previous season, the coaching staff will place your swimmer and notify you of their placement before the season starts.
If you are new to SMAC or have been away for a while, a coach will evaluate your child and them in the appropriate group. A coach will follow up within 48 hours of the evaluation with placement information.
For Catfish, Stroke Development, Age Group, and Senior group assignments are skill based. Age Group Performance, Senior Performance, and National placement is done by the coaching staff and require significant experience and commitment.
Final placement in any group is based on each athletes unique circumstances. The above guidelines are only to provide a general idea of placement, so you can consider the schedule and fees before your evaluation.
Q. How do I talk with the coach?
A. During practice the coaches are unavailable to speak with with parents. If you'd like to talk with your athlete's coach, please send an email and request that they call or meet with you. You can find your coaches’ email HERE
Q. You say I should get information from other families but how do I contact them?
A. You have a few options.
1. You can look at our family directory on our website (must sign in first though) and see if you know anyone already.
2. Contact your swimmer’s group parent.
3. Ask another parent sitting at the pool.
4. Use the “Contact” button on the upper left corner of our website to send an email and we’ll direct it to the correct person.
Q. How do I get to the pool at Seattle U?
A. As of September 2022, we enter through the baseball entrance in the middle of the building located to the left of the main entrance in the courtyard with the pullup bars. Swimmers exit out of the main Rec Center entrance. You will need to give your name/your swimmers name to the front desk/door attendant and tell them you are with SMAC. You may be asked to show ID. They have a list of swimmers and families and they will check that list. The pool is on the second floor. The pool and locker rooms are down this long hallway.
Do not go anywhere else in the Connolly Center. We are guests and must respect the boundaries set by our hosts. Please remind your swimmers to behave exceptionally well in the Seattle University locker rooms. There is ZERO tolerance for horseplay in the Seattle U facilities. If your swimmer is found misbehaving, it will mean suspension of your swimmer but could also place our entire team's use of Seattle University facilities at risk.
Q. Why do I need to order special individual equipment for my competitive swimmer?
A. This equipment allows your swimmer to practice swimming in the proper physical “position” and makes a big difference. By ordering it, you won’t have to share snorkels and are ensured that you are using the correct equipment. Equipment lists for each group and discounts can be found on our team store through SwimOutlet.
Q. How do I know how to sign my swimmer up for a meet?
A. You can find the current meet schedule on the Meets & Events tab on the front page of the website. In addition, coaches will send registration reminders before the registration deadlines. Not all meets are appropriate for all groups and if you have questions, please do not hesitate to ask your coach.
If you need help with the process of signing up for swim meets, you can find SMAC's guide HERE.
To swim in a meet, athletes must have an active registration (i.e. not suspended). If you register for a meet and suspend your membership before participating, you will not be able to swim in the meet and you will forfeit your meet entry fees.
Q. What do I need to go to a meet?
A. You can find SMAC's guide to your first meet HERE. In addition, parents at your site may be able to answer questions about the meet experience.
Q. How do I get my obligatory workshare hours done and what happens if I don't?
A. SMAC is run by our families.
If you're looking for workshare opportunities, watch for emails and visit the "Volunteer" tab to see what’s needed and how to record your hours. You may also sign up for volunteer jobs at our Kickoff Meeting in September. Each family's workshare obligation is determined by the group placement of their most senior swimmer. You can find that informaiton on the Fees & Commitments page. Failure to satisfy your workshare hours will result in a charge of $40 per hour left uncompleted. The volunteer hours obligation is pro-rated at 20% per month (so if you swim for 2 months, you would have 40% of the total obligation, swim for 3 months, you would have 60% of the total obligation and if you swim for 5 months or more you would have 100% of the total obligation).
As part of your volunteer obligation, every family is required to volunteer for at least one shift at each SMAC hosted meet (whether or not you have already met your volunteer obligations through other work AND whether or not your swimmer is swimming in the meet). This policy will be enforced until all shifts are full--particularly for any major meets SMAC hosts such as Age Group Invitational or Senior Sectionals. We need your help to host these meets!
Q. What is the Mandatory Fundraising Fee?
A. SMAC has a long tradition of providing financial aid and making significant efforts to diversify the sport of swimming and is committed to seeing the benefits of swimming made available to all kids who want to participate.
By swimming with SMAC, each swimmer commits to raising $125. This requirement is generally met through their participation in the annual Swim-a-Thon but can also be met via donation to SMAC during the season. If a swimmer fails to fulfill their fundraising obligation, families will be invoiced for the fundraising amount. Money raisied through our fundraising efforts is used for scholarships, outreach, and team development efforts. If you swim for less than 3 months, your obligation is reduced by 50%.
Q. What if my swimmer elects to stop temporarily or permanently?
A. If you elect to stop during the season you need to notify Laurae Briggs by the 15th of the month. For example, if you don't want to swim in March, you need to notify us by February 15, otherwise you will be charged for March. We plan for pool time and coach time based on projected swimmers and we need advance notice in order to do this.
Q. What if I join mid-month? Will you pro rate my fee? What if there is a holiday break during a month? Do I get a reduced fee for that month?
A. SMAC bills training fees monthly between September and July. Partial months (whether you join during a month or SMAC is on break for part of the month) are billed at the full monthly fee. If you sign up to SMAC in the middle of a month, we will bill you for training fees for that month in which you joined. If you want to wait until the first of a month to sign up, that's perfectly fine (assuming there is space available at that time).
