PST FAQ
What is the minimum age to join the swim team?
PST requires swimmers to be 6 years or older to be on the team.
What does my beginner child need to know or be able to do to join the team?
All swimmers need to know how to swim a 50 yard freestyle (front crawl) and backstroke without stopping. They need to have a proper breaststroke kick and understand the fundamentals of butterfly.
What does "year round swim team" mean?
PST practices and competes all year. There is a short course season (25 yard pool) from September to March and a long course season (50 meter pool) from April to August. With the exception of 2 weeks break over Christmas and in the summer, the team practices each month.
How many swim practices per week will my child be expected to attend?
The number of practices any swimmer is expected to attend per week depends on their level. Attending fewer than the minimum number of practices is not recommended as the swimmer will fall behind quickly.
| Level | Practices expected to attend |
|---|---|
| Blue | 2+ per week |
| Bronze | 3+ per week |
| Silver | 4+ per week |
| Gold | 5+ per week |
| Platinum | 7+ per week |
Gold and Platinum swimmers are also expected to attend dry land practice once or twice a week.
When are the practices and how long are they?
Some practices are in the morning before school and in the afternoon. They range from one hour to two hours. To see full practice schedule, please click here.
Will my child need to attend meets?
Yes, all swimmers are expected to attend swim meets with younger less experienced swimmers attending at least once a quarter and older, more experienced swimmers attending every 6 weeks. Swim meets are 2 day events and swimmers are expected to go both days.
What are the fees to join the team?
Each member pays a $300 annual membership fee to join the team that pays for USA Swimming registration, team t-shirt, the website and other fixed costs. This fee is collected when you join the team and then every September after that.
There are also annual dues (click here for fee structure) that pay for the coaches and pool; and there is an annual fundraising fee of $150.
There are meet fees that the parents pay directly to the meet host that range from $10-$50 depending on the meet and how many races your swimmer is in.
As a parent, am I required to volunteer any time?
Yes, all parents are required to volunteer as per our service hour policy. In addition, every parent whose child attends a meet is required to volunteer at the meet as either a timer, canopy transporter or official. If a parent does not complete their hours, they will be charged $25 per unworked hour and/or a fine for not showing up for timing shift.
PST also hosts at least one swim meet every year. All families must have a volunteer available as described out in our service hour policy.
Is there any required fundraising for the team?
Yes, PST does annual fundraising in the form of raffle tickets and/or other fun activities. PST relies on these fundraising dollars as part of the annual budget and all families are required to participate to raise a certain amount of money.
