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Getting Started in Swimming
By Julia Cantone // usolympicteam.com // April 15, 2004
Getting Started in Swimming
The best place for even young children to get started in swimming is at a local USA Swimming club. Many clubs have Web sites with information on their lessons, teams and coaches. Most swim clubs have summer teams and some compete year-round. You can also contact your Local Swimming Committee for more information on swimming in your area. There are camps and clinics available for swimmers of all ages and skill levels.
Joining USA Swimming
There are two ways to become a member of USA Swimming: You can join through a local club or you can become an individual member by applying through your Local Swimming Committee. Membership is required to participate in USA Swimming sanctioned events, including all National Championships. Membership provides liability insurance for all sanctioned events and makes you eligible for local and national camps.
Major Events
- 2004 U.S. Open, San Antonio, TX, Dec. 2, 2004
- 2005 FINA World Cup, East Meadow, N.Y., Feb. 11, 2005
- World Championships, Montreal, Canada, July 17, 2005
- 2005 ConocoPhillips National Championships, Irvine, Calif., Aug. 2, 2005
- 2005 World University Games, Izmir, Turkey, Aug. 11, 2005
- 2005 U.S. Open, Auburn, Ala., Dec. 1, 2005
Becoming a U.S. Olympian
To become a U.S. Olympian, you must first meet an Olympic Trials qualifying time standard set by USA Swimming. Once you have met at least one Olympic trial standard, you may compete at the U.S. Olympic trials. The maximum allowable team size is 52, 26 men and 26 women. Each country is given two slots in each of the 26 individual events and one spot in each of the six relays. To be eligible to compete, athletes must meet an Olympic time standard.
Contact Information
web: USA Swimming
email: memberservices@usaswimming.org
phone: 719.866.4578
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