Membership Information

ASL Contact Info:

Mail

PO Box 2896

Augusta, GA 30914

Phone/E-mail

803-335-3285/adambyars@comcast.net

ABOUT US

Our club is a USA Swimming year-round competitive swim team offering high quality professional coaching and technique instruction for all ages and abilities. The goal of our team is to provide every member an opportunity to improve swimming skills and achieve success at his or her level of ability, from novice to international competitor.

All of our coaches, as members of the American Swim Coaches Association, have access to the most comprehensive training and certification program for youth coaches of any sport in the United States. They provide assurances that the time children spend in swimming will be quality time.

The Aiken-Augusta Swim League, a non profit club, is run by its elected Board of Directors which meets each month. All members are welcome at each meeting and encouraged to be involved in team activities and fundraisers.

We are constantly growing and training young swimmers to maintain a well rounded competitive swim team. Thank you for joining us. We are looking forward to meeting you. Please feel free to ask another member or coachany question you may have.

Fee Structure

      The fee structures vary depending on the practice group.

The Bronze and Senior Competitive groups require a quarterly commitment. The Board of Directors recognizes that swimmers in these groups may not be able to make the annual commitment. Swimmers in the Bronze Group are generally younger children and who may not be sure that they are ready for year-round swimming or who are involved in other sports. Senior Competitive swimmers also may be seasonal swimmers who cannot or do not yet want to make the year-long commitment.

Swimmers in the Silver, Gold and Senior groups must sign a year commitment to the team. Annual dues can be paid at the beginning of the season or in monthly installments.

The dues are based on 11 months of swimming, but are payable in nine months (September through May). The first month’s dues are $225 for each swimmer and the balance due is divided into eight equal monthly payments. Families receive a discount for paying the dues at the beginning of the season. They also receive discounts for having more than one child swimming in either the Senior, Gold or Silver groups.

The fees for each group are shown determined annually by the Board of Directors to meet the changing needs of the club. Current year dues and a welcome package can be obtained from any ASL board member or coach. 

A family joining the club after the start of the year will pay $225 for the first month and then will pay monthly payments equal the monthly payments for a given group as if they had started at the first of the year.  These families will be billed until the full annual financial obligation is satisfied or through the month of July if they join after October. A swimmer who moves into a different level will have their fees adjusted to that of the new level with the first full month of swimming at the new level.

Off-Setting Dues Through Fundraising

Each swimmer and family has a total financial commitment to ASL. This total financial commitment can be met by only paying dues. However, families can pay for up to $600 of their dues through fundraising efforts. Fundraising is optional. Most fundraising is done through the sale of ads for home meet heat sheets, or the meet program. Information about ads rates and how to deliver your “camera-ready” ads to the appropriate person will be sent to families early each season.

Some families have secured corporate sponsors as a way to offset dues.

Members are advised to review current tax laws as they relate to payment and fund raising activities.

Discount Programs

ASL recognizes that family’s circumstances are different and offers the following special adjustment to swimmers financial obligations.

Escrow Account

Each family is required to maintain an escrow account balance of $50 per swimmer that is maintained by ASL. This escrow account is used to cover the advanced costs of swim meet participation. The escrow money is fully refundable at the time the family separates from ASL provided all financial obligations have been met. Families leaving the team should request the refund from the treasurer. The account also can be used to purchase team gear that is sold through the team.

Trial Memberships

A swimmer who has never swam for a competitive swim team (does not include summer league swimming) may join for a two-week trial membership.  The cost of the Trial Membership is $50.  If the family decides to join the club, the $50 payment will be put toward the $225 first month’s dues.

Entry Fees

ASL participates as a team in meets scheduled every three to four weeks. 

For home swim meets, each swimmer is AUTOMATICALLY signed up for each day of the meet unless you notify the coaching staff that your child will not be participating. A notice of the deadline to opt out of a home meet will be posted on the website well before the deadline. Please note that if you do not notify the Program Director before the deadline you will be charged the entry fees for the meet.

For away meets, you will be notified when to sign-up for each meet. These announcements will be prominently posted on the website and you will be given the option of signing up your swimmer and stating which days they will be participating.  ASL will then submit a payment to the hosting club for the total cost of all ASL swimmers.  This payment, which often runs over $1,000 for large meets, is usually required to be submitted two to three weeks prior to the swim meet in order to reserve a spot for ASL. Once you have signed up for a meet and ASL has provided advanced payment on your behalf, you are obligated for the cost of the meet.

Typically, you can expect to be charged $3 to $5 per individual event entered and $1.50 for each relay entered.  In most meets, swimmers can swim three to five individual events per day.  The swim meet fees will be subtracted from your escrow account balance. Each month you will receive an invoice listing the payment necessary to return your escrow account to fully funded status along with any other financial obligations such as monthly dues charges. 

Payments

As with any business, ASL expenses begin the first day of every month. A positive cash flow is required to assure payroll requirements and various other expenditures. It is, therefore, imperative for all ASL parents to pay their swimmer’s monthly installment on or before the first of each month, just as you do your credit card, mortgage or utility payments.  If fees are not current, your swimmer will not be allowed to participate in practice.