Welcome to the Exciting World of Swimming!!!

 

By joining USA Swimming, your child has become a member of one of the country's largest, most organized, and competently coached youth sports. This section has been prepared with the goal of acquainting you with the sport of competitive swimming. It contains information that will help you and your family to get the most out of participating in age group swimming. With a positive attitude and a willingness to lend a hand, you will also have a great impact on your child's athletic environment, and his or her love of swimming.

 

There are many benefits to participating in the sport of swimming:

• Meeting terrific people. Many swimming buddies become lifelong friends.

• Beneficial exercise for cardiovascular and overall fitness.

• Life skills.These include time management, self-discipline and sportsmanship.

• Fun! Age group swimming can be fun, exciting and rewarding.

 

Barracuda Aquatics Club runs on very simple System of Values, which we believe makes swimming enjoyable and rewarding for the swimmer and their family.  Remember that not every swimmer becomes a world record holder, but everyone can gain from his or her swimming experience!

 

The information below includes ways for you to get involved with your child's sport, BAC family requirements and BAC policies.  If you ever have any questions about anything involving your child's experience with BAC please contact our Co-President Paula Lee at swimlaughgrow@yahoo.com.

 

PARENT SEMINAR

 

This is a mandatory one time Orientation Seminar that one or both parents must attend in order for their child to swim at Barracuda Aquatics Club.  It is highly recommended that both parents, if possible, attend the meeting.  The seminar is conducted by the BAC Coaching Staff.  It will be approximately 1.5 hours in length.  There will be at least two seminars conducted during the course of a season, all the meetings will be conducted in the first half of the season.  Parents are required to attend one meeting.  That will allow your child to participate for the duration of their swimming career with BAC. 

 

The purpose of the Orientation Seminar is to let the parents know the coaches’ value system and to let them know that they play an important role to their child’s swimming.  The seminar will help define that role under the philosophy of the BAC program.  The parents will be required to sign the BAC Parents’ Honor Code at the conclusion of the seminar.  Parent Seminar are generally in April & September of each year.  Visit our Calendar for the next Parent Seminar.  Click here for Seminar Guidelines. 

 

HOSTED SWIM MEETS

(Volunteer Opportunity)

 

A couple of times per year BAC will host a swim meet.  This is a great opportunity for your family to become involved in your swimmer's team and provides great opportunity to connect with other swim families and share the experience of swim.  The BAC Swim Meet Contract requests all families to provide workers to our hosted swim meets for a number of sessions as designated by the Board of Directors.  It is a huge commitment to successfully host a meet and we appreciate every family’s assistance to make it happen.

 

Why do we host meets?  Besides providing a venue where our kids can compete, swim meets provide critical revenue to the club which helps pay for the coaches’ salaries, pool rental and miscellaneous club expenses.  Without the revenue generated by swim meets, your swim fees would increase significantly.  Signing up for job opportunities in the hosted swim meets will be provided prior to each meet.

 

SWIM-A-THON FUNDRAISER

(Spring/Summer Season only)

 

Swim-a-Thon is a fundraiser in which participants earn money for their team by swimming lengths of the pool. Swimmers have a two-hour period to swim a maximum of 200 lengths. Participants get pledges from businesses, family, neighbors, etc. prior to swimming. Some choose to get pledges and money prior to swimming while others get pledges per length and collect the money following the Swim-a-Thon.  Barracuda Aquatics Club hosts a Swim-A-Thon every Spring/Summer season.

 

MINNESOTA SWIMMING OFFICIAL

(Volunteer Opportunity)

 

Become a USA Swimming Official.  Join thousands of parents around the country who support their children in competitive swimming by becoming a certified Stroke & Turn Judge.  Minnesota Swimming requires each club to have two officials in order to host a swim meet.  Show your support for BAC by becoming an official.  WE NEED YOU!!  Interested? Contact: MSI’s Officials Chair Bruce Green at bwgz01@gmail.com or BAC's Officials Chair: Sheri Thul @ sheri.thul@gmail.com for further information.

 

SPECIAL SKILLS

(Volunteer Opportunity)

 

Barracuda Aquatics Club is now a coach run organization.  However, parent volunteers will still be needed in some very key areas for Barracuda Aquatics Club to be successful off the deck as well as it is on deck.  Your special skills are needed.  For Volunteer Opportunities, Click here and print the sheet, check any committees that you would be interested in.  You can bring this sheet into practice and give to your coach or you can e-mail it to our Co-President Paula Lee @ swimlaughgrow@yahoo.com.