SMSC Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I get Volunteer hours for Timing at non-SMSC hosted swim meets?

No. Unfortunately, SMSC does not give Volunteer Hours for timing at away meets. We seldom give hours at large HOME meets either - as we often need people doing other things to make the event successful. This is required if you are attending an away meet. Its part of the swimming culture. SMSC asks that each family time at least one shift at an away meet if your child is entered in the meet. Fortunately, since SMSC tends to have numerous entered athletes at these meets, we are able to spread the timing requirements across everybody. Of course, if you just love to time and have a poolside seat to the action, we love to have you do more.

What fundraisers are available to my family so I can earn my FRA?

Typically, you can expect that our Auction & Benefit Dinner will occur somewhere in the October (usually the middle Saturday) and our Swim-a-Thon occurs around mid-March. Both offer opportunities to raise a large portion, if not all of your FRA.

Additionally, we run SCRIP! SCRIP is basically gift cards which SMSC gets a percentage from. As an example, if you go to Starbuck's every day, you can purchase Starbuck's SCRIP for $20.00 and spent that $20.00 at Starbucks - NO MONEY OUT OF YOUR POCKET THAT YOU WEREN'T SPENDING ANYWAYS. But SMSC gets a percentage! The SCRIP list can be found under the FUNDRAISING tab. There are hundreds of businesses that make it available. If every family at SMSC purchased $50 in SCRIP per month on stuff you were getting anyways, SMSC would have quite a bit more dollars to put towards needed projects.

SCRIP is typically ordered about every two weeks.

Do Fundraising Requirements carry-over from season to season?

Fundraising is an important part of SMSC's annual budget. If we didn't have the fundraising, dues would significantly higher. In order to maintain the most affordable dues possible, the Board enacted the Fundraising requirement many years ago. Fundraising partners with our annual budget which goes October 1-September 30. Therefore, your fundraising carries over in Spring (the middle of our year), but not in September, as we go into a new fiscal year.

As always, we really appreciate those families that go above and beyond in fundraising. 

What should I do if my son/daughter wants to play another sport?

Swimming is a complicated sport. The technical aspects that lead to great technique are better earned with constant exposure than with big breaks. The recommendation from the coaching staff if a young athlete (under 7th grade) wants to to participate in a different sport is GREAT! But while playing soccer or volleyball or whatever, keep coming to swimming on the other days so you don't lose your "feel for the water." Weekly exposure to swimming skills is the best way to maintain that skill for later on. As always, a conversation with your group coach is advisable.

What's the deal with a swim meet every 3-4 weeks? Do I really need to go to them all? 

For the most part, swimming is a year-round sport. Our sport is broken into two seasons. YARDS goes from September 1 through around February. METERS goes from about March 1 through early August. Its our goal at SMSC that every athlete has an opportunity to attend a championship meet to conclude their swim season. Swimming is all about work - work - work = reward. Kind of like life! We work for 3-4 months and then attend a championship meet to figure out where we are at. The meets during the season provide key feedback so that hopefully, you aren't making the same mistakes at the championship meet. Competing on a regular basis is a GREAT way to get faster, get feedback about practice and get used to the pressure of competition.