Q. If I join, am I committed to a long-term commitment?
A. No. Athletes can stop with the club whenever they choose, but proper notification is required. When a family decides to take a break or stop swimming with the club, they will need to Email our Business Manager, [email protected] by the 20th of the month prior to stopping. The Volunteer Deposit Policy would go into effect at the time of deactivation.
A. No. Athletes can stop with the club whenever they choose, but proper notification is required. When a family decides to take a break or stop swimming with the club, they will need to Email our Business Manager, [email protected] by the 20th of the month prior to stopping. The Volunteer Deposit Policy would go into effect at the time of deactivation.
Q. What is the Registration Fee?
A. Please refer to the fee page on our website under Team Registration - OR CLICK HERE
A. Please refer to the fee page on our website under Team Registration - OR CLICK HERE
Q. Do I have to compete if I am on the swim team?
A. That depends on your training group. We are a competitive swimming program, and everything we do gears toward teaching kids how to compete in swimming. At our developmental levels, we will allow kids to gain some confidence before putting them in a meet, but to move to our more advanced groups, meet competition is required.
A. That depends on your training group. We are a competitive swimming program, and everything we do gears toward teaching kids how to compete in swimming. At our developmental levels, we will allow kids to gain some confidence before putting them in a meet, but to move to our more advanced groups, meet competition is required.
Q. Is there a uniform required?
A. YES. PACK does have a competition team suit & cap with our logo that is required to be worn at swim meets. You can also purchase warm-ups, parkas, and backpacks if desired. The vendor of choice for the team is D&J Sports in Tomball. PACK also strongly encourages each member to purchase our meet day tshirts. Colors to be worn are: Black/Friday, Gray/Saturday, White/Sunday
A. YES. PACK does have a competition team suit & cap with our logo that is required to be worn at swim meets. You can also purchase warm-ups, parkas, and backpacks if desired. The vendor of choice for the team is D&J Sports in Tomball. PACK also strongly encourages each member to purchase our meet day tshirts. Colors to be worn are: Black/Friday, Gray/Saturday, White/Sunday
Q. What are the fees moving forward?
A. Beyond monthly tuition, the main cost throughout the year would be entry fees to swim meets. Swimmers are charged an entry fee per event entered in the competition. Entry fees for most competitions are anywhere from $8-10 + swimmer surcharge, but not all meets are the same and championship meets are typically higher. Meet costs are always published with the meet information, so you know the cost of the meet before the signup deadline has passed. At most meets, swimmers can swim 3-4 events per day, and most meets are 2 1/2 days (Friday, Saturday & Sunday) and are offered at least once per month.
Q. Do I have to register with USA Swimming?
Q. Do I have to register with USA Swimming?
A. YES. This is required for all active members of PACK and is a form of insurance.
Q. How do I register with USA Swimming and what are the fees?
A. CLICK HERE to be redirected to our website with full information.
Q. Can my athlete compete in Summer League?
A. YES! PACK is a proud supporter of NWAL and has been for its entire existence! We encourage you and your athletes to sign up and compete for your neighborhood’s summer swim team. Being able to train with PACK and also swim for your NWAL team gives you such a huge advantage and can help you swim your very best alongside your friends in the
community. The PACK high school athletes
who have chosen to participate in an Elite group, recognize and formally acknowledge that being a member of these groups is a privilege that comes with much higher commitment conditions, see the below explanation.
Long-time PACK President and current ex-officio Board Member Matt Sale was instrumental in changing NWAL policy to allow athletes to compete in both USA Swimming and NWAL meets concurrently. Most other summer league organizations in the Greater Houston area either explicitly prohibit or apply significant restrictions to USA swimming athletes including requiring them to "swim up" in an older age group as a way to ensure fair competition. According to NWAL’s Official Rules, summer league swimming is specifically intended for NOVICE swimmers, so the PACK high school athletes who have chosen to participate in an ELITE training group (including Pre-National ELITE, Pre-National ELITE+ and National ELITE) recognize and formally acknowledge they are no longer NOVICE swimmers. Being a member of these training groups is a privilege that comes with much higher commitment conditions including forgoing NWAL participation and competing against NOVICE athletes. PACK still encourages members of our high school ELITE training groups to be involved in summer league by either coaching, volunteering at meets, or cheering on their friends.
A. You must first clear it with the school and provide the Business Manager all the necessary KISD paperwork. They will complete the necessary fileds in the form and return it to you to submit to the school. You will then be required to pay for the OCPE fee. Complete information re: OCPE can be found by CLICKING HERE.
Q. If my athlete is also on the high school swim team, do I still need to pay for the dryland fee?
A. YES. This fee is required and non-refundable for our high school aged athletes who are in the Elite practice groups.
Q. What are the billing cycles?
A. PACK processes payments on the 5th of each month. At that time, your monthly dues, meet fees and any other costs incurred for that period are owed. At anytime, members can log onto the website to view their most current invoice. PLEASE NOTE: If you opt to use a credit/debit card, the system charges a processing fee.
Q. How will I know about last minute practice changes/cancellations?
A. Sign up for SMS Text Messaging via your PACK Account. Ensure you verify your cell number! When coaches send out last minute cancellations, they will do so via text messaging. Known practices changes will be posted on our website under the "News" section.
Q. Can I sit, walk or go on deck with my ahtlete?
A. NO. No parents or spectators are allowed on the pool deck. The pool area is a classroom setting for coaches and swimmers. Parents should not be on deck and/or interrupt swimmers or coaches during practice. Please stay in the spectator seating at the pools. Do not approach the coaching staff during a practice unless it is an emergency. Their full attention should be on the athletes.
Q. Can dues be pro-rated if I join the team mid-month or choose to leave mid-month?
A. NO. Dues are never pro-rated. Full month's tuition is due each month on the 5th.
Q. We declared for a swim meet then after the declaration deadline, can no longer attend. Can we not be charged for the meet entry fee?
A. NO. Once a deadline has passed for a meet, no changes can be made to the file as it has already been submitted to the host. The host has expenses for the meet based on the swimmer count prior, so no changes can be made after the file is submitted.
Q. Can I try out PACK prior to registering?
A. Yes, once a practice group is determined for your athlete, you are welcome to try 1 practice prior to registering. But you must schedule this with the Business Manager prior.
Q. What are the volunteer requirements?
A. Our volunteer policy is signed upon registration and is always available to view under your PACK account. For those interested in viewing, CLICK HERE to be redirected to our registration information page and scroll down to view.
Q. Why are the High School Pools shut down during lighting storms?
A. KISD has a weather policy which dictates if lighting stikes within 8 miles, all swimmers must exit the water and wait 30 minutes to ensure the lighting clears the 8 miles radius of the campus. If a lighting strikes again, the clock restarts again for 30 minutes. Should this wait time exceed the time the swimmers can be in the water, practices will be cancelled via text messages. Please note, we must adhere to the KISD policies while we are renting their facility. Any questions re: this, feel free to contact the Business Manager.
