Here is an information source for prospective
members wishing to join AQUASTAR. For complete information, see
our
Frequently Asked
Questions page or
our
Meet Information
page. You may also call
(281) 282-0004.
WHERE DO I GO? WHERE ARE PRACTICES
HELD?
Visit any one of the practice pool locations on our practice schedule (see our home
page) during a practice.
See the Parent On Deck once there. Try to arrive before the start
of the practice session. We are at Clear Lake HS, Clear Brook HS,
the Oakbrook West neighborhood pool and the Pearland city outdoor
pool and the Strawberry Park pool in Pasadena.
WHO CAN JOIN?
We welcome all athletes who can swim the length of the pool with
legal strokes to be on the swim team. We do offer swim
lessons for those needing that first step before
competitive swim team. Swimmers must be water-safe to join AQUASTAR
swim training]. If you’re a transferring swimmer
from another USA Swimming club, please download your times and
bring with you. Transferring or new high school swimmers
should do the same.
ARE THERE TRYOUTS?
We offer a one-time tryout on the night your child might want to
join. The coaches will assess his/her ability and determine if
he/she is ready for AQUASTAR, and if so, to which
training group
they should be assigned. If you decide to
join, you will be asked to pay for your annual USA Swimming
registration and your first month’s AQUASTAR registration
fees at that time, and complete the
USA Swimming form
and the AQUASTAR registration form.
WHAT ARE THE TRAINING FEES?
Each training group has a different fee. The
fee schedule is below. The complete fee payment policy is here.
ARE THERE OTHER COSTS? ARE THERE HIDDEN "FUNDRAISING"
REQUIREMENTS?
No. AQUASTAR does not require fundraising or host meets
specifically to raise money. Our volunteer support and low cost
structure allow AQUASTAR to thrive on modest training fees and
limited external, non-intrusive fund-raising such as
Randall’s Good Neighbor Program and the Kroger Share
Card.
WHAT EQUIPMENT WILL I
NEED?
Each group has progressively increased equipment needs:
RED GROUP: kick boards and pull buoys;
WHITE
GROUP: kick boards, pull buoys, hand paddles and
sneakers; BLUE GROUP & above: kick boards, pull
buoys, fins, hand paddles & sneakers.
IS THERE A SWIM EQUIPMENT SHOP IN CLEAR
LAKE?
Yes - A-Gleam Swimwear on the Gulf Freeway at
NASA 1, in the Bally’s Fitness shopping center. A map
is
here. Phone (281) 316-2200.
CAN I TAKE TIME OFF - GO "INACTIVE" - ONCE I JOIN?
Yes, you can go "inactive" at any time if you have not attended a
practice session that month, and let us know of your desire to go
inactive; we will waive your fees that month. You then let us know
when you want to return. We do not pro-rate monthly fees for
returning swimmers, however.
IS THERE A TEAM
HANDBOOK?
Yes, our handbook is online
here.
CAN I CONTACT SOMEONE?
Yes, go to our board member page and e-mail any of our volunteer board members. You may
also call our treasurer at (281) 282-0004.
AQUASTAR
requires that all participating swimmers be USA
Swimming-registered. The fee for each calendar year is $120, which
covers both the AQUASTAR and USA Swimming fees. Forms are available
from the coaches or registration coordinator, or go to this page
for an AQUASTAR registration form.
The USA Swimming form is here [both are required to be completed]. In addition to the
annual registration fee, monthly training fees per swimmer
are:
- Red Group (45 minutes per practice session) - $65 /
month - no meet attendance requirements
- White Group (1½ hours per
session) - $75 / month - no meet attendance
requirements
- AQUA Group
(1½ hours per session) - $80 / month - no meet attendance
requirements
- Blue /Gold
/SeniorGroups (two hours per session, with
meet attendance requirements) - $85 /
month
- High school
group - same as BGS, but no meet attendance
requirement
- Family Maximum - $155
/ month
For billing or
general team information, call Ed Mullery, (281)
282-0004.
The team address is:
Bay
Area Aquanauts
15403 Pleasant Valley Dr.
Houston, TX 77062
Send e-mail
to AQUA
FEE STRUCTURE /
PAYMENTS
BUDGET
REQUIREMENTS
Even though AQUA is a non-profit corporation, its financial budget
has similar characteristics to any for-profit business.
AQUA’s budget requires a positive cash flow to assure the
satisfactory meeting of coaching payroll, pool rental costs,
registration fees, and other team expenses. Expenses begin the
first day of every month; therefore, timely training fee collection
is crucial to AQUA’s financial success. This results in
keeping fees as low as possible.
REGISTRATION
POLICY
Each September begins a new USA Swimming season. At
this time, AQUA begins its annual registration of new and returning
swimmers. As part of registration, completion of two forms (one for
USA Swimming and the other for AQUA) is required, along with the
submission of the registration fee. Both of these forms may be
obtained from Board members at the pools, or may be downloaded from
the AQUA web site (www.swimaqua.org).
These completed forms and a check payable to AQUA may be returned
either to a pool representative or to the registration chairperson.
Registrations are welcome throughout the year. Seasonal
registrations may be convenient at certain times of the year.
Information regarding them can be obtained from the registration
chairperson.
The registration fee is determined each year primarily by the fees
required from AQUA by USA Swimming and Gulf Swimming. Registration
fees are mandatory and non-refundable and are separate from monthly
AQUA training fees. NO
SWIMMER
MAY
BE IN THE
POOL
WITHOUT A CURRENT USA SWIMMING REGISTRATION. For insurance
purposes, this rule is absolute and may not be waived. Registration
with AQUA is not transferable from one swimmer to
another.
TRAINING
FEES
Swimmers are initially assigned to a training group by the coaches.
Each training group represents an ability level with entrance and
maintenance criteria, practice duration, and set fees. These groups
are:
·
Red Group (45 minutes training per practice
session)
·
White Group (90
minutes)
·
Blue Group (120
Minutes)
·
Group (120
minutes)
·
Aqua group (90
minutes)
For more specific group classification criteria,
click
here.
AQUA has a family maximum cap on monthly training
fees.
A swimmer’s movement between swim groups occurs not only when
the swimmer meets all published, board-approved requirements, but
at the discretion of the head coach as well. Occasionally, movement
from one group to another may involve time-sharing, consisting of
spending part of a practice with the former group and part of that
practice with the new
group.
If a swimmer joins the program after the start of the month, fees
are pro-rated for that month. If the swimmer joins after the
billing date, the joined month is pro-rated and next month’s
fees are collected at the same time. Swimmers are allowed to
participate on as many or as few days as wished each month;
however, the complete month’s fees are expected to be paid
unless a swimmer goes on the inactive list before the billing
period begins. Any participation during a month (even as little as
one practice) generates the requirement to pay the training fees
for the entire
month.
Swimmers wishing to go inactive should let the billing chairperson
know at least one month in advance — either in person or via
the e-mail address listed on the
invoice.
Currently registered swimmers returning from inactive status must
notify the billing chairperson and pay all appropriate fees.
FEE
INVOICING
Bills are sent on the 20th of the month. These cover fees for the
coming month. AQUA must receive all payments before the first
business day of the billed month. Payment by check is preferred;
all checks must be made payable to AQUA. Payment may be mailed to
the AQUA office address listed on the billing statement. For
answers to billing questions, the billing chairperson should be
contacted at the phone number listed on the bill. The monthly
billing statement will be sent via e-mail [or US mail if no e-mail
is available] to the swimmer’s e-mail/address on file with
the AQUA registrar. If an invoice is not received by the 20th of
the month, the billing chairperson or the treasurer should be
contacted. Fees not paid by the 10th of the month will incur a $10
late
fee.
Dues
Payments
Remember, AQUASTAR training
dues for the following month are billed
the 20th of the prior month via e-mail.
Training dues are considered LATE if not received
before the first business day of the billed month;
i.e., OCTOBER bills are invoiced September 20, and are
LATE after September 30. A late fee of $10 will be applied for
training fees not received within 10 calendar days of the due
date.
As always, inform us if you change e-mail addresses, and
don’t delete that e-mail invoice before
paying!!
Contact the webmaster.
For
Application forms please click here
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