Just like all other swim clubs, LSC is a not-for-profit organization.  Our organization depends on parental support to manage the club and raise additional funds to cover the costs of running it, so as not to impact fees directly. The following mandatory requirements for families of all competitive swimmers have been established to ensure that the Club runs smoothly:

General Volunteering

One parent/guardian per family is required to volunteer in relation to managing the club activities.  

Managing the club activities can involve different levels of commitment. Some roles require just a few hours for a day or two while others some may involve participation throughout the year.

Smaller roles may include:

• Helping at club events, i.e.  Christmas party, year-end banquet, annual swim-a-thon
• Keeping the club office tidy and organized
• Data entry for coaches
• Taking pictures at club events

Larger roles may include:

• Administration of non-competitive programs
• Managing equipment / apparel
• Coordinating swim official volunteers for club-hosted meets
• Serving on the LSC Board of Directors (this is considered a larger volunteer role)

We normally request that parents who have been with the club for a number of years take on a larger role.  Families that are new to the club are encouraged to help with smaller roles until they become familiar with club operations.  The best way to immerse yourself in your child’s sport and meet new people is to get involved!

Swim Meet Volunteering

In addition to the above, at least one parent/guardian is required to participate at all meets hosted or co-hosted by LSC.  

The number of required sessions is determined early in the season and announced at the Annual General Meeting in the fall.  Parents are then invited to sign up for sessions on a meet by meet basis. This takes place online and registration for sessions is opened to all families well in advance of the meet date.  Over the past 3 years the number of required sessions has ranged from 6 to 10 per season.

Each LSC family is responsible for volunteering as a swim official (i.e. helping on-deck as a timer, a judge of strokes and turns, or being a "runner" to deliver papers, etc.).  Often volunteers can coordinate their swim official volunteer shift with the meet sessions during which their child is swimming (and get a great seat on deck to see them swim!).  In some cases, however, families may have to volunteer at a meet in which their child is not participating. This may be the case, for example, if LSC is hosting a championship meet with specific qualifying times.

Families not meeting the meet volunteering requirements will face a financial penalty of $150 for each session missed. The fine will be determined by a sub-committee of parents/guardians chaired by the Volunteer Coordinator of the Club.

Lakeshore Swim Club usually hosts 2 or 3 swim meets throughout the year.  They can range from one day to a full weekend.  These are typically the swim meets that we host:

• LSC Club Meet – Only LSC swimmers compete in this meet, which is typically a half day with the session being anywhere from 3 to 4 hours long.
• LSC Annual Marilyn Bell Swim Classic – This is a 3 to 4-day swim meet with typically 7-10 sessions of 4 hours each.
• Gus Ryder Memorial Cup – This is a 2 to 3-day swim meet with typically 6-8 sessions of 4 horus each

Level 1 Official

At least one parent/guardian is required to complete a Level 1 Timer clinic by the end of the season.

Officials play an essential role in creating a good swimming environment for the swimmers.  In order to volunteer on deck at a swim meet as a swim official (i.e. to do #2 above), volunteers must first attend the "Level 1 Timer Clinic". The clinic explains how a swim meet is run, discusses the various swim official volunteer roles, and explains the timer’s duties on deck at a swim meet, how to work the stop watch, etc. 

Although LSC offers Level 1 Timer clinics throughout the year, parents are strongly encouraged to complete the clinic before the end of the calendar year, in order to be qualified to fulfill their officiating commitment for the season. The clinic is about 1.5-2 hours long and is conducted by our LSC parents, either during practices or on weekends so there is always a convenient time to take it.  In addition, all parents/guardians are encouraged to become qualified beyond this basic level by taking additional Swim Ontario Officials courses, e.g. Strokes & Turns Judge, Clerk of Course, etc.  

The more certified officials the Club has, the better position we are in to host meets. 

Swim Ontario holds a free officials' clinic in October and in March.  Contact the Officials Chair for more information or click on Officials on the Club website (www.lakeshoreswimclub.com).

Fundraising

Swim-A-Thon

This is our major fundraiser for the year.  It is run by Swim Ontario and each member club participates.  A portion of all money raised goes directly to our club and a small percentage goes to Swim Ontario. Your child’s participation in the annual swim-a-thon is mandatory.

The LSC swim-a-thon is run in the spring each year and our swimmers participate in a 2-hour swim in which they try to complete 5 km.  Each family is required to register online and collect donations from friends and family in order to raise money for LSC.  Each family is also required to have a parent on deck as a "counter" at this event. 

This event is a lot of fun for kids! It creates great team spirit as parents and swimmers all converge early in the morning at the pool to cheer each other on.

Supportive of Club Expectations

Parents/guardians are expected to understand and support the attendance and competitive expectations of Lakeshore Swim Club.

Each competitive group has a minimum requirement for practice and meet attendance set for the year. 

• The expectation is that swimmers will attend 80% of all practices.
• The expectation with respect to swim meets is outlined for each group in the returning swimmer package.  The following guidelines were set for the upcoming season
• For hosted and co-hosted swim meets attendance is considered mandatory.

If you have questions regarding any of the above requirements, please feel free to contact the Board of Directors at board@lakeshoreswimclub.com.  We are always happy to hear from you!