USA Swimming has voted to pass an increase at the rate which USA Swimming members’ dues increase. Specifically, from 2015-2024, membership dues for most classes will increase by $2 per year, rather than the $1 per year currently approved.
To see the dues schedule through 2014 for all groups, click here.
By the end of its life in 2024, USA Swimming dues for year-round athletes will have increased to $70, as compared to the $49 charged in 2013.
USA Swimming President Bruce Stratton, earlier today, called it the “most important item” voted on by the House of Delegates. Chuck Wielgus made it a major advocacy point in his State of the Sport address. USA Swimming’s leadership made it clear all weekend that this dues increase was one of their primary objectives for this year’s convention.
Wielgus outlined what these dues would go for, and the 6 items he outlined would primarily be benefits for people who aren’t paying USA Swimming dues, and specifically to recruit new members. Among them include establishing a “Leadership Program” to develop the next generation of volunteer and staff leaders, work to recruit more athletes to the sport, and provide welcome packages to graduates of learn-to-swim programs.
It would also invest in more opportunities for junior athletes to get “high performance training” and expand mentoring opportunities at the LSC level through a new program called “Coach University.”
Rather than developing these programs at the local level, these dues will funnel through USA Swimming to produce these programs.
Below, see a table of membership rates from 2004-2024, plus what portion of that increase is eaten up by inflation.
| Year Round Athlete/Non-Athlete Individual | $40 at end of 2004, plus inflation* | |
| 2004 | $40 | $40.00 |
| 2005 | $41 | $41.36 |
| 2006 | $42 | $42.69 |
| 2007 | $43 | $43.90 |
| 2008 | $44 | $45.59 |
| 2009 | $45 | $45.43 |
| 2010 | $46 | $46.17 |
| 2011 | $47 | $47.63 |
| 2012 | $48 | $48.62 |
| 2013 | $49 | $49.23 |
| 2014 | $50 | $49.85 |
| 2015 | $52 | $50.48 |
| 2016 | $54 | $51.11 |
| 2017 | $56 | $51.76 |
| 2018 | $58 | $52.41 |
| 2019 | $60 | $53.07 |
| 2020 | $62 | $53.74 |
| 2021 | $64 | $54.42 |
| 2022 | $66 | $55.10 |
| 2023 | $68 | $55.80 |
| 2024 | $70 | $56.50 |
*Source for rate of inflation: U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics from 2004-2012, actual. Forward-looking inflation rate of 1.26% annually projected by Bloomberg Business Week.
Great ideas CE! I’d love to get some information from USA Swimming – I don’t even have my kids’ swimmer cards. Plus, I would love info on how to enter out-of-LSC meets. Coaches aren’t providing this and nor is USASwimming.
Go to the LSC Websites and look up their meet schedules. Click on the meet forms and they should have eligibility requirements. Some meets are open to all USA Swimming members, some are open to specific teams plus out of district, some are closed, etc. The USA Swimming website has links to all LSC websites (Member Resources / Governance & LSC’s / LSC Websites).
Also, look at the USA Swimming website under events. There are many events open to all USA Swimming members.
The welcome packages should go to the home addresses of all new members after the initial year. The initial year should include literature to the home address of ALL USA Swimming members. The literature should include information about what USA Swimming is and how it relates to the athletes. The literature should educate the families on the resources available and the responsibilities of the LSC’s and clubs. The literature should educate the families about the ability to enter meets in different LSC’s and/or meets the team chooses not to attend but the athlete would like to attend. The literature should educate the athletes and parents about the online education courses to recognize warning signs of abuse. Etc., etc., etc.
I… Read more »
Anon, did you come on this thread to gripe about the club you pay dues to?
OMG! You are something Coacherik! My original post stated that the USA Swimming fees are the cheapest part of swimming (even with the increase)! My original post also said that I felt that MANY TEAMS charge outrageous registration fees. I never mentioned Heartland Aquatics or Coach Erik.
I also think that there is a lot of USEFUL information on the USA Swimming website, especially the times database (that alone is worth the $50.00 to not have to record individual times).
I really don’t think the increase in USA Swimming membership will drive members away, but I DO know the upfront fees SOME teams charge DO drive potential members away – whether you agree or not.
Seems that you… Read more »
Isn’t it pretty obvious to all in the know that this additional revenue is needed primarily for the legal defense fund? That and of course lobbying expenses to oppose laws that would open the door to even more legal defense expenses for USAS Administrators who have historically failed to act in good faith to rid the sport of the creeps who give the “good guys” in the sport a bad name!!!
How do you propose nonprofit or coach owned clubs to operate in a revenue and expense sharing when they are separate financial entities? It’s the nature of the beast and your desire to have team fees travel with swimmers is wishful thinking. Parent Board teams run as nonprofits, a team registration fee gets money up front and ensures some financial stability. Going after unpaid monthly dues is hard enough as it is, especially when you don’t have much power or funds to do so. Some teams don’t have annual fees or fundraising, but higher monthly fees.
You should offer ideas and solutions to go with your demands, you might gain some traction.
What demands? My opinion is that some clubs charge outrageous upfront fees – Are you one of these teams? You’re obviously sensitive to this fact. Yes, USA Swimming annual fee is cheap compared to some clubs annual registration fees (not counting club dues).
I for one would rather the club dues be $15.00 more per month than $150.00 up front. The fact is, some people cannot afford it and it IS a factor in the decision making process for some families as to whether or not their kid will get to try the sport!
I never said swim team fees should travel with the swimmer – I don’t think teams should be charging outrageous registration fees. Charge a $30.00 –… Read more »
Sorry, for assuming you were demanding, “suggesting” clubs to operate on low upfront fees and higher monthly fees… Also apologies for assuming that you were talking about something along the lines of transferring fees, took that from this statement at the end of that paragraph/train of thought: “At least the USA Swimming fee follows the athlete for a year.”
As for being sensitive to the subject, yes. Anytime someone comes on the thread anonymously and says fees here are ridiculous or monthly dues there are out of control without knowing a situation is going to be subject to a little bit of this. Are you a swim parent, parent board member, LSC board member?
Do you know the cost of… Read more »
A good way to help keep money in your pocket would be to switch your team management platform, there are much better options that don’t charge you monthly fees. We made the switch and it has given us more money for pool rental and coach salaries. Plus, allows for me to add and drop swimmers without paying a per swimmer fee.
Coach Erik
Looked at your team fees and the teams I am referring to charge more than double what you are charging for monthly dues. In fact, your lowest level is $50.00 per month versus ours at $140.00 per month for our lowest level. Also, many teams I am referring to charge multiple months of dues upfront and do not allow monthly payments.
Yes, I do know the costs of running a business and I also know when people are being taken advantage of – like mandating families donate items for a snack shack and then selling the items back to the same families (even the kids saw this as a problem).
A teams fees prevent you from changing teams in the middle of the season? That’s seems a bit unreasonable to ask for a teams fees to be low..
Most teams offer a trial period, although it maybe for 2-3 weeks. That’s a pretty decent window into a program.
Mid-season, 2 months down the line, 5 months – whatever. An athlete may not like the environment, the team may not be a good fit, the kid may hate the sport, the coaches may be awful, etc. There are many reasons an athlete may want to try another club. Annual registration fees some clubs charge per swimmer are outrageous! The club already has the returning swimmers information so why charge $150.00 to re-register.
I know many kids who could not even try the sport because of the high initial fees. The first month: $150.00 registration, $50.00 USA Swimming, $150.00 monthly club dues = $400.00 to try the sport for one month! At least the USA Swimming fee follows the athlete… Read more »
I totally agree, luckily I started when I was young. I feel that expecting for teams to charge less is a hard thing to do though. My old team in Utah has a very high membership fee, the reason though? Lane space at the pool we practice it is extremely high with 3clubs practicing there plus in the winter 2high school teams, and we don’t have any other available options unless we want all out swimmer to drive 30-45 minutes to another pool. This was in Utah where there are not tons of pools. Moving to Southern California, most of the swimmers have just accepted the high fees as any team you go to will have high fees. The current… Read more »
The USA Swimming membership is the cheapest part of swimming. I feel that the clubs need to reel in their registration fees which makes it unaffordable to change teams mid-season. In fact, the club registration fees make it unaffordable for an athlete to even try the sport to see if it is something they would enjoy.
how about usa swimming stops sucking at marketing this sport.