*The Pre-Team and Bronze groups have the option of committing to an annual dues, seasonal dues lump sum or a seasonal monthly option. The seasonal option commits a swimmer through the season, but can be billed in one lump sum or billed MONTHLY. Season I (September 1, 2012 – March 31, 2013) and Season II (April 1, 2013 – August 31, 2013). Season II dues commitment must be submitted prior to April 1, 2013.

**Annual Dues payments provides for a 3% pre-payment discount for full dues paid by 09/15/12.

***Annual Registration Fee includes USS Swimming Fee, team cap, team t-shirt, banquet fee and administrative fee. This is an annual charge only.

Hilton Head Aquatics Financial Obligations and Considerations

Welcome H2A swim families!  The most common swim club model in the US is the parent governed club. Parent governed clubs are generally nonprofit organizations governed by a board of directors made up of parents.Hilton Head Aquatics Swim Team is a non-profit Parent Governed Club. Our Board of Directors, in conjunction with the Head Coach, develops an annual budget. Team fees, dues and fundraising needs are determined by the projected annual expenses of the Club. Many of our expenses are fixed; therefore, required to be paid regardless of the number of swimmers in the water at any given time. After close to 30 years of creating H2A club budgets, with attempts at several different dues and fundraising structures, the Board has determined that we must join the majority of other club membership structures and become a team that requires a “season” swim commitment rather than a month to month program.

The following is a list of expectations and requirements that all parents must review and agree to before joining the Hilton Head Aquatics Swim Team (H2A) year round swim program.

ANNUAL DUES

Annual dues are based upon your swimmer(s)’ group assignment. By signing this agreement you and your swimmer are committing to a season. If your swimmer(s) is in the Pre-Team or Bronze groups your season commitment is for Season I, September 1 – March 31, or Season II, April 1 – August 31. If your swimmer(s) is in the Silver, Gold, or Senior groups, your season is annual.  Regardless of swim practice schedules or attendance, monthly dues remain the same for the agreed upon season your athlete has registered for. Meaning, if you decide to take a family vacation or break during Christmas , Spring or Summer break, your team dues will be owed September through August for Silver, Gold and Senior and for all of Season I and/or Season II for Pre-Team and Bronze groups. 

Pre-Team and/or Bronze Group Payment Options:

The club offers each family a choice of three payment schedules. Option I includes a three percent (3 %) discount for full payment of annual dues for both Seasons I and II combined, season ending August 31^st. This must be paid by September 15^th. Option II provides for one lump payment of season dues with an option to re-register for Season II, and Option III provides for seven (7) monthly installments for Season I with an option to re-register for Season II. Season II includes five (5) monthly installments. No additional registration fee is required for Season II.

Silver, Gold and Senior Group Payment Options:

The club offers each family a choice of two payment schedules. Option I includes a three percent (3%) discount for full payment of annual dues. This must be paid by September 15^th. Option II provides for 12 monthly installments. 

If a swimmer is moved to a different practice group during the year, the family will be billed the revised amount for each remaining month in the contract period.

Payment Method:

H2A utilizes the Team Unify Process Pink Payments Plan. Please set up your account on our team website, h2aswim.com, to process your Visa or Master Card payments. Sorry, Discover or American Express cards are not accepted. All payments are automatically processed on the first of each month with your credit card being charged accordingly. By reviewing this agreement, you agree that your credit card information is current, available and in good standing for monthly invoice processing. An automatic late fee will be assessed to your account if your credit card is declined, missing or includes an invalid expiration date. If you are unable to utilize this payment method, it is your responsibility to notify the team Treasurer and establish an alternative advance payment method. All costs associated with this alternative payment method will be your responsibility. 

H2A welcomes new members to the team throughout the year. If your swimmer joins the team after the 15^th of the month, you will be required to pay a full month of dues. As a courtesy, we will credit your billing account for ½ a month of dues the following month. 

H2A understands that life can be unpredictable. If a swimmer or swim family finds that their obligations cannot be met please contact our Head Coach and Treasurer. All family information is kept confidential.   

REGISTRATION FEE

There is a non-refundable annual registration fee of $179 due at the time of your swimmer(s)’ registration.  The registration fee is for all swimmers and this fee covers the team t-shirt, team cap with logo, banquet swimmer gift, team administrative fee, and the USA Swimming Registration (see below).  Each swimmer is required to register every year in August/September.  Those who join at a different time of the year, will pay the registration fee when they join the program and again in the first August/September of their membership year. 

USA SWIMMING REGISTRATION/MEMBERSHIP/INSURANCE

Every athlete who competes or practices is a USA Swimming sanctioned event must register with and become a member of USA Swimming, Inc. Renewable, each year, this registration fee is paid through H2A’s registration fee. Included with this registration fee is excess medical accident insurance that covers the athlete at any sanctioned event or supervised practice. 

FUNDRAISING PLEDGE

Revenue from fund raising, corporate sponsorships and swim meets constitutes a significant part of the H2A operating budget. All swimmers are required to participate in our annual fundraisers – the Swim Marathon and Birdies for Charity functions. The minimum pledge for Silver, Gold and Senior swim families is $500, Bronze swimmer only families is $300, and Pre-Team swimmer only families are asked to contribute amounts equal to their family’s ability.  As a courtesy, this pledge may be paid in full at the beginning of the season, billed monthly with your dues, or you may satisfy it by raising $300 at the Swim Marathon and $200 for the Birdies for Charity or a combination thereof, inclusive of any monies raised for corporate sponsor memberships.  If you select to not pay the fundraising pledges in advance or on a monthly basis, monies not raised for each of the items will be billed at the completion of each of the perspective fundraisers. Pledges, corporate sponsorships and fund raising amounts received by H2A qualify as charitable contributions and are deductible on your appropriate tax forms. (Please review the information on the Corporate Sponsorship tab for additional information and guidance.) The Board would like to stress that although we are asking for $300 or $500 pledge, we welcome any additional fundraising assistance to help fund additional program needs. These are fundraising minimum amounts only. 

To accommodate mid-year registrations dated after December, the Board agrees to pro-rate your minimum fundraising pledge. Please contact the Team Treasurer for additional guidance regarding your fundraising pledge for mid-year registrants. 

MEET FEES

Meet information is located on our website under the EVENTS tab. We ask that you “check” your swimmer into the event for all meets your swimmer plans to attend prior to the stated deadline.  You can check them in via the team website or by contacting your swimmer’s coach. All meet fees will be billed to your team account after the meet date. Once an initial meet file is sent to the meet host, no changes can be made to your attendance. Meet hosts do not refund teams for swimmers who were committed but did not show up for the meet. H2A encourages all swimmers to attend meets their group is eligible to swim. Because our coaches travel costs are a fixed expense, if your swimmer’s group is on the schedule to attend a meet, each swimmer in that group will be billed a $25 Coaches’ Travel fee per swimmer for regular level meets whether the swimmer chooses to attend the meet. The Coaches’ Travel Fee for High Level Meets will be $100 (Age Group Sectional level and higher meets). Swimmers’ meet participation is crucial to maintaining their focus and an opportunity to measure their practice and skill performance. No Coaches’ Travel Fee is charged for our local meets. 

LATE FEES CALCULATION

Dues and all other monthly charges should be paid on the first of each month. If charges are not paid by the tenth (10^th) of the month, a late fee of $25 for the first late payment, $50 for the second late payment and $75 for all other late payments, will be automatically accessed to your billing account. It is your responsibility to contact the Treasurer to remedy payment issues to avoid having your swimmer’s privileges being suspended. 

VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENTS

Parent involvement is extremely important for our team to be successful.  All families, except Pre-Team Families, are required to sign up for at least one committee or volunteer a minimum of 20 hours per year (10 for short course and 10 for long course).  Each family must work the minimum required sessions for each H2A hosted meet. If a family chooses not to work, they will be assessed $25.00 for not participating per event. Family volunteer hours are tracked by utilizing the H2A Team Unify website Job Sign Ups. We are scheduled to host 5 home meets in 2012/2013 season. Three of the meets are developmental meets and the other 2 meets are open to all team members. Meet participation is important to the development of your swimmers and provides wonderful team-bonding opportunities. Parent volunteer jobs are inclusive of but not limited to: timing, concessions, set up and tear down, officiating, bull pen facilitating, and working our timing system equipment. A 20 hour time commitment per year can easily be met by working our team hosted meets. The Board welcomes any offers of help on our various committees. Please contact our Board Secretary with committee membership requests. 

TEAM SWIM APPAREL AND EQUIPMENT NEEDS

All swimmers are asked to purchase the team designated suit chosen by the Head Coach.  All team equipment needs are categorized by group and apparel may be found on our website, www.h2aswim.com, click on the TEAM GEAR tab; User name is hiltonhead and password is terps. 

DECK & SWIM PARENT PROTOCOLS

Parents are encouraged to be cheerleaders for their swimmers.  Coaches should not be approached during practice or meets.  This is a professional courtesy to our coaching staff.  Parents, if watching practice, must sit on the bleachers during practice.  At no time should a parent coach or instruct their child while on deck.  If this takes place, there will be a warning by the Head Coach.  If it happens again, the parent will be removed from the deck for a period of time to be determined by the Head Coach with board approval.  Each coach has office hours and can be reached via e-mail or phone.  Parent/swimmer meetings are important, please schedule them accordingly. 

Our main line of communication is our web site, www.h2aswim.com .  Please provide us with your e-mail address.  We also post information on the bulletin board and place items in your folders in the GREEN box on deck.  Please check these areas daily!  Updates are done to the web site each day.