PURPOSE – Our swim team’s purpose is to promote team and individual accomplishments, to encourage good sportsmanship, and to provide a safe environment for all that participate. Above all it should be fun for everyone.

AGES – The Marlins is open to all swimmers ages 3-18 (May 1st of the current season is the age cut-off date).

QUALIFICATIONS – How do I know if my child is ready for swim team? The safety of our children is paramount; each child joining the MNW Marlins must be “water safe” and demonstrate the ability to function in the water. Water safe requirements include the ability to swim one length of the pool. Holding lane ropes or the pool wall periodically is acceptable, but swimmer must be able to swim one pool length without using personal assistance or advancing using the lane rope or wall. The Head Coach and the Marlin assistant coaches working in conjunction during the New Swimmer Water Safe Evaluation period will determine the water safe ability of each child tested. If a child is determined to not be water safe, they will continue in the Mini Marlins program until they can pass the water safe test.

The MNW Home Owners Association grants the privilege of using the MNW Community Center pool. As with any privilege, certain stipulations must be met to maintain permission to enjoy the granted privilege. The MNW HOA requires that MNW homeowner’s HOA dues must be current and paid in full. If MNW HOA dues are not current the family will not be allowed to participate with Marlin Swim team, until the dues are paid.

REGISTRATION – Pre-registration can be started by going to MNW Marlins website (memorialnwmarlins.swimtopia.com) and clicking the "Register Now" button on the right side the web site. This does not complete registration, you still must attend an in person registration to make your payment. See Marlins schedule for dates and locations.  If you cannot make one of the registration dates, please contact the membership chair to make other arrangements.

Family registration fees are as follows:

1st swimmer: $185

2nd swimmer: $155

Additional swimmers: $125

If payment is not received at the closing of last designated registration day (as noted on the schedule) you will be considered a late registration and subject to late registration fees. A late registration incurs an additional $25 fee per late swimmer registered.

REFUNDS - After new swimmer evaluations, but before practices, refunds will be issued at 100% of the original swimmers fee (swimsuit voucher must be returned for full refund). After the first day of practice up until Time Trials, refunds will be issued at 50% of the original swimmers fee.  After Time Trials, NO refunds will be issued.  There will be a $35 charge for all returned checks. Hardship cases can and will be reviewed by the MNW Marlins Board.

AGE GROUPS- In order to maintain a competitive environment, NWAL groups swimmers by age. The age cutoff is May 1st of that year’s swim season. Based on the ability of the swimmer and the competitiveness of the meet, a coach may decide to have a swimmer compete in a higher age group but a swimmer is never permitted to swim in a lower age group. The competitive age groups set by NWAL are as follows: ages 6 & under, ages 7 & 8, ages 9 & 10, ages 11 & 12, ages 13 & 14, and ages 15 & up.

TEAM PRACTICES - Practice is set by the Marlins’ Board with assistance from the Coaches and based on the availability of pool. Swimmers are expected to be on time and attend as many practices as possible. Our coaches have so much to teach each day; it really helps if the swimmers are on time and ready to swim.

IF IT RAINS – If it is raining during your swimmer’s practice time, we follow the guidelines for inclement weather during meets.

THE MEETS – There are five (5) regular (dual) meets this year.  All meets are held on Saturday mornings. Warm ups start around 7:00 a.m. and the meet starts at 8:30 a.m. The meet consists of 80 events and will end between 12 & 2 PM. (This is dependent upon number of swimmers and pool sizes. Pool associations govern this. They have contracts to residents to open at a certain time. Some events may be cut short in order to honor pool association’s requirements.) Having swimmers at the ready bench on time will make a difference on how well and how quickly the meets are completed.

GOOD VOLUNTEERS – We can’t stress how important good volunteers are to the team’s success. Please realize that all the Board Members and Lead Volunteers have spent a great number of hours to get the season under way. Now that the meets have begun, we need additional help to run the meets because of the large number of jobs that have to be done. Thank you for your help. Families can select certain volunteer duties on the marlin website http://memorialnwmarlins.swimtopia.com/ prior to the swim meet. The volunteer chair, in order to facilitate a smooth meet, has the authority to pre-assign, adjust or change volunteer positions.

A volunteer fee of $500.00 is COLLECTED (not deposited) at the beginning of the season to help provide incentive and ensure that all swim parents fully involve themselves in their child’s summer swim team experience. Volunteers are needed to help ensure a safe, efficient and fun experience for all swimmers, families and visitors to MNW Marlins meets. The volunteer checks are held until the end of the swim season and the volunteer chair reviews each family’s volunteer status. The number of volunteer credits changes from year to year depending on the number of families that sign up for the swim team. Plan on volunteering at every swim meet your swimmer participates in. In order to have your volunteer deposit returned, you have to meet that year’s volunteer requirements. Volunteering for Time Trials is mandatory, if your child is swimming at those events. No more than 2 volunteer credits will be allowed per family per meet, unless there are special circumstances and you have approval from the volunteer chair. If you do not meet the volunteer requirements stipulated, then the $500.00 volunteer check will be forfeited. It can’t be stressed enough that the Marlins HOPE TO NOT CASH any volunteer checks. If you are having or expect problems obtaining your volunteer credits feel free to contact the volunteer chair or any of the other board members.

NEED HELP? – Get to know your Board Members and Lead Volunteers. There are plenty of experienced parents and swimmers that can answer most of your questions. After one or two meets most of this will seem second hand. Learn more about NWAL at www.nwal.org.