CAC Groups & Fees
The following is a description of each swim group. For pricing, jump to the Fee section at the bottom of the page.
Swim Training and Competition Groups
Swim Lessons (with KNIK Aquatics): This program is open for swimmers 4 and up and focuses on introducing children to swimming, developing basic water skills, and teaching water safety. We offer four levels designed to prepare students for Basic Stroke School.
Expectations:
- Lessons are 30 minutes twice each week
Lessons Levels:
- KNIK, in collaboration with CAC, uses a dynamic advancement approach that is not structured around a predermined set number of lessons and considers maturity and readiness in tandem with skill development to determine advancement. You can view the skill progression for lessons levels at the following links:
Note: Lessons are offered by CAC instructors through KNIK Aquatics. During your child's time in lessons you will be a part of both organizations. There is no additional cost to be a member of KNIK Aquatics but you will receive correspondence from this organization.
Stroke School: This program is for children six and up who already have some comfort in the water and are able to swim 25 yards of any stroke. This program will focus on developing basic stroke and safety skills including crawl stroke (freestyle), breaststroke, backstroke, underwater swimming, diving, treading, streamlining, and sculling. Stroke School also prepares new swimmers for joining the team. We’ve even had some Stroke Schoolers swim in their first meet!
Prerequisites:
- Comfortable and independent in deep water
- Performs front and back glides in streamline unassisted for five yards
- Able to perform repeated bobs with rythmic breathing out underwater with single breath in at the surface
- Ability to swim 25 yards of freestyle or crawl stroke without stopping
- Ability to kick using a board correctly
Expectations:
- Stroke School swimmers are expected to attend two to three 45-minute practices per week
- Adherence to Safe Sport and Code of Conduct requirements
Bronze: This is the entry level for Chugiak Aquatics Club. At the Bronze level, swimmers work on technique for all four strokes, build their endurance, and learn to set goals. They also learn how to swim competitively by participating in meets (time trials, invitational meets, etc.).
Prerequisites:
- Correct backstroke and freestyle stroke technique
- Free: Side breath every other, 3rd or 4th stroke
- Free: Correct catch-up stroke
- Free: High elbow catch and complete power phase
- 3 or 6 beat kick
- Back: Thumb to pinkie recovery
- Effective propulsion with fingers pointed away from the body in the catch to power phase
- Correct breastroke kick with arm pull in development
- Correct dolphin and flutter kick in streamline
- Ability to underwater dolphin and flutter 10 yards in streamline
- Butterfly in development
- Ability to swim 10 repeat 25s of freestyle and backstroke on a 45-50 second interval
- Abiliity to kick with board or streamline on the back 25 yard repeats on 50-60 second interval
- Demonstrated coachability and effort
Expectations:
- Attend three to four 1-hour practices per week
- Participate in at least three swim meets each year
- Intention to compete in championship competitions when qualified
- Adherence to Safe Sport and Code of Conduct requirements
Silver: At this level, swimmers will develop more sophisticated stroke technique, and up their endurance training. Additionally, swimmers will begin to set longer-term goals. Meet attendance is stepped up from the Bronze level, as Silver swimmers participate in more meets, including championships (in-state, with the potential to go out of state).
Prerequisites:
- Ability to swim ten repeat 50s of freestyle, back, and breast on a 1:00 interval
- Ability to swim repeat 50s butterfly on a 1:10 interval or 25s on a :45 interval
- Ability to swim 8 repeat 100s freestyle on a 2:00 interval
- Correct breaststroke technique
- Correct butterfly technique with some developmental imperfections
- Ability to execute flip turns
- Executes underwater streamlines from the walls
- Safe start from block in shallow or deep water (completion of start certification)
- Demonstrated coachability and effort
Expectations:
- Attend three to five 1.5 hour practices per week
- Participate in at least five swim meets each year
- Intention to compete in championship competitions when qualified
- Adherence to Safe Sport and Code of Conduct requirements
Gold: At the Gold level, swimmers have demonstrated their commitment to the sport. Swimmers fine-tune their stroke technique, increase workout intensity, and incorporate dryland into their training. Swimmers train for statewide and out-of-state meets (including Alaska Junior Olympics, PNS Regionals, Senior Sectionals, etc.). In addition to elevated training, Gold-level swimmers serve as role models to younger swimmers.
Prerequisites and Expectations:
- Attitude:
- We before me
- Perspective of WANT TO, GET TO not HAVE TO
- Positive work ethic at ALL practices
- Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between work and appropriate socialization
- Positive team interaction and example setting
- Proper care for equipment (no bag dragging)
- Attendance:
- Committment to 90% attendance and 0 unexcused abscenses
- Prior or ASAP notification for non-attendance
- Arrive behind the blocks 5-10 minutes prior to the start of practice
- Technique and Work Prerequisites
- Competency in butterfly, backstroke, breastroke and freestyle
- Committment to 100% use of flipturns
- Minimum three dolphin kick streamline off of every turn or start without exception
- Ability to swim events without DQs (8 repeats of 25 yards each stroke without DQ)
- Execute underwater dolphins to 10 meters from a push
- Ability to swim 8 repeat 50s of the four competitive strokes on a :45 to :60 second interval
- Ability to swim 10 - 20 repeat 100s freestyle on the 1:45 interval while maintaining correct technique, turns and streamlines
- Ability to swim 4 repeat 200s freestyle on a 3:00 interval
- Ability to complete 6 repeat 100 IMs on a 1:50 interval without a DQ
- Ability to participate in 4,000 to 6,000 yard two-hour workouts with sustained effort and minimal stops
- Demonstrated coachability and effort
- Self Care and Safe Sport
- Participation in dryland and injury prevention programs
- Committment to a healty diet that supports high level athletic participation and development
- Committment to reporting injuries to the coach in a timely manner
- Adherence to Safe Sport and Code of Conduct requirements
- Competition
- Active participation in multiple meets
- Participate in active goal setting and reflection
- Compete in statewide championship competitions when qualified
- Intention to compete in national competitions when qualified
Platinum: This group is designed for swimmers with plans for regional and national competition (Senior Champs, JO’s, Senior Sectionals, Junior Nationals, Olympic Trials, etc.). The Platinum group offers swimmers a more tailored swim and dryland program, with the expectation of increased commitment to the club and program. As with the Gold Level, Platinum swimmers are expected to serve as role models to the younger swimmers on the team.
Prerequisites and Expectations:
- Attitude:
- We before me
- Perspective of WANT TO, GET TO not HAVE TO
- Positive work ethic at ALL practices
- Positive team interaction and example setting
- Proper care for equipment (no bag dragging)
- Attendance:
- Committment to 90% attendance and 0 unexcused abscenses
- Prior or ASAP notification for non-attendance
- Arrive behind the blocks 5-10 minutes prior to the start of practice
- Technique and Work
- Competency in butterfly, backstroke, breastroke and freestyle
- Ability to swim events without DQs
- Execute underwater dolphins to 15 meters from a push
- Ability to swim ten repeat 50s of the four competitive strokes on a :30 to :45 second interval
- Ability to swim 20-30 repeat 100s of the four competitive strokes on the 1:30 interval
- Ability to swim 8 repeat 200s freestyle on a 2:45 interval
- Ability to complete 5-7 200 IMs on a 3:30 interval without a DQ
- Ability to participate in 5,000 to 7,000 yard two-hour workouts with sustained effort
- Demonstrated coachability and effort
- Self Care and Safe Sport
- Participation in dryland and injury prevention programs
- Committment to a healty diet that supports high level athletic participation and development
- Committment to reporting injuries to the coach in a timely manner
- Adherence to Safe Sport and Code of Conduct requirements
- Competition
- Active participation in multiple meets
- Participate in active goal setting and reflection
- Compete in statewide championship competitions when qualified
- Intention to compete in national competitions when qualified
Fee Information
The following fee information goes in effect March 1st, 2021.
Initiation Fee (one-time cost): $75.00 per family upon joining the team
USA Swimming Yearly Registration Fee: This fee supports the mission of USA and Alaska Swimming for training and competition, including meet participation, insurance coverage, and resources for parents and swimmers like Deck Pass and Splash Magazine. Two fee options include:
- Full Membership: $84.00 - Includes all benefits and access to unlimited competitions each year. This option is required for athletes beginning at the Bronze level.
- Flex Membership: $20.00 - Includes access to two competitive events or time trials per year. This option is for Lesson and Stroke School athletes only.
| Training Group | Monthly Fee |
| Small Group In Water Lessons |
$100 |
| Stroke School |
$100 |
| Bronze |
$120 |
| Silver |
$140 |
| Gold |
$155 |
| Platinum |
$170 |
Strength Training Dues: Dryland strength and agility training is an important part of a swimmer's development. Strength training is supplemental to our in-water programs at Chugiak and Bartlett pools. Athletes (Gold Group and up) are encouraged to participate at the appropriate level two to three times per week.
- Strength Training Dues: $20 per month
Monthly Dues Cap: We have some wonderfully large families on our team and, therefore, offer the following family cap for monthly dues: $380.00 per month
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Inactive Status and Dues: Swimmers may choose to be inactive for a period of time for a variety of reasons. The team, however, does continue to incur fixed costs that make our program possible. Payment of inactive dues reserves your swimmer's place on the team and helps to support our ongoing program.
A swimmer may be placed into inactive status by emailing the billing administrator one week prior to the month that inactive status is expected to begin. Refunds will not be granted for requests received after this date. If a special circumstance arises after the start of the month, please get in touch. Note: Inactive athletes will be charged for the yearly USA Swimming registration.
- Inactive Dues: $25.00 per month
Reinstatement Fee: $75.00 - To reinstate a previously cancelled membership
High School Season: During high school season, members may choose to enter into inactive status and will be charged the inactive fee. The team does offer additional optional training to high school swimmers that includes in-water technique sessions and dryland training at the team gym.
- High School Season Optional Participation Dues: $100.00 per month (includes team gym access)
Late Payments: In order to meet the monthly costs for the team including payroll and pool rental among others, it is critical that accounts are paid on a regular basis as the margin is thin. A late fee will be charged on accounts not paid in full by the 15th of the month.
- Late Payment Fee: $25.00
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Home School Swimmers: The Chugiak Aquatics Club supports home school students and is a vendor with the Anchorage School District. Families are expected to keep their accounts up to date while waiting on Home School reimbursements.
The Billing Cycle: Each month, members will receive a billing summary during the last week of the month. Members are encouraged to review this summary and their account for accuracy, then contact the billing administrator if there are any questions. All charges for services will occur on the 1st of the month. Accounts that are set up for auto-payment will be charged on this date. Members can choose to use a credit card or direct bank payment and may execute these payments in their online team account. Members choosing to pay by check should make the check out to Chugiak Aquatics Club, LLC and mail to:
A Note About Swim Meet Fees: Fees for participation in swim meets vary depending on the hosting team and the nature of the meet. Swim meet fees usually include a per swimmer charge of between $20-$30 and a per event charge of $2.50-$3.50. The fees are used to pay the pool rental and associated costs for the meets. In addition, a portion of the charges supports statewide swimming as well as the host club's fundraising. Meet fees are not refundable after the sign-up deadline.
Volunteer Policy: CAC does have a volunteer requirement for Bronze level and up. Click HERE to read the CAC Volunteer Policy. All proceeds collected pursuant to this policy are paid to Chugiak Aquatics Club, Boosters to support our team.
A Note About KNIK Aquatics: KNIK Aquatics is a 501c3 Corporation whose mission is to promote water safety and swimming instruction for Alaska youth. The KNIK Aquatics board maintains a gaming license and provides financial support for lessons and stroke school programs. This partnership is a significant source of funding for pool rentals during lesson and stroke school programs.
Questions?
Any questions about billing, dues, and fees are welcome. Please call 907-854-8740 or email [email protected]
