HOW TO JOIN THE MASTERS SWIM PROGRAM

Follow this step-by-step guide to join the team.

  1. Learn about the team. Read About Us or find us on the U.S. Masters website.
  2. Register for the team. https://www.swimpac.org/page/join-us/register-now1?event_id=1495171  Complete the registration form and select "Masters Drop-In" registration. This is currently our only option for Masters programming. Once you are registered, we will be able to take attendance and bill your account for drop-ins! (In the future, we hope to have monthly membership options.)
  3. Create an account. You'll receive an email with login credentials after your register. Here you can add a photo to your member profile, access your billing information, review workouts, and more! You can also see what our youth swim program is up to!
  4. Register for U.S. Masters Swimming. Go to their U.S. Masters Swimming website to join or renew your membership. 
  5. Send us your U.S. Masters Swimming ID. Email to Coach Chelsea before your first practice. We need this information for our insurance coverage.

 

Membership FAQs

It's normal to have a lot of questions when you start something new. Here are answers to the questions we hear most often.

How do I know if I am ready for a Masters team?
Portland Masters welcomes swimmers at all levels. The skills below create the foundation for a positive and successful experience.
  • Ability to swim 200 yards of one or a combination of the 4 competitive strokes: freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly
  • Ability to swim a workout of 45-75 minutes duration
  • Familiar with standards of lane etiquette 

Check out the U.S Masters FAQ if you want to learn more! 

What can I expect the workouts to be like?
Workout options will be provided to meet the needs of the group!

There will always be a beginner workout option consisting of stroke development drills and ranging from 1000-2000 yards.

There will be an intermediate/advanced workout that consisting of more aerobic and speed training, and will range from 2000-4000 yards. We like to incorporate variety into our workouts! Some days will be longer and more volume-based, some days will be shorter and more speed-based, and some days will be slower and more technique-based.

Some days, Coach Chelsea will lead the intermediate/advanced workout from in the water and will be available to assist the beginner group for minor questions whenever needed. Some days, she will coach on deck to provide more structured coaching support to both workouts. The structure will largely depend on the day and the needs of the whole group!

Feedback is always welcome! If there is something that you feel like is missing from your workout, don't hesitate to ask for what you need!

Do I have to compete in meets or competitions in order to join?
You do not have to compete in order to join! Portland Masters will offer swim workouts for all who are interested in able. The whole point of Masters swimming is a fun, community-building environment and we envision that there will be swimmers with different backgrounds and interests all coming together!

We will compete in Masters swim meets and virtual competitions whenever possible, and anyone is welcome to join these if they feel interested!

Does Portland Masters offer any adult learn-to-swim programming?
PMAC does not currently offer any learn-to-swim programming. We hope that we can work towards providing this service in the future.

Stay tuned for future updates!

What if it doesn't work out?
We hope that we make you feel welcome! If the team is not the right fit, you may withdraw at any time.

Our current structure is drop-in only, so if it doesn't feel right for you, let our coaches know and we can easily pause or suspend your account.

What if I have other questions not addressed here?
To connect with our coaching staff, please email:  [email protected]