Why
Riptide?
Riptide Swim Team
is a privately owned team. The owner, Jim Wise, has a
lifelong passion for swimming which is demonstrated through
his Wise Swim School. His vision for those swimmers who
graduate from the lesson program led to the creation of the Riptide
Swim Team and the building of Bluewater Aquatic Center. The
swimmers who successfully completed the Team Prep program at the
swim school needed the next level of competition and training that
provided the same high level of quality that the swim school is
famous for providing.
The Wise team
determined that to provide the best environment for the swimmers, a
competitive team needed to be created from the ground up. In
order to do that, 4 elite coaches were commissioned, a new 25 yard
pool was built and the team started taking registrations.
During the summer of 2012 over 200 young athletes joined the
team. Practices started in September of 2012 at a
local school district pool, but quickly moved to the private
facility in October when Bluewater Aquatic Center opened. In
less than four years the team has grown to over 400 swimmers, added
10 assistant coaches and multiple administrative support
positions. In addition, a new training pool opens at Bluewater
in May of 2016 to support current and future
growth.
Although the team
is privately owned and operated it is still a not-for-profit
business. The team was created to offer a superior swimming
experience in a safe, friendly, and elite environment, while still
keeping it affordable. The team’s monthly fees
cover coaching and administrative salaries and pool rental.
All other expenses are supported through fundraising by the
team. It is more expensive to have a private pool like
Bluewater Aquatic Center. Raising monthly fees can limit the
ability for some families to participate. We don’t ever
want finances to deter swimmers. Therefore we choose to do
fundraising.
Our number one
priority is to provide the best training for our the
swimmers. However, there are many more aspects of a swim team
that require attention in order to create the best experience
possible. Below you will find highlights of what you can
expect from Riptide:
- Personal assessments for
one on one placement of the swimmer
- Swimmer and parent
feedback surveys
- Coaches choose meet
events for the swimmers that align with their training
plans
- Private facility w/ 15
lanes - Riptide is the first priority. Practice schedules
are consistent.
- Coaches focus on
coaching. Riptide has administrative and front desk
staff to manage the other aspects of running a competitive swim
team
- Seasonal parent meetings,
new parent orientation, Team Unify training
- Mentoring program for new
swim parents
- Team
photos
- Special educational
events, guest speaker, technique clinics, etc.
- Team suit, seasonal
t-shirts, logo apparel, bags, hats, etc.
- Booster club has
purchased an underwater camera for technique diagnosis and
improvement
- Community support
events
- Social events for
swimmers and parents
- Parent/coach conferences
- offered during short course season
- Two summer practice
options (morning (before noon) and evening)
- Plentiful access
to long course training in 50 meter pools
- Swim
meets:
- mini-meets are offered to
the novice swimmer at BWAC
- other team members attend
a variety of meets throughout the LSC
- national and zone meets
are also attended
- Fees are paid monthly (on
the first of the month) While we would love for swimmers to
commit to an entire season, we understand and encourage our
swimmers to participate in other sports and activities that they
enjoy. Therefore, fees are paid on a month to month
basis. In order to make this flexibility achievable, we do
require a 30 day cancellation notice.
- Affordable—At
Riptide we want every swimmer to be able to participate. That
is why we do everything possible to keep monthly fees low.
However, a swim team with elite coaches and a private facility is
expensive to support. Monthly fees cover the costs for
salaries and pool space. In order to pay for everything else,
Riptide hosts two large fundraisers per year in addition to smaller
activities year round. Families can choose to participate in
the fundraiser or opt out with a cash payment depending on what
best suits them.
Bluewater Aquatic
Center highlights
- Privately owned and
operated
- 15
lanes
- Riptide is primary tenant
and gets first priority for space
- 300+ spectator
seating
- Concessions
Area
- Private conference
room
- Dedicated and overflow
parking
- Adjacent to Elsmore Swim
Shop
- Easily accessible from
major roadways (I-35, Cedar Ave and Pilot Knob
Road)
- Spacious lobby with front
desk reception area
- Free
wi-fi
- UV filtration system that
allows for minimal chemical usage
- Several Certified Pool
Operators on staff
- 2 dryland training
areas
- High quality ventilation
system
- Lobby and pool is
surrounded with windows for maximum natural
lighting
- Separate restroom
facilities for spectators and athletes
- Elite level Xcellerator
Track Style Starting Blocks
- Colorado 6 Timing
system
- Electronic scoreboard
displays event, heat and lane results
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