Welcome to the 2024/2025 Season!
Dear Crusaders Families
Welcome back to our returning Crusaders families and a big “hello!” to new Crusader families! We are thrilled to have you and your swimmers join us as we enter our 55th season!
Our Club is dedicated to providing the best possible experience for all our swimmers and we have lots of information for you as we head into the start of the season:
Squad Schedules
You will find the updated training schedules on our website, broken down by squad and noting the type of training - dryland or pool.
Training starts on September 9th for the Senior group and September 16th for competitive.
For returning swimmers, you might note changes to the schedule this year depending on your squad. These changes are a result of our continued growth as a club. We have adjusted lane times and locations to be able to accommodate all our swimmers while maximizing quality training time in the pool. Of note, the Gold Squad has seen additional changes to their schedule based on feedback from last season. Specifically:
• The squad will now have one practice per week at Centennial Pool to allow for regular exposure to the long course format in training; and
• The squad will have fewer double practice days this year and a reduction overall in total training time per week. This change was made to focus less on training load (mileage) and more on technique.
Fee Changes
As we prepare for the new season, we want to inform you of a small adjustment to our fees. Due to rising operational costs – namely a 15% increase in lane fees and a cost-of-living adjustment to coaches’ salaries – we will be implementing a 2% increase across all squad registration fees and MFCs (Mandatory Fundraising Commitment) to ensure that we stay in a financially stable situation. The additional funds will help us continue to provide top-notch training and support our dedicated coaching staff. These increases can be recovered through the many fundraising opportunities available over the season.
Staffing Update
Stay tuned for a complete staffing update email from Head Coach Mikayla
***New This Season*** New Parent Orientation
September 12th 7PM – Kiwanis Graham’s Grove
For families new to the sport of swimming, we will be having a new swim parent orientation very early into this new season. We will provide an overview of the various club squads, competition levels, fundraising, and volunteer commitments. Board members and Squad coaches will be available for questions during this session.
Note: This is the first year of this service to support our swim families, so returning families who are still getting oriented to the sport are welcome to attend!
The Board and Coaching Staff are committed to making this season a memorable and successful one for all our swimmers. If you have any questions or concerns at any time, please do not hesitate to contact us. Board and Coaching Staff emails are available through our website www.dartmouthcrusaders.org
We look forward to seeing you at the pool!
Respectfully,
Jody Crowther, President
Dartmouth Crusaders Swim Club