Greetings Cary Park Sea Dragon (CPSD) Families!

Less than a month to go until Sea Dragon Swim Season begins! This one will be quick and there will be a bigger email later in the week. Today we just want to talk about registrations and volunteer points/hours.

All active families on the main swim team (not mini’s) are expected to volunteer to help the team.

Swim meets require a ton of help from our families to run and we have (for years) had trouble getting enough volunteers for all meets. With that in mind, this year we made the change that for families with only 15+ year old swimmers, that they would have to volunteer for the same number of points as the rest of the team (12 points). Previously that small number of families was exempt and we have received a limited number of complaints from families that don’t want to help the team.

The volunteer hours requirement represents a minimum. The minimum hours alone are not enough to run our program. We hope all families can provide a minimum amount of hours to support the program and we are very grateful for all those that go above and beyond. We are constantly evaluating points and where we can move/incentivize participation. Summer swim is a uniquely special sport that requires more volunteer support than any other youth sport. 

HOWEVER, we understand that the change from 0-12 points was a big shift and we have heard the voices. For families with only 15+ swimmer(s) the volunteer requirement will be changed to 6 points. This could easily be completed by attending 1 swim meet and volunteering to time for the entire meet.

Quick call out on dues. As we see around us right now, the prices of everything are increasing and that goes for running the swim team as well. The cost ($200) for an entire season of practices and meets is an amazing deal. We are a community run organization that doesn’t make a profit (and doesn’t even cover our budget without donations on top of dues). If you or your family has an issue being able to cover dues please reach out to the [email protected] and we can discuss.

Volunteer Requirements

1. Each registered family is obligated to complete 12 Volunteer Service points over the summer swim season.
2. There are three exemptions to the 12 Volunteer Service point commitment:
   1. If the family ONLY has a Mini Sea Dragon swimmer(s)
   2. If the family ONLY has a 15+ swimmer(s) then only 6 points will be required
   3. If the family has a member on the Board of Directors

Do you want to get all your volunteer points? Do you want to handle those points mainly in the off-season and with remote duties? The BOD is looking for a new TSA rep to join the squad. This person is our representative on the Tar Heel Swim Association. Reach out to the board for more information! We need 2 reps and this one will be mostly remote and off-season responsibilities (attend a few TSA meetings, send emails about logistics, etc.). If you are interested please email [email protected] or [email protected]

Please remember to register for both the Cary Park Swim Club and for the swim team.