USA Swimming News

Why is outreach important?

Each day families struggle to make ends meet due to the harsh economic time in which we currently live. According to the Bureau of Labor statistics, in September the number of unemployed persons was 9.3 million. Many people do not have the discretionary income that they once had for extracurricular activities due to an unforeseen job loss that has adversely impacted income in a negative way. Outreach membership plays a vital role in bridging the gap. USA Swimming outreach membership offers qualified individuals the opportunity to become a USA Swimming year-round athlete member at a reduced fee.

USA Swimming’s Year-round Athlete Outreach Membership

USA Swimming is committed to providing outreach membership for families in need. In 2014-2015, there were 7,229 outreach members. The national fee for outreach membership is $5.00 and the Local Swimming Committee (LSC) has the option to set a local fee that may not exceed $2.00. The goal of offering outreach membership is to provide opportunities in swimming to economically disadvantaged youth in the United States. Each Local Swimming Committee determines how they will qualify athletes for outreach membership. They may use but are not limited to national guidelines based on Federal Food Stamps, Free School Lunch and/or Federal Poverty Guidelines.

Are LSCs required to offer Outreach Membership?

Yes. Each LSC is required by USA Swimming to offer outreach memberships to qualified candidates. It is up to your LSC to determine who is eligible for outreach membership and who is not. For more information about outreach membership please contact your LSC.

Outreach Qualifications

Contact your LSC for specific criteria here.