2026 Club of the Year Award

Club of the Year Award

Successful USMS Clubs develop programs that draw people in, support their swimmers, and set standards for other clubs to follow. Initiated in 2006, this annual award recognizes the efforts of the great clubs that embody these attributes. Clubs may self-nominate or be nominated by others. Once a club receives this award, that club may not be nominated again for a period of five (5) years. The nomination deadline is July 1.
Note: Club / Workout Group will be referred to simply as “club”.As you complete the nomination, please consider how the club aligns with the Mission, Vision, Values, and Strategic Priorities of USMS Note
Note #2: There is no hierarchy to the questions on this nomination form. The committee is seeking to understand the many aspects of your club. The nomination form has questions with multiple parts and typically takes more time to complete than other nominations. We look forward to getting to know your club through this process.
USMS Mission, Vision, Values and Strategic Priorities

As you complete the nomination, please consider how the club aligns with the Mission, Vision, Values, and Strategic Priorities of USMS. Our passion is swimming and we know it changes lives. These are the principles that help guide our passion.
Mission: Empower adults to improve their lives through swimming.

Vision: Foster a nationwide adult swimming community through lifelong fitness, competition, and education.

Values
- Fitness
- Camaraderie
- Inclusion
- Learning
- Excellence
- Competition
- Fairness
Strategic Priorities: Details found here
- Club Development
- Events Development
- Community Development
- Local Focus and Support
- Independent Swimmer Support
You can read more about our strategic priorities here.

Nominator Information
Your Name*

First NameLast Name
Your Address*

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code
Your Email Address*
example@example.com
Your Phone Number*

Area CodePhone Number
Your USMS Affiliation*
Your Club or Workout Group *
Your LMSC*

Nominee Information

Nominee must be a current USMS club or workout group. (Note: a club / workout group will be referred to simply as “club” in this form.)
Nominee Type*
Club Name and Abbreviation*
i.e., Swim Masters (MAST)
Club LMSC*
Club Contact*

First NameLast Name
Club Address*

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code
Club Contact Phone Number*

Area CodePhone Number
Club Contact Email Address*
example@example.com
Upload a photo of the club (could be the team logo, team group picture, pool, etc.) *

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Nomination Criteria

There is no hierarchy to the questions on this nomination form. The committee is seeking to understand the many aspects of your club. The nomination form has questions with multiple parts and typically takes more time to complete than other nominations. We look forward to getting to know your club through this process.
General
1. Does your club have a website? If so, please provide the web address:*
2. Do your athletes train in the same facility, or is there more than one option for training within your club? Briefly explain:*
Coaching

3a. Please Complete the following:
# of members:*
# of certified coaches:*
Ratio of coach to athletes (workout):*
3b. Who are your coaches and what is their style and approach to coaching Masters?*
3c. Are your coaches paid? What is your club’s turnover rate with respect to coaching staff? (You may cite specific examples to clarify.) *

Membership Personas

4. What are the approximate percentages members would classify themselves as?*

Rows	Approximate %
Fitness Swimmers
Competitive Swimmers
Triathletes
USMS members (Does your club require membership?)

Club Data

5. What are the percentages of club members who participate in:*

Rows	Approximate %
Annual Retention (approx % year to year)
Virtual events
Local meets
Regional & national meets
Conducting Adult Learn-to-Swim programs
LMSC Volunteer positions
USMS National Volunteer positions

Social Dynamics
6a. What is the socialdynamic of your club? Tell us about formal and informal activities, events,parties, etc. that bond your club away from the pool.*
6b. Communications – what is your process / what tools does your club use to keep your members informed? Do you use social media? If so, what are your handles (IG, TT, FB)? What, if any, is the level of interaction from your members? *
6c. Community engagement – Describe any programs or initiatives that connect your club to your greater community, whether they are swimming-related or not.*
6d. Does your club host swimming-related events, such as swim meets, swim clinics, or other? If so, please list.*
6e. List contributions to education and publications that have been of value to all USMS members from members of your club.*

Structure
7a. How is your club structured to allow it to operate as an official organization?*
7b. How does your club achieve financial viability?*
7c. How is the club structured to accommodate all levels of swimmers? (Refer to your club’s percentages from the Membership Personas chart)*
7d. Publicity/Marketing – How do you promote your club to create awareness and attract new members?*
Overview / Paint the picture
8a. Give us a sense of the club’s character with 5 adjectives that the members would use to describe their feelings and benefits from belonging to this group. (In aggregate, the adjectives should paint a picture of the club’s culture.)*
8b. Tell us about the programs, activities, accomplishments, chemistry, management, and other aspects of belonging that make members feel the way you described by the adjectives (Lengthy response) *
9. Is there anything else you'd like to tell us about your nominee?*

Additional Information

Use this section to provide any other information relevant to your nomination.
Describe how the nominee has furthered the USMS mission, vision, goals, and objectives.
Approximate years of the nominee’s contributions (e.g., 2018–2025).
Upload any other supporting documents or share additional photos of your club.

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Acknowledgment
I confirm that the nominee(s) is a current USMS member.*

Yes, I confirm
I agree that the information provided in this nomination is accurate to the best of my knowledge.*

I agree
Submission Date and Time
Should be Empty:

Club of the Year Award

USMS Mission, Vision, Values and Strategic Priorities

Nominator Information

Nominee Information

Nomination Criteria

General

Coaching

Membership Personas

Club Data

Social Dynamics

Structure

Overview / Paint the picture

Additional Information

Acknowledgment