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Frequently Asked Questions

Swimming Home | Fees & Billing | Registration

What is Longhorn Aquatics (TXLA)?

Longhorn Aquatics is a competitive oriented membership program for swimmers and divers ages eight and older. Approximately 300 participants train regularly on their path to competitive goals, including USA Swimming and Diving Nationals, USA Masters Nationals, Texas Age Group Swimming Championships (TAGS), Olympic Trials, and the Olympic Games. For more information about the different groups, please call 512-471-2710 or go to the TXLA home page.

What are the United States Swimming Organization, Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Diving, and United States Masters Swimming (USMS)?

USA Swimming, AAU Diving and US Masters Swimming are the national governing bodies for aquatic sports in our country. They provide insurance and resources, and oversee the growth and development of the sport. For more information contact:

USA Swimming
One Olympic Plaza
Colorado Springs, CO 80909
719-578-4578

AAU Diving
1910 Hotel Plaza Blvd.
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
Telephone: (407) 934-7200

USMS National Office
Tel: 800-550-SWIM (EDT)
Fax: 603-537-0204

Where does the team train?

TXLA groups practice at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center. See the Texas Swim Center page for more information on the pool.

Why can’t parents be on deck during workouts?

Due to USA Swimming and Texas Swim Center liability regulations only USS, USMS, or AAU registered athletes and coaches are allowed on deck at any time. We are sorry for any inconvenience or discomfort this causes.

Can I swim at UT while my child is in practice?

At UT, The Recreational Sports Division conducts an Open Lap Swimming program for students, faculty, staff and a limited number of Austin community members. The standard hours are from 12:00 p.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. These are the only times available for pool use if you are not a member of a University program. Please call 512-471-3116 or see the Texas Swim Center page for more information.

What do I need to bring to try-out/registration?

Please bring a swimsuit, towel, goggles and your checkbook or credit card information (divers do not need goggles). We will provide registration materials and answers to your questions. If you are new to South Texas Swimming, you will need to present a copy of a birth certificate. You can also click, print and fill out one of the try-out forms to bring to the try-out.

What equipment does my diver/swimmer need?

All divers need a relatively tight fitting suit, a chamois, and a bag or backpack for their equipment. Swimmers need a water bottle, fins, paddles, goggles, cap, and suit, plus a bag to carry all of it. Suits, caps, goggles, chamois, paddles, fins, bags and more are available on the second floor at the Longhorn Aquatics store (there are discounts for members).

Is volunteering required?

We could not run swimming and diving competitions without help from our members. Therefore volunteering is required. The more involved your child is in our programs, the more volunteering is required. Of course not all parents choose to volunteer and if that is your choice, a fee will be assessed based on the non completed volunteer hours. Fees for swimmers are assessed in May for Short Course season and in September for Long Course Season. Divers are assessed once a year in August when the UT pool is closed. The amount depends on your child's level of participation. See volunteer requirements for exact amounts. You may contact the Longhorn Aquatics Business Office (512-471-2710) with specific volunteer questions. See descriptions of various volunteer jobs.

How do I volunteer?

Approximately 7-10 days before a hosted swim meet is scheduled to occur, an e-mail will come out from our volunteer coordinator letting you know that our online software program, SuperMeets, is available for sign-up. Log in and sign up for the sessions and jobs you want to work. See volunteer opportunities for descriptions. If you have never used SuperMeets, you must first register:

New users — register/login to the system:

• Go to the Super Meets page: http://www.supermeets.com/Index.cfm?StaffTrackerClient=77
• Select “Your Account & History” in the orange menu bar across the top of the page.
• Click on “Set up your account” next to “FIRST TIME USERS”
  • Enter your athlete’s last name and the team password “swimfast”. Families that share last names will have to use the athlete’s first initial also (ex. Smith A or possibly Smith Ab)
  • Enter your e-mail address and a private password. (From now on you will use this login information).
  • Press the “Login” button.
  • The history/account information for your family will be displayed. This will be blank now because it is the beginning of the season, but check it after the meet.

Already registered — login to the system:

• Go to the Super Meets page: http://www.supermeets.com/Index.cfm?StaffTrackerClient=77
• Select “Your Account & History” in the orange menu bar across the top of the page.
• Enter your e-mail address and private password you created when you registered.
• The history/account information for your family will be displayed. There will be nothing here since it is the start of a new season, but check back after the meet.

How does my diver/swimmer change groups or move up in the program?

Each child will be considered on an individual basis for placement within a group. As your child progresses in the sport, he or she will be offered the opportunity to move up within our group structure. This is a decision that will be made by the participant, parent, and coach. Members can request a group change at any time, but the final decision will always rest with the head coach.

Where can I park at the TSC?

All participants and spectators must have a valid UT permit or park in the garages between the hours of 7:30 a.m and 5:45 p.m. The best parking option is the E permit.

An E permit may be purchased at the Parking & Transportation Offices in Trinity Garage. Class E permit holders may park from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. in lots signed for Class E permits (i.e. Lot F11, near Gregory Gym, and on San Jacinto Street near Bellmont Hall). This allows parking in the A permit spaces behind the swim center after 4 p.m. By agreement with Parking and Transportation, E permit holders may park in C lot 80 and will not be ticketed before 8:30 a.m. but you must have a valid E permit. This option is good for morning Masters.

The benefit to the E permit is that you may use your E permit as a swipe card to park in the Trinity or Manor garages from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m., including Saturday and Sunday. The time is being extended to 8 p.m. to accommodate most of our practice schedules. The garage access makes the E permit the best option for all of our swimmers. If the garage is charging up front for a special event, your E permit will still allow access between the hours of 5 a.m. and 8 p.m. You must exit the garage by 8 p.m.!

See parking permits and other parking options. The Texas Swimming Center front desk has letters authorizing Longhorn Aquatics members to purchase E permits.

How do I get information on special events at the TSC that may affect the practice schedule?

The only disadvantage of training at one of the best facilities in the country is that there are a number of special events each year that may cause a workout to be cancelled. We will make up these workouts when practical, but it isn’t always possible. Members will be notified of any schedule change via e-mail and website as soon as possible. This is often only a few days before the cancellation or time change, because we do not always get information about an event very far in advance.

What is an “A” Time?

USA Swimming has established National Age Group Time standards to allow for a stepping stone approach that swimmers can grasp. This is a great way to see progress even if a swimmer doesn’t win their event. They start at B times and finish at AAAA times. First time swimmers, or swimmers with times slower than the B time, are classified as having C times for those events. Most swim meets that use time standards to determine eligibility for swim meets use these time standards.

What is Short Course and Long Course?

Short Course is training or competing in 25 yard or meter pools, while Long Course is training or competing in 50 meter pools. Most indoor pools in the USA are set-up as 25 yard pools and so most of the times younger athletes become familiar with early on are the short course yard (SCY) times. Since these meets are held in the winter months, our Short Course competition season starts in September and culminates with championship meets in February and March. The Long Course competition season begins in April and continues through July and August depending on the highest-level championship meet a swimmer can qualify.

What is TAGS?

The Texas Age Group Swimming Championship (TAGS) meet is the state championship meet for swimmers 14 & under. The Short Course meet is held in early March while the Long Course meet is held in late July. It is one of the premier age group meets in the USA and therefore the top age-group meet in Texas. Swimmers who successfully qualify and compete in this meet are generally those that go on to greater success in High School and even collegiate swimming later in their career. Qualifying times are established by the Texas Swimming Association every fall based on participants in previous years. You must have the qualifying times to enter the meet.

What is STAGS?

This is the South Texas Swimming Championship meet. They are held in mid February for short course season, and mid July for the long course season. Many South Texas teams have this as one of their biggest meets of the season and for many age group swimmers it will be. For the Longhorn Aquatics staff though, it is a stepping stone to TAGS and viewed more as a last chance to qualify for that particular meet. Swimmers who already have numerous TAGS qualifying times will generally not compete in this meet in order to better prepare for TAGS. The qualifying time standards are established by South Texas Swimming and you must have them in order to compete. They are based on the number of participants in the meet each year and can change prior to the start of following year. Swimmers who do not achieve the STAGS time standards will have other meets to compete in for their end of season championship meet.

What is the Speedo Champions Series Meet (or Sectionals)?

These are the meets that our developing senior swimmers should strive to qualify for and successfully compete in. The meet is held in mid February and mid July and for many athletes this meet is a primary chance to qualify for other regional and National caliber championship meets. These meets are primarily made up of Texas athletes, but swimmers and teams from around the country compete in them as well.

What is Texas Senior Circuit?

These are Long Course meets held in Houston, Dallas, Texas A&M University and here at UT. These meets were established by Texas club and college coaches to provide the best possible in season competition for top level athletes. Longhorn Aquatics swimmers who qualify for these meets should be prepared to participate. Swimmers who are not training properly will not be allowed to enter these meets.

What are National Top 16 Reportable Times?

Every year USA Swimming takes results from meets all over the country and publishes a list of the Top 16 performances from each age group the year before. There is a list for Long Course and Short Course meets. Swimmers who achieve the reportable times are not guaranteed to be on the final Top 16 list.