Frequently Asked Questions

General Club Information

The Calgary Swordfish are part of the Alberta Summer Swimming Association (ASSA). We are a competitive swim club who race in 25 meter swim pools mostly in and around Calgary.

How many swimmers are in the Calgary Swordfish swim club?

Prior to COVID, our swim team was capped at 150 swimmers.  Since our re-opening after COVID, our club has steadily increased in size to 100 swimmers last year (2023) and we anticipate that our club will grow to our max capacity of 120 this year (2024).   

 When is the Alberta Summer Swim Season?

The season starts May 1st and finishes at the Provincial Swim Meet in August.

 What are minimum swimmer requirements?

Swimmers must be at least 6 years old as of May 1st and must show confidence in the water, being able to swim one length of the pool (25 meters) unassisted at the evaluations week.

How do I know if my child is eligible to swim with Swordfish? 

Allowable ASSA Off-season Training and Competing Allowances (Section 2.5 ASSA)

• Participation in training sessions and/or competitions with Alberta High School Swim Team,
• Participation in the following nationally recognized learn-to-swim programs:
  • I Can Swim - All programs except “Stage 4 - I can SWIM FAST”
  • Red Cross Swim and AquaSquirts
  • Royal Life Saving Society and Junior Lifeguard Club
  • YMCA learn to swim programs.
• Participation in the following aquatic sports, provided the individual was.is a registered member of the respective Provincial Sport organization (Alberta examples listed):
  • Water Polo - Registered with: Alberta Water Polo Association
  • Synchronized Swimming - Registered with: Synchro Alberta
  • Triathlon - Registered with: Alberta Triathlon Association
  • Diving - Registered with: Alberta Diving
  • Competitive Lifesaving - Registered with: Royal Life Saving Society

Not Allowable The following programs are NOT allowed. If your swimmer participates in these types of programs between September and April of the current summer season they are ineligible to compete.

• Winter Club - defined as year-round swimming (ie. Dinos, Cascades, Nose Creek, Patriots, Calgary Winter Club, Killarney)
• Non-Competitive Swim Clubs (ie Nose Creek, YMCA, Barracuda's) - any year-round swim program including non-competitive are not allowed

 What type of Volunteer commitments do I need to fulfill as part of my commitments to the team?

Commitments include officiating at swim meets, volunteering as a club official or at club events, and volunteering for at Casino fundraiser.

 How often do kids swim during the season?

The Swordfish train up to five times per week throughout the season. Swimmers are placed in groups based on age and skill level. See the Practices page for more details.

 Do kids have to compete in swim meets?

The Swordfish swim club attends approximately 7 meets during the summer season (all on weekends). You don’t have to attend all meets but the club prefers that the swimmers participate in a minimum number of meets based on age and skill level. See the Swim Meets page for more information.

 What should I expect at a swim meet?

See our Swim Meet Orientation Information for more information about swim meets.