NVSL “Swim Team Only” memberships — are these legal under NVSL Bylaws?

[Anonymous]

Recently, I saw someone promoting their NVSL pool’s “Swim Team Only” membership. I am trying to square this with page 69 of the NVSL Bylaws, which largely exist to prevent this exact thing. Thoughts?

https://d1nmxxg9d5tdo.cloudfront.net/90357/files/Associate_Membership_Form_2025_-_Swim_Team_v.4.29.25_-_Fillable.pdf?1746066995

From this team: https://www.lhtritons.org/register/91914/main

NVSL Bylaws, page 69: https://www.mynvsl.com/advertisers.pdf

[Anonymous]

The rules exist, largely, to prevent all-star superteams from forming.

Teams in the highest number divisions, such as 14, usually have a difficult time fielding a full roster. They have open lanes in A meets, few year-round swimmers, and are in areas with more families with tighter pursestrings for discretionary budgets.

But if you want to privately investigate and stop these rule breakers, it sounds like a good use of your time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The rules exist, largely, to prevent all-star superteams from forming.

Teams in the highest number divisions, such as 14, usually have a difficult time fielding a full roster. They have open lanes in A meets, few year-round swimmers, and are in areas with more families with tighter pursestrings for discretionary budgets.

But if you want to privately investigate and stop these rule breakers, it sounds like a good use of your time.

Listen, I don’t disagree with your snark about my question. But here’s the thing: Goose and Gander. So it’s okay for a D15 team to do this but not D3 because they can fill lanes? It’s either legal or not under NVSL bylaws, and allowing an exception to the rules for small teams in lower divisions creates a precedent for all teams to do the same. And then we’re back to D1 recruitment-despite-10-year-wait-list debates.

[Anonymous]

It's pretty clear in the NVSL that it's not allowed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The rules exist, largely, to prevent all-star superteams from forming.

Teams in the highest number divisions, such as 14, usually have a difficult time fielding a full roster. They have open lanes in A meets, few year-round swimmers, and are in areas with more families with tighter pursestrings for discretionary budgets.

But if you want to privately investigate and stop these rule breakers, it sounds like a good use of your time.

Listen, I don’t disagree with your snark about my question. But here’s the thing: Goose and Gander. So it’s okay for a D15 team to do this but not D3 because they can fill lanes? It’s either legal or not under NVSL bylaws, and allowing an exception to the rules for small teams in lower divisions creates a precedent for all teams to do the same. And then we’re back to D1 recruitment-despite-10-year-wait-list debates.

I hope you never drive 56 mph on I-66.

[Anonymous]

You really had to call out a specific team in Division 14? Yeah, you are kind of a douche.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You really had to call out a specific team in Division 14? Yeah, you are kind of a douche.

+1 Why are you flagging it here in an anonymous website? Go to an NVSL steering committee or planning committee meeting and speak your mind. Contact the pool and ask them to clarify.

And no, I’ve never even heard of the specific pool you cited.

[Anonymous]

Personal opinion as a parent who has Division 16 experience: they need separate rulesets for the lower divisions that consistently can't fill lanes, don't have a lot of parents to volunteer (do we really need 3 timers per lane for these divisions where things are rarely contested?), and generally everything is much more relaxed. I don't know where the cut-off would be division wise for a different set of rules, though.

[Anonymous]

I don't think so. Overlee would love to do this since the waitlist is so long and they can't get new swim team members.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think so. Overlee would love to do this since the waitlist is so long and they can't get new swim team members.

It appears that Overlee is doing just fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Personal opinion as a parent who has Division 16 experience: they need separate rulesets for the lower divisions that consistently can't fill lanes, don't have a lot of parents to volunteer (do we really need 3 timers per lane for these divisions where things are rarely contested?), and generally everything is much more relaxed. I don't know where the cut-off would be division wise for a different set of rules, though.

They could let them join the team free. Start a scholarship fund to defray costs. But it is not clear from OP's post whether this is to help someone down on their luck or if it D1 circumventing their waitlist by offering swim team only memberships.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Personal opinion as a parent who has Division 16 experience: they need separate rulesets for the lower divisions that consistently can't fill lanes, don't have a lot of parents to volunteer (do we really need 3 timers per lane for these divisions where things are rarely contested?), and generally everything is much more relaxed. I don't know where the cut-off would be division wise for a different set of rules, though.

They could let them join the team free. Start a scholarship fund to defray costs. But it is not clear from OP's post whether this is to help someone down on their luck or if it D1 circumventing their waitlist by offering swim team only memberships.

OP literally linked to a D14 team in the post.

[Anonymous]

Why would you post this here when you have all the information you need to tell you it's clearly not legal? Genuinely wondering.

Either report it to NVSL or don't. Not much to discuss here.

[Anonymous]

It does sound like it breaks the rules. You need a valid pool membership to swim NVSL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Personal opinion as a parent who has Division 16 experience: they need separate rulesets for the lower divisions that consistently can't fill lanes, don't have a lot of parents to volunteer (do we really need 3 timers per lane for these divisions where things are rarely contested?), and generally everything is much more relaxed. I don't know where the cut-off would be division wise for a different set of rules, though.

+1

We are team higher division pool and even we have a hard time filling lanes for certain ages and genders. We also have an insane waitlist so by the time families get in their kids are past the age where they can just jump on swim team unless they are already club swimmers.