2025-26 TEAM INFO & POLICIES 

 SCHEDULES 

• See "Practice Schedule" tab above

• Practice schedules are tentative and subject to adjustments prior to the start of the season

• Meet schedule is in development and will be released in early September
   

 DUES, FEES, & BILLING POLICIES 

Dues are billed in installments and charged on the first of the month. Dues are payable online (ACH or credit card) via SportsEngine, and enrolling in auto-pay is recommended.
 

FALL/WINTER DUES:

 

Fall/Winter 2025-26 Dues & Fees

MULTI-ATHLETE DISCOUNT:

• 1st athlete (highest practice group tier): Full dues
• 2nd athlete: 10% discount
• 3rd athlete: 15% discount
• 4th athlete: 20% discount

Family discounts are only available when all members participate in the same registration session (example: a family with one Fall registrant and one Fall/Winter registrant will receive a discount during the Fall billing cycle).

MEET FEES:

• Meet fees are not included in monthly dues and are required for each meet your swimmer is entered in. Meet fees are generally between $40 and $100 depending on the number of events a swimmer has. Meet fees must be paid as billed (due on the first of the following month).
   
• You will be billed for all meet sessions that you register unless you remove your swimmer from the meet by the posted deadline. If you sign up for a meet and do not attend, you forfeit those charges.
   
• A travel fee will be added to help cover club travel expenses if overnight is required or if a coach will drive further than 50 miles from the Twin Cities for a day meet. Fees will be based on location of meet.

MISC FEES:

• Late Fee: Any balance past due after the 20th of each month will be assessed a late fee of $20. If an account is delinquent for more than 60 days, the swimmer will not be allowed to practice until the account is paid in full.
   
• Late Exit Fee: Athletes must exit the locker rooms or changing areas no later than 15-minutes after the conclusion of their practice. NSST may incur charges by our host facilities for athletes who do not exit locker rooms within 15 minutes; members responsible for incurring charges will be billed for those charges.
   
• Late Pick Up Charge: All families are responsible for picking up their swimmer(s) no later than 15 minutes after the posted practice end time. Any swimmers without a responsible party present after 15 minutes will be assessed a late pick up fee of $15 starting with the second offense and each additional offense.

TERMS OF REGISTRATION:

• North Star Swim Team is not a pay-as-you-go swim program. Our financial commitments involve annual contracts based on swimmer registrations, and the club is obligated to fulfill these contracts regardless of the number of swimmers in the water at any time.
   
• By completing the registration process, parent/guardian agrees to make dues payments according to the Dues & Fees Schedule. Swimmers who leave North Star Swim Team mid-session are still responsible for payment of session dues in full.
   
• Petition for withdrawal from the club for a major medical reason may be presented to the registrar for review and decision.

REFUNDS:

• New swimmers who withdraw from the club within two weeks of registering will receive a full refund of all dues.
   
• No dues/fees will be refunded after the first two weeks of practice, apart from injuries that cause the swimmer to be out for more than six weeks. In such situations, a doctor's medical note is required. Contact the NSST Team Administrator.
   

 TRAINING GROUPS, EQUIPMENT, & TEAM GEAR 

TRAINING GROUP EXPECTATIONS:

• Dippers 
  • Attend 2-3 practices per week
  • Participate in meets as developmentally appropriate

• Orion 
  • Attend 3-4 practices each week
  • Participate in one meet per month
     
• Polaris 
  • Attend four or more practices a week.
  • Attend at least one meet per month, including your highest level season-ending meet
     
• Sirius 
  • Ages 12+
  • Attend 3+ practices per week
  • Meet attendance encouraged
  • Strength training encouraged
  • Provide leadership to teammates, whether by words or actions
     
• Sirius Elite
  • Ages 13+
  • Attend 4-5+ practices per week
  • Meet attendance required (2-3 meets + finals meet per season)
  • Strength training expected
  • Provide leadership to teammates, whether by words or actions

Coaching staff will select and/or approve membership in Sirius Select. Commitment level of Sirius Select athletes will be evaluated on a rolling basis.

EQUIPMENT:

Swimmers need different equipment based on the group they are in. Here is the list of equipment needed for each group:

• Dippers: Fins, kickboard
• Orion: Fins, kickboard, pull-buoy
• Polaris: Fins, kickboard, pull-buoy, center-mount snorkel
• Sirius & Sirius Select: Fins, kickboard, pull-buoy, center-mount snorkel, paddles

Purchase via NSST's Swim Outlet team store or any aquatics retailer.

TEAM CAPS & SUITS:

• Team caps (silicone) without names on them can be purchased for $10 by contacting the team administrator. Team caps personalized with last names can be ordered on our website by September 15^th.
   
• Team suits are available but not required; team suits or solid navy are preferred for meets. Our team store at Swim Outlet offers both team suits, solid navy suits, or you may select your own.

TEAM APPAREL:

Opening soon!

 HIGH SCHOOL SWIMMERS 

• All high school swimmers, including girls currently participating in a high school swim season, should register by September 1. Fall registration for winter session is needed for accurate scheduling and pool rental planning, and we expect both Sirius groups to reach capacity. It’s also important to note that you only receive emails if your swimmer is registered, and it is important for you to stay in touch during the high school season.

• Registrations made after the fall/winter registration window closes will be subject to a $35 late registration fee.
   
• MSHSL Official Start/End Dates for 2025-26:
  • Girls: August 11 - November 15
  • Boys: November 24 - February 28
• MSHSL Rules: For more info, see “High School Swimming” tab on NSST’s website.
   
• We offer three registration options for high school swim team members:
  • FALL/WINTER - BOYS & GIRLS (Sep 8 - Feb 28): Your swimmer may attend any club practice and meet during the fall/winter season that doesn't conflict with a high school swim practice or meet
     
  • FALL - BOYS (Sep 8 - Nov 22): Your swimmer will start with NSST in September and move on to high school in late Nov; athletes wishing to swim at MRCs and those qualifying for State Teams may resume practicing with NSST once their high school season has ended (notify team administrator to resume membership; weekly dues will apply)
     
  • WINTER - GIRLS (Dec 1 - Feb 28): Your swimmer will start practicing with NSST on Dec 1 and continue through the end of SCY season; athletes qualifying for 11-14 State Team may resume practicing with NSST once their high school season has ended (notify team administrator to resume membership; weekly dues will apply)