USA Swimming News

Friday, December 2, 2022

On Deck Credentials and SWIMS Membership Card


GenericShieldGraphics1230x300V2

To: LSC Staff, LSC Board of Directors, Club Presidents, Officials, Adult Athletes and Coaches

As swim meet season quickly approaches, we want to ensure all USA Swimming members in good standing can continue to be credentialed for on deck access. We have heard your concerns as some of your membership cards do not reflect your recently completed required trainings, and therefore are not completely up to date.

Before you arrive at a swim meet, we suggest you do the following.

Check your current SWIMS membership card:

  1. Login to your USA Swimming account dashboard on the website or on the USA Swimming app;
  2. Click your membership card to view all membership requirements; and
  3. Confirm all membership requirements are not expired and your membership status states you are a member in good standing. (Memberships in good standing should have a gold check mark).

If you have courses that have not been completed or are expired:

  • Login to your USA Swimming account dashboard on the USA Swimming website;
  • Click the "Education" tab in the blue banner towards the top of the website;
  • Click "Course Catalog";
  • Find the expired course and complete it (we suggest saving a PDF or other proof of completion).

APT, Background Check, CANRA, and Coach Education Courses will update on your member record within 48 hours. CPR/First Aid, Concussion Protocol Training, and Safety Training for Swim Coaches completion certificates should be sent to your LSC.

If you have a completed APT, Background Check, CANRA, or any Coach Education course which is not up to date on your membership card and it has been more than 48 hours since completion:

  • Click here to submit a ticket with proof of completion. This can include a PDF or screenshot.
  • Please be advised that turnaround time could take up to 30 days.

If your CPR/First Aid, Concussion Protocol Training, or Safety Training for Swim Coaches is not up to date on your membership card:

  • Contact your LSC. The LSC is responsible for maintaining these requirements.

If your membership requirements are not displaying on your member card correctly when you attend a meet, be prepared to do the following to demonstrate you are a member in good standing. Please note the below steps can be used until the end of 2022, until all membership requirements are current in the SWIMS database.

Athlete Protection Training (APT)
Adult members of USA Swimming (i.e., those 18 years and older) must complete APT annually. To demonstrate compliance, members must first show their member card via the USA Swimming App. You may then show your APT certificate of completion via hard copy, PDF or screenshot. Certificates of completion must show the corresponding member name and an up-to-date expiration date for the CORE or Refresher course from the U.S. Center for SafeSport to be accepted.

Background Check
For those members that must complete a background check, there is NO substitute for demonstrating a completed background check. If your USA Swimming account does not reflect a current background check, you will not receive deck access and/or a credential.

CANRA (for California registered adult non-athlete members only)
Adult non-athlete members registered in California may show their certificate of completion of the Mandatory Reporting: Understanding Your Responsibility training course via hard copy, PDF or screenshot. Members must first show their member card via the USA Swimming App, then show their certificate of completion which must correspond to their member name and an up-to-date expiration date for the correct course from the U.S. Center for SafeSport to be accepted. USA Swimming will only accept completion of this specific U.S. Center for SafeSport course; certificates from CANRA training programs provided by organizations other than the U.S. Center for SafeSport will not count towards good standing with USA Swimming.

CPR/First Aid, Concussion Protocol Training and Safety Training for Swim Coaches
Members must first show their member card via the USA Swimming App, then show their completion of CPR/First Aid, Concussion Protocol and Safety Training for Swim Coaches via hard copy, PDF or screenshot. Completion must show the corresponding member name and an up-to-date expiration date to be accepted.

Thank you,
USA Swimming



Connect With Our Community