Frequently Asked Questions

CCS is the collective organization that unifies college club swim programs across the country. CCS provides the rules, calendar of events, results database, and communications across all registered CCS clubs. It's run by an Advisory Board made up of CCS swimmers and backed by U.S. Masters Swimming.
  • CCS member swimmers' times will be included in the CCS meet results database
  • The ability to post meets and events on the CCS Calendar of Events
  • Access to best practices on running and growing a CCS club and help from the CCS support team
  • Certification/documentation of legitimate status within the CCS national organization (required by many colleges and universities)
  • Access to USMS partners for possible club sponsorships
  • Access to local USMS clubs for collaboration and fundraising

The club and its university or college decides who can be a member of their local club team. The below definition is only for eligibility as a nationally-registered CCS swimmer, who will be listed in the CCS database.

To be an individual CCS member, a swimmer needs to be a member of a CCS registered club. They can only be a member of one registered CCS club at a time. The swimmer must also meet the following requirements:

  • Is a member in good standing with a CCS club affiliated with a university or college.
  • Is affiliated with the university as a full-time or part-time undergraduate or graduate student in the current academic term, a full-time co-op/intern student or faculty and staff in the current term.

To find out about CCS swim meet eligibility see: Who is eligible to compete in CCS swim meets?

  • Swim times posted in the CCS meet results database
    • Individual event results from all CCS swim meets participated in
    • National swimmer rankings in all events across all CCS clubs
  • Discounts on swim gear from USMS partners
  • Digital version of SWIMMER magazine, USMS’s premiere publication
  • Networking opportunities and access to posted jobs and internships
  • CCS bi-annual eNewsletter
  • Opportunity for volunteer leadership experience with the CCS board of directors
  • Any swimmer who has gone through the CCS swimmer registration process and meets the CCS eligibility requirements will be eligible to have their times in the CCS database.
  • Further clarifications:
    • Any swimmer who swims with a college club program, but isn’t registered with CCS may participate in non-regional or national championship meets but their times will not be reflected in the CCS database.
    • Any swimmer who is currently on a varsity team or has competed in a varsity meet in the current academic year may only compete as an exhibition swimmer at the local level and is not eligible for regional or national competition.
    • Any swimmer who does not meet the NCAA amateurism eligibility standards may only compete as an exhibition swimmer at the local level and is not eligible for regional or national competition.

CCS swim meets follow the USMS Rules of Competition.

  • Price is determined by the number of CCS swimmers in the club at the end of the school year*
    • 1–20 swimmers: $250
    • 21–50 swimmers: $500
    • 51+ swimmers: $750

*Prices are per academic year. Benefits start August 1 and run through July 31 of the following year.

CCS club registration starts on April 1 each year but you may register at any time during the school year. Once a CCS club is registered, an invoice will be sent to the club president on CCS letterhead. Payment on the invoice is due before December 31 for the club to maintain its eligibility.
If the number of CCS swimmers registered to a CCS club rises from the group size they paid in the fall, then CCS will send a follow-up invoice for the difference in the spring.
It doesn’t cost anything for a swimmer to join CCS. The only cost is associated with registering a CCS club.
CCS swimmer registration starts on August 1 and runs through the end of the school year.

Check the CCS Calendar of Events to see when and where CCS swim meets are taking place.

Once the swim meet is over, the event director needs to send either a .SD3, .CL2 or .HY3 file to collegeclub@usmastersswimming.org for posting in the CCS results database.

If your college does not have a CCS club, you can start one! Contact us at collegeclub@usmastersswimming.org to learn more and sign up. Also, review the Benefits of CCS to learn more about how CCS can help you and your swimmers.

Yes, there are several colleges that have started CCS clubs without a pool on campus. Some of these clubs make arrangements with local private pools for lane space or use public pools close to campus for practice. We can also help find a local USMS team that might be able to help you find lane space.
When your CCS club shuts down for the Summer, you can join a USMS program to stay in shape, compete in events or meet new people.

USMS is the organization that is provides the structural framework for CCS. It’s also the national governing body for adult swimming. Once a swimmer graduates from college, USMS can be the swimmers next phase in their swimming life.

A club sport is any sports program offered at a university or college that competes against other universities or colleges but does not fall under the purview of the NCAA or NAIA and doesn’t have a varsity status.