Before You Dive In
Everything new and prospective RCAM swimmers ask us before their first practice.
No. RCAM welcomes adults at every level — from swimmers who competed in college and want their times back, to triathletes and fitness swimmers, to people who haven't swum laps since high school. Every workout is written with multiple pace groups so you're training at your level, not someone else's.
U.S. Masters Swimming (USMS) is the national governing body for adult swimming, and membership is required at every masters club in the country — it's what covers you with insurance at every practice. USMS membership is separate from RCAM dues and costs roughly $75–80/year, paid directly to USMS. We'll walk you through registration when you join.
Not at all. Plenty of RCAM swimmers never enter a meet and just come for the coached workouts and community. If you do want to compete, USMS membership makes you eligible for meets locally and nationally — see our Meets page for options within driving distance.
A swimsuit, goggles, and a towel are all you need to start. Fins, a pull buoy, a kickboard, and paddles will help as you settle in, but don't buy anything before your first free visit — your coach can tell you what's actually useful for the group you land in.
Yes. Come swim a full practice with us at no cost and no obligation. The one thing you need to do first is register for a free USMS Trial Membership online — see the next question. If it's a fit, we'll get you registered through GoMotion and USMS. If it's not, no hard feelings.
Yes — one quick step. USMS requires every trial swimmer to register for a free online Trial Membership before they get in the water; it's what covers you under USMS accident insurance for that visit. It takes a few minutes, is good for one 30-day trial per lifetime, and must be completed online — we aren't able to accept the paper version. Register for your Trial Membership →
Absolutely, and we encourage it. Traveling USMS swimmers are welcome at any listed practice for $12 — the same rate a local pays for a single practice, no upcharge. See Practice for our schedule and pool location.
Membership dues are billed monthly through GoMotion, the same registration system RCA uses for its age-group team. If you need to cancel or pause your membership, just email us — we don't lock anyone into long-term contracts.
That's exactly what the single-practice ($12) and 10-practice punch card ($120) options are for — see Pricing. Swim as your schedule allows without paying for a full membership.
RCA is River City Aquatics' competitive age-group team for kids and teens. RCAM (River City Aquatics Masters) is the adult program — same coaching philosophy and pool, built around adult schedules and adult goals. See About for more.
You'll pick it up fast. A few terms you'll hear on deck:
For the full A–Z list — the same one our age-group families use — see the RCA Swim Glossary.
