ASSA Overview

Alberta Summer Swimming Association (ASSA)

The Alberta Summer Swimming Association (ASSA) is a not-for-profit organization that provides a summer swimming program for individuals of all ages in the Province of Alberta. It is run by a board of directors (volunteers), supported by administrative office staff.

ASSA currently has 3651 swimmers participating in 61 clubs who compete in short course (25 metre) pools throughout the province during the summer season.

The Summer Swim Season

The summer swimming season officially starts May 1st and concludes with the Provincial Championship Meet, generally held on the second weekend after the long weekend in August.

Most clubs begin training on May 1st, and swim meets (competitions) are generally held every weekend starting in early June.

ASSA's objectives

OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSA:

1. Promote, foster, teach, and perpetuate the art and sport of competitive swimming,
2. Provide an organized program through affiliated clubs to offer competitive swimming during the summer season, and
3. Foster and encourage the total development of each swimmer including physical fitness, healthfulness, sportsmanship, leadership and self-esteem.

ASSA looks to achieve these objectives by playing the following roles.

ROLES OF THE ASSA:

1. Promote competitive swimming.
2. Establish rule and regulations to foster consistency and the equitable operation of clubs.
3. Governance of policy. 
4. Distribute information regarding:
   • affiliation and registration 
   • officials
   • rules and regulations
   • provincial records
   • the provincial swim meet
   • technical matters
   • insurance
5. Plan and fund the provincial swim meet
6. Liaison between S/NC, Swim Alberta, the regions, and the summer swim clubs.
7. Provide guidelines to clubs
8. Administration.
9. Channel money paid to the association responsibly.
10. Maintain provincial records set by members of the ASSA.

ASSA will also look to achieve its objective by aiming to achieve the following goals.

GOALS OF THE ASSA:

1. To provide guidance to clubs.
2. To encourage the development of swimming and the total development of each individual swimmer (including their self esteem).
3. To promote consistent officiating at meets.
4. To promote good sportsmanship and fun at meets.
5. To promote, foster, teach, and perpetuate the art and sport of swimming and to encourage training for competition, self-development, leadership, and sportsmanship in the field of amateur swimming throughout the province of Alberta.
6. To promote swimming as a means of a healthful exercise and as a means of improving the physical fitness of young people. 

Organization and Governance

ASSA is primarly governed through the application of its BYLAWS, Policies and Procedures;  the ASSA Board of Directors and Staff are responsible for the review and implementation of these governing documents.

The ASSA holds two Members Meetings (General Meetings) per year, which clubs may participate in:

• Spring General Meeting - usually held in March, and
• Annual General Meeting - typically held during the weekend of the Provincial Championship Meet (August)

Additionally, the ASSA Board of Directors meets three times per year:

• Fall Board of Directors Meeting - usually held in late October,
• Spring Board of Directors Meeting - usually held in conjunction with the Spring General Meeting (~March)
• Summer Board of Directors Meeting - usually held in conjunction with the AGM (Provincial Championhsip Meet weekend - August)

Elections to the Board of Directors happen at the Annual General Meeting.  The terms of office for the key positions are staggered so that roughly half of the key Directors positions require filling each year.

The ASSA also maintains an office withing the Swim Alberta Office. It is typically staffed from mid-April to mid-August. The office staff hadle the bulk of the summer administrative workload, including Club/Coach/Swimmer Registration, Meet Sanctioning and member assitance.

ASSA Member Benefits

The ASSA provides the opportunity for its members (Clubs, Swimmers and Coaches) to participate in organized competitive swimming throughout the Province of Alberta. ASSA administratively supports its members and the competitive structure in which they operate, which includes regular season, Regional and Provincial Championship Meets. Through the revenue generated by membership registration fess ASSA also provides:

• Administrativei systems for Clubs, Swimmers, Coaches and Parents (ASSA website tools)
• Administrative Support (ASSA Office)
• Insurance for swimmers, officials and club executive
• A Provincial Swim Meet free of charge to all qualifiers

ASSA Member Fees

ASSA Membership Fees are typically set at the Fall Board Meeting (~November) and announced at the Spring General Meeting (~March).

Current membership fees for the 2024 season are:

• Club Affiliation: $75.00
• Swimmer Registration: $49.25
• Coach Registration: $20.00
• Coach ACC/NCCP/CSCTA Membership: $102.00

ASSA in the World of Competitive Swimming

ASSA is affiliated with Swim Alberta and Alberta Masters Swimming - together, these Associations represent all three areas of competitive swimming in Alberta. All three Provincial organizations have their own Board of Directors; the Presidents or designates of the ASSA and Alberta Masters are members of the Swim Alberta Board of Directors. 

Collectively we are all members of Swimming/Natation Canada (SNC), which is our national swimming body. Swimming Canada, in turn is a member of FINA (Federation Internationale de Natation Amateur), the international body governing aquatic sports, including competitive swimming. FINA is made up of over 100 national bodies and governs the four aquatic sports (Swimming, Diving, Water Polo and Synchronized Swimming).

Through these relationships, ASSA ultimatly follows FINA swimming rules, but integrates exceptions or additions made by Swimming Canada, Swim Alberta and ASSA itself. In this way, ASSA aims to operate in accordance with the most current rules of swimming practiced throughout the world in the sport of Competitive Swimming.