Welcome to the 2025-2026 Swim Season!

 

The EPSC Pelicans operate as a year round USA Swimming team competing in meets in the WV, MD, VA and PA areas. The year is split into two seasons, the Short Course Yard Season (SCY, August-March), and the Long Course Meters Season (LC, March - July). During the summer months, swimmers also participate in a summer season through the local summer league, the Mid-Atlantic Summer Swim League (MASSL).

 

All swimmers wishing to participate on the EPSC Pelicans Swim Team are required to join USA Swimming. Registration in August secures a participant's spot for a year.

 

Pre-Team programs (Copper) are available for beginner 12 and under swimmers, and are run as 6 to 8 week sessions three times a year in the Spring, Summer, and Fall. Participants in the Copper group do not participate in USA Swim meets and are not required to pay the USA Swimming membership fee (in the summer they can join in on MASSL meets when they are ready!). 

 

 

Registration Begins August 4, 2025

​Tryouts and Coach Approval apply. Please see the How to Join Page for more information. Returning swimmers, please contact your coaches for confimation on group placement. No refunds for signing up without coach approval.  

 

Rolling registration for new swimmers throughout the season based on lane availability. All swimmers registering after August 31 will be charged a $50 mid-season join fee (does not apply to Copper program).

 

Costs and Billing​

Registration ensures your swimmers' spot for the entire year. Prices below reflect a swimmer's team dues based on a practice group's annual cost, divided into 12 equal payments throughout the year. Dues are billed monthly and auto-drawn from the card on file the first of each month. Dues may also be paid in one lump at registration.

Swimmer Dues covers participation in the entire 2025-2026 season and includes all practices and meets* for the USA Short Course Season, Spring Conditioning, MASSL Summer Season, and USA Long Course Season (Junior/Senior Groups). It also includes all team activities and parties, and a cap and shirt for each swimmer.

* USA Meets, home and away, incur costs per-event for each swimmer, as set by the host team. MASSL summer meet fees do not incur additional fees, the costs are already included in your swimmer dues.

​Copper Swimmers will be only charged a one-time session fee upon registration. They must then re-register for the next session of Copper.

Hope Scholarship Participants: Please see instructions here.

Discontinuation of the program, for whatever reason, must be submitted in writing 30 days before the next billing cycle. Monthly Dues cannot be pro-rated if joining or exiting the program mid-billing cycle.

 

Additional Costs/Fees include USA Swimming membership ($87) for all participants except Copper group members, USA Swimming meet fees (per-event), and practice gear/competition suits.

 

See the FAQ page for more information on fees, gear, and so forth.

 

2025-2026 Start Dates

Required Parent Orientation on the first day of each practice. All groups end July 25, 2026.

  • Junior/Senior - First Day August 20, 2025 (Orientation Aug. 25, 5:30 pm)

  • Bronze/Silver- September 3, 2025, 6:30 pm

  • Homeschool- September 3, 2025, 2:00 pm

  • Gold - September 4, 2025, 6:30 pm

  • Copper - September 8, 2025, 5:00 pm (evening), 2:30 (Homeschool)

Please take the time before this orientation to click on ALL the pages of the team website to become familiar with the policies and workings of swim. Then come ready with questions to the meeting!

Please visit the Season Dates Tab for calendering items such as meets, holidays, activities, and practice breaks. 

Practice Groups

Times below reflect the school year schedule, August-May. Schedules will update for June and July. All swimmers should report to the pool deck ready to go 15 minutes prior to their scheduled start time. 

 

Click Here for Weekly EPSC Practice Schedule

 

COPPER Pre-Team Program Level 1&2 $100 per session / Level 3&4 $150 per session

The Copper Pre-Team program teaches all four swimming strokes with an emphasis on swim team readiness. This program functions as an introduction to swim team and also serves as competitive team evaluations/tryouts. Copper swimmers do not participate in meets. 

 

Copper Practice Schedule, Three sessions: Fall (Sept 8-Oct 22), Spring (April-May), Summer (June/July):

  • Level 1 & 2 (4-8 yrs)   - Mondays and Wednesdays  4:00pm-4:30 pm / 4:30-5:00 pm
  • Level 3 & 4 (7-10 yrs) - Mondays and Wednesdays 4:15-5:00 pm 
  • Homeschool Copper (Levels 1 & 2) - Mondays and Wednesdays 12:30- 1 pm
  • Homeschool Copper (Levels 3 & 4) - Mondays and Wednesdays 2:00-2:45 pm

 

BRONZE Practice Group $1,320 Annually / $110 Monthly

Bronze is our entry level competitive group with swimmers in 5th grade and below. Our primary focus is on developing stroke technique, building good habits, and having fun. In addition to learning all four strokes, we introduce racing starts, turns, and learn how to swim in a lane with others. Bronze group swimmers swim two days/week for 1 hour and are encouraged to swim in a couple meets over the year to have goals to work towards in practice and to introduce them to the world of competitive swimming in a supportive environment. 

 

Bronze Practice Schedule:

  • Mondays and Wednesdays 7:00-8:00 pm​

 

SILVER Practice Group $1,320 Annually / $110 Monthly

Our Silver group, with swimmers in 5th-8th grade, works to develop all four strokes. Swimmers begin to work on maintaining their form over longer distances in freestyle. We continue to develop our efficiency in backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly. Greater emphasis is placed on underwaters - developing strong underwater dolphin kicks and breaststroke pullouts. Silver swimmers swim 2 days/week for 1 hour and we encourage our swimmers to swim regularly in meets, in general about 1/month. Swimmers are sometimes deciding at this age what their ‘main’ sport is. We support this group playing multiple sports and developing overall athleticism. 

 

Silver Practice Schedule:

  • Mondays and Wednesdays 7:00-8:00 pm

 

GOLD Practice Group $1,320 Annually / $110 Monthly

Our Gold group is generally 9th grade and up swimmers. Our Gold group's focus is building stronger strokes and endurance and developing stronger technical skills. The expectations for this group are 2 days/week for 1 hour, and we encourage our swimmers to swim regularly in meets, in general about 1/month. Some swimmers in this group are preparing to compete for their high schools and others use swimming as a complement to another sport. Others are looking to work their way up to the Senior practice group. We strongly support our swimmers in pursuing their goals and emphasize communication so we can help realize those goals. 

 

Gold Practice Schedule:

  • Tuesdays and Thursdays 7:00-8:00 pm

 

Homeschool Practice Group (Silver/Bronze) $1,320 Annually / $110 Monthly

Our Homeschool practice group allows families to attend team practice in the daytime hours. Bronze and Silver swimmers are invited to attend. Homeschool group swimmers swim two days/week for 1 hour and are encouraged to swim in a couple meets over the year to have goals to work towards in practice and see all that hard work pay off! NOTE: EPSC is a Hope Scholarship Provider. Contact Coach Erica for instructions.

Homeschool Practice Schedule:

  • Mondays and Wednesdays 1:00-2:00 pm
  • Copper Homeschool (see Copper costs and descriptions above)
    • Copper Levels 1&2 12:30 - 1:00 pm​
    • Copper Levels 3&4 2:00-2:45 pm

JUNIOR Practice Group $1,800 Annually / $150 Monthly

The focus of our Junior group is refining strokes and skills in a training context. This group has a strong technical foundation and is preparing to swim 100's of a stroke as a base for moving to the Senior group. We encourage the Junior group to participate in other sports, but we also expect a strong commitment to swimming with regular participation in meets over the year, along with swimming Long Course in the Spring and Summer.

Junior Practice Schedule:

  • Mondays and Wednesdays 6:00 pm-6:30 pm (Dryland) AND 6:45-8:00 pm (Pool)
  • Fridays 5:00-6:15 pm 

The Junior Monthly Rate Includes:

  • 3 practices a week (1 hr 15 minutes each)
  • 2 Dryland Strength and Mobility sessions a week (30 minutes each)
  • All USA Swim meets through the Short Course and Long Course seasons (additional host meet fees apply)
  • MASSL Summer Swim Practices and Meets
  • 12 additional Long Course Summer practices at the Potterfield Pool in Hagerstown
  • Team Parties and Activities
  • "Whole Swimmer" Training and Focus (nutrition, strength, mentality)
  • Team Cap and Shirt

 

JUNIOR+ Practice Group $2,280 Annually / $190 Monthly

The Junior+ practice group is made up of Junior group members committed to participating in additional practice hours each week to increase their training intensity.

 

Junior+ Practice Schedule, includes all regular Junior Group practices, PLUS:

  • Regular Junior practice schedule, but adds TWO of the following three additional flex days: 
    • Tuesdays 7:00 - 8:00 pm
    • Thursdays 7:00 - 8:00 pm 
    • Saturdays 7:30-9:00 am

The Junior+ Monthly Rate Includes all the Junior Group benefits, PLUS the following:

  • Adds 2 additional practices per week (1 hour weekday practice and 1 hour 30 minutes Saturday practice)
  • Adds 9 Optional Holiday Practices over Winter and Spring Breaks (1 hour 30 minutes each)

SENIOR Practice Group $2,160 Annually / $180 Monthly

Our Senior group is our highest level training group. Swimmers in this group are experiences swimmers who have shown a high commitment to the sport and the team and are working to acheive high goals. We expect our Senior Swimmers to compete in USA meets over the entire year, both in Short Course and Long Course, as well as summer MASSL meets. Practices focus on building a strong aerobic base and preparing for State and National level Prelims/Finals format meets.

Senior Practice Schedule:

  • Mondays and Wednesdays 5:00 pm - 6:45 pm
  • Fridays 5:30 am - 6:45 am

The Senior Monthly Rate Includes:

  • 3 practices a week - Two 1 hour 45 min practices and One 1 hour 15 minute practice
  • All USA Swim meets through the Short Course and Long Course seasons (additional host meet fees apply)
  • MASSL Summer Swim Practices and Meets
  • 12 additional Long Course Summer practices at the Potterfield Pool in Hagerstown
  • Team Parties and Activities
  • "Whole Swimmer" Training and Focus (nutrition, strength, mentality)
  • Team Cap and Shirt

SENIOR+ Practice Group $2,640 Annually / $220 Monthly

The Senior+ practice group is made up of Senior group members committed to participating in additional practice hours each week to increase their training intensity. It also adds 2 sessions of Dryland training a week.

Senior+ Practice Schedule, includes all regular Senior Group practices, PLUS:

  • Regular Senior practice schedule, but adds TWO of the three additional flex days: 
    • ​Tuesdays 6:00-6:45 pm (Dryland), AND 7:00-8:00 pm (Pool) 
    • Thursdays 6:00-6:45 pm (Dryland), AND 7:00-8:00 pm (Pool) 
    • Saturdays 7:30-9:00 am

 

The Senior+ Monthly Rate Includes all the Senior Group benefits, PLUS the following:

  • Adds 2 additional practices per week
  • Add Two 45 min Dryland Strength and Agility Trainings per week
  • Adds 9 Optional Holiday Practices over Winter and Spring Breaks