The Marlins, a parent-run summer swimming program at the Winter Club, is organized under the umbrella of the British Columbia Summer Swimmer Association (BCSSA). There are eight BCSSA regions in the province, each of which have between four and 15 clubs in their grouping. The Marlins is part of the Vancouver & District Region, which includes:
Vancouver
Vikings (VIK), North Vancouver Cruisers (NVC), Squamish Pirates (SQU), 
Vancouver
Super Sharks (SUP) and the North Vancouver Divers (NVD)
For BCSSA purposes every swimmer in the province is assigned a number. This number belongs to a swimmer for life. Our swim club is organized and run by a group of parents who form the Marlins Executive. The Executive meets monthly throughout the year or as business dictates. Fresh input and new faces are always welcome.
Summer with the Marlins can be either a competitive or recreational experience. Either way our coaches provide excellent skill development for all levels of ability. The only pre-requisite is to be able to swim one length of the pool. Participation on a regular basis virtually guarantees a strong, confident swimmer while learning about sportsmanship and commitment, all within a fun and enthusiastic atmosphere.
For those who wish to participate in competitive swimming, the coaches will help set realistic and attainable goals. See the 'coaches welcome' accessible through the homepage for more information.
Practices
Swim Practices start at the beginning of May and are offered both in the morning and late afternoon, Monday to Friday. Hardcopies of the schedule are available at the front desk of the Club. It is up to each swimmer and their coach as to how many practices they attend.
Swim Meets
Summer swimming is organized around a series of meets. These are weekend events and are optional although all Marlins are encouraged to attend swim meets. Swimmers may pick and choose and do as many or as few meets as they wish. At these meets swimmers compete against other swimmers approximately their age. Personal goals are set and all achievements are valued. Each club hosts one or more meets and invites other clubs to attend. Most swimmers compete in about four races each meet at a cost of $5-$6 each race (typically charged to the family Winter Club account).
We hold a Red & Blue Meet in late May. This intra-club meet (Marlins only) is a great opportunity for new swimmers to learn about the competition process, and it helps new parents understand how a swim meet is run.
Our Club's Development Meet, in which other clubs are invited but race times are not "official," is usually the first Wednesday in July.
Our biggest meet is the A & B Meet and it is held on a weekend when we can attract 500-600 swimmers to the meet. This is a very exciting event and is the Marlins major fundraiser.
Parent Participation
Swimming is the one sport that brings together children of all ages, and in doing so, allows the whole family to participate together. Parents play a vital role in the running of this program and are an integral part of their children's progress, sense of accomplishment and fun. With the exception of paid coaches, the swim meets are run entirely by parent volunteers. We need all parents to volunteer for at least one meet; many hands are essential and it's fun!
Marlin Miscellaneous
In addition to swimming, the Marlins Club offers numerous activities and outings such as movie days, spaghetti nights, sleepovers, hikes, etc. These activities foster team spirit, encourage camaraderie, and round out the Marlins experience. As with many other activities, running the Marlins program is costly, especially since this is one of the few sports that employs professional coaches. A minimal amount of fundraising will be expected of each family in order to help defray costs. Swimmers receive a Marlins swim-cap with the new member-designed logo prominently displayed with their full registration. Marlins racing suits that include cool "Jammer" shorts for the boys are also available.
