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If you care about the future of swimming, not just at the elite level, but at every pool in every community across the country, then it’s time to consider AAU.
The Amateur Athletic Union, often remembered for its legacy, is becoming an increasingly important part of swimming’s future. AAU understands something we often forget: Growth doesn’t start at the Olympics. It starts at the local level with access, affordability, and opportunities to race.
Here’s how AAU can help grow the sport of swimming, and why smart coaches, clubs, and communities are starting to take notice.
1. Lower the Barrier to Entry
Swimming has become expensive. Between team fees, gear, tech suits, and governing body registrations, it can cost hundreds just to get started.
AAU changes that. With a $20 annual registration fee, affordable meet sanctions, and more flexible insurance options, AAU gives programs the chance to bring in more swimmers.
For families dipping their toe into competitive swimming, AAU offers a softer entry point. No sticker shock. No overwhelming schedules. Just the basics: pool, coach, meet. And that matters because if we want to grow swimming, we can’t scare new families away before they even hit the water.
2. Empower Coaches and Clubs
AAU is structured to put control back in the hands of the coach.
Want to host a meet? AAU can approve it in a day.
Want to run a developmental league? Do it.
Want to blend AAU with your USA Swimming athletes? Many already do.
There’s no gatekeeping. No endless paperwork. No bureaucratic slowdowns.
By giving clubs more autonomy, AAU lets teams build programming that fits their swimmers, not the other way around. That freedom is the backbone of sustainable growth.
3. Keep More Swimmers in the Sport Longer
Here’s a stat you won’t hear often: Most club teams have 30–50% of swimmers who never compete in a USA Swimming-sanctioned meet. They swim for fitness, for fun, or to prep for summer league or high school. But they’re not paying $80+ for a membership they won’t use.
That’s where AAU becomes critical. It allows those swimmers to stay insured, stay engaged, and still compete locally without forcing a full buy-in to the national system. That flexibility is key to retention, one of the most important (and overlooked) pieces of growing the sport.
4. Build a Local Meet Ecosystem
AAU gives clubs the tools to create their own competition circuits.
No travel. No waiting for LSC approval. Just a pool, a starter, and a plan.
This gives younger and newer swimmers a chance to race without the stress of big, intimidating USA Swimming meets. It builds confidence. It builds habits. And it builds a stronger culture at the grassroots level.
Plus, when clubs run their own meets, they keep more revenue, which helps fund scholarships, pay coaches, and improve facilities.
5. Create a Parallel Pathway, Not a Rival
This isn’t about picking sides. It’s about building a more complete swimming ecosystem. AAU doesn’t have to replace USA Swimming. It can complement it. Think of AAU as the community college of competitive swimming, a place where kids start, learn the ropes, and build toward bigger things. The clubs that do both AAU and USA Swimming are seeing the benefits. They’re growing faster. Retaining longer. And offering more options to more families.
We don’t see that as a threat to swimming. That’s a way you grow it.
If we want more Olympic champions, we need more swimmers.
If we want more swimmers, we need more access.
And if we want more access, we need systems that meet families where they are.
That’s what AAU offers. It’s not the only path, but it’s an important one to consider. For teams ready to think creatively, serve their full community, and build a stronger base for the sport they love, it might just be a smart move they can make.
Growing swimming doesn’t happen from the top down. It starts at the bottom, with local pools, local coaches, and local kids falling in love with the water. And right now, AAU might be the best grassroots tool we’ve got.
Read the full story on SwimSwam: How to Grow the Sport of Swimming with AAU
