WELCOME TO Heatwaves!

WELCOME to our swim family!

Our Philosophy

Building on 35 years of coaching, Coach Galen founded Heatwaves in 2015 to create a high-performance environment while dedicated to building a strong swim community. Heatwaves methods and philosophy in swimming empower every swimmer to reach their full potential, creating an atmosphere where athletes will grow, develop friendships and hold all the tools necessary to thrive.

Our team is led by a multi-generational coaching staff of former swim athletes with extensive experience and deep roots in swimming. Our backgrounds in swimming include age group competitive swimming, high school, Division 1 college swimming, and elite Masters competitions.

Within 10 short years, Heatwaves has qualified several athletes for Metro Championships ages 9 to 16 years. It has also is the program behind Poughkeepsie Varsity Girls winning High School Conference Championships in 2023.

Every coach at Heatwaves is dedicated to swimming, our program and our mission to shape lives. It takes a team to build an athlete; it take a community to stand behind the sport. UNITE TO SWIM TO UNITE

Fall 2025 – Winter 2026 Training Season

Our Fall – Winter swim team season is here! Our short course swim team program runs from September 2, 2025 to April 8, 2026. We can’t wait to see you!

Registrations will be open on Tuesday, August 26. Please note the official training session will start on Tuesday, September 2nd, and the monthly billing cycle will start on Sunday, September 7th. Details on ages, levels (training groups) and fees are below.

Training Groups & Requirements

• Children ages 5 and older are invited to join Heatwaves Swim Team.
• Levels are based on age, ability and commitment.
• Meet commitment is mandatory for all levels except WAVES ONE.

WAVES ONE (Ages 9-15)

A new level for swimmers that do not wish to participate in every swim meet. One meet is encouraged.

PACE (Ages 9-18)

For swimmers who are swimming 3 practice days a week and have 2 seasons experience on a swim team. This group offers a pathway into becoming more competitive, strengthening skills and endurance. Participation in meets is mandatory.

RACE (Ages 9-18)

Offered for swimmers that are seeking to qualify for Silvers, Jr and Sr Mets. Weekly commitment and training and attendance at meets is required.

Registering for MHHW

To register for any of the training groups, we will send you a registration link to the email we have on file. The registration information and payments will be processed through the Commit Swimming platform.

Parents of new swimmers joining the team will need to create an online account. This account will be your parent portal account. Commit swimming is a web-based team management software where you will manage your account. Here you can see your child’s registration, manage your account, payment options, transactions history, view team calendar, register for swim meets, and check swimmers best times and swim meet results.

Important Registration Details

• In addition to the training fee, all swimmers are required to pay a $40.00 registration fee. This fee includes one t-shirt and one MHHW silicone swim cap.
• Registrations will be open Tuesday, August 26, and all current MHHW swimmers should be registered by September 6.
• If parents select to pay in installments, the first monthly payment will be withdrawn from bank accounts on Sunday, September 7.
• There is a 10% discount for each additional sibling on Heatwaves. Please choose to pay in installments during registration so we can apply the discount.
• A 30% discount will be given to participants of any Varsity High School swim team.

USA Swimming Registration

The USA swimming registration is the membership that allows swimmers to participate in the sport under USA swimming regulations and at the same time is the proof of insurance for the swim team and all athletes. Unregistered swimmers will not be allowed to swim with the program.

For current swim team members, we will automatically renew the USA swimming membership. For new members, parents will need to follow the link provided on Commit Swimming to register and pay.

USA Swimming Registration Fees:

• Outreach: $5.00
• FULL MEMBERSHIP: $86.00
• FLEX: $32.00 (available for swimmers 12 years & under; allows participation in 2 swim meets only).

Swim Meets & Fees

Swim meet participation is offered on various weekends. PACE, JUNIOR and SENIOR training groups are required to attend at least 3 swim meets during the season. Our team typically attends 5 to 7 meets during the Fall and Winter seasons.

Please be aware that meet hosts levy fees to cover the operational costs. These fees generally range from $8.00 to $12.00 per individual race/event, and may also include a facility surcharge. Fees will be automatically processed and charged to the credit card on file the day following the completion of the swim meet.

Important: Once a swimmer is officially registered, the associated fees are locked in and are non-refundable, even if the swimmer needs to withdraw.

Team Policies & Other Information

Make-Up Practices

It will be possible to schedule make-up practices for missing attendance. Make-up practices need to be arranged and approved by Coach Galen.

Athlete Protection Training – MAAPP

The Athlete Protection Training is provided through the U.S. Center for SafeSport. The required course is found on your USA Swimming Account under the Education tab and must be renewed annually.

All new and existing adult members of USA Swimming, including adult athletes who are 18 and older, must complete this training by their 18th birthday. Failure to complete it will result in an athlete’s inability to swim in a meet or at practice.