FAQs
Membership FaQ’s
How do I become a new member?
Membership for the 2023 season is currently open. PLC has a membership cap of 300 memberships. New memberships are accepted on a first come, first served basis, when spots are available. There is NO waiting list. Phantom Lake Bath & Tennis Club WILL have space for new memberships is 2023.
I was not a member in 2022, but held membership previously. Am I considered a returning member?
Returning members are those who held a membership in 2022 as membership must remain consecutive to be considered ‘returning.’ All others are considered new members.
How do I register?
If you held a membership in 2022, an email has been sent to you with registration links and instructions. If you did not receive a link, or need assistance, please email: clubmanager@phantomlakeclub.org
Currently, new member registration is open as well, on a first come, first served basis until we reach our membership cap. Please click the MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION button for more information. Contact clubmanager@phantomlakeclub.org if you have questions or need assistance.
Can we bring guests if we are members?
PLC is even more fun with friends and family! Phantom Lake Bath and Tennis Club guest policy:
Members are welcome to bring guests each visit, except adult lap swim.
Guest fees are $6 /child (2-17 years), $8/adult.
Guest fees are collected, at that time.
All guests, whether swimming in the water or just relaxing on deck are required to pay the guest fee. Exceptions to the rule are nannies or care givers acting in lieu of the parents, when parents are NOT present.
All guests must be accompanied by a member at all times
What does a membership at PLC offer?
We offer a 6-lane, 25-yard competition pool with dive board. We offer adult-only swim, general use open swim, private lessons, swim team, dive team, water polo team, grills for use, and a ‘Baithouse’ snack shack.
Tell me about your tennis program…
Tennis courts are currently closed, Tennis information will be updated when court renovations are complete.
Do you offer swim lessons? Dive lessons?
Swim and dive lessons will all be private lessons. You may choose to arrange with any of the instructors offering lessons. Lessons will be $TBD.
What is your refund policy?
Initiation fee: Initiation fee is not refundable. No exceptions.
Membership dues: Membership dues are non-refundable, the only exception being catastrophic unanticipated change in circumstance (e.g., illness or death in the family, sudden loss of income) prior to season opening or usage of the facility. Refund Exception Request Process:
Request: Member submits a written refund request, attesting to reason of exception to clubmanager@phantomlakeclub.org.
Review & Approval: Catastrophic unanticipated change in circumstance exception requires approval from the board of directors. Reviews will be carried out at the next board meeting (first Tuesday of each month except July).
Team fees: Team fees are non-refundable. If a team member suffers an injury that would prevent them from participating, with doctor documentation, a refund will be issued if submitted no later than 21/14/7 (swim/dive/wp) days after the first team practice of the season. After 21/14/7 (swim/dive/wp) days no refunds will be granted without exception.
Swim lessons, group and private: When you sign up for group classes, you are committing to the entire session. Classes will not be pro-rated for classes missed. Once your lessons are booked, each students lesson time has been secured in our schedule and is not offered to anyone else. We do not offer refunds. Please be sure of your schedule prior to registration. We want you to be in our program and your space is held for you once you register. There will be no refund for group classes not cancelled by the PLC staff. If you must cancel a private lesson, there must be at least 24-hour notice to receive a credit or refund.
For group lessons: We reserve the right to remove any swimmer who does not meet the prerequisites listed. If you are unsure of which level your swimmer should be in, please email us to set up an assessment. If you cannot set up an assessment, under estimate your swimmer’s abilities.
Refund: For approved refunds, the club will withhold credit card processing fees (3%).
Rejoining: Members who were granted a refund for membership fees are no longer members and will be subject to initiation fee, should they join Phantom Lake Club in future years.
Swim team FAQ’s
Does my child need to try out for swim team?
Swim Team is open to all members, there are no tryouts and all are welcome regardless of experience and ability. Swimmers compete against like-aged opponents and with the same gender. Swimmers need to be 5 years old to join.
How do I register my child for swim team? What does it cost?
Swim Team Application. For the 2023 season the fee is $199 per swimmer.
What age bracket is my swimmer?
A swimmer’s age for the Midlakes summer season is determined by their age on or before June 15th of that season without exceptions. The age divisions are 8 & Under, 10 & Under, 12 & Under, 14 & Under and 15 & Over (Including the summer after high school graduation). Swimmers in younger groups can “swim up” to an older group as determined by the head coach, but swimmers are not allowed to “swim down” to a younger group. Minimum age for swim team is 5 years old by June 15th of that season.
When does swim team start /end?
Swim team runs from mid-May through the end of July.
Does my swimmer need to buy a Phantom Lake Club team swimsuit?
Purchasing a Phantom Lake Club team swimsuit is not mandatory. If your child would like to feel more coordinated with the rest of the team, they can wear a purple or black colored swimsuit if you don't purchase a team swimsuit.
Does my swimmer need to attend a certain number of practices or meets?
No. We do not have any required attendance. We understand that families have many commitments. Swim team should be fun for ALL kids - Kids have many different reasons for joining swim team. Some join for the social experience or to stay fit, others want to break records. Please allow your child to set their own goals and discuss them with the coaches so together they can work to achieve success. The most important thing is that your child enjoys their involvement with the team.
How do I commit my swimmer for a meet/time trials?
The swim team uses Swimmingly to manage meets. Once you have successfully registered for the team, you will be able to register your swimmer in Swimmingly. This site is how you sign up to commit your swimmer for meets. Please be sure to use this to commit/not commit your swimmers for each and every meet.
What are time trials?
Time Trials are like a scrimmage. They are run like a regular swim meet, but we race against our own team mates. The coaches use the times for each of the swimmers to determine where to line them up (called "seeding") when we race against other teams. For example, if Coco swims her 20 yd freestyle in 30 seconds, she would swim against other kids with a similar time at the swim meets. Other kids may swim 25 sec or 45 sec. It’s for grouping the swimmer and determining relay teams. The kids will swim all four strokes - Freestyle, Breast, Backstroke and Butterfly. Remember the main purpose of this meet is to assess your current level so the coaches can learn what we need to work on, and help you set personal goals for the season. Time Trials is also a good time for the parents to get ready for hosting Home Swim Meets, so please volunteer to help out.
I would like to commit my swimmer (and signup for meet jobs) for the next couple of weeks.
We only send the signups and commitments out the week before the meet. In the past, people have forgotten that they signed up for a job or committed their swimmer, only to have their plans change and then the relay team is missing a person. We’ll make sure the signups are sent out 7-10 days before the event. If you know you will be on vacation and unable to commit your swimmer, PLEASE contact the swim team Parent Representative. Meet commitments will be done in Swimmingly. Volunteer sign-ups will be done via SignUpGenius.
Do I have to volunteer if my child is on the swim team?
It is expected that all parents volunteer at weekly swim meets as swim team cannot run without volunteers. We understand that everyone is busy and some are able to help more often than others. Please make every effort to help since we cannot run meets without volunteers.
Dive team FAQ’s
How do I register my child for dive team? What does it cost?
You must first be a member of Phantom Lake Pool or a member of another Midlakes pool that does not already have a dive team.
Dive Team is $149 per diver for the 2023 summer dive season for Phantom Lake members. (Dive Team is $163 per diver for athletes who are members of another Midlakes club. Proof of Midlakes membership is required.)
Your diver's registration fee at Phantom Lake includes the fee for Midlakes Dive Championships. You will need to complete the Dive Team Application, as well as several required forms. Details are available in the Requirements and Documents sections of the Dive Team area of our website.
Can my child try out dive team before committing to the whole season?
Trial class
· Your athlete can attend one trial practice without paying for the full season if their forms are completed and extended insurance is purchased ($16) from AAU.
· Before attending a trial practice, the following forms must be filled out - Lystedt Concussion and Risk of Injury.
· Bring completed forms and also proof of your purchase of extended (AB) insurance coverage from AAU.
· If your child loves the trial practice and wants to sign up, just bring the check for payment of the season fees along with the forms you turned in.
Private lesson
· An alternate method is to schedule a private dive lesson with our coach.
· If your child enjoys the lesson and wants to sign up for the dive team, they can join partway into the season. All forms must be filled out – see Requirements.
· Bring completed forms, payment, and proof of your purchase of extended (AB) insurance coverage from AAU to the next practice.
Does our family have to be a member at Phantom Lake Bath and Tennis Club in order to join the Dive Team?
If you are not members here at Phantom Lake, you may still qualify to join our Dive Team. · Your family must be members of a pool in the Midlakes Swim League.
· Your home swim club must not have its own dive team.
· Phantom Lake must have room on the team and be accepting non-members to attend the pool.
Does my diver need to buy a Phantom Lake Club team swimsuit?
· Purchasing a Phantom Lake Club team swimsuit is not mandatory. Many of our divers purchase one because they also belong to our Phantom Lake Club Swim Team.
· Any color of swimsuit the athlete chooses is fine. The swimsuit must be acceptable for competition standards (i.e. no two-piece swimsuits, no tie-backs, no t-shirts, etc.). Ask the Dive Team Coach or Parent Representative if you’re not sure.
· If your child would like to feel more coordinated with the rest of the team without purchasing a team swimsuit, they can simply wear a purple- or black-colored swimsuit.
Does my child need to be a great swimmer in order to join Dive Team?
· Your child must feel confident in the water. We recommend that he or she be able to tread water and swim half the length of the pool.
· You can schedule a private lesson with a swim or dive coach to help gain confidence before joining Dive Team.
My child does not feel comfortable going headfirst into the water yet? Will Dive Team help with this?
· Any experience level including novice is fine for joining our Dive Team.
· We recommend that your child feel confident in the water before joining. Have them join us at a practice to watch and see if it feels like something they can do.
· You can also schedule a private lesson with a swim or dive coach to help gain confidence before joining Dive Team.
How do I arrange a private dive lesson? Does my child need to belong to Dive Team in order to have a lesson?
You can schedule a private lesson with a swim or dive coach to help gain confidence in the water before joining Dive Team or just for fun and learning.
· Dive lessons can be arranged directly with the dive coach. Lessons cost $30/half hour and $50/50 minutes similar to other lessons for swim. Payment is made in advance to the pool office. Contact us for information on purchasing lessons.
Do I have to volunteer if my child is on the dive team?
It is expected that all parents volunteer for at least one dive meet and preferably twice. You can either serve as a volunteer judge or work at the scoring table. Announcing for the home meets is another option. We understand that everyone is busy, and some are able to help more often than others. Please make every effort to help since we cannot have dive meets without volunteers.
I'm not clear on how to be a judge for a dive meet.
Dive meets require volunteer dive judges. You learn so much more by judging as you watch each dive more closely than you might normally. Judging can be fun too!
To be a judge, you will evaluate three parts of each dive – 1) the approach + hurdle, 2) the flight, and 3) the entry – and give a final score. Each family should have a parent/guardian attend the online judge training on the Midlakes website.
If you have questions, contact our Dive Team parent representative at practice or at plcdiveteam@gmail.com. Talk to other parents who have helped judge at meets and then you can help at the next meet. Judging the younger divers is usually easier since their dives are simpler than the senior divers.
What is involved in working at the scoring table?
We need three or four volunteers for the scoring table at home meets. The scoring jobs are fairly straightforward and training is available on the Midlakes Dive website. Scoring can even be learned in the course of the meet without the training. This is a great first volunteer job.
What age bracket is my diver?
A diver’s age for the Midlakes summer season is determined by their age on or before June 15th of that season without exceptions. The age divisions are 8 & Under, 10 & Under, 12 & Under, 14 & Under, and 15 & Over (including the summer after high school graduation). Divers in younger groups may not “dive up” to an older group. There is no official minimum age to join the dive team, however a diver must feel confident in the pool and on the diving board, so 5 years old is the recommended minimum age.
Why are some divers listed as “A” divers and others are “B” divers? What is that based on?
The Dive Coach is responsible for designating diver level as “A” or “B”. Essentially, “A” divers have won two or more competitions in their age group or they won dive championships the previous summer or continued as an “A” diver in the same age group from the previous year. A year-round club diver may also get a special coach designation as an “A” diver based on their experience.
“A” and “B” divers receive the same amount of training time at Midlakes dive team practices, however younger “A” divers are expected to do an extra dive at meets. Regardless of level, the focus should be diver fun and personal growth. Private lessons are available for a more personalized focus.
When does Dive Team start /end?
Dive Team runs from late-June through the end of July.
For 2023, Phantom Lake dive practices are TBD
Does my diver need to attend a certain number of practices or meets?
No, and a little bit yes. Dive Team does not have specific attendance minimums and we understand that families may have other commitments. Participation at practices is important to gain confidence on the diving board and to compete safely at dive meets. Older divers are required to perform more dives at competitions than younger divers, so practice time is important to learn new dives.
In order to compete at the Dive Championships your athlete must have competed at two regular season meets. So, you can see it's "no, and a little bit yes" in terms of attendance requirements.
My athlete doesn’t respond well to pressure situations. How much pressure is there in dive?
Diving is both a physical and a mental sport. Often divers put more pressure on themselves than is put on them by coaches and parents. Some divers get quiet, some get determined, some get chatty, some lament and complain, some get fierce, and some act distracted; these are all ways to relieve their nerves as they face a challenge. The dive coach has experience with being encouraged, getting “pushed” out of the comfort zone, and also with being allowed to back off and do something “easier” at times.
If you have concerns about your athlete’s temperament, it’s best to discuss your thoughts with the dive coach at the start of the season and talk about coping strategies. The more the coach knows about your diver, the better. A private discussion is better so you don’t sap your diver’s confidence.
My question wasn’t answered here.
You can reach out to the Phantom Lake Club’s Parent Representative at plcdiveteam@gmail.com with additional questions. More information is also available on the Midlakes website.
In the end, Dive Team should be fun for ALL kids. Kids have many different reasons for joining our dive team such as the social experience, to do cool stuff that others can't, and some love the competition. The most important thing is that your child enjoys their involvement with our team.
Water POLO Team FAQ’s
How do I register my child for water polo team? What does it cost?
Water Polo Team Application. The 2023 fee for water polo is $99 per player.
Can my child try out water polo before committing to the whole season?
If you are new to water polo, we welcome and encourage you to come try a practice before committing to the season.
Does my player need to buy a Phantom Lake Club team swimsuit?
Purchasing a Phantom Lake Club team swimsuit is not mandatory.
Does our family have to be a member at Phantom Lake Bath and Tennis Club in order to join the water polo Team?
If you are not members here at Phantom Lake, you may still qualify to join our water polo team.
Your family must be members of a pool in the Midlakes Swim League.
Your home club must not have its own water polo team.
Phantom Lake must have room on the team and be accepting non-members to attend.
Does my child need to be a great swimmer in order to join water polo team?
Your child does not need to be a great swimmer to start water polo, but they should be confident in the water. We recommend that they should be able to tread water and swim the length of the pool. Swimming is an essential skill in water polo. One thing is certain, your child’s swimming and endurance will improve by playing water polo.
Do I have to volunteer if my child is on the water polo team?
We understand that everyone is busy, and some can help more often than others, but we rely on volunteers to run the games.
Volunteer Opportunities:
· Scorekeepers/timers. Keep score using the electronic scoreboard and the paper scorebook to record goals, fouls, and exclusions. It’s not hard to learn, and usually done in teams of 2. If you’re interested, come and sit at the table with us for a game and you will have the hang of it in no time. This is a great job for teens with some water polo experience.
· PLC hosted games for 12 and Unders: Game setup/clean up on Thursday mornings at Phantom Lake. Help coaches with table, umbrella, extension cord for scorekeeper’s table.
DIRECTIONS
How do I get to the pool?
Directions from I-90 Eastbound
Take the 148th Ave SE exit (11B)
Continue north on 148th Ave
Turn right on SE 22nd St
Continue on SE 22nd St to 5 way stop
Continue across the intersection onto SE 24th St
PLC is at the bottom of the hill, on your left
Directions from I-90 Westbound
Take the 156th Ave SE exit (11)
Follow signs to 156th Ave SE
Once on 156th Ave Se continue to the 5 way stop
Turn right onto SE 24th St
PLC is at the bottom of the hill, on your left
Directions from Seattle / Mercer Island
Take the 1-90 East
Exit on 11 B and follow 148th Ave SE/ Bellevue College
Go over the freeway onto 148th Ave
Turn right at the corner of Robinswood Park, onto SE 22nd St
Go straight to the 5 way stop at 156th
Continue across the intersection to SE 24th
PLC is at the bottom of the hill, on your left
Directions from Issaquah
Take the 1-90 West
Take the 156th Ave exit
Go straight at the light onto 161st Ave (25 MPH) zone!!
At the end of 161st turn left onto SE 24th St
PLC is at the bottom of the hill, on your right
Directions from Redmond
Take 148th Ave going South
Turn right at the corner of Robinswood Park, onto SE 22nd St
Go straight to the 5 way stop at 156th
Continue across the intersection to SE 24th
PLC is at the bottom of the hill, on your left