NISCA Coaches E-News

Fall season is in full swing. We hope you are settling into your season, and everyone is swimming fast! Don't forget to make sure you have your NISCA membership updated. Need to check? You can do it here: https://be.niscaonline.org/membership/currentusermembersearch

Want to talk to other High School coaches? Don't forget to join the NISCA High School Swim Coaches Exchange Group on Facebook!

NISCA memberships are for the current school year, August 1 to July 31. If you renew your NISCA membership after June 15th (once All America Apps close) it will get renewed through July 31st, 2027! That's an extra month of coverage!

Now is a great time to renew your NISCA membership. That way you'll get the $1M liability insurance coverage, all the issues of the Journal, the ability to log into the members only pages on the website, and you'll be covered for all your All America applications for the '26-'27 school year.

After July 31st, your NISCA membership became inactive. That means you can't log into the website or change your password. Renewing now allows you to continue access.

Read all of these to have a smooth renewal process.

To renew your membership, click here: https://www.be.niscaonline.org/Membership/login?ReturnUrl=/membership/Members/Renew.aspx.

Log in with your NISCA number and email address.

If you don't know your NISCA number, you can look it up here:

https://www.be.niscaonline.org/Membership/LookupNumber.

The email address we have on file is the one we sent this email to, so use that one. The email address is case sensitive. If it doesn't work the first time, try capitalizing the first letter.

On step 1, at the bottom of your information click the EDIT link to update any information. Click the at the bottom of your information to save it. Click on the UPDATE link to save it when you're done.

On step 2, enter your email address you want us to send information to twice (once in each field) and click the Submit Email button to move on to step 4.

Your NISCA membership is automatically selected. Select any other options that you want to add, then click the Submit and Pay button to be taken to PayPal.

❗YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A PAYPAL ACCOUNT TO PAY FOR YOUR MEMBERSHIP❗

When you go to check out, click on the Pay with Credit/Debit card option.

Enter the information, and then at the very bottom of the page, turn off the Purchase Protection option. Then you can check out as a guest and not have to set up an account.

The 2026-2027 All America Portals for Swim, Dive, Para, and Water Polo will be opening on November 1st. The Academic and Scholar Team Portals open on January 1st, 2027.

Fall coaches, your deadline for entering your apps without a late fee is December 31st, 2026. Put a calendar entry in for December 1st to do your apps. If you wait too long and something isn't working right, you'll have to pay a late fee!

Don't forget to check your NISCA membership to make sure it's up to date. You can do that here: https://be.niscaonline.org/membership/currentusermembersearch

The NISCA Journal is in need water polo and diving photos. The best submission will be featured on back cover of the winter (Dec/Jan/Feb) issue of the Journal.

Send your high-resolution photos, along with the name(s) of individual(s) pictured, team, city, state and photo credit to journal@niscaonline.org.

Academic and Scholar Team Chairperson

Marney Shirley, who has dedicated several decades to starting and running the NISCA Academic All America and Scholar Teams program is ready to retire. NISCA is looking for someone to step in to her position. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, and organized. You can run both programs, or we can split the duties between two people. The busy periods for the programs are at the end of March, and the month of June.

If you are interested in applying, reach out to NISCA president Kyle Bedalov (president@niscaonline.org).

If you are a coach in Alaska, Oregon, Idaho and Washington, and you have your finger on the pulse of high school swimming in your state - or even if you just want to get to know more coaches in your state - we could use YOU as a state delegate for Zone 8. Duties include sending state information to the Zone 8 director and spreading the word about NISCA in your state. If you are interested in helping, reach out to Kade Hillibush (zone8@niscaonline.org).

We are looking for someone who is detailed oriented (to help keep track of sponsor and advertiser contracts) who enjoys talking to people (potential new sponsors and advertisers). A wheeler-dealer attitude is helpful! Does this sound like you? Reach out to NISCA President Kyle Bedalov (president@niscaonline.org) and see if you are a good fit!

At the 2027 Business meeting there will be a vote to adopt the proposal linked here: 2027 Proposal 1. The proposal suggests adding an explanatory note to Article VI of the Constitution and Article VII of the By-Laws for when a cote can be taken to accept/adopt/pass an amendment proposal.

This proposal was introduced and discussed at the 2026 meeting, and will be voted on at the 2027 meeting.

The 2027 NISCA Conference will feature elections for the next President-Elect and Treasurer. If you are interested in running for either position, send a résumé and cover letter to webmaster@niscaonline.org to be posted on the Conference page. This is optional, but a great way to introduce yourself to the membership before we get to the Conference and the nomination process.

Current Treasurer: Kris Jones (TX)

Potential candidates for President-Elect: Russ Ingold (KS)

Fifty years. One incredible coaching community. And another great weekend of learning is ahead!

Join ASCA for the 50th Annual Eastern States Swim Clinic, October 16–18 at the Crowne Plaza Philadelphia – King of Prussia in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. This clinic brings together coaches from across the region for three days of practical education, fresh ideas, and the opportunity to connect with fellow coaches.

This year’s lineup includes an outstanding group of presenters:

· Jack Bauerle — IM development and the business side of coaching

· Jason Pullano — Transforming swimmers with potential and creating an intentional season plan

· Laura Mitchell — Building a better butterfly progression and developing a successful season

· Russell Mark — Stroke technique and analysis, including his popular Stroke School

Looking to take a deeper dive? Add-on opportunities include Russell Mark’s Stroke School and Planning, Writing and Managing Age Group & Novice Workouts — giving you the chance to take ideas from the clinic straight back to your pool deck.

Early registration is $190 for coaches through September 18, increasing to $205 after that date.

Don’t miss it — register today! Click here: Event Information - 2026 Eastern States Swim Clinic

Especially in the Southern and Eastern regions of the US.

NISCA offers up to 3 Weekend Workshops per year, and we'll come to your area at MINIMAL COST to coaches! The 1-2 day workshop includes a NISCA Speaker, a binder full of ideas and some great Finis gear!

If you are interested in hosting a NISCA Weekend Workshop in your area, reach out to Arvel McElroy (outreach@niscaonline.org) (niscacoach@aol.com) or Private Message me. Send us the location, date range, length of the workshop and specific topics you think coaches in your area would be interested in. We'll work with you to put together the perfect program!

On the NISCA Website, under Coaches Ed there is a menu item called "Education Links". Click on that and you'll go to a page with all kinds of information on it, from preventing shallow water blackout, to sports psychology, NFHS learn training courses (some free, some paid), to a glossary of swimming terms you can share with your parents.

Got something you think we should add to the list? Send it to webmaster@niscaonline.org.

NISCA is building a list of pools and natatoriums that have been named after coaches. If you know of one, please send the following information to ntswim1@gmail.com

Coaches’ full name

Full name of the pool, natatorium, aquatic center, etc.

Location: high school, junior high, rec center, etc.

City and State

Grab your phone and take some candids at a pool practice or at a meet (swimming, diving, water polo), or even doing dryland or other strength work for use in the Journal or on the website. Get your athletes and managers to help! Need name of photographer (will be credited!), date, school (include city/state) , and brief description if necessary. Please, no posed photos, we're looking for ACTION!

Send full-resolution photos to us at journal@niscaonline.org or nisca.journal01@gmail.com

New to coaching, or maybe you know someone who is? Send them to NFHSLearn.com. There is lots of great information there and the courses for both swimming and diving were created by actual high school coaches!

Email: secretary@niscaonline.org
Website: www.niscaonline.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Nisca-National-Interscholastic-Swim-Coaches-Association-165367300181146
Twitter: @NISCASwim

Instagram: NiscaSwim