The Powell Swim Club made a splash in recent months by offering a free membership to the Powell Aquatic Center for new members.

Originally, every swimmer involved with the Powell Swim Club was required to pay entry fees to the pool. But thanks to a grant from the Moyer Foundation, the club is able to provide new swimmers with six months of free entry into the aquatic center.

Jerry Rodriguez, head coach for the Powell Swim Club, said he hopes this new policy will make the club more accessible to potential new members, as the price can be a deciding factor.

“We’d say that was probably one of the things that’s keeping people from joining the club,” Rodriguez said.

With the membership policy in place, Rodriguez said he hasn’t seen a major increase in new members for the swim club, but has been able to give this opportunity to recent members.

“Only two swimmers have actually joined the team specifically because of the free membership,” Rodriguez said. “But we had some other kids that joined in the fall before we put this policy in place and we have applied this membership to their current memberships.”

With around 41 swimmers on the Piranhas team right now, Rodriguez said he hopes to recruit more members in the future.

“We’d like to have the team bigger,” Rodriguez said. “More swimmers help cover the bills a little better. So we have to spend a lot of time fundraising.”

Swimmers of all ages can compete with the Powell Swim Club. Swimmers are divided into three groups: entry-level, intermediate and senior. The members range from grade school age up to high school.

Rodriguez said recruiting members can be challenging during the school year.

“Kids and parents aren’t willing to commit the time needed to be a swimmer,” Rodriguez said. “It’s not something you can just come and go. It takes a lot of commitment and practice.”

The Powell Swim Club will host its Winter Fiesta this weekend at the aquatic center.

“That’s kind of what we’re gearing up for right now,” Rodriguez said earlier this month. “The training is just ongoing. For newer swimmers, it’s teaching them how to do the turns and starts correctly, then just building up strength and conditioning and stroke technique.”

The Powell Swim Club’s winter season goes until early March, wrapping up with a state championship meet in Laramie.