The Basics
Temescal Aquatic Masters (TEME) is a United States Masters Swimming registered masters swimming club located in the Temescal district of Oakland, California. The regional swimming organization is Pacific Masters Swimming.
The People
We are a diverse bunch, with about 120 swimmers on the active roster. Our team includes swimmers of all levels, from novice to Olympic caliber; athletes of all persuasions, from fitness swimmers to seasoned triathletes; people of all backgrounds, from school teachers to entrepreneurs to full-time parents. We value physical fitness, personal achievement, friendship, and above all, fun!
The Pool
We meet at Temescal Pool, which is located on 45th Street at Lawton Avenue, near Studio One and Oakland Technical High School. The address is 371 45th Street. The pool is six lanes wide and an unusual 100 feet long. Plus it was recently renovated (August 2004) and is gorgeous!
The Dues
If you decide to swim with us, we have two options for payment: $45 per month or $30 for 5 workouts (in either case, USMS registration is required). Dues can only be paid by check made out to Temescal Masters. You can either give your check to the coach on deck or you can mail your check to our treasurer: Beth Cohen, 411 45th St, Oakland, CA 94609.
How To Join
Temescal Masters is open to a wide variety of swimming abilities. At a minimum, you should be able to complete three laps without stopping, and do at least one other stroke besides freestyle. And the easiest way to get started is to join us for a trial workout -- just come to the pool a little any workout starts and talk with the coach to find out what's the best lane for you. After that, it's just two clicks and a jump:
- Click: Register for USMS.
- Click: Sign up on the website.
- Jump in the pool and start swimming!
(And pretty soon after that, you'll need to pay your dues)
Team History and Governance
Temescal Aquatic Masters was started in 1982. According to Bruce Bagnell, one of the early members, "When the team was founded, we gave the official name of Temescal Aquatic Masters to the US Masters officials but at the same time declared ourselves the 'Emma Goldman Aquatic Collective.'" The team is a registered non-profit, and is in the process of becoming a 501c3 organization. We're governed by our a group of 9 volunteers from the team who server as the Board. The Board is selected annually by the members of the team. According to Bruce, "The team is 'owned' by the members."
Social Events
In addition to the monthly Steering Committee meetings on the first Wednesday of the month, on the second Thursday of every month, we gather at a neighborhood eatery for what we call "Beer Night." While we always do try to find a place that has a good selection of beer, it's a time for the team members to get together with each other on dry land and maybe meet someone from another lane. We also have several annual events:
- Intrasquad Meet -- held in the spring and sometimes the fall, it's a potluck BBQ and a time for you to find out what it's like to be in a meet if you haven't and get your times at the beginning of the season if you're preparing for more.
- Open water swim season -- Several times in the summer, groups of swimmers travel to Lake Berryessa, Lake del Valle, Tahoe, and Donner Lake for open water races, plus a good amount of hanging out and having fun.
- Halloween Party -- Often held at the pool, we dress up for an early Halloween soiree.
- Holiday Party -- Sometime in December, we like to hang out one last time. We cajole a kind soul from the team to host, then roll up for some end-of-year revelry.
More Information
If you'd like more information, we'd be happy to answer your questions via email at info@temescalmasters.org.