Wave Aquatics
Wave Aquatics is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit aquatics organization operating two pools in Kirkland and Redmond, Washington, delivering swim lessons, competitive swim team, masters swimming, public swim, pool rentals, and lifeguard training to nearly 2,000 Eastside Seattle-King County community members annually.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1986
- HeadquartersKirkland, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Wave Aquatics does
Wave Aquatics is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1986 from the merger of the Northshore, Redmond, and Totem Lake swim teams, headquartered in Kirkland, Washington and serving Eastside Seattle-King County residents. It operates two primary aquatic facilities under public-private partnerships: the Juanita Aquatics Center on the Juanita High School campus (since 2009, via Lake Washington School District) and Redmond Pool in Hartman Park (via the City of Redmond). The organization employs more than 100 staff, including seasonal lifeguards and swim instructors, and serves nearly 2,000 community members annually across six program lines: a competitive Swim Team with 500+ athletes, the Wave Swim School (Youth, Adult, Parent & Child, and Summer Lessons), the Lake Washington Masters adult team, Public Swim sessions, Pool Rentals, and American Red Cross Lifeguard Training.
Revenue is generated through session-based program fees (e.g., $280 per youth 8-week session, $435 per summer league season, $130/month for Masters unlimited), unit-priced public swim passes, lane and full-pool rentals, and lifeguard certification tuition. The organization runs on off-the-shelf registration platforms, having migrated from iClassPro to DaySmart Recreation's Dash platform in January 2026 and concurrently shifting swim school from 4-week to 8-week sessions. It also operates the Lake Washington Masters program as a U.S. Masters Swimming club team registered under Puget Sound Masters. Strategic partnerships include SplashForward (advocacy), Sylvia's Swimwear (retail), and Willows Preparatory School (third-party pool management), and governance is provided by a volunteer Board of Directors led by President Chris Geitz, with Dave Glenn serving as Executive Director.
Wave Aquatics firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Wave Aquatics
- Legal name
- Wave Aquatics
- Website
- https://waveaquatics.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1986
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Wave Aquatics is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit aquatics organization operating two pools in Kirkland and Redmond, Washington, delivering swim lessons, competitive swim team, masters swimming, public swim, pool rentals, and lifeguard training to nearly 2,000 Eastside Seattle-King County community members annually.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Wave Aquatics industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Aquatics Services
- NAICS
- Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Aquatics Programs (Pools, Swim Lessons, Lifeguarding) (EDALAIAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Aquatic Centers & Swimming Facilities (MPAKAEAF)
Keywords
Where Wave Aquatics is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kirkland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Wave Aquatics business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Swim Lessons: Session-based group swimming lessons for youth, adults, and parent-child programs. Revenue from enrollment fees for 8-week sessions.
- Swim Team Programs: Youth competitive swimming team fees, summer league fees, and masters team membership dues.
- Public Swim: Single admission passes, punch passes, and lap swim fees at Juanita Aquatics Center and Redmond Pool.
- Pool Rentals: Lane rentals and full pool rentals for private events, parties, and club gatherings.
- Lifeguard Training: American Red Cross lifeguard training certification courses.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Youth Swim Lessons - 8-week session |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Adult Swim Lessons - 8-week session |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Parent & Child Lessons - 8-week session |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Summer Swim Lessons - 1 week session |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Summer Swim League |
| Subscription | Monthly | Lake Washington Masters - Unlimited Monthly |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Lake Washington Masters - 10 Punch Pass |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Lake Washington Masters - Single Practice |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Swim Team Tryout |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Intro to Masters |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Public Swim - Single Pass |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Public Swim - Punch Passes |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Pool Rentals |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Lifeguard and Instructor Positions |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Wave Aquatics product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Wave Aquatics operates public aquatic facilities (Juanita Aquatics Center and Redmond Pool) and delivers a portfolio of aquatics programs including competitive swim team (Wave), swim school (youth, adult, parent & child, and summer lessons), Lake Washington Masters, public swim sessions, water polo, facility/lane rentals, and American Red Cross lifeguard training, serving Eastside Seattle–King County residents year-round.
Product overview
Wave Aquatics is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit aquatics organization offering a comprehensive suite of programs centered around swimming instruction and competitive aquatics. The portfolio consists of the Wave Swim School (with Youth, Adult, Parent & Child, and Summer lesson tracks), a competitive Swim Team with multiple practice groups, Lake Washington Masters adult swimming team, Public Swim sessions, Pool Rentals, and Lifeguard Training. Programs are delivered at two primary facilities (Juanita Aquatics Center in Kirkland and Redmond Pool) with additional partnerships for overflow capacity. The organization transitioned to a new registration platform (DaySmart Recreation Dash) in 2026 and restructured lessons to 8-week sessions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Lake Washington Masters: A U.S. Masters Club Team that swims year-round at the Juanita Aquatics Center, offering high quality professional coaching for adults (18+) of all ages and abilities.
Products and services
- Wave Swim Team Year-round competitive swim team offering group training, coached workouts, and meet participation for developmental through senior-level swimmers; serves youth and teen athletes and their families in the Eastside Seattle area.
- Wave Swim School (Youth Lessons)
Quantifiable outcome
- Serves nearly 2,000 community members annually
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Wave Aquatics
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Wave Aquatics technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature1 record
Wave Aquatics partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- City of RedmondcoreWave Aquatics manages the Redmond Pool (Hartman Pool) through a partnership with the City of Redmond. The city invested in pool improvements to extend the pool's life for another 25-30 years.
- Lake Washington School DistrictcoreWave Aquatics has operated the Juanita Aquatics Center at Juanita High School since 2009, managing facilities on school district property.
- Willows Preparatory SchoolminorWave manages the Willows Preparatory School Pool as one of three facilities for programs.
- Strattonwood Swim ClubminorLease partnership with Strattonwood Swim Club through May 2020 provided additional pool space during Redmond Pool renovation.
- U.S. Masters Swimming (USMS)coreLake Washington Masters is a U.S. Masters Club Team under USMS. Swimmers register through USMS as Puget Sound Masters (PSM) club under LWM workout group.
- Pacific Northwest Swimming (PNS)coreRegional swimming governing body. Wave Aquatics is established as one of premier teams in PNS and USA Swimming.
- Sylvia's SwimwearminorLongtime supporter and partner - local company with retail stores in Bellevue and Seattle recommended for swim equipment purchases.
- SplashForwardminorAdvocacy group for Eastside aquatics and community centers. Executive Director Jonathan Alford developed strategic visions for Eastside aquatics with this group.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Wave Aquatics competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Goldfish Swim School: National franchised swim school operating hundreds of locations focused on youth swim lessons. Comparable to Wave's swim school business model (progressive curriculum, instructor ratios, subscription lessons) but at national scale and with capital-raising capacity.
- Big Blue Swim School: Multi-location franchised swim school focused on year-round lessons for children. Closely comparable curriculum and lesson-format approach to Wave Swim School, though operating under a for-profit franchise model with corporate marketing and tech investment.
- SafeSplash Swim School: National swim lesson franchise serving all ages with progressive curriculum and small instructor ratios. Competes with Wave for the same family demographic through franchise locations in regional markets.
- Life Time Fitness: National premium fitness chain with extensive lap swimming, swim lessons, masters programming, and family aquatics at scale. Competes for the adult, family, and masters segments Wave serves, but through a for-profit membership club model.
Emerging players
- Aqua-Tots Swim Schools: Growing national swim school franchise focused on year-round lessons for infants through adults. Comparable in programmatic structure to Wave's youth, adult, and parent-child lesson offerings with a multi-unit growth model.
Regional players
- Bellevue Club: Private membership-based athletic club in Bellevue offering lap swimming, lessons, masters swim, and aquatics programming to Eastside residents. Competes with Wave for adult swimming and masters participants in the same geography.
- Pro Sports Club: Bellevue-based upscale fitness and aquatics club offering lap swim, swim lessons, and family programming. Comparable adult and family rec offering in Wave's core Eastside market.
Direct peers
- Boys & Girls Clubs of King County: Nonprofit youth development organization offering swim lessons and aquatics access across King County. Mission-aligned peer in the same region serving overlapping youth segments, often with municipal/school-district facility partnerships.
- King Aquatic Club: Pacific Northwest USA Swimming-affiliated club providing competitive swim team programming in the Greater Seattle area. Direct competitive comparable for Wave's youth swim team and masters-adjacent talent pool.
- YMCA of Greater Seattle: Regional nonprofit community recreation organization operating multiple aquatic facilities, swim lessons, swim teams, and masters programming across the Seattle metro. Closest mission-aligned peer in overlapping geography, with comparable subscription/dues-based programming.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Wave Aquatics social profiles
Digital presenceWave Aquatics compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Wave Aquatics financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Wave Aquatics leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Wave Aquatics funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Wave Aquatics M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Wave Aquatics
What does Wave Aquatics do?
Wave Aquatics operates public aquatic facilities (Juanita Aquatics Center and Redmond Pool) and delivers a portfolio of aquatics programs including competitive swim team (Wave), swim school (youth, adult, parent & child, and summer lessons), Lake Washington Masters, public swim sessions, water polo, facility/lane rentals, and American Red Cross lifeguard training, serving Eastside Seattle–King County residents year-round.
Is Wave Aquatics a public or private company?
Wave Aquatics is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Wave Aquatics founded?
Wave Aquatics was founded in 1986. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Wave Aquatics based?
Wave Aquatics is headquartered in Kirkland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Wave Aquatics make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Swim Lessons are the primary driver. The others are swim Team Programs, public Swim, pool Rentals and lifeguard Training.
Who are Wave Aquatics's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Goldfish Swim School, Big Blue Swim School, SafeSplash Swim School and Life Time Fitness. Aqua-Tots Swim Schools is listed as an emerging player. Regional players are Bellevue Club and Pro Sports Club. Direct peers are Boys & Girls Clubs of King County, King Aquatic Club and YMCA of Greater Seattle.
Does Wave Aquatics have an API?
No public API is recorded for Wave Aquatics.
What industry is Wave Aquatics in?
Wave Aquatics's product category is Community Aquatics Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDALAIAF, Aquatics Programs (Pools, Swim Lessons, Lifeguarding), with a secondary code of MPAKAEAF, Aquatic Centers & Swimming Facilities. Its NAICS code is 61162 and its SIC code is 7997.