Orinda Aquatics

What Orinda Aquatics does

Orinda Aquatics is a private, non-profit competitive swim club incorporated in California and operating since 1995 out of the Soda Aquatic Center at Campolindo High School in the Lamorinda region of Northern California. The organization serves youth, high-school, and collegiate swimmers through a tiered year-round program structured into Junior, Senior, and National training groups, supplemented by seasonal offerings (Fall 'Polar Bear' program, Pre-Season High School conditioning, Spring Clinics) and a dedicated College Swimmer Training package for athletes returning during school breaks. Pricing is subscription-based per program tier, ranging from $80 for short clinic passes to $750 for the full Fall Polar Bear four-day option, with all competitive swimmers additionally required to maintain USA Swimming membership.

The organization's underlying technology stack is operationally conventional for U.S. club swimming — FastSwims for meet entries, Meet Mobile and Time Drops Live for live results, the GoMotion app for team management, communications, and registration, and Google Forms for tryout intake. Its intellectual property is concentrated in the codified 'Character First' philosophy (integrity, humility, team-over-individual), the WSCA Professional Swim Coaches Course authored by co-founder Don Heidary, and a character-education content library. Co-founders Don and Ron Heidary are internationally recognized by Swimming World Magazine as leading authorities on team culture, and the program has produced 30 Olympic Trial qualifiers, 250 National-Level swimmers, and 62 collegiate team captains historically, with 35-45 collegiate placements per year and 80 senior athletes reportedly maintaining a 4.0 GPA.

Orinda Aquatics generates revenue through direct-to-consumer program registration via its website and the GoMotion app, plus merchandise (Arena/Conejo Swimworks partnership), educational content (course materials sold through WSCA), and likely membership dues/donations as a non-profit. It holds USA Swimming Level 4 Club status, USA Swimming Bronze Medal Club Excellence recognition, ASCA #1 ranking in the 2025 Small Club Division, and Safe Sport Recognition. The business is restricted to a single Northern California training facility, with all go-to-market driven by community referrals, alumni networks, and earned media (Swimming World features, podcasts) rather than paid advertising.

Name

Orinda Aquatics

Legal name

Orinda Aquatics Inc

Website

https://orindaaquatics.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Orinda Aquatics is a Northern California youth competitive swim club, founded in 1995, that trains under 150 swimmers year-round through a Character First philosophy, charging tiered annual membership fees plus seasonal clinic and merchandise revenue, and producing Olympic-trial and collegiate-level athletes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Competitive Swimming Coaching & Training Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Aquatic Centers & Swimming Facilities (MPAKAEAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Aquatics Programs (Pools, Swim Lessons, Lifeguarding) (EDALAIAF)

Keywords

• Competitive swim training
• Youth swimming program
• Swim coaching services
• Swim club memberships
• College swim recruiting

Headquarters

HQ city

Orinda

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Seasonal Program Fees: Registration and training fees for seasonal programs including Fall Swimming, Pre-Season High School, Spring Clinics, and Pre-Season conditioning
2. Year-Round Membership Registration: Annual USA Swimming membership and seasonal registration fees for year-round competitive swimming programs
3. College Swimmer Training Packages: Part-time and full-time training packages for college athletes returning home, with tiered pricing based on commitment level and duration

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Orinda Aquatics is a competitive youth swimming club that provides year-round and seasonal swim coaching services to athletes in Northern California's Lamorinda region. Its core offering is the Year-Round Swimming Program—encompassing Junior Group, Senior Group, and National Team training—complemented by seasonal programs (Fall Polar Bear, Pre-Season High School, Spring Clinics), college swimmer training packages, and character-development coaching under its proprietary 'Character First' philosophy. Customers register directly and pay tiered subscription or seasonal fees.

Product overview

Orinda Aquatics is a competitive swimming club headquartered in Orinda, California, serving the Lamorinda region since 1995. The organization operates a unified program architecture centered on its 'Character First' philosophy, combining competitive swimming training with character development. The core offering is the Year-Round Swimming Program, which encompasses Junior Group, Senior Group, and National Team training groups. This is supplemented by seasonal programs including Fall Swimming (Polar Bear), Pre-Season High School Conditioning, and Spring Clinics. The organization also provides college-related services through its College Swimmer Registration and College Recruiting Resources programs. Educational initiatives include Coach Education offerings such as the WSCA Professional Swim Coaches Course and Podcasts & Webinars series. Additional program components include Team Travel Meets, Character First programming, Team Merchandise & Equipment, and Team Activities & Traditions. The organization maintains partnerships with USA Swimming, Pacific Swimming, and various collegiate programs, and has built a reputation for producing Olympic Trial qualifiers, collegiate team captains, and National-Level swimmers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Polar Bear Program: Fall swimming program offered by Orinda Aquatics for competitive swimmers aged 7 and older.

Products and services

• Year-Round Swimming Program Comprehensive year-round competitive swimming program serving competitive youth, high school, and elite swimmers in Northern California across Junior Group, Senior Group, and National Team tiers.
• Fall Swimming (Polar Bear) Program Seasonal fall training program at the Soda Aquatic Center focused on technique development and stroke work for competitive summer-league swimmers ages 7 and up, offered with 2-day or full 4-day options.
• Pre-Season High School Conditioning Pre-season conditioning program for current high school swimmers (9th-12th grade) that builds endurance and refines skills ahead of the official high school season, with Full-Time (5 days/week) and 2-Day options.
• Spring Clinics Specialized multi-week stroke development clinics for competitive summer-league swimmers ages 7–14, covering all four strokes and turn work across multiple Saturday sessions, priced per number of clinics attended.
• College Swimmer Registration & Training Year-round training packages for current college swimmers returning home, with three tiers (Part-Time $100, Full-Time/Senior 2-3 $400, National Level/Senior 4 $500) designed to maintain training during school breaks and summer.
• College Recruiting Resources Comprehensive advising package for student-athletes navigating the collegiate recruiting process, including academic planning, profile building, NCAA Eligibility Center registration, and college visit guidance.
• WSCA Professional Swim Coaches Course Comprehensive coaching course developed by Don Heidary covering athlete development, program building, and team culture, available as a print edition ($95) and digital edition ($50) with WSCA certification.
• Team Merchandise & Equipment Official team apparel and equipment program delivered through Conejo Swimworks, including team suits, warm-up jackets, backpacks, and required training gear (kickboards, fins, paddles, pull buoys).

Quantifiable outcome

• 30 Olympic Trial Qualifiers produced over program history
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Conejo SwimworkscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNationally recognized team dealer providing official apparel and equipment for Orinda Aquatics. Handles team suits, warm-up jackets, pants, backpacks, and personalized Arena team caps. Orders shipped directly to families through custom team store.
• Arena SwimwearcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial swimwear sponsor providing team caps and gear. Partnership includes personalized team silicone caps through Conejo Swimworks.
• USA SwimmingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational governing body for competitive swimming. Orinda Aquatics competes under USA Swimming sanctions, and coaches have contributed to national initiatives including Character First webinars and athlete development programs.
• Pacific SwimmingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Swimming Committee (LSC) for the Bay Area region. Orinda Aquatics competes in Pacific Swimming zone meets and championships. Strong relationship with LSC leadership.
• World Swimming Coaches Association (WSCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoaches Don and Ron Heidary serve as Board President and contribute to WSCA educational resources. OA leadership authored the WSCA Professional Swim Coaches Course and present at WSCA clinics internationally.
• American Swimming Coaches Association (ASCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary professional organization for swim coaches. Orinda Aquatics coaches are internationally recognized by ASCA and contribute to character education resources, presenting at ASCA World Clinics.
• LaPorte Education AdvisingminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEducation consulting partner providing college advising resources to OA families. Listed as team sponsor supporting swimmer college preparation.
• Minute Man PressminorOthersLocal printing services sponsor supporting team materials and communications.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Scottsdale Aquatic Club: Arizona-based year-round USA Swimming club of similar scale with ASCA recognition and a strong national-level results track record. Comparable in size and athlete-development outcomes.
• Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics: Elite Northern California USA Swimming club with a similarly competitive year-round program and collegiate pipeline. Directly comparable as a small, high-performance California swim club serving a similar Bay Area demographic.
• Mason Manta Rays: Top-ranked Ohio-based USA Swimming club of comparable scale, recognized for elite age-group performance and Olympic Trial qualifiers. Direct peer in ASCA small/mid-tier competitive rankings.
• Rancho San Dieguito Swim Team: Southern California USA Swimming club with comparable size, year-round programming, and pipeline to collegiate swimming. Comparable in culture and competitive profile.
• Irvine Novaquatics: Elite Southern California age-group and senior swim program known for collegiate placements and USA Swimming recognition. Direct peer in athlete-development model and competitive caliber.
• Nation's Capital Swim Club: Mid-Atlantic USA Swimming club of comparable size and reputation, consistently ranked among top small/silver-level programs. Direct peer on competitive caliber and college outcomes.
• Bolles School Sharks: Legendary Florida-based small swim club with national rankings, Olympic Trial qualifiers, and strong collegiate placement pipeline. Direct peer on program size, prestige, and developmental outcomes.
• Carmel Swim Club: Perennial USA Swimming top-ranked small club; competes with OA in ASCA Small Club rankings and Virtual Club Championships. Directly comparable in scale, mission, and competitive tier.
• Long Island Aquatic Club: Highly decorated New York metropolitan USA Swimming club with deep collegiate placement pipeline. Comparable in athlete-development focus and competitive outcomes.

Broad incumbents

• USA Swimming (governing body): National governing body under which OA operates and competes. Not a competitor but the macro framework that defines membership, certification, and competitive tier (Club Excellence Bronze, Safe Sport, Level 4).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/orindaaquatics
• Instagraminstagram.com/orinda_aquatics
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/orinda-aquatics

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Orinda Aquatics