Parents and swim‑school owners urge district help with Daly City Dolphins club policies

Several community members used the public comment period to raise concerns about the Daly City Dolphins (DCD) swim club and its interactions with families and outside coaches.

Kimberly Chung, introduced herself as "a mother of three" with two children on the Daly City Dolphins and asked the district to “help me” after internal attempts to resolve disputes with the club failed. Chung said the club imposed a mandatory fundraising minimum the club described as a "donation" but enforced as required (she cited $350 per swimmer), and that coaches have restricted swimmers from taking outside lessons: "If we see you doing that, you are banned from our practices," she told the board, summarizing the enforcement email she received.

Mabel Fisher and Carissa Sun spoke together on behalf of Elite Swim School. They said DCD sent an email forbidding members from seeking outside help and threatened membership consequences. They accused some DCD coaches of monetizing private lessons and said the club is effectively operating like a for‑profit program, disrupting equitable access to low‑cost public programs. "We believe the family should have the freedom to choose where and who their kids wants to be getting coach from without threats and punishment," Mabel Fisher said.

Both speakers acknowledged the district may not have direct jurisdiction over a community swim club that partners with the city, but they asked for district assistance in mediating or encouraging listening to families and preserving access to public pool programming. Trustees thanked the speakers and did not issue any directive on the record; the speakers asked to follow up with district staff after the meeting.