Frequently Asked Questions

How can this web app save me time?

The web app brings published Columbia Association pool schedules and CNSL team and meet information together in one mobile-friendly place. You can save favorite pools and teams, install the web app on your device, and keep key information available when your connection is limited.

Pool schedules occasionally change after they are published, sometimes without a separate notice. Please confirm time-sensitive plans with the official source linked from the web app.

During the outdoor pool season, nightly checks look for changes to official pool schedules, meet details, and team information. When a possible change is found, it is reviewed against the official sources so the web app can be updated. These checks help catch changes, but they do not guarantee that every update will appear right away.

What is CNSL?

CNSL stands for Columbia Neighborhood Swim League, a summer recreational swim league in Columbia, MD.

How do I find a pool schedule, team practice, or meet?

Use the Pools page for outdoor pool information, the Teams page for team and practice details, and the Meets page for meet dates and host pools.

Where can I find pool admission, fees, access rules, or party information?

The web app focuses on published schedules, locations, and features. Columbia Association sets pool admission, membership fees, guest and child access rules, and pool party policies. Please start with CA's official outdoor pool information or use the official CA pool directory for a specific location.

Can I register for a team or manage meet entries in the app?

No. The web app helps you find published pool, team, and meet information. Registration, rosters, meet entries, lineups, and results remain with the official CA, CNSL, and team services linked from the web app.

What time zone does the app use?

All dates and times in the web app are shown in Eastern Time (ET), including daylight saving time when it is in effect.

Why do meet locations show lane and course measurements?

Lane counts and course measurements can help families and teams understand a meet's setup. They also provide useful context when comparing times from meter and yard pools. For official course terminology and rules, see USA Swimming Rules & Policies. Columbia Association and CNSL remain the official sources for local pool and meet information.

Can I install the app and use it offline?

Yes. You can add the app to your phone or tablet's home screen. After you have opened the app online, key pool, team, and meet information remains available when your connection is limited or unavailable.

On iPhone or iPad:

1. Open this website in Safari.
2. Tap the Share button, then select "Add to Home Screen."
3. Choose a name and tap "Add."

On Android:

1. Open this website in Chrome.
2. Open the menu and select "Add to Home screen" or "Install app."
3. Choose a name and confirm the installation.

Is this an official web app?

No. I built this as an independent community project; Columbia Association (CA) and CNSL do not operate or sponsor it. I use their publications as the official sources for the 2026 outdoor pool season, so please check there before making time-sensitive plans.

CA also offers its official Columbia Association app through the Apple App Store and Google Play. Please use whichever option works best for you.

Read more about why this independent project exists and the promises behind it in the mission and commitments.

Where does this app get its data, and when was it checked?

Season data last checked: July 16, 2026 at 11:29 AM

Season data last updated: July 16, 2026 at 11:29 AM

I use publicly available Columbia Association (CA) publications for pool information and official CNSL publications for teams and meets. Those publications are the source of truth for the app.

You can view or download the app's annual data and saved source materials from the public data directory on GitHub.

Tips shared through social media, email, or team chats help me know what to review. I use official public sources for season data. Team managers may also provide meet-day guidance for their own teams.

Schedules can change, so it is always worth a quick check before heading out.

How does the web app keep pool, team, and meet information fresh?

Every night during the outdoor swim season, the web app checks the official sources for changes to pool schedules, meet details, and team information. When a possible change is found, it is reviewed against those official sources and the web app is updated. This means the information you see is checked often and is not left to go stale.

These nightly checks help catch changes quickly, but they cannot promise that every update appears the moment it is published. If a plan is important, please still confirm it with the official source linked from the web app.

Why does the web app sometimes show pool details that official pages do not?

Community members sometimes let me know that official pool details look incomplete or do not match what they see at the pool. When I can confirm a detail from a reliable source, the web app adds or corrects it so the information is more helpful and accurate. For example, Locust Park has a diving board that is not listed on the official Columbia Association pages, so the web app includes it.

Columbia Association and CNSL remain the official sources. If a detail matters for your plans, please confirm it with them, and thank you for sending along anything that looks off through the About & Contact page.

What if information in this app does not match an official source?

Please send me a note through the About & Contact page and include a link to the official CA or CNSL source. Thank you for helping me keep the app accurate. I will review the difference and correct the app when needed, though I cannot change what CA or CNSL publishes. I maintain this project in my spare time, so a fix may take a little while.

What data is measured or stored?

You do not need an account or need to share your name or contact details. Your preferences stay in your browser. Google Analytics uses its own first-party identifier to provide combined reports about visits, general feature use, and technical errors. An error report includes the web app version, a standard error type, an app script location when available, and a code that groups matching errors. It does not include the error message or technical details that could contain text from a visitor. The app also reports whether each session uses a webpage or an installed app. A fixed campaign label is included when someone opens the app from its published flyer QR code or a Text, Email, or Facebook link shared from the app. Advertising personalization and Google signals are disabled.

The app includes selected favorite pools and teams in aggregate reports after checking each choice against the published directory. Pool page and schedule link clicks include the public pool identifier and a fixed action label after checking the pool against the current directory. The app also reports whether location-based distance estimates are enabled or disabled, but not your location or browser permission status. Other external-link clicks include a fixed destination label, such as Columbia Association, Apple App Store, Google Play, Google Maps, email, or phone call, but not the full address, query, message, email address, or phone number. It does not send Google Analytics your name, contact details, account information, current location, other saved choices, filters, free-form text, or referring page. A fixed label from an app-published campaign link may show how visitors found the app, and that label is removed from the address in your browser. You can also read Google's guidance about personally identifiable information in Analytics.

Does the app use my location?

Distance estimates are off by default. If you turn them on in Settings, your browser shares your current location only long enough to calculate nearby pool distances. The app does not track, save, or send your location.

Does weather safety use my current location?

No. Weather checks use one fixed point for the Columbia pool area, not your current location. The web app reuses a successful result for the 5- or 10-minute update time you choose in Settings. When that time ends, it asks the National Weather Service to confirm the latest information instead of relying only on a saved browser copy.

You can see the same National Weather Service information here:

• Active weather alerts (data only)
• Today's local forecast (data only)
• Local weather information (web)

Optional location access is separate and is used only to estimate distances to pools. Even when you allow it, the app does not track, save, or send your location.

Where are my preferences saved?

Your settings stay in the browser on your device. Combined analytics reports may show that a type of setting was changed. Favorite pool and team changes also include the selected public pool name or team identifier, or that the favorite was cleared. Pool feature filter changes include the selected public feature names, or that the filters were cleared; other setting choices are not included. You can remove your preferences from the Settings page or by clearing this site's browser data.

Can I see what this website stores on my device?

Yes. Open My Data for a read-only view of this website's local storage and the current tab's session storage. That page also explains how long each type of browser storage usually lasts.

How can I request a feature or share feedback?

Use the About & Contact page to share a feature request or feedback about what would make the app more useful for your summer swim experience.

Can I view or reuse the app source code?

Yes. The app source is available in the public GitHub repository and is released under the MIT License.

You may use, copy, change, and share the app source as long as you include its copyright and license notices. Official CA and CNSL publications, linked source materials, and third-party assets remain subject to their owners' terms.