Feedback on strong programs for Middle School-aged swimmers

[Anonymous]

OP here - thanks everyone for the feedback! Job is at Belvoir but could move to Pentagon down the road so trying to keep that commute reasonable. Understand nature of summer swim as we’ve lived in the area before with older kids. Looking for the fun, make friends chill aspect of summer swim to balance intensity of club training and competition. Also looking down the road for that High School team dynamic as well. Good to hear that HS coaches allow the club swimmers to continue to train with their clubs but still want him to have that HS team experience when it comes time but don’t want him to be the only higher level swimmer on the team. Assume Robinson/WS/LB would likely have multiple strong club swimmers at his level and typically competitive for State titles. Probably not the case for MV/WP/Hayfield, not sure about SoCo.

Any experiences with the AG Performance group at NCAP Alexandria?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - thanks everyone for the feedback! Job is at Belvoir but could move to Pentagon down the road so trying to keep that commute reasonable. Understand nature of summer swim as we’ve lived in the area before with older kids. Looking for the fun, make friends chill aspect of summer swim to balance intensity of club training and competition. Also looking down the road for that High School team dynamic as well. Good to hear that HS coaches allow the club swimmers to continue to train with their clubs but still want him to have that HS team experience when it comes time but don’t want him to be the only higher level swimmer on the team. Assume Robinson/WS/LB would likely have multiple strong club swimmers at his level and typically competitive for State titles. Probably not the case for MV/WP/Hayfield, not sure about SoCo.

Any experiences with the AG Performance group at NCAP Alexandria?

OP how old is your swimmer?

[Anonymous]

Gosh, I would keep trying to find housing in Burke/Springfield/FX Station/Fairfax City/even Centreville close to Clifton if possible. Join Bronze I or Silver at NCAP-Burke. Join Old Keene Mill for NVSL. Swim at Robinson or Lake Braddock if you can get in those areas. NCAP-Burke middle and high school boys are tremendous, as are the coaches. I know, completely unresponsive to your actual question, but thought I would punctuate your initial plan in case you can reevaluate and circle back. Old Keene Mill especially is full of military families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - thanks everyone for the feedback! Job is at Belvoir but could move to Pentagon down the road so trying to keep that commute reasonable. Understand nature of summer swim as we’ve lived in the area before with older kids. Looking for the fun, make friends chill aspect of summer swim to balance intensity of club training and competition. Also looking down the road for that High School team dynamic as well. Good to hear that HS coaches allow the club swimmers to continue to train with their clubs but still want him to have that HS team experience when it comes time but don’t want him to be the only higher level swimmer on the team. Assume Robinson/WS/LB would likely have multiple strong club swimmers at his level and typically competitive for State titles. Probably not the case for MV/WP/Hayfield, not sure about SoCo.

Any experiences with the AG Performance group at NCAP Alexandria?

OP how old is your swimmer?

12 going into 7th grade in the Fall

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gosh, I would keep trying to find housing in Burke/Springfield/FX Station/Fairfax City/even Centreville close to Clifton if possible. Join Bronze I or Silver at NCAP-Burke. Join Old Keene Mill for NVSL. Swim at Robinson or Lake Braddock if you can get in those areas. NCAP-Burke middle and high school boys are tremendous, as are the coaches. I know, completely unresponsive to your actual question, but thought I would punctuate your initial plan in case you can reevaluate and circle back. Old Keene Mill especially is full of military families.

Thanks for the affirmation of our original plan. We'll keep searching and see what we can make happen.

[Anonymous]

If you're military, there's a really nice summer swim team at Ft. Myer in Arlington. Lots of those kids swim with AAC, which has practices at nearby Long Bridge Aquatic Center.

[Anonymous]

If you are thinking summer, get on the waitlist now for the pools are you interested in. Many of them have years+ waitlist and you won't be able to just walk on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gosh, I would keep trying to find housing in Burke/Springfield/FX Station/Fairfax City/even Centreville close to Clifton if possible. Join Bronze I or Silver at NCAP-Burke. Join Old Keene Mill for NVSL. Swim at Robinson or Lake Braddock if you can get in those areas. NCAP-Burke middle and high school boys are tremendous, as are the coaches. I know, completely unresponsive to your actual question, but thought I would punctuate your initial plan in case you can reevaluate and circle back. Old Keene Mill especially is full of military families.

OKM can use another great swimmer to fight the big teams in division one.

[Anonymous]

Look in Crosspointe. Div 2. Great team. No waitlist.
Great location for Machine or Ncap Burke Or Ncap Alexandria Close to Belvoir.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gosh, I would keep trying to find housing in Burke/Springfield/FX Station/Fairfax City/even Centreville close to Clifton if possible. Join Bronze I or Silver at NCAP-Burke. Join Old Keene Mill for NVSL. Swim at Robinson or Lake Braddock if you can get in those areas. NCAP-Burke middle and high school boys are tremendous, as are the coaches. I know, completely unresponsive to your actual question, but thought I would punctuate your initial plan in case you can reevaluate and circle back. Old Keene Mill especially is full of military families.

OKM can use another great swimmer to fight the big teams in division one.

Very true, especially with several military or other families having moved and most of their swimmers in their down year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gosh, I would keep trying to find housing in Burke/Springfield/FX Station/Fairfax City/even Centreville close to Clifton if possible. Join Bronze I or Silver at NCAP-Burke. Join Old Keene Mill for NVSL. Swim at Robinson or Lake Braddock if you can get in those areas. NCAP-Burke middle and high school boys are tremendous, as are the coaches. I know, completely unresponsive to your actual question, but thought I would punctuate your initial plan in case you can reevaluate and circle back. Old Keene Mill especially is full of military families.

Thanks for the affirmation of our original plan. We'll keep searching and see what we can make happen.

Reach out to OKM. Most of their swimmers are at NCAP-Burke and a few are at Makos. Their team reps are awesome and they truly have a huge number of military families on the team. The OKM president is Dave Bell, and he’s a long-time rep as well: [e-mail]
https://okmpool.com/board-members/

[Anonymous]

I strongly recommend the Burke/West Springfield/Lake Braddock/Robinson areas over Ft Belvoir/Mt Vernon/Hayfield. The housing market is very frustrating but see if you can persevere. West Springfield/Lake Braddock/Robinson are all relatively close to Ncap Burke and Machine and have many high division summer pools nearby.

[Anonymous]

The Machine 13-14 boys swam lights out at 14&Under Champs last weekend and their Audrey Moore site would be very close to the Lake Braddock/West Springfield and pretty close to the Robinson/South County area

[Anonymous]

If your kid is 13 or 14, I would think they'd be above Bronze 1 at NCAP burke? with AA and AAA times? I would look into that more before moving heaven and earth to go there.

Also, NCAP is fast, but they require 5 or 6 days at an early age. Is your kid on board with that? Mako, FAA, and others can give them opportunity with 4/5 days in middle school.

Take it from an older swim parent who is currently watching many of the high schoolers who have been doing this forever get burned out. Injuries happen too.

[Anonymous]

Just turning 12 but looking at a program to grow with until college. Currently training 4/days week. Looking to focus on a solid program that avoids burnout while following USA Swimming’s American Development Model for training groups.