Youngest age for competitive swimmer

[Anonymous]

Can a 4.5 year old compete?

[Anonymous]

No, they should be playing and pretending, not doing drills and workouts. Slow that roll.

[Anonymous]

This Metro area, I swear.

No.

People will tell you 5s can compete. But they shouldn't.

[Anonymous]

If they do, it should be once or twice a year, only in 25s, and in very small low key meets. Like a capstone to one a week stroke development mini-team.

But there’s no actual minimum age for mini meets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, they should be playing and pretending, not doing drills and workouts. Slow that roll.

You slow your roll. So sorry my kid can swim. I was just curious what age things happen at since it's 8&U

[Anonymous]

If they are a strong swimmer they can do one B meet at the end of the season just to give them a kick - but only if they can swim fast enough not to slow the meet down. Beyond that no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If they are a strong swimmer they can do one B meet at the end of the season just to give them a kick - but only if they can swim fast enough not to slow the meet down. Beyond that no.

Ok - what do they do if they can swim a full 25 at 4 but no one wants them to compete? I feel like it will get boring to work on strokes with no immediate purpose

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they are a strong swimmer they can do one B meet at the end of the season just to give them a kick - but only if they can swim fast enough not to slow the meet down. Beyond that no.

Ok - what do they do if they can swim a full 25 at 4 but no one wants them to compete? I feel like it will get boring to work on strokes with no immediate purpose

What's their time on a 25? If it's commensurate, then let them B meet if the coaches will let them. But if it takes them 60+ seconds to survive their way down the lane, wait till next summer.

[Anonymous]

A 4yo swam for a different team at one of our meets last summer. She was slow but she did 25 free.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they are a strong swimmer they can do one B meet at the end of the season just to give them a kick - but only if they can swim fast enough not to slow the meet down. Beyond that no.

Ok - what do they do if they can swim a full 25 at 4 but no one wants them to compete? I feel like it will get boring to work on strokes with no immediate purpose

And also, merely being in a pool and attending practice is plenty stimulating for a 4yo. They don't have the sense of long-term payoff that adults do. WE may be excited for them to race, but we are also capable of waiting. They have no clue one way or the other, because they are 4.

[Anonymous]

Even Katie Ledecky waited until she was 6.

[Anonymous]

We have 5 year-olds competing in summer swim meets and 5 year-olds in minis at RMSC. I have yet to see 4 year-olds compete in MCSL but guessing if you want your kid to, no one is going to stop him/her.

[Anonymous]

We have 5 year old on our team. They do a good job and swim B meets. Not that slow either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have 5 year-olds competing in summer swim meets and 5 year-olds in minis at RMSC. I have yet to see 4 year-olds compete in MCSL but guessing if you want your kid to, no one is going to stop him/her.

Our pool's swim team minimum is 5. If you're 4 you can do preteam.

[Anonymous]

Summer swim is pretty much over, no? Just do some swim lessons during the year if you want and have them go for the evaluation next summer for pre-team/ swim team.