What age to swim teams start?

[Anonymous]

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Age 7 is a popular time to start for young swimmers, and many programs set their minimum age at 7. Some swimmers start at 5-6, but it is not as common, or they are on pre-team to prepare for swim team. Most swimmers start between age 8-10.

USA swimming has official motivational times for 10U, but not for 8U. They used to have times for 8U, but it was creating an unhealthy dynamic of parents and coaches pushing 7/8 year olds to achieve time standards, so they axed it.

Note that many other countries think it’s crazy for 7/8 year olds to be racing competitively in the same way we do in the US. In the Uk, most kids don’t race competitively until 10/11.

[Anonymous]

Our team does a "stroke school" type program where it is basically swim practice just a little shorter and focuses on technique rather than conditioning. We started at six and it was perfect for my DD, who is a very enthusiastic swimmer but not one who I think is particularly naturally gifted at it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Age 7 is a popular time to start for young swimmers, and many programs set their minimum age at 7. Some swimmers start at 5-6, but it is not as common, or they are on pre-team to prepare for swim team. Most swimmers start between age 8-10.

USA swimming has official motivational times for 10U, but not for 8U. They used to have times for 8U, but it was creating an unhealthy dynamic of parents and coaches pushing 7/8 year olds to achieve time standards, so they axed it.

Note that many other countries think it’s crazy for 7/8 year olds to be racing competitively in the same way we do in the US. In the Uk, most kids don’t race competitively until 10/11.

Imagine if Michael Phelps were in MoCo when he was starting swimming at seven. Sorry kid teams full.

[Anonymous]

Thank you all! My swimmer is 5 so will be on the lookout for those pre options next summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Age 7 is a popular time to start for young swimmers, and many programs set their minimum age at 7. Some swimmers start at 5-6, but it is not as common, or they are on pre-team to prepare for swim team. Most swimmers start between age 8-10.

USA swimming has official motivational times for 10U, but not for 8U. They used to have times for 8U, but it was creating an unhealthy dynamic of parents and coaches pushing 7/8 year olds to achieve time standards, so they axed it.

Note that many other countries think it’s crazy for 7/8 year olds to be racing competitively in the same way we do in the US. In the Uk, most kids don’t race competitively until 10/11.

Imagine if Michael Phelps were in MoCo when he was starting swimming at seven. Sorry kid teams full.

Phelps did not get "serious" about swimming till later.

[Anonymous]

There are two schools of thought on this.

First, get them started swimming competitively early. That they will have a head start over their peers and will do better.

Second, learn swimming and strokes at a young age but wait on the competitive stuff. Or if competitive take it easy and do multiple sports and not push. If they start loving it increase training. So perhaps competitive swimming start between 9-11 and serious training once a teen.

[Anonymous]

Oh, and a comment about the starting early crowd with swim.

I am currently watching a crop of early swimmers that had immense success now having a LOT of issues. They are no longer experience the huge time drops of younger kids and all of these new swimmers that started at 11 that were not much in the way of competition then are now catching up and surpassing in times at the 13-14 age group.

They have been overtraining for years and are frustrated. I now see why kids burn out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Age 7 is a popular time to start for young swimmers, and many programs set their minimum age at 7. Some swimmers start at 5-6, but it is not as common, or they are on pre-team to prepare for swim team. Most swimmers start between age 8-10.

USA swimming has official motivational times for 10U, but not for 8U. They used to have times for 8U, but it was creating an unhealthy dynamic of parents and coaches pushing 7/8 year olds to achieve time standards, so they axed it.

Note that many other countries think it’s crazy for 7/8 year olds to be racing competitively in the same way we do in the US. In the Uk, most kids don’t race competitively until 10/11.

Imagine if Michael Phelps were in MoCo when he was starting swimming at seven. Sorry kid teams full.

Phelps did not get "serious" about swimming till later.

i
He had a national age group record by age 10, so I don’t know that you can say he wasn’t “serious” until he was older.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you all! My swimmer is 5 so will be on the lookout for those pre options next summer.

Good luck. My 5 year old son didn’t get on the Knights of Columbus team because it was already full. I had no idea swim was so competitive at such a young age!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you all! My swimmer is 5 so will be on the lookout for those pre options next summer.

Good luck. My 5 year old son didn’t get on the Knights of Columbus team because it was already full. I had no idea swim was so competitive at such a young age!

The Knights has a waitlist for their team because it is so big. If your kid goes to most NVSL teams (or Fort Myer for Colonial League) you will have ZERO issue getting a kid that can swim reasonably on a team.

[Anonymous]

If you get up above and out of pre-team / intro stroke programs at age 6 or even 7, you will have more options for further development in the 8U age group, whether in summer swim or club minis. But you also have to follow the interests, strength, and aptitude of your own kid. I'd simply say that it's easier to get into some tryout-based competitive winter clubs before age 9, although there are also lots of clubs in the DMV that are more open to less experience at the older ages. If you're debating when to start swim lessons or when to double down on really knowing strokes, don't wait if you have the time to commit and your kid is ready.

[Anonymous]

My swimmer- currently a D1 swimmer started summer swim at 5. Did once a week stroke clinic until 10 and then started at club swimming. They switched to a large club at 14 (9th) grade when swimming became their preferred sport.

[Anonymous]

start young if you are going to be short ...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you all! My swimmer is 5 so will be on the lookout for those pre options next summer.

Yes - our first level of pre-team had a lot of 6yos (summer after K). Some slightly younger kids as well.