Team Training Trips?

[Anonymous]

I have heard of team travel trips for meets but never heard of team training trips. Our club offers team training trips that require flights, hotels, etc. over what is usually a break in swimming (think winter holidays, spring break, August). Although in theory it seems nice (warm location) it also seems like a money grab and excessive.

I think for our family, it financially does not make sense. But is this a commonplace thing? That vacations are also training opportunities?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I have heard of team travel trips for meets but never heard of team training trips. Our club offers team training trips that require flights, hotels, etc. over what is usually a break in swimming (think winter holidays, spring break, August). Although in theory it seems nice (warm location) it also seems like a money grab and excessive.

I think for our family, it financially does not make sense. But is this a commonplace thing? That vacations are also training opportunities?

Depends on club/practice group. At colleges, yes it's common place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I have heard of team travel trips for meets but never heard of team training trips. Our club offers team training trips that require flights, hotels, etc. over what is usually a break in swimming (think winter holidays, spring break, August). Although in theory it seems nice (warm location) it also seems like a money grab and excessive.

I think for our family, it financially does not make sense. But is this a commonplace thing? That vacations are also training opportunities?

Depends on club/practice group. At colleges, yes it's common place.

Not college. My kid is 12.

[Anonymous]

No need to go at 12, or even older.

I think it’s meant to be a fun and optional.

[Anonymous]

I think it’s mostly a money grab. And if it’s during the breaks between short and long course, it’s also not good for the kids’ physical and mental health. They need to take a break from swim practice during those times. I have a 13 and a 16 year old in club swim, and most of the kids who never took a break eventually get burnt out and either quit or are exceedingly unhappy because their parents keep forcing them to swim. A few do thrive mentally and physically on all the practice, but you can’t risk your kid’s mental health and their shoulders by hoping they are the exception.

[Anonymous]

I loved training trips when I was in college. For a 12 year old? Hell no, unless I had money to burn and they were super excited to go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s mostly a money grab. And if it’s during the breaks between short and long course, it’s also not good for the kids’ physical and mental health. They need to take a break from swim practice during those times. I have a 13 and a 16 year old in club swim, and most of the kids who never took a break eventually get burnt out and either quit or are exceedingly unhappy because their parents keep forcing them to swim. A few do thrive mentally and physically on all the practice, but you can’t risk your kid’s mental health and their shoulders by hoping they are the exception.

+1

For higher level training groups there is emphasis on making and participating in travel meets. I haven't heard of training trips much less multiple training trips during the course of the season. Curious to hear others' experiences.

[Anonymous]

I could see doing something over Thanksgiving week or Winter Break if I had a competitive 13+ year old who would be missing training at home. The destination would need to be very appealing.

For Spring Break and especially August, those are important physical recovery and mental health periods. Kids need those breaks. I think even LC Zones creeping later in the Summer is borderline too much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I have heard of team travel trips for meets but never heard of team training trips. Our club offers team training trips that require flights, hotels, etc. over what is usually a break in swimming (think winter holidays, spring break, August). Although in theory it seems nice (warm location) it also seems like a money grab and excessive.

I think for our family, it financially does not make sense. But is this a commonplace thing? That vacations are also training opportunities?

Depends on club/practice group. At colleges, yes it's common place.

Not college. My kid is 12.

Yeah, that'd be a big FAT no from me too, dawg.

[Anonymous]

Oh, but that's where the recruiters are.

This is where elite travel programs get a bad rap for being substantially less good than their bank accounts are large.

I can hear it now. "B, b, but to be the best you have to plan your vacations around swimming, because you can't miss a day in the pool."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I could see doing something over Thanksgiving week or Winter Break if I had a competitive 13+ year old who would be missing training at home. The destination would need to be very appealing.

For Spring Break and especially August, those are important physical recovery and mental health periods. Kids need those breaks. I think even LC Zones creeping later in the Summer is borderline too much.

Those breaks from the pool over Christmas and Spring break are important as well. True recovery periods for the body and mind. I think adding training trips prior to collegiate level swimming is asking for burn out or injury.

[Anonymous]

Our swimmer has always swum thru Christmas (doubles for NCap) and spring is travel meet

Is that not normal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our swimmer has always swum thru Christmas (doubles for NCap) and spring is travel meet

Is that not normal?

i suspect this differs by club and practice group. If you're in a high-level practice group where the expectation is that everyone is going to NCSA Senior Spring Champs or another high-level/regional/national meet. Then yeah, I think that'd be nomal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our swimmer has always swum thru Christmas (doubles for NCap) and spring is travel meet

Is that not normal?

If a National group probably normal (NCSA) but other groups no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our swimmer has always swum thru Christmas (doubles for NCap) and spring is travel meet

Is that not normal?

It’s normal to have increased training over holidays. My kids will train through both thanksgiving and Christmas this year. It’s not normal to expect the team to buy plane tickets and book hotels to train somewhere else. Why can’t they train in their home pool? It’s especially not normal to have kids train between short and long course seasons. Sounds like the coaches want to travel on the team’s dime. There is enough traveling once your kid starts qualifying for higher level meets, so I can’t imagine adding even more travel just for training.