Two different clubs?

[Anonymous]

Just wondering if anyone here has had their kids swim at two different clubs based on different schedules and goals. I won't get into all the details, but we chose a club for older DC based on flexible scheduling and the option to stay at 1-2x/week even as they have gotten older. They have another sport they enjoy more, and may very well quit club swimming as their favorite sport starts to demand more time. The practices are not very challenging because the group is not geared toward kids who want to be super serious swimmers. There is a more intense training group, but it's at a time that doesn't work for us at all.

Now we have a younger DC who is turning out to be a pretty good swimmer who may very well want to make it their main sport. We have an option to start them at one of the more well known clubs, in a very convenient location. Unlike at older DC's club, there would be the option to step up to a more intense group at this same location. Do we start younger DC at older DC's club knowing we would need to move if younger DC wanted a more intense option? Or do we start at a club where younger DC would have more options as they get older? Has anyone else been in this boat?

[Anonymous]

I have / I am! We do two different clubs based on DCs' skills, interest levels, schedules, and other activities. Neither one of them would do well at the other's club, and they're old enough now that we are not at the beginning of the process. We use careful planning and carpools to make it all work, but this is definitely the right arrangement for us.

[Anonymous]

We do two different clubs for the same reasons as both PPs. It’s logistically complicated, but fine.

It’s very common to switch clubs, up to a certain age and/or level of achievement. “Elite” swimmers still switch, but it becomes harder. I probably underestimated the drama of switching clubs for my strong 13-year-old. Hindsight is 20/20, but for my more competitive swimmer, I probably would have gone with the more competitive club earlier on and not prioritized having both kids in the same place.

[Anonymous]

We do and many families we know also do. It can happen for a variety of reasons - like you, my older kid plays multiple sports and swim is not his primary so we need to be at a club with more flexibility. My younger kid loves swim and it’s his primary so we went with the “better” club.

Frequently what we see from other families is the older kid tried out “too late” and it was hard to get into the “better” clubs so they ended up at clubs with more spaces. The younger kid got to try out at an earlier age and gets into “better” clubs. Then the older kid doesn’t want to move (even if they do get a spot) to the younger kids club because they made friends in their own club.

[Anonymous]

Also: because the practice times aren’t the same, there’s really no added logistical issue except for meets. The clubs my kids go to end up at different meets which is challenging when the meets are on the same weekend.

[Anonymous]

A lot of kids in our area start at Makos quite young and then move to NCAP-Burke at 7 or 8, so families end up having kids at both. We also have families with kids at Centreville Swim Club and at NCAP-Burke, usually because the CSC kids have alt sports.

[Anonymous]

I know tons of families like this, especially when the older one starts driving and/or kids have very different goals and needs.