2026 - 2027 RMSC Tryout dates

[Anonymous]

6/22 and 7/21 for KSAC (held at Silver Spring)

7/13 and 7/20 for GISC, OSC and MLK

Rockville hasn't announced dates yet.

https://rmscswimming.com/rmsc-20262027-season-tryout-dates-montgomery-county-recreation-sites

[Anonymous]

How well does a 6-year-old need to swim to make it onto an RMSC team? My impression is that they need to be legal in all strokes at 8, but what about 6?

[Anonymous]

Will KSAC be open by fall 2026?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How well does a 6-year-old need to swim to make it onto an RMSC team? My impression is that they need to be legal in all strokes at 8, but what about 6?

I think it depends on the site and the year. My 6 year old tried out for Rmsc at Olney last year and didn’t make it. She was legal in 3/4 strokes (not fly). She ended up swimming for another team swimming against RMSC in many meets and will try out again this summer now that she is legal in all four strokes. They do say it’s easier to get in as a mini so worth a shot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Will KSAC be open by fall 2026?

And will it be ADA-compliant?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How well does a 6-year-old need to swim to make it onto an RMSC team? My impression is that they need to be legal in all strokes at 8, but what about 6?

I think it depends on the site and the year. My 6 year old tried out for Rmsc at Olney last year and didn’t make it. She was legal in 3/4 strokes (not fly). She ended up swimming for another team swimming against RMSC in many meets and will try out again this summer now that she is legal in all four strokes. They do say it’s easier to get in as a mini so worth a shot.

Had a similar experience last year at MLK. Last year, FWIW, I think they said they told parents that they had 100 kids trying out for about 25-30 minis spots at MLK. My 6yo was only legal in freestyle and backstroke but had some idea of how to swim the other two. Did not get a spot. They did offer a nice (imo) service where you could request feedback from coaches about what to improve afterward and the feedback he got was essentially "improve butterfly and breaststroke." So I did come away from it thinking that even a 6 year old probably needed to be legal or close to legal in all strokes to get accepted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How well does a 6-year-old need to swim to make it onto an RMSC team? My impression is that they need to be legal in all strokes at 8, but what about 6?

I think it depends on the site and the year. My 6 year old tried out for Rmsc at Olney last year and didn’t make it. She was legal in 3/4 strokes (not fly). She ended up swimming for another team swimming against RMSC in many meets and will try out again this summer now that she is legal in all four strokes. They do say it’s easier to get in as a mini so worth a shot.

Had a similar experience last year at MLK. Last year, FWIW, I think they said they told parents that they had 100 kids trying out for about 25-30 minis spots at MLK. My 6yo was only legal in freestyle and backstroke but had some idea of how to swim the other two. Did not get a spot. They did offer a nice (imo) service where you could request feedback from coaches about what to improve afterward and the feedback he got was essentially "improve butterfly and breaststroke." So I did come away from it thinking that even a 6 year old probably needed to be legal or close to legal in all strokes to get accepted.

I would say it really depends on how many spots are open in certain year, they don’t require 6 years old a lot but they choose the best out of each age group… if you kids are legal on free and back, can swim a few laps, you have a good chance…

[Anonymous]

I think it depends on the number spots for the minis. For the Rockville site, my newly seven year old was legal with back, free, and breast (mostly). Still had a lot of work to do with fly. We've been really impressed with the coaching and the organization. The newer/less experienced kids are in two lanes with a lot of instruction and a coach in the pool. The more experienced kids are in the other four lanes with additional coaches working on different skills. My kid has learned a lot this last year!

[Anonymous]

Is it better to try out at the earlier or the later date?

[Anonymous]

Thanks for this information. Probably not going to bother this year. I was surprised at some of the people who didn't make the cut last year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it better to try out at the earlier or the later date?

I'm not sure if it matters. At the Rockville site, you weren't notified until all tryouts were completed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How well does a 6-year-old need to swim to make it onto an RMSC team? My impression is that they need to be legal in all strokes at 8, but what about 6?

It depends on how many spots are available but they need to easily be able to swim a 25 and do most legally, not all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for this information. Probably not going to bother this year. I was surprised at some of the people who didn't make the cut last year.

Try it out and see. I didn't think my kid would get in years ago, and did. It was easier when they had two tryouts and the spring dates were easier to get in. Some of it depends on how any gradaute and move up/drop out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Will KSAC be open by fall 2026?

And will it be ADA-compliant?

It will be open and mostly compliant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How well does a 6-year-old need to swim to make it onto an RMSC team? My impression is that they need to be legal in all strokes at 8, but what about 6?

I think it depends on the site and the year. My 6 year old tried out for Rmsc at Olney last year and didn’t make it. She was legal in 3/4 strokes (not fly). She ended up swimming for another team swimming against RMSC in many meets and will try out again this summer now that she is legal in all four strokes. They do say it’s easier to get in as a mini so worth a shot.

Keep trying. Most kids don’t get in on the first try.