Summer swim - what’s the deal w meets?

[Anonymous]

It’s my 6 year olds first summer doing summer swim. She certainly isn’t legal in all 4 strokes. Whats the deal with meets? Do we enter her? Is it expected that they go when they are so young and new? Would love any insight for this newbie! TIA!

[Anonymous]

Haha welcome to hell

[Anonymous]

I assume you’re talking about developmental meets. Do not enter her if she’s not legal as it just a waste of everyone’s time when they have to DQ those kids.

[Anonymous]

Your coach will tell you.
He’ll probably put her in 2 or 3 events, depends on the size of your team. If she’s one of the faster kids in her age group she’ll swim A meets on Saturday morning. If not good enough she’ll be in B meets which are midweek. I think most pools do Wednesdays.

[Anonymous]

Depends on the team! On our team you can sign her up for B meets—start with free and back. The coaches can let you know when she’s ready for breast and fly (more likely to DQ on those).

Have fun! Swim team is a great experience

[Anonymous]

This probably depends on league and team. For our team on nvsl- our team has a time trials for the first meet and kids swim every stroke they are legal in. Even if you signed your kid up for fly, if they can’t swim it, our coaches would remove her.

That’s pretty true of all the b meets- for us kids can only swim two events and the coaches have to think they are legal.

[Anonymous]

What league are you in? NVSL B meets are Monday evenings. Your new swimmer will start off entering for free and back. Once legal for other strokes, can enter for others but you will most likely be restricted to 2 strokes per meet.

[Anonymous]

Our nvsl B meet is Monday night. Swimmers need coach’s approve to swim in a certain stoke, if it’s not legal during time trial. I would get private lesson to help child get one stroke legal each summer, so he/she won’t lost confidence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our nvsl B meet is Monday night. Swimmers need coach’s approve to swim in a certain stoke, if it’s not legal during time trial. I would get private lesson to help child get one stroke legal each summer, so he/she won’t lost confidence.

Do not, for the love of god, just sign your kid up for private lessons if the goal is simply to get your child legal to swim in B meets. Waste of money.

If s/he mentions frustration with a stroke, you could ask the child if s/he would like some extra practice with the coach and go from there.

[Anonymous]

On my team, a 6 year old likely wouldn't make the 8 and under team.

The coach taps your child if they are swimming at the meets. Usually they only swim 2 strokes at a meet (but we're a big team, so maybe small teams are different).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our nvsl B meet is Monday night. Swimmers need coach’s approve to swim in a certain stoke, if it’s not legal during time trial. I would get private lesson to help child get one stroke legal each summer, so he/she won’t lost confidence.

Do not, for the love of god, just sign your kid up for private lessons if the goal is simply to get your child legal to swim in B meets. Waste of money.

If s/he mentions frustration with a stroke, you could ask the child if s/he would like some extra practice with the coach and go from there.

No coach is going to give extra practice to a specific child struggling in strokes, outside group practice time. Mine couldn’t get a certain stroke legal after summer swim and even entire year of club swim. But private lesson did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:On my team, a 6 year old likely wouldn't make the 8 and under team.

The coach taps your child if they are swimming at the meets. Usually they only swim 2 strokes at a meet (but we're a big team, so maybe small teams are different).

At our pool you needed to indicate interest to swim in a meet. We are a teeny swim team where six year olds swim even A meets just to fill out lanes. And you absolutely get to pick your B meet events.

[Anonymous]

As others have noted, to get a more accurate answer to your question, it's helpful to know your league and size of team.

We're an A division PMSL team and most of our 8&u's (even 5 and 6 year olds) swim free and back at Saturday meets.

I wouldn't say 6 year olds are "expected" to swim in meets. But they are welcome to if they want.

[Anonymous]

If she’s competitive in FS or BS you can enter her. I would say no longer than 30s to get across.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As others have noted, to get a more accurate answer to your question, it's helpful to know your league and size of team.

We're an A division PMSL team and most of our 8&u's (even 5 and 6 year olds) swim free and back at Saturday meets.

I wouldn't say 6 year olds are "expected" to swim in meets. But they are welcome to if they want.

PMSL doesn't do A/B meets (we are in PMSL too!) I love not having 2 meets/week!