swim parents: Why is NCap so expensive?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know RMSC is less expensive, since they are county run, but is there really an appreciable price difference between similar levels at NCAP, ASA, and Machine?

Because NCAP isn’t centrally run you do need to do some research into the site you are contemplating joining, but on the whole I would say they have more good coaches than bad. The tricky part is if say the Bronze level coaches at a site are really good, but the Silver and Gold coaches are not, or vice versa.

OP here - I looked this up- for the same national-level group, ASA is $2500+ LESS than NCap. Why? How?

They are about the same price.

I don’t think this is right- NTG at ASA is $4800 but NCap Gold at Prep is over 6k

I did not realize that NCap Prep was over 6k. That's high. Perhaps it offers more practice times than ASA.

Both are 6x week but I just noticed that ASA is a non-profit. I wonder if that’s the difference

[Anonymous]

All clubs are hit or miss with coaches these days - that is not specific to NCAP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All clubs are hit or miss with coaches these days - that is not specific to NCAP.

What's the theory behind "these days" here? Some possibilities I just conjured up:

1. More "good" coaches are leaving the area?
2. Good coaches are finding better opportunities outside of club swimming?
3. As local club swimming continues to grow, in large part by adding more mediocre swimmers, clubs naturally add more mediocre coaches to meet the demand signal (and grow their revenue base)?
4. Something else?

[Anonymous]

My kid swims for PAC at Fairland. We are in moco but on the eastern side so it’s only 10 mins for us. I looked at Machine because our summer pool uses a Machine coach. It was 3x the price!! My kid is only 10 and likes other sports too, probably not going to swim in college or the Olympics so I’m good with where we are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All clubs are hit or miss with coaches these days - that is not specific to NCAP.

Right, but the point is NCap charges so much more the coaches should not be hit or miss!

I’d be curious about any ASA or RMSC families on here and how they feel about their coaching

[Anonymous]

I’ve only heard great things about the national level coach at ASA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All clubs are hit or miss with coaches these days - that is not specific to NCAP.

Right, but the point is NCap charges so much more the coaches should not be hit or miss!

I’d be curious about any ASA or RMSC families on here and how they feel about their coaching

Ncap is the same price as most swim clubs in northern VA - not sure why they’d be more expensive in MD.

[Anonymous]

I’m very curious about this. One of my kids is pretty talented and we are with a team that is not mentioned here. I am constantly worried that I’m doing this kid a disservice by not going with a bigger, more expensive club.

One thing I wonder is whether the training group itself - the actual kids - is worth the cost. In other words, is everyone fart and pushing each other?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m very curious about this. One of my kids is pretty talented and we are with a team that is not mentioned here. I am constantly worried that I’m doing this kid a disservice by not going with a bigger, more expensive club.

One thing I wonder is whether the training group itself - the actual kids - is worth the cost. In other words, is everyone fart and pushing each other?

My DD is an A/AA swimmer now and last year was her first year participating in club swim. Her rapid improvement was due not only to the coaching she has gotten at NCAP but the training group as well. She swims with kids her age, she’s not outside of her age group, but the lane of kids she swims with are also fast. That has helped motivate her, and her training within the training group is more rigorous than the other lanes with different intervals, different sets, etc. I think it’s probably a little more difficult to get the best out of a kid if they are clearly the best swimmer in their group and there is no one to push them and they are training under their capabilities because the other kids can’t keep up.

[Anonymous]

RMSC doesn't pay for pool time so that makes a huge difference but a few years ago they raised prices significantly and justified it with what the other teams were charging despite them not having the same overhead as other groups. In RMSC we have 6-10 kids per lane and it's very hit or miss on the coaches. Years past we had a horrible coach and we finally have good ones. The coach was so bad my kids didn't want to swim but stuck it out knowing eventually they'd move up. Its a money grab too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m very curious about this. One of my kids is pretty talented and we are with a team that is not mentioned here. I am constantly worried that I’m doing this kid a disservice by not going with a bigger, more expensive club.

One thing I wonder is whether the training group itself - the actual kids - is worth the cost. In other words, is everyone fart and pushing each other?

Go with where she is doing well and meshes with the coach/good coach. That is far more important than bigger. Bigger isn't better as kids get less attention. We have two coaches for 50-60 kids per practice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NCAP doesn't charge you for meets or nickel and dime you for other things and doesn't require parents to volunteer. It is one cost and that is it.

RMSC also includes meet fees.

I have a hard time believing NCAP doesn’t require parent volunteers, that’s how meets run. Maybe it’s just semantics, we don’t have a quota/point system or anything at RMSC either, but volunteering is expected (sure there are families who do nothing and others who cover).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Running through a pro-con list of the area teams for faster swimmers, I am wondering if I am missing something:

RMSC
Pros
- less expensive since it is subsidized
- dedicated pool space

Cons
- crowded
- depending on where you are in the county, not that convenient

ASA
Pros
- dedicated pool
- smaller team

Cons
- [/b]don't go to as high-profile meets
- if you don't like your teammates it's so small it's a problem
- age group coaches are great but not so great national-level coach

[b]Machine
Pros
- awesome outcomes and recruiting
- family-owned and run team

Cons
- for us the only one I can think of is that the locations are not convenient if you live in Montgomery County

NCAP
Pros
- They attend and hold big meets with fast swimmers
- Some good coaches

Cons
- Some seriously mediocre coaches, and bc they have so many locations there is no quality control across location so you have to get lucky
- Expensive! Is this bc they have so many locations so it should be more convenient??
- Current CEO was supposedly somehow involved in the sexual abuse issues in the 90's and never suffered any consequences
- Even though there are a lot of locations, some teams are still swimming outdoors? Is this true?!

Like what? We’re RMSC NTG and ASA is typically at same meets (NCSA, Winter juniors). They do typically also do a slightly slower championship meet (NASA/ISCA I think and I’ve seen Zones), but bring more kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Running through a pro-con list of the area teams for faster swimmers, I am wondering if I am missing something:

RMSC
Pros
- less expensive since it is subsidized
- dedicated pool space

Cons
- crowded
- depending on where you are in the county, not that convenient

ASA
Pros
- dedicated pool
- smaller team

Cons
- [/b]don't go to as high-profile meets
- if you don't like your teammates it's so small it's a problem
- age group coaches are great but not so great national-level coach

[b]Machine
Pros
- awesome outcomes and recruiting
- family-owned and run team

Cons
- for us the only one I can think of is that the locations are not convenient if you live in Montgomery County

NCAP
Pros
- They attend and hold big meets with fast swimmers
- Some good coaches

Cons
- Some seriously mediocre coaches, and bc they have so many locations there is no quality control across location so you have to get lucky
- Expensive! Is this bc they have so many locations so it should be more convenient??
- Current CEO was supposedly somehow involved in the sexual abuse issues in the 90's and never suffered any consequences
- Even though there are a lot of locations, some teams are still swimming outdoors? Is this true?!

Like what? We’re RMSC NTG and ASA is typically at same meets (NCSA, Winter juniors). They do typically also do a slightly slower championship meet (NASA/ISCA I think and I’ve seen Zones), but bring more kids.

Sorry, bold messed up. This was in reference to ASA @ high profile meets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just looked at Swimcloud and RMSC is ranked better than I would have thought and higher than NCAP.

Yes, I think it’s interesting OP pointed out recruitment for MACH. We don’t know a lot of MACH kids bc of location, I don’t think it’s as strong as the bigger clubs. RMSC has been really solid and of course NCAP has kids going to big name programs and great schools.