St. James

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The people I know whos kids swim for the in house St James team do it for convenience. they like that they can participate in 3 month increments vs committing to a full 9 months. However, I have not been impressed with any of the kid I have seen who swim there. Their technique is pretty bad. Not sure it that is because of poor coaching or because these kids just aren't that committed.

Yet, there was one event at NVSL all stars where St James kids claimed 3 of the top 5 spots. You might not have been impressed by that but I know others were.

Lol 1 event.

I can tell you swimmers from other clubs dominated a lot more than 1 event.

I can can tell you that the kids on our team who swim for st James did not come even close to making all stars. Heck, some barely made A meets and have terrible technique. Not at all impressed with the St. James program.

In another NVSL all star event two St James kids finished in the top 5, another kid won his event. They must be doing something right to produce a number of high performers from such a small group. Maybe the kids on your summer team are outliers rather than the norm. Did the other small clubs mentioned in this thread -- VLAC, Fairfax Foxes, etc. -- have multiple kids at or near the top of the NVSL in their best events?

[Anonymous]

Our current club has plenty of highly successful swimmers, too many probably—coaching is not good for kids who aren’t in the high performance groups, or could be, but don’t want to put in that kind of time.

We got some private lessons this summer and I was appalled when the instructor pointed out some technique issues with a stroke that should have been corrected ages ago. The kid dropped 4 seconds at their next race when they’d been holding steady at the same time for a YEAR. What the heck did we pay 3k dollars for last year?? Club Coach must have been blind or looking at their phone during practice not to see the problem. Kid says they had no idea about the issue until the summer coach said something.

Smaller program with less focus on high level competition, and more attentive coaches is fine with us. The kid will do pretty well at meets regardless.

Thanks for the suggestions all!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The people I know whos kids swim for the in house St James team do it for convenience. they like that they can participate in 3 month increments vs committing to a full 9 months. However, I have not been impressed with any of the kid I have seen who swim there. Their technique is pretty bad. Not sure it that is because of poor coaching or because these kids just aren't that committed.

Yet, there was one event at NVSL all stars where St James kids claimed 3 of the top 5 spots. You might not have been impressed by that but I know others were.

Those kids are great swimmers and great people and they should be proud of their accomplishment! However, you've got to put it in context that the 15-18 events had massive amounts of scratches because of the conflict with the Futures meet for the highest level swimmers. St James didn't send anyone to Futures, and I don't think they even had any qualifiers. Maybe because the kids who swim there are doing other sports as well or aren't as all in on swimming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The people I know whos kids swim for the in house St James team do it for convenience. they like that they can participate in 3 month increments vs committing to a full 9 months. However, I have not been impressed with any of the kid I have seen who swim there. Their technique is pretty bad. Not sure it that is because of poor coaching or because these kids just aren't that committed.

Yet, there was one event at NVSL all stars where St James kids claimed 3 of the top 5 spots. You might not have been impressed by that but I know others were.

Those kids are great swimmers and great people and they should be proud of their accomplishment! However, you've got to put it in context that the 15-18 events had massive amounts of scratches because of the conflict with the Futures meet for the highest level swimmers. St James didn't send anyone to Futures, and I don't think they even had any qualifiers. Maybe because the kids who swim there are doing other sports as well or aren't as all in on swimming.

St. James only sent 2 total swimmers to the 12 and Under LC Champs, 13 and Over LC Champs and the LC Open Champs combined. St. James flexibility is great for kids who do other sports but it is not a place that churns out swimmers at the highest levels.

[Anonymous]

There is 0 stroke correction at the SJ. Kids just swam and swam. Lanes were unorganized.

[Anonymous]

There is 0 stroke correction at the SJ. Kids just swam and swam. Lanes were unorganized.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The people I know whos kids swim for the in house St James team do it for convenience. they like that they can participate in 3 month increments vs committing to a full 9 months. However, I have not been impressed with any of the kid I have seen who swim there. Their technique is pretty bad. Not sure it that is because of poor coaching or because these kids just aren't that committed.

Yet, there was one event at NVSL all stars where St James kids claimed 3 of the top 5 spots. You might not have been impressed by that but I know others were.

Those kids are great swimmers and great people and they should be proud of their accomplishment! However, you've got to put it in context that the 15-18 events had massive amounts of scratches because of the conflict with the Futures meet for the highest level swimmers. St James didn't send anyone to Futures, and I don't think they even had any qualifiers. Maybe because the kids who swim there are doing other sports as well or aren't as all in on swimming.

St. James only sent 2 total swimmers to the 12 and Under LC Champs, 13 and Over LC Champs and the LC Open Champs combined. St. James flexibility is great for kids who do other sports but it is not a place that churns out swimmers at the highest levels.

Yes, obviously they had very few kids in the LC session. Still the option is there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The people I know whos kids swim for the in house St James team do it for convenience. they like that they can participate in 3 month increments vs committing to a full 9 months. However, I have not been impressed with any of the kid I have seen who swim there. Their technique is pretty bad. Not sure it that is because of poor coaching or because these kids just aren't that committed.

For as small as their team might be they have a few kids that are the top swimmers in PVS at the championship meets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is 0 stroke correction at the SJ. Kids just swam and swam. Lanes were unorganized.

That is what it was like at our highly rated club—for three times the cost! So we’re just shooting for convenience and cost-savings at this point. Good coaching would be a bonus, lol. Will check out the other options discussed here too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is 0 stroke correction at the SJ. Kids just swam and swam. Lanes were unorganized.

That is what it was like at our highly rated club—for three times the cost! So we’re just shooting for convenience and cost-savings at this point. Good coaching would be a bonus, lol. Will check out the other options discussed here too.

My experience at St James has been good all around: convenient and good coaching. Though I know others weren’t impressed with different coaches or some of the coaches from previous years. Maybe some of the naysayers in this thread were in those different groups I was exposed to or are speaking from a few years back when the coaching was obviously weaker.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The people I know whos kids swim for the in house St James team do it for convenience. they like that they can participate in 3 month increments vs committing to a full 9 months. However, I have not been impressed with any of the kid I have seen who swim there. Their technique is pretty bad. Not sure it that is because of poor coaching or because these kids just aren't that committed.

For as small as their team might be they have a few kids that are the top swimmers in PVS at the championship meets.

Why do people talk out of their @sses with stuff like this? There were a grand total of 2 St. James swimmers in the the 3 PVS champs meets this summer and neither of them made finals. They were better represented in the spring 14 and Under SC champs meet, 12 swimmers, but only 3 of them made any finals, none of them placed first, and it appears they have 2 female age groupers who are strong breaststrokers. That does not equal “top swimmers in PVS at the championship meets”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The people I know whos kids swim for the in house St James team do it for convenience. they like that they can participate in 3 month increments vs committing to a full 9 months. However, I have not been impressed with any of the kid I have seen who swim there. Their technique is pretty bad. Not sure it that is because of poor coaching or because these kids just aren't that committed.

For as small as their team might be they have a few kids that are the top swimmers in PVS at the championship meets.

Why do people talk out of their @sses with stuff like this? There were a grand total of 2 St. James swimmers in the the 3 PVS champs meets this summer and neither of them made finals. They were better represented in the spring 14 and Under SC champs meet, 12 swimmers, but only 3 of them made any finals, none of them placed first, and it appears they have 2 female age groupers who are strong breaststrokers. That does not equal “top swimmers in PVS at the championship meets”.

Sounds about right. Point is the coaching is plenty good enough to help kids get better if they want to and to help even part time swimmers compete at a high level if they want to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The people I know whos kids swim for the in house St James team do it for convenience. they like that they can participate in 3 month increments vs committing to a full 9 months. However, I have not been impressed with any of the kid I have seen who swim there. Their technique is pretty bad. Not sure it that is because of poor coaching or because these kids just aren't that committed.

For as small as their team might be they have a few kids that are the top swimmers in PVS at the championship meets.

Why do people talk out of their @sses with stuff like this? There were a grand total of 2 St. James swimmers in the the 3 PVS champs meets this summer and neither of them made finals. They were better represented in the spring 14 and Under SC champs meet, 12 swimmers, but only 3 of them made any finals, none of them placed first, and it appears they have 2 female age groupers who are strong breaststrokers. That does not equal “top swimmers in PVS at the championship meets”.

Sounds about right. Point is the coaching is plenty good enough to help kids get better if they want to and to help even part time swimmers compete at a high level if they want to.

That sounds like what we are looking for, thanks. Our kid is competitive, but we aren’t going to drag them to unnecessary morning practices and add more pool time to their busy week just to make the club more money. They cross train. I don’t buy into all of that mileage garbage for 12 year olds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The people I know whos kids swim for the in house St James team do it for convenience. they like that they can participate in 3 month increments vs committing to a full 9 months. However, I have not been impressed with any of the kid I have seen who swim there. Their technique is pretty bad. Not sure it that is because of poor coaching or because these kids just aren't that committed.

For as small as their team might be they have a few kids that are the top swimmers in PVS at the championship meets.

Why do people talk out of their @sses with stuff like this? There were a grand total of 2 St. James swimmers in the the 3 PVS champs meets this summer and neither of them made finals. They were better represented in the spring 14 and Under SC champs meet, 12 swimmers, but only 3 of them made any finals, none of them placed first, and it appears they have 2 female age groupers who are strong breaststrokers. That does not equal “top swimmers in PVS at the championship meets”.

Sounds about right. Point is the coaching is plenty good enough to help kids get better if they want to and to help even part time swimmers compete at a high level if they want to.

That sounds like what we are looking for, thanks. Our kid is competitive, but we aren’t going to drag them to unnecessary morning practices and add more pool time to their busy week just to make the club more money. They cross train. I don’t buy into all of that mileage garbage for 12 year olds.

New commenter here but from what I hear at my summer pool it’s actually the exact opposite of what you are thinking.

The times for champs are not very fast and should be easily achievable for anyone with the slightest bit of decent professional coaching. If a team is only sending a few swimmers to these meets it’s almost certainly actually because those swimmers are just very naturally talented and got there despite the coaching not because of the coaching.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The people I know whos kids swim for the in house St James team do it for convenience. they like that they can participate in 3 month increments vs committing to a full 9 months. However, I have not been impressed with any of the kid I have seen who swim there. Their technique is pretty bad. Not sure it that is because of poor coaching or because these kids just aren't that committed.

For as small as their team might be they have a few kids that are the top swimmers in PVS at the championship meets.

Why do people talk out of their @sses with stuff like this? There were a grand total of 2 St. James swimmers in the the 3 PVS champs meets this summer and neither of them made finals. They were better represented in the spring 14 and Under SC champs meet, 12 swimmers, but only 3 of them made any finals, none of them placed first, and it appears they have 2 female age groupers who are strong breaststrokers. That does not equal “top swimmers in PVS at the championship meets”.

I think that if you look at NCAP and how large they are it makes sense how many swimmers they have at the top levels. St. James is like a team of 250 or so. It is really small. The Marlins is like 400 some kids. Size of the team matters.