Are summer swim teams in Arlington only for kids with stay-at-home Moms?

[Anonymous]

This "you do know they do that so the membership cna use the pool during the normal hours that the pool is open" is absolutely true. We belong to a pool in Arlington, one of our kids was deeply involved in swim team from about 4th grade on, but up until then I didn't think it would work because DH and I both work. I was able to shift my schedule a bit in the summer so I could take DD to the pool, stick around for a few minutes, and have another swim team mom bring her home afterwards. (Always had a summer babysitter as well.) NVSL meets are on Monday nights (B meets, aka developmental) or Saturday mornings (A meets, aka competitive). Occasional Wednesday evening meets (Relay Carnival). The pool needs to be available for the rest of the membership during the day, so they have practices and meets outside the core hours. I agree it's hard to work it in with a F/T job, but it's doable if you can get a bit of flexibility for 6 weeks in the summer. Many pools have wifi now, so you could get some work done while your kids practice. Good luck, OP - it's a great experience and worth juggling things for a few weeks a year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please help me find a summer swim or diving team that does
NOT have morning meets or morning practices on (gasp)
weekdays!!! N Arlington, McLean, NW DC might work.

seriously? you do know they do that so the membership can use the pool during the normal hours that the pool is open.

This! There is no way the general membership would stand for not being able to use the pool during prime hours. I suggest finding other parents on swim team and sharing the duties. I'm sure there are plenty of other parents like you who would like to have their kid involved, but just need a little help.

[Anonymous]

I am the 9:37 poster. The way the team I finally found does it is:

they split up the age groups and, depending upon your child's age group, they practice at certain times in the afternoon after school and/or evening, or on the weekends.

I LOVE this and it does not bother the general membership one darn bit.

I think if pools really tried they could find a way. There are just not enough people clamoring for it.

[Anonymous]

9:37/10:32: we're all glad YOU found something, but how are you helping the person who asked for assistance if you don't name your pool/program?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am the 9:37 poster. The way the team I finally found does it is:

they split up the age groups and, depending upon your child's age group, they practice at certain times in the afternoon after school and/or evening, or on the weekends.

I LOVE this and it does not bother the general membership one darn bit.

I think if pools really tried they could find a way. There are just not enough people clamoring for it.

This is how most fall/winter teams do it. Practices are after-school and on Saturday mornings. Meets are on the weekends.

Most summer teams have morning practices.

OP, if you want your kid to be on a swim team, check out the fall and winter teams in your area. My kids swim in the fall/winter, but don't swim on a summer team. I have to go to work.

[Anonymous]

I noticed that the Dive teams seem do-able from what I can tell. They have morning and evening practices, and you just have to do one of them....

[Anonymous]

The pool we belong to (not in one the areas OP wants) has morning practice every day, evening practice 3x a week. The swim team kids only get half the pool for the evening practice, but it works since lots of kids go to morning practice. Meets are also either 5pm on a weeknight, or saturday mornings and over by noon. Since a pool doesn't host meets every week, the regular pool patrons are only inconvenienced by a meet a couple times a summer. The major inconvenience the pool patrons experience is 6 weeks of the diving board being closed for 2 hours in the evening 3 days a week.

[Anonymous]

pretty much. that's why my kid can't swim very well.

[Anonymous]

There are a couple of pools with early morning practices that end before 9:00 am and evening practices 3-5 times a week. Don't live in Arlington to know their pools, but they exist in other NOVA areas. Probably in the less wealthy areas where two parents have to work. There are year round indoor swim teams for older kids that practice early mornings or evenings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are a couple of pools with early morning practices that end before 9:00 am and evening practices 3-5 times a week. Don't live in Arlington to know their pools, but they exist in other NOVA areas. Probably in the less wealthy areas where two parents have to work. There are year round indoor swim teams for older kids that practice early mornings or evenings.

Parklawn in ALexandria had morning or evening practice. A nice pool. I live in Arlington and had a great summer there (although my kids did not do the swim team).

[Anonymous]

Vienna Woods in Vienna has an 8-9 am practice for 8 and under and 5:00 pm practices twice a week.

[Anonymous]

yes, we have practice from 8 - 8:30 am in the morning, so you can still get to camp by 9:00. Meets are 5:30 on Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings. We can swing this with working parents.

[Anonymous]

MVP Dolphins in NW has early morning practice and late afternoon practice. It works for families w/ two working families.