2026 - 2027 RMSC Tryout dates

[Anonymous]

PSA: It's been said here before but is worth saying again. If you have a mini-age (will be 8U during the school year) swimmer and you're hoping that they will ever be able to join RMSC at any site, try out now (and again, and again). Don't wait a year to see if they will become better or more serious or more proficient or more legal. With every year of age they add it is harder to make it in, because kids who age up in the club stay in the club. If you get in and try it and don't like it, you can always leave later.

[Anonymous]

I have an eight year old who has been swimming with another club for two years in addition to summer swim, not excited about doing the drive to Rockville, but would do it for cost savings. That said, DC practices three days a week now, and I am worried that doing minis (won't be nine until May) would be boring and/or make her "feel like a baby," which seems to be something she is really into saying now "this is for babies" "I am a big kid," etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have an eight year old who has been swimming with another club for two years in addition to summer swim, not excited about doing the drive to Rockville, but would do it for cost savings. That said, DC practices three days a week now, and I am worried that doing minis (won't be nine until May) would be boring and/or make her "feel like a baby," which seems to be something she is really into saying now "this is for babies" "I am a big kid," etc.

Huh? Minis is simply the name of RMSC’s 8&U competitive team. The practices are rigorous, just as they are for any other top club in the area. The swimmers generally practice 2-4x per week and compete in meets against other clubs monthly. Your biggest concern, as others have mentioned, should be whether she can make the team. Not the semantics of the team name.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have an eight year old who has been swimming with another club for two years in addition to summer swim, not excited about doing the drive to Rockville, but would do it for cost savings. That said, DC practices three days a week now, and I am worried that doing minis (won't be nine until May) would be boring and/or make her "feel like a baby," which seems to be something she is really into saying now "this is for babies" "I am a big kid," etc.

Huh? Minis is simply the name of RMSC’s 8&U competitive team. The practices are rigorous, just as they are for any other top club in the area. The swimmers generally practice 2-4x per week and compete in meets against other clubs monthly. Your biggest concern, as others have mentioned, should be whether she can make the team. Not the semantics of the team name.

Huh? That's not what their website says: Minis – For ages 8 & under. Will learn proper stroke technique, including breaststroke and butterfly, starts and
turns. Emphasis is on orientation to competitive swimming, participation in swim meets and having fun
experiences. Swimmers may attend any combination of practices offered to the group. Recommended practice attendance: 2/week; Required 1/week. I went over the meet schedule where minis are allowed to compete and it was six meets, which is not monthly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are tryouts on those dates required for all ages and swimming abilities? If your kid is older and has a track record of times, do they still try out? I would think their times would speak for themselves.

If you’re looking to transfer in from another club, reach out to the coach for the site you are interested in. For older kids, if they are interested in adding your swimmer to the group they generally have them join a practice as opposed to coming to an open try out.

Is that true even for RMSC? I'd heard that RMSC requires everyone to go through the main tryout.

Yes, for the older kids at least. They may make 12 and under transfers go through a tryout, 13 and overs with high level times are not going to an open try out.

It depends on the times. Only the top kids get that privilege.

My swimmer switched to RMSC in 9th grade and was placed in the NTG group without a tryout. He had multiple sectional cuts and was close to NCSA cuts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have an eight year old who has been swimming with another club for two years in addition to summer swim, not excited about doing the drive to Rockville, but would do it for cost savings. That said, DC practices three days a week now, and I am worried that doing minis (won't be nine until May) would be boring and/or make her "feel like a baby," which seems to be something she is really into saying now "this is for babies" "I am a big kid," etc.

RMSC minis at our site have 4 practices available per week and can go to all of them if they want. And the very best minis can be skipped up across groups when they are moved up. If DC is that kind of swimmer, that would be the pathway: do all of the practices, excel at practice and at meets, and aim high for the springtime group promotion. You can compare by looking on the PVS website at meet results: check DC's times against those from RMSC and see how they measure up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have an eight year old who has been swimming with another club for two years in addition to summer swim, not excited about doing the drive to Rockville, but would do it for cost savings. That said, DC practices three days a week now, and I am worried that doing minis (won't be nine until May) would be boring and/or make her "feel like a baby," which seems to be something she is really into saying now "this is for babies" "I am a big kid," etc.

You’re lucky. RMSC is the most competitive tryout in the area. When your kid doesn’t make the cut, you can just tell her it’s for babies!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is 9 and transferring from NCAP. Only has B and BB times, yet was offered a 2026-2027 spot at RMSC after attending a practice. So even younger kids *may* not have to go to the open tryouts.

Sometimes you get lucky if someone left a spot. Years ago we moved sites as my spouse changed jobs that made it a problem and there was an open spot as someone left.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PSA: It's been said here before but is worth saying again. If you have a mini-age (will be 8U during the school year) swimmer and you're hoping that they will ever be able to join RMSC at any site, try out now (and again, and again). Don't wait a year to see if they will become better or more serious or more proficient or more legal. With every year of age they add it is harder to make it in, because kids who age up in the club stay in the club. If you get in and try it and don't like it, you can always leave later.

+100000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are tryouts on those dates required for all ages and swimming abilities? If your kid is older and has a track record of times, do they still try out? I would think their times would speak for themselves.

If you’re looking to transfer in from another club, reach out to the coach for the site you are interested in. For older kids, if they are interested in adding your swimmer to the group they generally have them join a practice as opposed to coming to an open try out.

Is that true even for RMSC? I'd heard that RMSC requires everyone to go through the main tryout.

Yes, for the older kids at least. They may make 12 and under transfers go through a tryout, 13 and overs with high level times are not going to an open try out.

It depends on the times. Only the top kids get that privilege.

My swimmer switched to RMSC in 9th grade and was placed in the NTG group without a tryout. He had multiple sectional cuts and was close to NCSA cuts.

If times are good enough and you reach out they will do a private tryout and let you in. It’s at all sites.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have an eight year old who has been swimming with another club for two years in addition to summer swim, not excited about doing the drive to Rockville, but would do it for cost savings. That said, DC practices three days a week now, and I am worried that doing minis (won't be nine until May) would be boring and/or make her "feel like a baby," which seems to be something she is really into saying now "this is for babies" "I am a big kid," etc.

You’re lucky. RMSC is the most competitive tryout in the area. When your kid doesn’t make the cut, you can just tell her it’s for babies!

She may or may not make the cut. She has made the cut at two other programs, and comparing her times at when she participated at the RMSC mini champs meet - she is slower than a couple of the RMSC kids her age (who are truly amazing swimmers) but faster than a few. It is interesting how triggered some swim parents are by their kids” teams and times - soccer dads get all of the bad press, but some swim parents also have difficulty sublimating their egos, it seems. Thanks to the helpful parent for explaining the practice schedule, that’s good to know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have an eight year old who has been swimming with another club for two years in addition to summer swim, not excited about doing the drive to Rockville, but would do it for cost savings. That said, DC practices three days a week now, and I am worried that doing minis (won't be nine until May) would be boring and/or make her "feel like a baby," which seems to be something she is really into saying now "this is for babies" "I am a big kid," etc.

You’re lucky. RMSC is the most competitive tryout in the area. When your kid doesn’t make the cut, you can just tell her it’s for babies!

She may or may not make the cut. She has made the cut at two other programs, and comparing her times at when she participated at the RMSC mini champs meet - she is slower than a couple of the RMSC kids her age (who are truly amazing swimmers) but faster than a few. It is interesting how triggered some swim parents are by their kids” teams and times - soccer dads get all of the bad press, but some swim parents also have difficulty sublimating their egos, it seems. Thanks to the helpful parent for explaining the practice schedule, that’s good to know.

You need to try out at multiple sites. Sometimes it comes down to the number of slots. At 8, its hard to get a slot as they go to juniors and the number of slots depends on who moves up. There may only be 1-2 slots. Once you are in, you are in regardless of how well your kid swims.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

The Rockville site makes you go off the blocks at tryouts. This has scarred many swim parents who frequent this board.

[Anonymous]

The Rockville site didn't use blocks last year when my 8U tried out, so that may be old practice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

The Rockville site makes you go off the blocks at tryouts. This has scarred many swim parents who frequent this board.

The post above was a joke, a call-back to posts last year from one unhappy parent.