Cost of Club Swimming

[Anonymous]

We have two kids who swim 3-4 days a week each (one is at ASA and one at Toll) and we pay around $7,000 annually for swim clubs. One also supplements with private lessons that are about $400 a month. That doesn’t even count the summer swim costs of swim team and pool dues so that’s an additional $2000. So all in we are well over $10,000 annually. And we have a third kid who will start club swim in two years. One child is about to start qualifying for travel meets which will add a substantial greater cost. Swim is one of those sports that you don’t think of as being super expensive (like lacrosse or golf) because there’s really no equipment, but renting pool space and paying good coaches is astronomical. We aren’t financially strapped but it definitely makes a dent.

[Anonymous]

Simple supply and demand plus parents able and willing to pay whatever the clubs want to charge. Just another rich kid sport now.

[Anonymous]

This wouldn't be an option for us. I'm struggling to afford 2x per week for 2 kids. They really enjoy it, and I want so much to make it happen for them, but it's a hardship financially.

Anonymous wrote:We have two kids who swim 3-4 days a week each (one is at ASA and one at Toll) and we pay around $7,000 annually for swim clubs. One also supplements with private lessons that are about $400 a month. That doesn’t even count the summer swim costs of swim team and pool dues so that’s an additional $2000. So all in we are well over $10,000 annually. And we have a third kid who will start club swim in two years. One child is about to start qualifying for travel meets which will add a substantial greater cost. Swim is one of those sports that you don’t think of as being super expensive (like lacrosse or golf) because there’s really no equipment, but renting pool space and paying good coaches is astronomical. We aren’t financially strapped but it definitely makes a dent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Simple supply and demand plus parents able and willing to pay whatever the clubs want to charge. Just another rich kid sport now.

Yes, just think about how these exorbitant prices are making all the swim coaches and club owners so rich.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Simple supply and demand plus parents able and willing to pay whatever the clubs want to charge. Just another rich kid sport now.

Yes, just think about how these exorbitant prices are making all the swim coaches and club owners so rich.

I can’t tell if this is sarcasm, but the money isn’t trickling down to coaches. It’s a second job for most. (I’m a parent not a coach.)
Club owners do likely turn a nice profit, but plenty of posters have laid out that expenses are exorbitant to run a club. Margins can’t be great.

[Anonymous]

No, the kids are rich. Not the coaches.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, the kids are rich. Not the coaches.

Not disputing that cost has sadly become a barrier to entry to yet another youth sport. But PP said club swim coaches are getting rich from those costs; they’re definitely not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This wouldn't be an option for us. I'm struggling to afford 2x per week for 2 kids. They really enjoy it, and I want so much to make it happen for them, but it's a hardship financially.

Anonymous wrote:We have two kids who swim 3-4 days a week each (one is at ASA and one at Toll) and we pay around $7,000 annually for swim clubs. One also supplements with private lessons that are about $400 a month. That doesn’t even count the summer swim costs of swim team and pool dues so that’s an additional $2000. So all in we are well over $10,000 annually. And we have a third kid who will start club swim in two years. One child is about to start qualifying for travel meets which will add a substantial greater cost. Swim is one of those sports that you don’t think of as being super expensive (like lacrosse or golf) because there’s really no equipment, but renting pool space and paying good coaches is astronomical. We aren’t financially strapped but it definitely makes a dent.

$400 in private lessons is a lot (almost $5K per year) and I don't think a lot of families are spending that much on private lessons. My college swimmer had maybe a handful of private lessons in total while swimming club to work on a specific issue (ie, breaststroke pull out, starts, or crossover turn). I would not compare yourself to this family. I found cost of swim that really added up were travel meets. It was very pricey when my kid traveled with the team and then I chose to travel separately to watch them swim. My swimmer is D3 and next week, and I am grateful for no more club dues, but we still pay for tech suits (discounted through team), annual training trip (airfare only) and our travel to watch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Simple supply and demand plus parents able and willing to pay whatever the clubs want to charge. Just another rich kid sport now.

Yes, just think about how these exorbitant prices are making all the swim coaches and club owners so rich.

I can’t tell if this is sarcasm, but the money isn’t trickling down to coaches. It’s a second job for most. (I’m a parent not a coach.)
Club owners do likely turn a nice profit, but plenty of posters have laid out that expenses are exorbitant to run a club. Margins can’t be great.

It’s sarcasm. If you’re running a business in which margins aren’t great, you’re not reinvesting in infrastructure, core employees are working a second job, and the owners aren’t getting rich, then you aren’t charging exorbitant prices.

When a business charges too much and still sells out of its product, the “overcharged” revenue has to go somewhere, usually into the owners pockets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Simple supply and demand plus parents able and willing to pay whatever the clubs want to charge. Just another rich kid sport now.

Yes, just think about how these exorbitant prices are making all the swim coaches and club owners so rich.

I can’t tell if this is sarcasm, but the money isn’t trickling down to coaches. It’s a second job for most. (I’m a parent not a coach.)
Club owners do likely turn a nice profit, but plenty of posters have laid out that expenses are exorbitant to run a club. Margins can’t be great.

It’s sarcasm. If you’re running a business in which margins aren’t great, you’re not reinvesting in infrastructure, core employees are working a second job, and the owners aren’t getting rich, then you aren’t charging exorbitant prices.

When a business charges too much and still sells out of its product, the “overcharged” revenue has to go somewhere, usually into the owners pockets.

Sounds like someone should start their own team since it’s such a cash cow!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Simple supply and demand plus parents able and willing to pay whatever the clubs want to charge. Just another rich kid sport now.

Yes, just think about how these exorbitant prices are making all the swim coaches and club owners so rich.

I can’t tell if this is sarcasm, but the money isn’t trickling down to coaches. It’s a second job for most. (I’m a parent not a coach.)
Club owners do likely turn a nice profit, but plenty of posters have laid out that expenses are exorbitant to run a club. Margins can’t be great.

It’s sarcasm. If you’re running a business in which margins aren’t great, you’re not reinvesting in infrastructure, core employees are working a second job, and the owners aren’t getting rich, then you aren’t charging exorbitant prices.

When a business charges too much and still sells out of its product, the “overcharged” revenue has to go somewhere, usually into the owners pockets.

Sounds like someone should start their own team since it’s such a cash cow!

The owners of these large clubs are found quite well. York, ASA, FISH, Marlins, etc are doing quite well in their net worth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, the kids are rich. Not the coaches.

Not disputing that cost has sadly become a barrier to entry to yet another youth sport. But PP said club swim coaches are getting rich from those costs; they’re definitely not.

I don't think swimming has ever been a cheap sport.

[Anonymous]

Sure it was. Summers only. Very few lessons before switching team. College kids coaching NVSL.

It’s just another sports industrial complex now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, the kids are rich. Not the coaches.

Not disputing that cost has sadly become a barrier to entry to yet another youth sport. But PP said club swim coaches are getting rich from those costs; they’re definitely not.

I don't think swimming has ever been a cheap sport.

I grew up swimming club in upstate NY in the 90s. It was relatively cheap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tollefson also gives a substantial discount if you become an official

Tollefson is average at best. Pay the extra for better coaches. You get what you pay for.