Clubs in NOVA with afternoon or evening practice for high level swimmers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not the OP but facing a similar situation with my kid. There's so much research on how important sleep is, especially for teens. I hate that to be a top swimmer you have to wake up at insane hours for years on end. There has to be a better way, but it's so embedded in the culture of competitive swimming somehow people accept it.

There is, but first you have to go find ~$20m as was the cost of the building the NOVA pool in a building that was already built.

https://henrico.gov/news/2019/03/officials-from-henrico-nova-aquatics-regency-announce-plans-for-aquatics-center-at-mall-site/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were just looking at NCAP Tysons Gold because they have evening times.

Unless there’s a big schedule change for next year, the Gold group with evening practices is Gold Prep. It’s four days a week (3 during HS swim season) for only 9 months. Most kids in that group aren’t making Jr/Sr champs cuts, never mind sectionals. As far as NCAP NOVA goes, OP wants Gold 1 at Marymount or Gold 2 at Tysons but they are - or have been up until now - morning programs.

Not the poster above, but there is a big schedule change - there is now Gold 2 and 3 with two levels with in Gold 3. I believe Gold 3B is similar to prep. Gold A is year round. We were considering a move from Marymount to Tysons for Gold, but my understanding is that they are trying to use the same names at both locations.

Is gold 3A for competitive kids? Would a kid with almost sectionals cuts fit in there?

No, Gold 3 is not the group for sectional level swimmers. I would say Gold 2 is probably the best fit for your swimmer as a rising freshman who is close to sectional cuts but does not have any yet.

Gold 2 at Tysons does not have a coach hired for next year. This past season, there was not a consistent coach assigned to this group (the "lead" coach was only there 3 mornings a week); it was a lot of money for a program that often felt like an afterthought, which is why we are leaving and moving to a new Club.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were just looking at NCAP Tysons Gold because they have evening times.

Unless there’s a big schedule change for next year, the Gold group with evening practices is Gold Prep. It’s four days a week (3 during HS swim season) for only 9 months. Most kids in that group aren’t making Jr/Sr champs cuts, never mind sectionals. As far as NCAP NOVA goes, OP wants Gold 1 at Marymount or Gold 2 at Tysons but they are - or have been up until now - morning programs.

Not the poster above, but there is a big schedule change - there is now Gold 2 and 3 with two levels with in Gold 3. I believe Gold 3B is similar to prep. Gold A is year round. We were considering a move from Marymount to Tysons for Gold, but my understanding is that they are trying to use the same names at both locations.

Is gold 3A for competitive kids? Would a kid with almost sectionals cuts fit in there?

No, Gold 3 is not the group for sectional level swimmers. I would say Gold 2 is probably the best fit for your swimmer as a rising freshman who is close to sectional cuts but does not have any yet.

Gold 2 at Tysons does not have a coach hired for next year. This past season, there was not a consistent coach assigned to this group (the "lead" coach was only there 3 mornings a week); it was a lot of money for a program that often felt like an afterthought, which is why we are leaving and moving to a new Club.

NP - where club are you moving to? We are considering gold 2 at Tyson’s but heard about the last coach being let go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were just looking at NCAP Tysons Gold because they have evening times.

Unless there’s a big schedule change for next year, the Gold group with evening practices is Gold Prep. It’s four days a week (3 during HS swim season) for only 9 months. Most kids in that group aren’t making Jr/Sr champs cuts, never mind sectionals. As far as NCAP NOVA goes, OP wants Gold 1 at Marymount or Gold 2 at Tysons but they are - or have been up until now - morning programs.

Not the poster above, but there is a big schedule change - there is now Gold 2 and 3 with two levels with in Gold 3. I believe Gold 3B is similar to prep. Gold A is year round. We were considering a move from Marymount to Tysons for Gold, but my understanding is that they are trying to use the same names at both locations.

Is gold 3A for competitive kids? Would a kid with almost sectionals cuts fit in there?

No, Gold 3 is not the group for sectional level swimmers. I would say Gold 2 is probably the best fit for your swimmer as a rising freshman who is close to sectional cuts but does not have any yet.

Gold 2 at Tysons does not have a coach hired for next year. This past season, there was not a consistent coach assigned to this group (the "lead" coach was only there 3 mornings a week); it was a lot of money for a program that often felt like an afterthought, which is why we are leaving and moving to a new Club.

NP - where club are you moving to? We are considering gold 2 at Tyson’s but heard about the last coach being let go.

Bump. And does anyone know who the new gold 2 coach at Tyson’s will be?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Machine has an afternoon group for high school swimmers, M/W/F 3:30-5 and Saturday mornings. 3:30-4:30 is swimming, followed by dryland at Oakmont.

Thanks for this, but 3 hours of swim a week is a lot less than she's used to and looking for.

DP. Respectfully, this adds up to more than 3 hours/week.

Realistically, most high-level groups include early mornings. Would the group offered allow you to start at 4 or 5 practices/week freshman year and then ramp up during the season or the following? I doubt they’d lower the fee, but may be flexible on frequency as you adjust to both high school and early mornings.

Yes, I realize most will have some morning practices. I would be fine with 3 weekday mornings and two afternoons/evenings. Every day is relentless and unhealthy for teenagers developing brains. There is just no way she can get enough sleep in a week getting up at 4:30 every single day. And honestly, who would want to? I worry this will completely burn her out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Machine has an afternoon group for high school swimmers, M/W/F 3:30-5 and Saturday mornings. 3:30-4:30 is swimming, followed by dryland at Oakmont.

Thanks for this, but 3 hours of swim a week is a lot less than she's used to and looking for.

DP. Respectfully, this adds up to more than 3 hours/week.

Realistically, most high-level groups include early mornings. Would the group offered allow you to start at 4 or 5 practices/week freshman year and then ramp up during the season or the following? I doubt they’d lower the fee, but may be flexible on frequency as you adjust to both high school and early mornings.

Yes, I realize most will have some morning practices. I would be fine with 3 weekday mornings and two afternoons/evenings. Every day is relentless and unhealthy for teenagers developing brains. There is just no way she can get enough sleep in a week getting up at 4:30 every single day. And honestly, who would want to? I worry this will completely burn her out.

Do what you think best works for you kid. But don't generalize. my teen puts himself to bed by 8pm for 4:30 practices.