what age is "too late" to try swim team?
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Anonymous
| DS age 10 has never loved swimming - many failed attempts at swim lessons through the years, but for the past couple of summers he has consistently taken swim lessons and now can pass a basic swim test (tread water for a minute, get himself down the length of the pool). He knows freestyle stroke, but cannot master the breathing and so cannot do a full lap in the proper stroke. His younger sister age 6 loves the water and doesn't know any strokes yet but wants to try pre-team swim team at our local pool this summer. I want to also sign up DS for swim team because I think he needs to be "made" to swim laps to develop coordination and stamina in the freestyle stroke (in his lessons with the teen swim coaches at the pool, he never had to swim laps), but he is too old for pre-team. He is very resistant, in large part because he thinks he will be the only kid his age on the swim team who is at his swim level - I know I could swim all 4 strokes at his age so I understand his concern. Back in my day, plenty of kids didn't join swim team until age 10, but at our pool it seems like the swim team is a bit of a "cult" and the kids all start young so they are strong swimmers by age 10. What is your experience? Can a 10 yr old who is not a strong swimmer join the swim team? Thanks. |
Anonymous
| Summer swim is a great, fun equalizer. It's one of the few sports where all ages are together. It's a big commitment for you so make sure you're prepared. If your son can swim 25m now he's ok. But at age 11 he'll be swimming 50s so he'll have to learn how to turn etc. He may make real improvement on a team with friends. All 3 of my boys swim in the summer and 2 swim year round. Good luck ! |
Anonymous
| op here - thanks for the reply. to clarify, ds cannot swim 25m in freestyle - he can get down the length of the pool in a combo of freestyle, doggy paddle, tread and restart freestyle, sufficient to pass a swim test, but definitely not a straight lap of freestyle with rotary breathing. That is my goal for him, as well as to learn the basics of the other strokes. I just don't know how to help him achieve it other than swim team, since he never has to swim laps in lessons. |
Anonymous
I would maybe find a new swim instructor? |
Anonymous
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I would find a private coach and follow it up with swim team. Get a college or high school team swimmer.
I think it would be rough to be 10 and in the "developmental" swim team program where most of the kids are under 8. Once he can swim 25 yards in a stroke, he can work with the team. |
Anonymous
| Putting him on the team when he's going to be so far behind is only going to make him hate swimming more, feel more embarrassed about it, etc. I agree with the recommendation for a private coach/"personal trainer" first. The trainer should work with him 1 - 2 days a week and give him a schedule of laps/exercises to do the other days (which you will need to enforce). |
Anonymous
| Try FINS which is more like a stroke clinic but fun. |
Anonymous
That's legal for freestyle! He won't be DQed as long as he doesn't stop, stand on the bottom, and walk, or drag himself along with the lane lines. While most kids join the swim team before 10, some don't. One of the best swimmers on DD's year round team didn't begin swimming until age 10. Every year, the summer team accumulates a couple 10-12 year olds who haven't been part of it before. There's a 12 year old on DD's summer team who just last year managed a 50 free and still hasn't managed backstroke. But he loves to swim and that's what's important. He will probably be the oldest in his group so I'd recommend talking to the coach about also having a private instructor and working to get him moved closer to his age group as he improves. If you have a choice, I'd carefully pick an open and encouraging team. Some teams are overly competitive and won't spend the time on a child like your DS. That won't help him improve and it certainly won't help him feel better about himself. |
Anonymous
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I wouldn't sign my 10 year old up for an intensive activity that he didn't enjoy, where he was far behind the other kids. It seems cruel.
I'm also not sure why swimming with legal strokes is a goal for a kid who doesn't like to swim. I'd keep him in swim classes until he's got good enough skills for safety, but beyond that, I'd put my effort into finding a sport or other physical activity that he loved and that would carry him through to adulthood. |
Anonymous
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On our summer swim team, any kid with his ability that was younger than 10 would not even be permitted to be on the swim team. With a kid his age, we'd hesitate to put him on pre-team because of the age difference. The coaches would likely direct him to a "storke and turn" class that we offer. They might also let him give swim team a try. Kids that age that are very motivated can make fast progress. However, it sounds like he will not be. Fins is a great suggestion in Montgomery County or Tollefson Swimming.
Forcing him to struggle in the 9-10 practice where he won't be able to keep up this summer is likely not a good plan. Kids that are behind the others can fare ok if they want to be there. |
Anonymous
Thanks everyone, I appreciate the honest responses. It sounds like putting him on the team could have the opposite effect from what I hoped to achieve. He has taken lessons consistently in the summers at ESF summer camp starting at age 4, and then once he switched to a different camp, private lessons through the teen lifeguards at our MoCo pool and sport & health gym. In none of these settings was he required to swim laps, and when I try to encourage him to do it, he strongly resists and I am reluctant to force him lest he hate swimming more. Both dh and I grew up around the water where everyone had fine swimming skills, whether or not they were on a swim team, so I view being a "safe" swimmer as one who has a strong freestyle and stami a in the water, not just one who can make it to the other end of the pool. I will definitely check out the programs listed - thanks! The stroke clinics I had looked at previously were 9 mo commitments and we just can't do that due to other sports commitments. I feel like I missed a window to encourage DS with swimming, but I am trying to look forward and know that it is never too late! But I will definitely get DD signed up for pre-team this summer  . Thanks again.
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Anonymous
| My son is about your age, started swimming about 3 years ago and currently swims about 4 hours a week and still has a hard time keeping up with the better swimmers. Swimming takes time. He did 3 years of once a week private instruction before joining a swim team. |
Anonymous
| The first time I took my son to a summer swim team lesson, he was placed in a middle lane (no walls to grab onto) with multiple kids. i couldn't take my eyes off of him for fear he would drown! Swim teams should have a minimum yardage that a kid should be able to complete before they allow him in the water. Your child seems to need some more time practicing in the water, not treading but swimming. |
Anonymous
| Most summer teams have manuals online letting you know what that team's requirement is for swim team. It varies team to team. For ours, it requires a 25 meter free, a 25 meter back, treading water for a minute for anyone 8 and under and 50 free, 50 back and treading water for a minute for 9+. Every kid is individually evaluated. Your son wouldn't make our team, I'm afraid. Also, at his age, everything would be 50 meters at the meet (requiring flip turns). |
Anonymous
Same here- at ages 9-10, the swim requirements go up to 50m. Is tennis an option for an alternate summer team sport? I don't think the kids start playing in tournaments until later - more leeway.. |