Missing school for big sports events

[Anonymous]

Curious. How many posters here have had kids swimming D1? Full scholarship? Looking back, was it worth it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Curious. How many posters here have had kids swimming D1? Full scholarship? Looking back, was it worth it?

Full scholarships are rare in swimming as it is a sport that allows splitting them.

It has never been about the college end-game in my house, so yes, it is worth it. My kid has had a fulfilling sports experience in many ways. All the life lessons and relationships are worth it. Kid was able to maintain a second sport through middle school and avoid early mornings until high school as well. Even then, it has been a manageable schedule. Hard work for sure, but it's not every day at 4am like some people imagine. There are times I was disappointed about other opportunities my kid couldn't do being so dedicated to one thing, but that one thing provided different opportunities and it was the choice that was made (by the kid).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just as an aside -- for the swimming folks -- to achieve an officially recognized US Swim time -- for any and all purposes, including but not limited to, setting an official US record and qualifying for the Olympic trials -- you need to meet the US Swim Rules for qualifying times under 102.74. As stated in the US Swim rulebook -- An official time can be achieved only (a) in a USA Swimming sanctioned event, or (b) in a USA Swimming approved competition, or (c) in an observed swim timed in accordance with all applicable rules. So -- want to set a USA record? You can do it at the local Y if the timing rules are followed.

this is so weird.

Dear poster that thinks you can get qualified times by swimming in your backyard pool,
So let’s wrangle together a bunch of USA swimming officials for each high school meet. /s

You’re delusional and need to stay in your lane.

No -- you are a snob -- and wrong. You can set a record, or qualify for the Olympic trials, swimming in a high school pool as long as the timing requirements are met, and these days lots of high school pools are better than college pools. Mostly a matter of how new, and when last renovated. US Swimming is not going to miss out on a potential medal winner, because they happen to swim for some small town high school. If they can swim fast -- good for them. They will have plenty of opportunities to get a qualifying time.

NP, but this isn’t a question of snobbery or the age of the pool. There are no recent medal winners that weren’t linked in to club swimming when they were kids. There are also probably very few D1 swimmers that aren’t connected with a club. Even the swimmer from Alaska who won a gold at the Olympics this summer was with a club. You aren’t getting the same level of training and preparation just swimming at your high school pool or YMCA. You’re selling these athletes way short if you think that it’s just a matter of jumping in the pool and doing some laps.

You have no clue how sports organizations actually work. USA Swimming is more than happy to say that anyone who can swim fast can make an Olympic team, or can set a record. It is part of the "sports are for everyone" ethic. Will some kid on the Podunk High School swim team set a new record or qualify for the Olympic Trials? Not likely -- BUT the idea is that anyone could do those things. Don't you think that the USA Swim folks want a huge story like that? Some previously unknown kid comes out of nowhere to make the Olympic team and win a gold? That is the kind of thing Sports officials dream about. So -- yep. If a kid swims a record time in the Podunk High School pool -- as long as that pool has proper timing equipment, and the race was properly conducted -- then "See You at the Olympic Trials Mr/Miss Record Holder". Which is why over a thousand swimmers actually do qualify for the Olympic Trials. It is actually a pretty great system and far superior to say the US Women's Soccer set up that is so geared to what works for marketing purposes that they keep players on long past there actually ability.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just as an aside -- for the swimming folks -- to achieve an officially recognized US Swim time -- for any and all purposes, including but not limited to, setting an official US record and qualifying for the Olympic trials -- you need to meet the US Swim Rules for qualifying times under 102.74. As stated in the US Swim rulebook -- An official time can be achieved only (a) in a USA Swimming sanctioned event, or (b) in a USA Swimming approved competition, or (c) in an observed swim timed in accordance with all applicable rules. So -- want to set a USA record? You can do it at the local Y if the timing rules are followed.

this is so weird.

Dear poster that thinks you can get qualified times by swimming in your backyard pool,
So let’s wrangle together a bunch of USA swimming officials for each high school meet. /s

You’re delusional and need to stay in your lane.

No -- you are a snob -- and wrong. You can set a record, or qualify for the Olympic trials, swimming in a high school pool as long as the timing requirements are met, and these days lots of high school pools are better than college pools. Mostly a matter of how new, and when last renovated. US Swimming is not going to miss out on a potential medal winner, because they happen to swim for some small town high school. If they can swim fast -- good for them. They will have plenty of opportunities to get a qualifying time.

NP, but this isn’t a question of snobbery or the age of the pool. There are no recent medal winners that weren’t linked in to club swimming when they were kids. There are also probably very few D1 swimmers that aren’t connected with a club. Even the swimmer from Alaska who won a gold at the Olympics this summer was with a club. You aren’t getting the same level of training and preparation just swimming at your high school pool or YMCA. You’re selling these athletes way short if you think that it’s just a matter of jumping in the pool and doing some laps.

You have no clue how sports organizations actually work. USA Swimming is more than happy to say that anyone who can swim fast can make an Olympic team, or can set a record. It is part of the "sports are for everyone" ethic. Will some kid on the Podunk High School swim team set a new record or qualify for the Olympic Trials? Not likely -- BUT the idea is that anyone could do those things. Don't you think that the USA Swim folks want a huge story like that? Some previously unknown kid comes out of nowhere to make the Olympic team and win a gold? That is the kind of thing Sports officials dream about. So -- yep. If a kid swims a record time in the Podunk High School pool -- as long as that pool has proper timing equipment, and the race was properly conducted -- then "See You at the Olympic Trials Mr/Miss Record Holder". Which is why over a thousand swimmers actually do qualify for the Olympic Trials. It is actually a pretty great system and far superior to say the US Women's Soccer set up that is so geared to what works for marketing purposes that they keep players on long past there actually ability.

No, what USA Swimming wants are the swimmers that come up through their programs populating the Olympic and D1 college teams because they can take credit for that. If random swimmers that don’t participate with USA Swimming programs are succeeding at that level it hurts their multi million dollar industry because then parents will start to think why am I shelling out thousands a year for my kid to do club swim and travel to meets. You have no clue how sports organizations actually work 🙄

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Curious. How many posters here have had kids swimming D1? Full scholarship? Looking back, was it worth it?

Almost every swimmer in DC’s swim group swims division 1. Few get a full scholarship.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just as an aside -- for the swimming folks -- to achieve an officially recognized US Swim time -- for any and all purposes, including but not limited to, setting an official US record and qualifying for the Olympic trials -- you need to meet the US Swim Rules for qualifying times under 102.74. As stated in the US Swim rulebook -- An official time can be achieved only (a) in a USA Swimming sanctioned event, or (b) in a USA Swimming approved competition, or (c) in an observed swim timed in accordance with all applicable rules. So -- want to set a USA record? You can do it at the local Y if the timing rules are followed.

this is so weird.

Dear poster that thinks you can get qualified times by swimming in your backyard pool,
So let’s wrangle together a bunch of USA swimming officials for each high school meet. /s

You’re delusional and need to stay in your lane.

No -- you are a snob -- and wrong. You can set a record, or qualify for the Olympic trials, swimming in a high school pool as long as the timing requirements are met, and these days lots of high school pools are better than college pools. Mostly a matter of how new, and when last renovated. US Swimming is not going to miss out on a potential medal winner, because they happen to swim for some small town high school. If they can swim fast -- good for them. They will have plenty of opportunities to get a qualifying time.

NP, but this isn’t a question of snobbery or the age of the pool. There are no recent medal winners that weren’t linked in to club swimming when they were kids. There are also probably very few D1 swimmers that aren’t connected with a club. Even the swimmer from Alaska who won a gold at the Olympics this summer was with a club. You aren’t getting the same level of training and preparation just swimming at your high school pool or YMCA. You’re selling these athletes way short if you think that it’s just a matter of jumping in the pool and doing some laps.

You have no clue how sports organizations actually work. USA Swimming is more than happy to say that anyone who can swim fast can make an Olympic team, or can set a record. It is part of the "sports are for everyone" ethic. Will some kid on the Podunk High School swim team set a new record or qualify for the Olympic Trials? Not likely -- BUT the idea is that anyone could do those things. Don't you think that the USA Swim folks want a huge story like that? Some previously unknown kid comes out of nowhere to make the Olympic team and win a gold? That is the kind of thing Sports officials dream about. So -- yep. If a kid swims a record time in the Podunk High School pool -- as long as that pool has proper timing equipment, and the race was properly conducted -- then "See You at the Olympic Trials Mr/Miss Record Holder". Which is why over a thousand swimmers actually do qualify for the Olympic Trials. It is actually a pretty great system and far superior to say the US Women's Soccer set up that is so geared to what works for marketing purposes that they keep players on long past there actually ability.

No, what USA Swimming wants are the swimmers that come up through their programs populating the Olympic and D1 college teams because they can take credit for that. If random swimmers that don’t participate with USA Swimming programs are succeeding at that level it hurts their multi million dollar industry because then parents will start to think why am I shelling out thousands a year for my kid to do club swim and travel to meets. You have no clue how sports organizations actually work 🙄

I agree. The poster you responded to seems very anti club swimming with no facts to supports his theories.

[Anonymous]

For Division I schools - a swim team can offer, collectively, 9.9 scholarships for a men’s team and 14 for a women’s team. Not many schools offer those numbers though. A school can divide up 3 or 4 scholarships. The big things are Title IX compliance and cost.

In reality the “cost” of a scholarship is pretty low - particularly for a partial scholarship. What kills swimming is the cost of maintaining competitive pools. 8 Div. 1 schools, including Iowa, Michigan State, Conn. and William & Mary, dropped men’s and women’s swimming & diving in 2020.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Curious. How many posters here have had kids swimming D1? Full scholarship? Looking back, was it worth it?

It’s not that hard to get scholarships

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Curious. How many posters here have had kids swimming D1? Full scholarship? Looking back, was it worth it?

Why is the only end goal a scholarship or playing a D1 sport?

There is a lot more to sports, and all sorts of hobbies, than the goal of making it to the top.

I run. I will never win a race. I still wouldn't say that getting up early to run or train for a race isn't worth it just because I won't win. It still give me a sense of accomplishment even if I will never be at the top

I feel the same way about my kid's sports and activities. My son loves swimming and feels a great sense of pride when he drops time and pushes past what he thought he was capable of. He occasionally misses a day of school for a big meet and we sacrifice our weekend at may swim meets. I don't always want to, but it's important to him and makes him happy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Curious. How many posters here have had kids swimming D1? Full scholarship? Looking back, was it worth it?

Why is the only end goal a scholarship or playing a D1 sport?

There is a lot more to sports, and all sorts of hobbies, than the goal of making it to the top.

I run. I will never win a race. I still wouldn't say that getting up early to run or train for a race isn't worth it just because I won't win. It still give me a sense of accomplishment even if I will never be at the top

I feel the same way about my kid's sports and activities. My son loves swimming and feels a great sense of pride when he drops time and pushes past what he thought he was capable of. He occasionally misses a day of school for a big meet and we sacrifice our weekend at may swim meets. I don't always want to, but it's important to him and makes him happy.

I APPLAUD YOU AND AGREE!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

It depends on your goals, if you prepare your daughter for Olympic snd future sport career, you have to miss a lot, if no - missing a school is a pointless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would never have a kid miss 3 weeks in a school year. That’s crazy! Unless they are competing at Olympic level events but usually at that level they are homeschooled. For a regular kid that’s somewhat good, I would say 3-5 days per year would be the max that I’d allow. My kid is D1 level good and that is the max that we allow to miss. So I guess I’m agreeing to the Moco regulation listed above.

+1

[Anonymous]

None of my kids are good enough at any sports that this is a question I've ever had to worry about as a parent 😂 but from the school perspective: if your kid is keeping up with work and doing well and not struggling we don't care if they are missing a handful of days here and there or why they are gone. If your kids are struggling and you are clearly prioritizing other things over school ("we try to study but he's so busy with soccer practice that it's just hard to get to it" also counts for this), we're going to think that you're part of the reason the kid is struggling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Curious. How many posters here have had kids swimming D1? Full scholarship? Looking back, was it worth it?

I get this is an old post but we are mid season for a different sport and my daughter misses a few days each year for sports. She won’t play D1 or likely anything in college. It’s absolutely worth it. She missed two days in the last couple of weeks alone. She loves it, we love the travel together and the memories are priceless. That’s worth it.

[Anonymous]

* adding to my post, she keeps up with her classes. It’s actually easier to do so in HS since teachers post assignments online and it’s easier for her to organize with block scheduling. She hasn’t had a problem rescheduling tests when she coordinates in advance.