RMSC tryouts for 2025-26 season

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone have experience with the RMSC Germantown? We're trying to get a sense of how strong the program is, especially for the Junior and Advanced Junior groups. How are the coaches and the overall environment?

My 12-year-old daughter recently tried out for a few teams and we've already heard back from another one, so now we're trying to decide between RMSC (if she gets in) and the other option. Any insights would be really appreciated!

I’ve heard it described as a swim farm, with less attention paid to the weaker swimmers. The cost is far cheaper than swimming elsewhere.

That is true. For younger swimmers who need consistent corrections, other clubs may be better to start with. Private lessons are generally needed in addition to practice in RMSC to be not weak.

Do you have any personal experience with RMSC? As a parent of a younger RMSC swimmer, this has not been our experience at all. My 8&u attends practices twice a week, does not receive any private coaching during the club season, has progressed nicely (both in terms of time drops and technique improvements), and in terms of times, is among the top group of same-age swimmers club wide.

Which site are you referring to?

I’m not PP but have had a similar experience. We know quite a few swimmers at each location and have done well without private lessons. There is one Germantown family that pays for private lessons and they do quite well, but they are definitely the exception and not the rule.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone have experience with the RMSC Germantown? We're trying to get a sense of how strong the program is, especially for the Junior and Advanced Junior groups. How are the coaches and the overall environment?

My 12-year-old daughter recently tried out for a few teams and we've already heard back from another one, so now we're trying to decide between RMSC (if she gets in) and the other option. Any insights would be really appreciated!

I’ve heard it described as a swim farm, with less attention paid to the weaker swimmers. The cost is far cheaper than swimming elsewhere.

That is true. For younger swimmers who need consistent corrections, other clubs may be better to start with. Private lessons are generally needed in addition to practice in RMSC to be not weak.

Do you have any personal experience with RMSC? As a parent of a younger RMSC swimmer, this has not been our experience at all. My 8&u attends practices twice a week, does not receive any private coaching during the club season, has progressed nicely (both in terms of time drops and technique improvements), and in terms of times, is among the top group of same-age swimmers club wide.

Not the PP, but my swimmer was with RMSC for ages 10-12 and we thought the coaching was fine until they tried out for different teams. So different!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone heard anything yet?

Received good news yesterday morning with an acceptance deadline of today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone have experience with the RMSC Germantown? We're trying to get a sense of how strong the program is, especially for the Junior and Advanced Junior groups. How are the coaches and the overall environment?

My 12-year-old daughter recently tried out for a few teams and we've already heard back from another one, so now we're trying to decide between RMSC (if she gets in) and the other option. Any insights would be really appreciated!

I’ve heard it described as a swim farm, with less attention paid to the weaker swimmers. The cost is far cheaper than swimming elsewhere.

That is true. For younger swimmers who need consistent corrections, other clubs may be better to start with. Private lessons are generally needed in addition to practice in RMSC to be not weak.

+1 Transferring into RMSC as a fast swimmer is much easier than trying to make it at a young age with only summer swim times (unless your kid has All Star times as 8&U).

It’s the opposite. Best time to make RMSC is as an 8&u. You can’t just “transfer in” as a faster older swimmer- the club does not operate that way. There is intense competition for the small number of open slots at the 9+ age groups.

+1000. The earlier kids try out, the better. New families with kids of Minis age often think that they need to wait until their kids are another year stronger or more skilled before they try out, and in reality they should just make the attempt as soon as they can, and keep trying out at as many different sites as possible. It gets harder to get in with every passing year of a kid's age.

Agree with this. We tried out when my kids were 7 and turning 9. We signed the 7 yo up to try out only because sibling was going to. 7yo made it, older kid did not. Took several more years of try outs until older kid finally got a spot in one of the advanced groups in 7th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone have experience with the RMSC Germantown? We're trying to get a sense of how strong the program is, especially for the Junior and Advanced Junior groups. How are the coaches and the overall environment?

My 12-year-old daughter recently tried out for a few teams and we've already heard back from another one, so now we're trying to decide between RMSC (if she gets in) and the other option. Any insights would be really appreciated!

I’ve heard it described as a swim farm, with less attention paid to the weaker swimmers. The cost is far cheaper than swimming elsewhere.

That is true. For younger swimmers who need consistent corrections, other clubs may be better to start with. Private lessons are generally needed in addition to practice in RMSC to be not weak.

+1 Transferring into RMSC as a fast swimmer is much easier than trying to make it at a young age with only summer swim times (unless your kid has All Star times as 8&U).

It’s the opposite. Best time to make RMSC is as an 8&u. You can’t just “transfer in” as a faster older swimmer- the club does not operate that way. There is intense competition for the small number of open slots at the 9+ age groups.

+1000. The earlier kids try out, the better. New families with kids of Minis age often think that they need to wait until their kids are another year stronger or more skilled before they try out, and in reality they should just make the attempt as soon as they can, and keep trying out at as many different sites as possible. It gets harder to get in with every passing year of a kid's age.

Agree with this. We tried out when my kids were 7 and turning 9. We signed the 7 yo up to try out only because sibling was going to. 7yo made it, older kid did not. Took several more years of try outs until older kid finally got a spot in one of the advanced groups in 7th grade.

9 seems to be a difficult time to get in. It somehow gets easier when kids turn older.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone heard anything yet?

Received good news yesterday morning with an acceptance deadline of today.

Congrats!!! Which site did you try out for?

[Anonymous]

Just got the rejection email for Germantown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just got the rejection email for Germantown.

Same here!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just got the rejection email for Germantown.

Same here!

It's a bummer because it seemed like my kid did well. He's going to be disappointed.

[Anonymous]

For those getting rejections, what age group and what location? We haven’t hear anything yet for KSAC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those getting rejections, what age group and what location? We haven’t hear anything yet for KSAC

Germantown, 9-12 age group

[Anonymous]

For all the RMSC rejections, please understand that it's not personal. There are hundreds of kids trying out, with far less than that in available slots. If your kid is serious about swimming, any of the clubs will help him/her develop solid technique, conditioning, etc... If your kid competes in meets and starts logging A-level times, then take another shot at RMSC.

My kid started at lesser-known club, did well at meets, then tried out again and landed a slot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For all the RMSC rejections, please understand that it's not personal. There are hundreds of kids trying out, with far less than that in available slots. If your kid is serious about swimming, any of the clubs will help him/her develop solid technique, conditioning, etc... If your kid competes in meets and starts logging A-level times, then take another shot at RMSC.

My kid started at lesser-known club, did well at meets, then tried out again and landed a slot.

It's disappointing for me because I can't afford more than 2x a week at club- I have 2 kids doing it and it's just not affordable. I think they need more than that to ever have a shot at making it.
I feel like I failed them by not signing them up when they were younger, but covid was also going on back then, and I didn't know anything about how swimming works.
Oh well, we will try again next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone have experience with the RMSC Germantown? We're trying to get a sense of how strong the program is, especially for the Junior and Advanced Junior groups. How are the coaches and the overall environment?

My 12-year-old daughter recently tried out for a few teams and we've already heard back from another one, so now we're trying to decide between RMSC (if she gets in) and the other option. Any insights would be really appreciated!

I’ve heard it described as a swim farm, with less attention paid to the weaker swimmers. The cost is far cheaper than swimming elsewhere.

That is true. For younger swimmers who need consistent corrections, other clubs may be better to start with. Private lessons are generally needed in addition to practice in RMSC to be not weak.

+1 Transferring into RMSC as a fast swimmer is much easier than trying to make it at a young age with only summer swim times (unless your kid has All Star times as 8&U).

It’s the opposite. Best time to make RMSC is as an 8&u. You can’t just “transfer in” as a faster older swimmer- the club does not operate that way. There is intense competition for the small number of open slots at the 9+ age groups.

+1000. The earlier kids try out, the better. New families with kids of Minis age often think that they need to wait until their kids are another year stronger or more skilled before they try out, and in reality they should just make the attempt as soon as they can, and keep trying out at as many different sites as possible. It gets harder to get in with every passing year of a kid's age.

Agree with this. We tried out when my kids were 7 and turning 9. We signed the 7 yo up to try out only because sibling was going to. 7yo made it, older kid did not. Took several more years of try outs until older kid finally got a spot in one of the advanced groups in 7th grade.

I think 7yo is the sweet spot for RMSC. Most kids just aren't ready or even meet the minimal criteria at 6 or even 5 year old, and then at 8, the competition has ramped up significantly and is much more stiff and you need to be at a higher level to stand out.

At the 9-10 group it is nearly impossible task since the slots are so few. As a PP mentioned it does let up slightly at the older ages since now there are more kids dropping out for various reasons such as other sports/activities or no longer being interested.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For all the RMSC rejections, please understand that it's not personal. There are hundreds of kids trying out, with far less than that in available slots. If your kid is serious about swimming, any of the clubs will help him/her develop solid technique, conditioning, etc... If your kid competes in meets and starts logging A-level times, then take another shot at RMSC.

My kid started at lesser-known club, did well at meets, then tried out again and landed a slot.

It's disappointing for me because I can't afford more than 2x a week at club- I have 2 kids doing it and it's just not affordable. I think they need more than that to ever have a shot at making it.
I feel like I failed them by not signing them up when they were younger, but covid was also going on back then, and I didn't know anything about how swimming works.
Oh well, we will try again next year.

The stroke and turn to RMSC path is well trodden and if it works for your family/schedule, is something to consider:

https://www.mstcswim.com/indoor-programs---registration.html

Good luck!