Competitive (Club) Swimming -- At what point is it fine for a child to leave a longtime sport?

[Anonymous]

I didn't pick up whether the OP's child is a boy or a girl. One suggestion - if they are middle of the pack speed wise, why not consider water polo or synchronized swimming?

I did competitive swimming as a youngster, but was very short compared to the other kids. I shifted over to synchro and ended up competing internationally. Many of my friends played water polo well into their 20s and 30s and enjoyed that. Both these disciplines require participants to maintain very strong swimming skills. I ended up doing masters after my synchro career.

When I look at the likes of Nathan Adrian and Missy Franklin, these swimmers are so tall. Even if your kid trains hard, maybe they will end up a 5'9" guy or a 5'3" girl, which is going to make being a top college swimmer much more of a challenge. My advice if you love swimming - consider the other swimming options too ... synchro, diving, water polo, pool guard, masters, triathlon, open water swimming.

[Anonymous]

My kids do summer swim team and once a week winter swim practice (to maintain conditioning) because they have other (non-sport) activities that they're involved in during the school year.

[Anonymous]

11:16 Do you think swimming is different than any other sport? It seems like your son is in band and in swimming plus has a heavy course load and participates in youth groups. That's a lot for any student so I wouldn't be surprised if things overlapped even if he was in a different sport than swimming. What are your thoughts on how swimming is different?

[Anonymous]

I'm not 11:16 but for us winter swim is a way to keep our kids involved in a sport during the school year without a heavy time commitment (as would be involved with football/soccer, etc.). Summer swim on the other hand keeps them busy at a time when I really need them to be kept busy plus it gives them the opportunity, which they might not otherwise have, to participate in a team sport.

Unless one of them really surprises us BIG TIME we are not looking at either one of them getting an athletic scholarship, lol.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids do summer swim team and once a week winter swim practice (to maintain conditioning) because they have other (non-sport) activities that they're involved in during the school year.

Where do you do once a week? We're looking for a good once a week program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids do summer swim team and once a week winter swim practice (to maintain conditioning) because they have other (non-sport) activities that they're involved in during the school year.

Where do you do once a week? We're looking for a good once a week program.

We do ours through our summer swim team. But if you don't belong to a team you can take a class at a rec center or maybe try one of the gyms.

[Anonymous]

The former Curl Burke (now Capitol Swimming or something like that) and Ft Belvoir Swim Team (don't have to be military) offer 1, 2, 3, or 4 days a week Sept-May. We have been very pleased with FBST. They swim at GW Rec Center, Audrey Moore Rec, and maybe 1 or 2 other locations in Fairfax County.

[Anonymous]

The Herndon community center in VA has a developmental swim team that meets once a week I am pretty sure.