Reply to If my kid Is an BB/A swimmer at 12, does that mean there is no chance for college swim

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Former D1 scholarship swimmer here. I agree that most kids who are decent and love to swim can find somewhere to do it, but it will not be for a scholarship and may be a small expensive college. Some kids would be better off competing with the club team at a larger school. My sister did club sports at her college and had a great time without the pressure and the grind that I dealt with. 20 years later I can’t do certain things with my shoulders. I barely made it to the end of my senior year thanks to rotator cuff tendinitis.

It is important to remember that college coaches recruit based on both times and potential. Someone on an upward trajectory may get looked at more closely than someone who is fast but has been going those same fast times for 2 years. Height plays a pretty big role in one’s potential. Most kids don’t so serious strength training in HS. College coaches love a kid who has a tall/long frame that can add muscle at college once they’re working with strength coaches.

Just out of curiosity I looked at my old summer league’s website and was able to find archived results going all the way back to my time. So crazy to see all the old names! For whatever it’s worth it looks like I was in the AA/AAA range in my best events when I was 12. I was not the superstar kid. The ones winning all stars had AAA/AAAA times. I got better through HS and by the time we got to college I was beating the people who used to beat me when I was 12. But I am really tall so I guess my potential was greater than someone who stopped growing early. It really is all a crapshoot OP. Tell your son to keep working at it as long as he gets enjoyment from it. You never know what can happen. Be realistic but open to seeing where the sport takes him. It truly is a great lifelong sport. [/quote]

I was also a D1 scholarship swimmer at a top 15 program and while I was always a top competitor from about 8 and up, I wasn't a superstar in the 13/14 age group. That was my toughest period, as I was a late bloomer and didn't get my period until I was a sophomore in HS. I was still improving significantly at the time of recruitment and heard from tons of schools I didn't expect to be recruited by. I was very happy with my choice to compete in college, but like the PP, my body is paying for it as i age (and I'm only 40 now!).

My two children swim competitively now and I would be thrilled if they were able to use swimming as their "hook" to get into a school that they wouldn't otherwise academically qualify for. Don't care about the scholarship aspect at all. The scholarship means it's your full time job.[/quote]

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