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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I’ve been a head coach in both and now am a swim parent.

A kid who would be the high point swimmer in his/her age group in L Division may barely sniff an A meet in A or B Division. It’s a numbers game… the teams in the higher divisions by and large are stocked with year round swimmers. They are often bigger in numbers but not always. But even if small, always stocked with year-round swimmers. Just look at the Long Course and All Star Programs and you’ll see the same pools represented over and over (and don’t get me started on [b]Rockville [/b]which shouldn’t be allowed to compete in MCSL as it’s basically just an RMSC short course summer site).

Also, upper division teams tend to draw kids from a wider geographic area as folks tend to join a pool for the swim team. Lower division teams tend to be much more narrowly populated by the specific neighborhood and schools where the pool is located.

Same amount of “fun” in both upper and lower divisions in terms of social activities, pasta nights, movie days, etc. But if really spirited competitive meets is part of the fun you’re looking for, you’ll find that more in the highest divisions because the meets feel (and are) much more high stakes and populated by kids who know each other from year-round swim. But the B meets are simply BRUTAL. Lower divisions may have sleepier Saturday morning meets (but folks still want the win). But you’ll be done by 8:00 on Wednesday. Which is not yet halftime for Wednesday meets for upper division teams.

Signed,
Former MCSL Head Coach who thinks it was the greatest job ever

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yo.. former mcsl head coach of stonegate, still bitter[/quote]

The coach that has been at stonegate through all of their [b]rivalries[/b] with Rockville is still there and has been at stonegate forever.  So literally can’t be a bitter stonegate former head coach.  Also he’s a great coach that has built a great neighborhood team.  More than Rockville can say.[/quote]

You guys are so competitive while claiming it's all about fun. What rivalry? Looks like Rockville has been dominating.

It is great that you guys have access to a neighborhood pool. Rockville Rays is providing access to many swimmers who don't have access to local pool. This is unlike other county's pool like germantown, bethesda etc. I think it's the right thing to do. Summer swim should be accessible to everyone.

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I guess the coach was thinking about equity and inclusion and opportunity when he was allowing his rmsc swimmers to swim for the rays free of cost. Definitely wasn’t about winning. (Rules have since changed to prevent this, but yes, stranger than fiction that this happened).

This ties into the college admissions thread. Essentially there is a coach or two at Rockville who strongly encourages all of their club swimmers to swim for the rays in order to field the best team. They often do this under the guise of “it looks good for college to be on a winning summer team” and the parent there buy it hook line and sinker as crazy as that seems. Do you think this is the “right thing to do”?

I have never once seen the Rays do a cheer at a meet. They don’t really practice because they all have rmsc practice. Outside of rmsc practice hours you won’t find a single kid hanging out at Rockville throughout the day like you will see at neighborhood pools around the county.

I’m confused how Rockville kids don’t have access to a neighborhood pool but Germantown and Bethesda do? If your argument is about $ I can understand to an extent but Germantown and Bethesda are similarly priced. Woodley Gardens is a lovely pool and community 2 minutes away from Rockville.

And price aside, kids on the Rays are traveling from all over the county to swim for them. Very few of the kids who live in Woodley/college gardens go to Rockville and swim for the rays. It’s an all star team of the best rmsc swimmers around. I remember when they set the boys open medley record a number of years back if the medley carpooled to the meet it would have taken 2 hours to pick up 4 kids!

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It would be nice if they had some sort of requirement that you live within X miles of the pool or something.  Rockville is the worst in terms of recruiting, but there are a couple other pools that do it too.  It's pretty ridiculous.  [/quote]

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