Follow your kid's lead. Does kid want to keep swimming after summer? Swimming is such a great outlet, so if kid seems to be enjoying the lessons, go with a 1x a week program to keep the kid in the water. Our summer pool has a winter program (1x a week) that any member can sign their kid up for even if the kid did not do swim team. If you need a break, maybe start in a 1x week program in Jan.

This sounds crazy, but it all depends on what the rest of your summer swim team looks like. If you are D1, then no, your 8 year old will feel behind next summer. It’s all about what the norm is for your summer swim program.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He’s only 7! Your plan is fine. Seriously. As for high school swim, you’re making a plan for your kid’s HS career when he isn’t even in middle school yet. It’s time to take things step by step. Kid’s interests change SO much.

Exactly! He may wabt to do something else in high school

The thing I tell others is provide a good foundation. Do things that maintain and grow athleticism (not just swimming). Swimming-wise, however, is extremely technical. So i don't think it's a bad idea to find at least a stroke mechanics class once a week with a club or some of the recommendations others have suggested; fwiw, i don't find the county rec classes of much value for providing that foundation. You also might consider in a year or two a club practice that has 2 practice per week..something that works with your schedule.

I agree that kids' interests change as they grow but i do think perceiving yourself as good at something, continuing said activity, and enjoying said activity are very much correlated. You can not care about making futures cuts, winter jrs, PVS champs, NCSAs, but still be solid/competitive enough to enjoy swimming for summer league and at some high schools in the area. I think that enjoyment craters when you know you're a lane filler.

I think kids that start year-round swim because they liked summer league will end up disappointed. The kids just want "summer all year round", not competitive swimming all year round.

Anonymous wrote:He’s only 7! Your plan is fine. Seriously. As for high school swim, you’re making a plan for your kid’s HS career when he isn’t even in middle school yet. It’s time to take things step by step. Kid’s interests change SO much.

Exactly! He may wabt to do something else in high school

He’s only 7! Your plan is fine. Seriously. As for high school swim, you’re making a plan for your kid’s HS career when he isn’t even in middle school yet. It’s time to take things step by step. Kid’s interests change SO much.

Anonymous wrote:If your kid is 7, will be 8 next summer, and wants to do swim team, I would definitely have him do something starting in the fall even if just a 1 day a week program. Joining at 8 and barely able to swim a 25 will put him pretty far behind.

Of course this matters more depending what division the pool is in.

As for HS- also depends on the school some are very competitive where others will take anyone even kids who have never swam before

Agree. Just do stroke and turn. This will also gauge his interest in swim year round. He may not want to do it and just do summer swim. My kid is a divisionals swimmer every year in a competitive division they just do 2x week program starting in March. They are 11-12 this year and play other sports so no interest in club swim.

Neither of my kids swam club until they turned 10 and had no problem keeping up with year round swimmers! They have both always had relays posts and made all stars in the top of their age groups.

Starting year round some too early does kids a disservice. Swimming is a long, grueling sport. Starting so young leads to burn out. - D1 swimmer who didn’t touch club swim until I was 11.

We have mostly done only summer swim but on occasion lessons or clinics at a formative age just to literally get our kids to figure out proper form.

My very sporty kids are now on a summer swim team with kids who do mostly club. They are slow and always towards the back even though they could beat most of these kids in a running race. It’s just social and fitness for them, not competitive. They have other “main sports.”

Most kids at these close in pools who are like 10+ also do a swim club. If you don’t your kid will need to be very sporty to keep up.

I would do a once a week clinic just to get the basics. You can probably drop it once they settle in and feed like they can at least keep up during practices. Then at some point you may be able to do summer swim only for a few years.

I really recommend sticking with it because my kids are now way better swimmers than the other non-club kids that quit and come into fall sports in great shape. It’s sort of a shame it’s so competitive nowadays and a lot of regular kids feel intimidated since it’s very helpful.

But be prepared for your kid to be at the back if they aren’t in a club.

Definitely do summer swim at age 8. He can get a feel for it as an 8 & Under which will be good. If you wait until age 9 it gets harder since you need to deal with turns.

Regarding your question on high school swim, you can find the team rosters for both schools on Swimcloud. That will give you a good sense of what it takes to get on the team. If you click on each swimmer's name, you can see their club affiliation and times. Most, but not all, are club swimmers.

+1000 to the above. I know it seems young, but DC8s who don't have stamina and speed are unlikely to catch up even in summer swim, regardless of division. It's not about always swimming A meets, but it is about being able to truly sustain daily summer practice and enjoy the sport in the long term. You have a 7-year-old, OP: it's time to make the time over the winter, even 1x/week.

If your kid is 7, will be 8 next summer, and wants to do swim team, I would definitely have him do something starting in the fall even if just a 1 day a week program. Joining at 8 and barely able to swim a 25 will put him pretty far behind.

Of course this matters more depending what division the pool is in.

As for HS- also depends on the school some are very competitive where others will take anyone even kids who have never swam before

Honestly, across most divisions even at 8u the top swimmers do club swimming. I think waiting much later than 8 or 9 to begin club swimming does a disservice.

DS is 7, we haven't done summer swim team yet and might try next summer 2026, but if not, probably will try summer 2027. He has made good progress this summer having a private lesson with a high schooler 3-4x week, improving in freestyle/backstroke and learning breaststroke. I know it'd be ideal to have him do at least a 1x stroke mechanics program but he's going to have a busy year switching to a new school so want to keep the extracurriculars minimal. On one hand, I don't want him to lose momentum but on the other hand, we have the reality of family life. I was thinking of taking a break after summer then having him do the rec swim class in the spring, and then either more private coaching or summer swim in 2026. Maybe by next year when he's 8 or 9 we'll start a 1x/week program? Thoughts? I don't think he'll swim club down the line unless he somehow gets really into it later.

Also, is it possible to do high school swim team based on doing mostly summer swim and swim class/private lessons here and there, but without swimming for a club? Of course I know the strongest swimmers swim year round for a club but wondering if it's possible to make it on to a team for a more casual swimmer who maybe tries to amp it up a little more in middle school. Most likely the kids will be at Marshall or Madison High.