Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is pre team like though? Are you sure it’s not swim team lite, which sounds appropriate for your DS’s skill level?

My DS is 8 and is joining a precomp summer swim program with three levels. Level 1 is considered a precomp team as entry level and you have to be able to swim freestyle and backstroke 50m.

Under level 1 is just lessons. Most of the kids in level 1 are age 5-7. Level 2 is 8-11 mostly but has some younger kids who have been swimming year round to get to this level. Level 3 is the top with older kids.

our pre-team is 30 minutes, kids are separated into several groups, but even the most advanced group they have a teenage helper walk with the kid as he swims across the pool, and because of that the other 4-6 kids in the lane have a much longer rest between turns.
and yes, i have observed the 8&under on the actual team -- most of them look like they swim year-round, and others maybe seem like naturals in the water and high energy.

Mine is a new swimmer this summer but I know his preteam practices are an hour and a half each 4-5x a week. Lessons are 30 minutes every day M-F.

I think most kids could handle 30, but OP says their swim team practices are an hour which sounds like too much for her DS. Is practice usually full time in the water or do they take breaks or do out of pool exercise?

OP if you don’t get him onto a team this summer, maybe up the lessons. I don’t know how many lessons he did per week, but I would try for 4-5x a week for a period this summer if you can fit it in. This will help build stamina.

OP you say you joined the pool last summer. Did you talk to the coach, other parents, or observe the swimmers last summer or within the last year? And where did you son take his swim classes over the past year? It seems like this failure is a shock to you but if you’ve been a member and know lots of other 7yo on the team already it seems like you would have at least known he might not have made it? Or if you have a relationship with the coach, try to talk to him and get DS to join the lowest group.

Not blaming you at all but based on your own details this doesn’t seem to make sense.

Anonymous wrote:What is pre team like though? Are you sure it’s not swim team lite, which sounds appropriate for your DS’s skill level?

My DS is 8 and is joining a precomp summer swim program with three levels. Level 1 is considered a precomp team as entry level and you have to be able to swim freestyle and backstroke 50m.

Under level 1 is just lessons. Most of the kids in level 1 are age 5-7. Level 2 is 8-11 mostly but has some younger kids who have been swimming year round to get to this level. Level 3 is the top with older kids.

our pre-team is 30 minutes, kids are separated into several groups, but even the most advanced group they have a teenage helper walk with the kid as he swims across the pool, and because of that the other 4-6 kids in the lane have a much longer rest between turns.
and yes, i have observed the 8&under on the actual team -- most of them look like they swim year-round, and others maybe seem like naturals in the water and high energy.

Anonymous wrote:DS is 7 and we joined our neighborhood pool (which is on the smaller side) last summer. This year he can make it across the pool very slowly (but confidently) freestyle and back, but didn't make the team cuz coach didn't think he could survive the hour-long practices (fair). We've taken swim classes during spring and summer since age 5 but he definitely doesn't have the stamina at the moment to do many laps. He is very disappointed to be in the baby pre-team again though and is the biggest kid there.
His skills would seem perfectly acceptable anywhere else except in Moco where swimming is so damn competitive. I'm wondering if I should just encourage him to accept pre-team, or try to put him in more classes so he can develop that stamina, or ask the coaches if maybe he could join some team practices or what. I'm not that pushy on sports and he just loves to be at the pool with friends (who are on the team, sigh) but he's not asking to do laps year round or anything.

You might be better off posting this in swimming and diving forum, https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/forums/show/89.page. Through my kids' experience in NVSL here in NoVA, some pools are more definitely more "competitive" than others. Still even with the most competitive pools, there are swimmers who largely participate in the B meets but not A meets so there is still a wide spread. My guess is that there's a place for your DS on the team.

Through my kids experiences when they were younger and now that they're older and working with 8U, 30-min lessons, and of itself do not built stamina. However, they are good if you think your DS has some glaring technical issues. Things like working on your body position, eyes down, etc. go a long a way. Also, if you are contemplating lessons, perhaps take it with one of the junior coaches, and and pick their brain on what your DS could do to imprive said stamina. Can also ask the coaches whether they would re-eevalutae him in a few weeks.

At our pool, we move up 8U from pre-team to team throughout the season if they progress enough. However, we also have a shortage of 8u, particularly boys.

Anonymous wrote:What is pre team like though? Are you sure it’s not swim team lite, which sounds appropriate for your DS’s skill level?

My DS is 8 and is joining a precomp summer swim program with three levels. Level 1 is considered a precomp team as entry level and you have to be able to swim freestyle and backstroke 50m.

Under level 1 is just lessons. Most of the kids in level 1 are age 5-7. Level 2 is 8-11 mostly but has some younger kids who have been swimming year round to get to this level. Level 3 is the top with older kids.

I don't know where you live, but, OP is talking about summer swim team in the DMV. 7 is a typical age to start on swim team and no pool requires them to be able to swim a 50 or know backstroke.

How slowly is very slowly? He might feel confident but maybe the coach thought he looked like he would tire mid lap and not make it.
I would put him in more classes to develop stamina. My kid was really skinny at 7 and just didn’t seem very buoyant I think in part because of his body composition at that age.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm at a Div 1 pool in NoVa and our team criteria is can the kid safely make it across the pool and they are on the team.

I would complain to your pool board.

I am at a MCSL upper division pool, and we have a similar criteria. We use volunteer junior coaches to assist with the beginner swimmers. I'd talk to the swim rep personally rather than go to the pool board first.

Good suggestion.

Agreed with the PPs. I am a team rep and they simply need to be able to make it across the pool. The only way for them to gain competency to sustain an hour practice is to try. Our summer practices are not that hard. That is BS and I would definitely complain, and I am not a person who would do that lightly.

Anonymous wrote:I'm at a Div 1 pool in NoVa and our team criteria is can the kid safely make it across the pool and they are on the team.

I would complain to your pool board.

I am at a MCSL upper division pool, and we have a similar criteria. We use volunteer junior coaches to assist with the beginner swimmers. I'd talk to the swim rep personally rather than go to the pool board first.

Anonymous wrote:This is summer swim? That is utter and complete bull crap OP. He doesn't have to make it through an hour practice on Day 1 like he's training for the olympics. He swims what he can at the practice and builds stamina by swimming in daily hour-long practices. This is the actual point of summer swim. To have kids like this on the team.

OP here. It's good to hear this! I don't see why they wouldn't give him the option to train with the team either.

What is pre team like though? Are you sure it’s not swim team lite, which sounds appropriate for your DS’s skill level?

My DS is 8 and is joining a precomp summer swim program with three levels. Level 1 is considered a precomp team as entry level and you have to be able to swim freestyle and backstroke 50m.

Under level 1 is just lessons. Most of the kids in level 1 are age 5-7. Level 2 is 8-11 mostly but has some younger kids who have been swimming year round to get to this level. Level 3 is the top with older kids.

I'd watch a practice and see how slow the slowest lane is. Can your kid swim a 25? If so, it surprises me they don't have a slow lane of beginner kids.

This is summer swim? That is utter and complete bull crap OP. He doesn't have to make it through an hour practice on Day 1 like he's training for the olympics. He swims what he can at the practice and builds stamina by swimming in daily hour-long practices. This is the actual point of summer swim. To have kids like this on the team.

I'm at a Div 1 pool in NoVa and our team criteria is can the kid safely make it across the pool and they are on the team.

I would complain to your pool board.

DS is 7 and we joined our neighborhood pool (which is on the smaller side) last summer. This year he can make it across the pool very slowly (but confidently) freestyle and back, but didn't make the team cuz coach didn't think he could survive the hour-long practices (fair). We've taken swim classes during spring and summer since age 5 but he definitely doesn't have the stamina at the moment to do many laps. He is very disappointed to be in the baby pre-team again though and is the biggest kid there.
His skills would seem perfectly acceptable anywhere else except in Moco where swimming is so damn competitive. I'm wondering if I should just encourage him to accept pre-team, or try to put him in more classes so he can develop that stamina, or ask the coaches if maybe he could join some team practices or what. I'm not that pushy on sports and he just loves to be at the pool with friends (who are on the team, sigh) but he's not asking to do laps year round or anything.