Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are tryouts on those dates required for all ages and swimming abilities? If your kid is older and has a track record of times, do they still try out? I would think their times would speak for themselves.

If you’re looking to transfer in from another club, reach out to the coach for the site you are interested in. For older kids, if they are interested in adding your swimmer to the group they generally have them join a practice as opposed to coming to an open try out.

Is that true even for RMSC? I'd heard that RMSC requires everyone to go through the main tryout.

Yes, for the older kids at least. They may make 12 and under transfers go through a tryout, 13 and overs with high level times are not going to an open try out.

It depends on the times. Only the top kids get that privilege.

My swimmer switched to RMSC in 9th grade and was placed in the NTG group without a tryout. He had multiple sectional cuts and was close to NCSA cuts.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have an eight year old who has been swimming with another club for two years in addition to summer swim, not excited about doing the drive to Rockville, but would do it for cost savings. That said, DC practices three days a week now, and I am worried that doing minis (won't be nine until May) would be boring and/or make her "feel like a baby," which seems to be something she is really into saying now "this is for babies" "I am a big kid," etc.

Huh? Minis is simply the name of RMSC’s 8&U competitive team. The practices are rigorous, just as they are for any other top club in the area. The swimmers generally practice 2-4x per week and compete in meets against other clubs monthly. Your biggest concern, as others have mentioned, should be whether she can make the team. Not the semantics of the team name.

Huh? That's not what their website says: Minis – For ages 8 & under. Will learn proper stroke technique, including breaststroke and butterfly, starts and
turns. Emphasis is on orientation to competitive swimming, participation in swim meets and having fun
experiences. Swimmers may attend any combination of practices offered to the group. Recommended practice attendance: 2/week; Required 1/week. I went over the meet schedule where minis are allowed to compete and it was six meets, which is not monthly.

Anonymous wrote:I have an eight year old who has been swimming with another club for two years in addition to summer swim, not excited about doing the drive to Rockville, but would do it for cost savings. That said, DC practices three days a week now, and I am worried that doing minis (won't be nine until May) would be boring and/or make her "feel like a baby," which seems to be something she is really into saying now "this is for babies" "I am a big kid," etc.

Huh? Minis is simply the name of RMSC’s 8&U competitive team. The practices are rigorous, just as they are for any other top club in the area. The swimmers generally practice 2-4x per week and compete in meets against other clubs monthly. Your biggest concern, as others have mentioned, should be whether she can make the team. Not the semantics of the team name.

I have an eight year old who has been swimming with another club for two years in addition to summer swim, not excited about doing the drive to Rockville, but would do it for cost savings. That said, DC practices three days a week now, and I am worried that doing minis (won't be nine until May) would be boring and/or make her "feel like a baby," which seems to be something she is really into saying now "this is for babies" "I am a big kid," etc.

PSA: It's been said here before but is worth saying again. If you have a mini-age (will be 8U during the school year) swimmer and you're hoping that they will ever be able to join RMSC at any site, try out now (and again, and again). Don't wait a year to see if they will become better or more serious or more proficient or more legal. With every year of age they add it is harder to make it in, because kids who age up in the club stay in the club. If you get in and try it and don't like it, you can always leave later.

Anonymous wrote:My kid is 9 and transferring from NCAP. Only has B and BB times, yet was offered a 2026-2027 spot at RMSC after attending a practice. So even younger kids *may* not have to go to the open tryouts.

Must be the Rockville practice site, you may have to do a tryout if you want to join one of the county sites… the Rockville site might be the easiest one to get in since they take more swimmers …

May 2026

Anonymous wrote:My kid is 9 and transferring from NCAP. Only has B and BB times, yet was offered a 2026-2027 spot at RMSC after attending a practice. So even younger kids *may* not have to go to the open tryouts.

When did you tryout (at a practice)?

My kid is 9 and transferring from NCAP. Only has B and BB times, yet was offered a 2026-2027 spot at RMSC after attending a practice. So even younger kids *may* not have to go to the open tryouts.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are tryouts on those dates required for all ages and swimming abilities? If your kid is older and has a track record of times, do they still try out? I would think their times would speak for themselves.

If you’re looking to transfer in from another club, reach out to the coach for the site you are interested in. For older kids, if they are interested in adding your swimmer to the group they generally have them join a practice as opposed to coming to an open try out.

Is that true even for RMSC? I'd heard that RMSC requires everyone to go through the main tryout.

Yes, for the older kids at least. They may make 12 and under transfers go through a tryout, 13 and overs with high level times are not going to an open try out.

It depends on the times. Only the top kids get that privilege.

Anonymous wrote:How well does a 6-year-old need to swim to make it onto an RMSC team? My impression is that they need to be legal in all strokes at 8, but what about 6?

One thing a lot of people overlook is that legal does not necessarily equate to good/efficient stroke mechanics. IMO, it may be better for a 6yo to be legal in fewer strokes but to demonstrate really solid fundamentals in those strokes than to be legal in all 4 but to swim them inefficiently. This was my kid’s experience (made the team at just-turned-6) but as others have said, it really varies by year and site. I think, in a sense, the coaches know what they’re looking for.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are tryouts on those dates required for all ages and swimming abilities? If your kid is older and has a track record of times, do they still try out? I would think their times would speak for themselves.

If you’re looking to transfer in from another club, reach out to the coach for the site you are interested in. For older kids, if they are interested in adding your swimmer to the group they generally have them join a practice as opposed to coming to an open try out.

Is that true even for RMSC? I'd heard that RMSC requires everyone to go through the main tryout.

Yes, for the older kids at least. They may make 12 and under transfers go through a tryout, 13 and overs with high level times are not going to an open try out.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are tryouts on those dates required for all ages and swimming abilities? If your kid is older and has a track record of times, do they still try out? I would think their times would speak for themselves.

If you’re looking to transfer in from another club, reach out to the coach for the site you are interested in. For older kids, if they are interested in adding your swimmer to the group they generally have them join a practice as opposed to coming to an open try out.

Is that true even for RMSC? I'd heard that RMSC requires everyone to go through the main tryout.

Anonymous wrote:Are tryouts on those dates required for all ages and swimming abilities? If your kid is older and has a track record of times, do they still try out? I would think their times would speak for themselves.

If you’re looking to transfer in from another club, reach out to the coach for the site you are interested in. For older kids, if they are interested in adding your swimmer to the group they generally have them join a practice as opposed to coming to an open try out.

Are tryouts on those dates required for all ages and swimming abilities? If your kid is older and has a track record of times, do they still try out? I would think their times would speak for themselves.