Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not the OP but facing a similar situation with my kid. There's so much research on how important sleep is, especially for teens. I hate that to be a top swimmer you have to wake up at insane hours for years on end. There has to be a better way, but it's so embedded in the culture of competitive swimming somehow people accept it.

Some of it is a function of lane space. There is just not enough lane space for clubs to run practices for every age group/ability in the after school window.

+1 and once doubles kick in, it’s even more unavoidable

Anonymous wrote:Not the OP but facing a similar situation with my kid. There's so much research on how important sleep is, especially for teens. I hate that to be a top swimmer you have to wake up at insane hours for years on end. There has to be a better way, but it's so embedded in the culture of competitive swimming somehow people accept it.

Some of it is a function of lane space. There is just not enough lane space for clubs to run practices for every age group/ability in the after school window.

Not the OP but facing a similar situation with my kid. There's so much research on how important sleep is, especially for teens. I hate that to be a top swimmer you have to wake up at insane hours for years on end. There has to be a better way, but it's so embedded in the culture of competitive swimming somehow people accept it.

OP, are you trying to avoid early am practices altogether or just don’t want them 6 days a week? As your DD moves up to the highest level group at most clubs there are generally going to be 2-3 early am practices per week (6 is insane). If the drive isn’t too terrible Burke is probably a good way to ease into it, pm practices during her freshman year in Silver 1, and then a couple early am practices per week once she moves to Gold 1.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - we are in Vienna.

Look at NCAP Burke. They’re Silver 1 is 5-7 M-F plus dryland before hand 2 days a week, then they move up to Gold and it’s right after school. Lots of kids at that level.

Thank you! I'm going to look into how bad traffic from Vienna to Burke would be at that time of day. Appreciate the recommendation.

Vienna to Burke is a NIGHTMARE that time of evening. Don't judge by mid-June traffic...

I drive from Vienna to Burke regularly around this time on day, not for Swim. If you live north of 123, you’ll have to add 5-15 minutes to this: to arrive for 4:30 and 5:00 practices, it usually takes 30 minutes, sometimes just over. A return trip at 8:00 or 9:00 PM takes about 17 minutes, like clockwork.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - we are in Vienna.

Look at NCAP Burke. They’re Silver 1 is 5-7 M-F plus dryland before hand 2 days a week, then they move up to Gold and it’s right after school. Lots of kids at that level.

Thank you! I'm going to look into how bad traffic from Vienna to Burke would be at that time of day. Appreciate the recommendation.

Gold 1 also has 8 practices a week, with M/F am practice and one early practice on the weekend. So you'd get the PM, but also 3 early mornings as well.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - we are in Vienna.

Look at NCAP Burke. They’re Silver 1 is 5-7 M-F plus dryland before hand 2 days a week, then they move up to Gold and it’s right after school. Lots of kids at that level.

Thank you! I'm going to look into how bad traffic from Vienna to Burke would be at that time of day. Appreciate the recommendation.

Vienna to Burke is a NIGHTMARE that time of evening. Don't judge by mid-June traffic...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Machine has an afternoon group for high school swimmers, M/W/F 3:30-5 and Saturday mornings. 3:30-4:30 is swimming, followed by dryland at Oakmont.

Thanks for this, but 3 hours of swim a week is a lot less than she's used to and looking for.

DP. Respectfully, this adds up to more than 3 hours/week.

Realistically, most high-level groups include early mornings. Would the group offered allow you to start at 4 or 5 practices/week freshman year and then ramp up during the season or the following? I doubt they’d lower the fee, but may be flexible on frequency as you adjust to both high school and early mornings.

AAC Sr Prep would be a good fit but not sure they have any openings.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - we are in Vienna.

Look at NCAP Burke. They’re Silver 1 is 5-7 M-F plus dryland before hand 2 days a week, then they move up to Gold and it’s right after school. Lots of kids at that level.

Thank you! I'm going to look into how bad traffic from Vienna to Burke would be at that time of day. Appreciate the recommendation.

Silver I are some really fast kids. She’ll be in a great cohort. I believe they are practicing 5-7 am every morning this summer for Long Course. Contact kspina@nationscapitalswimming.com to schedule a time for her to workout with Silver I. Jason Adler is the coach. Silver I is the group that has swimmers who will move to Gold I/National Training Group with Coach Pete at age 15.

Anonymous wrote:Not OP, but can someone advise the best way to transition from swim lessons to competitive swimming for elementary? Very close to Marymount but can't figure out how all the clubs work and seems like a big jump to start paying $2,500+ from regular swim lessons. So, non-high level swimmer but who wants to be a better swimmer.

Was going to start with winter swim.

The jump in cost seems huge at first, but you are getting much more out of the program in terms of level of coaching, frequency and size of meets, and committing to a 9 month or 11 month program. Rough cost should be around $1k for each day of the week kid is swimming. 2 days per week starting out is a good transition.

Recommend looking at programs close to your house, convenient in schedule for after school, preferably where they have friends (although they will make friends quickly even if they don't). I like York, Hydra, and Machine for close programs. Talk to a coach and get recommendations on fit for your swimmer.

Not OP, but can someone advise the best way to transition from swim lessons to competitive swimming for elementary? Very close to Marymount but can't figure out how all the clubs work and seems like a big jump to start paying $2,500+ from regular swim lessons. So, non-high level swimmer but who wants to be a better swimmer.

Was going to start with winter swim.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - we are in Vienna.

Look at NCAP Burke. They’re Silver 1 is 5-7 M-F plus dryland before hand 2 days a week, then they move up to Gold and it’s right after school. Lots of kids at that level.

Thank you! I'm going to look into how bad traffic from Vienna to Burke would be at that time of day. Appreciate the recommendation.

Anonymous wrote:Machine has an afternoon group for high school swimmers, M/W/F 3:30-5 and Saturday mornings. 3:30-4:30 is swimming, followed by dryland at Oakmont.

Thanks for this, but 3 hours of swim a week is a lot less than she's used to and looking for.

Machine has an afternoon group for high school swimmers, M/W/F 3:30-5 and Saturday mornings. 3:30-4:30 is swimming, followed by dryland at Oakmont.