Having a “futures cut” is a little bit dismissive but not wrong. Swimmers that have US Open qualifications, Summer Jrs, and every cut below are and have committed to D3 programs from the DMV over the last two cycles. It is not an anomaly for our area, it is nation wide now. Sure there is a performance cliff that occurs, just like within a massive slippage in D1 Power 4 into mid-majors, but D3 swimming is changing and like everything above it they share two common characteristics. It is getting faster. It is getting more competitive.

Anonymous wrote:Wow your swimmer is very lucky then. Mine is busting it in the pool and doesn't quite have the times needed for the schools the child is interested in so it is going to be touch and go. The D3 are mildly interested and hopefully it works out. My kid has sectionals not futures though.

Futures will open more doors but that’s also dependent on whether they are male or female.

Anonymous wrote:Tell people this all the time. They just laugh. It is insane how well it works when it does.

Yes they just laugh like you are the fool in the room. Just smile. Nod.

Tell people this all the time. They just laugh. It is insane how well it works when it does.

Anonymous wrote:Well we should have spent more time on school and not chasing the swimming crown. House squeezed us out and down. Sacrificed a heavy work load of school for the alternative and it went up in flames.

Interesting. Do you mean instead of focusing on school, DC focused on swimming? In my DC's case, swimming paid off in that they are not a brilliant student (no straight As, no rigorous course schedule) but definitely punched above their weight in getting into a strong academic D3 school with coach support. So swimming can help to give a boost into the next level of academic schools, of course not talking about MIT or the like.

Well we should have spent more time on school and not chasing the swimming crown. House squeezed us out and down. Sacrificed a heavy work load of school for the alternative and it went up in flames.

Anonymous wrote:This did not work out the way it was planned. Oh well. It was a fun ride.

Can you give more details?

Wow your swimmer is very lucky then. Mine is busting it in the pool and doesn't quite have the times needed for the schools the child is interested in so it is going to be touch and go. The D3 are mildly interested and hopefully it works out. My kid has sectionals not futures though.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you walk on, take it you have to get in on your own?

Yes, and depending on level of team they may or may not have walk on spaces.

Does "walk on" still exist? I thought most filled their rosters prior to the start of the season. Or do you mean "walk on" as in no athletic money?

D3 doesn't have any athletic money either way.

My swimmer is not interested in competing in college, and we have been on several D3 tours lately. What I have learned from some of these small school tours (from other parent questions and/or student tour guide comments) is that some will have tryouts (or show up) for sports. My other child was a P4 recruit, and I am familiar with the high level (fast) D3s that definitely have full rosters before kids show up in the fall, so it was interesting to see that this level still exists.

My kid was a sectionals level swimmer prior to taking a step back from high level training. They are still getting many recruiting emails from D3, NAIA schools where their freshman/sophomore times would be top times for the team. Then, there is another slower level, like the places we have toured, that are not reaching out at all. These are the kind of places that my now summer/HS swimmer could be the fastest on the team, and I would expect would take them as a "walk on" next fall. I also assume that if my kid was interested in swimming, these coaches would be happy to meet and discuss the team if we reached out during the process, perhaps guarantee a spot on the team and potentially help with admissions if necessary.

UAA is a powerhouse. Many great academic schools. Great option for someone looking for high level swimming along with a high level education. Not a bad place to warm a bench if that your only option to get in the door.

Anonymous wrote:D3 has walk on spots. If you are not recruited you can tell the coach you are coming and see if they will give DC a shot to make the team, practice, etc.

All divisions have walk on spots, understandably the power 4s won’t due to roster limits but some of the slower d1s will have open spots. UAA is the fastest d3 conference and while they don’t have roster limits, they limit how many travel & compete.

D3 has walk on spots. If you are not recruited you can tell the coach you are coming and see if they will give DC a shot to make the team, practice, etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you walk on, take it you have to get in on your own?

Yes, and depending on level of team they may or may not have walk on spaces.

Does "walk on" still exist? I thought most filled their rosters prior to the start of the season. Or do you mean "walk on" as in no athletic money?

This did not work out the way it was planned. Oh well. It was a fun ride.

Anonymous wrote:If you walk on, take it you have to get in on your own?

Yes, and depending on level of team they may or may not have walk on spaces.