songsparrow Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Dd 10 has been on swim team for a little over a year. She's made great progress on her technique and was moved up to the intermediate practice groups this year where they focus more on speed. She has always enjoyed the practices but not the competitions. She enjoys going to swim 3 times a week. She enjoys swimming for fitness. She enjoys the longer distance drills. She enjoys diving from the blocks. She does not enjoy sprints (which they're doing more of in practice now) and competitions. Is there any alternative to swimming on swim team for kids who like to swim for fitness? Our local Y has adult lap swim times but not lap swim times for kids.The only time anybody is allowed to use the diving blocks is during swim team practice. Masters swimming is for adults only. Looking for some ideas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermom Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Can she simply train with the team, but never compete in the swim meets? Maybe she can attend the meets for fun and help with timing, running, officiating, etc.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Could you check with the pool and see when your dd can swim laps? I know at our YMCA, my kids could swim laps *anytime* the pool had empty lap lanes (even if it was "adult lap swim." The main thing they wanted to avoid was kids playing in lanes. They didn't mind my pre-teen/teens swimming laps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 I would speak to current coach about training and not competing or participaring in fewer meets. You could also look for a less competitive team. In my area there are USA teams and rec leagues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
songsparrow Posted October 26, 2014 Author Share Posted October 26, 2014 Thank you for the replies so far! She was once permitted to swim laps, but only because my dh was there swimming with her and only because the lanes weren't full. It was made clear by the lifeguard that it was a rare exception. Kids are not allowed in lap swim until they are 13. Plus, she said that she likes the camraderie of swimming with the other kids. I asked the head coach last year if she could train but not compete or compete less, but that was not an option. I like the suggestion to look for a less competitive team that might allow her to train but not require that she compete. I will do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 One of our local USA swim clubs (and a competitive one, at that), offers a "swim clinic" option, where the kids swim twice a week, given sets and supervised by a coach, but they aren't expected (allowed?) to go to swim meets. You could ask around and see if you've got a local club that offers something like this. If she's interested, another option might be to investigate synchro. It isn't lap swimming, but synchronized swimmers work hard in the water. There are competitions, but they can be more team oriented. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 I'd go with a less competitive team that allows you to decide whether or not to compete. Since, she's already been on a team that might be the best fit for her. Other options: 1. Our park authority programs and our community center (both year round indoor pools) offer classes which essentially training for the more adv swimmer. These classes have a variety of names (stroke and turn, fitness swimming, adv lap swim for the...) 2. Our summer rec league has a winter program with is just practice. Several of the summer leagues in my area have this. 3. None of the public indoor pools near me restrict lap swimming to adult only. You have to swim laps though, no playing. And you need to understand the etiquette of passing and circle swimming. I've seen lots of little guys jump in lap lanes and train for a while. I'd check other facilities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
songsparrow Posted October 26, 2014 Author Share Posted October 26, 2014 Will the less competitive teams generally state on their website that competing is not required? Or do I have to email and ask? Because so far the vast majority of the teams in our area have a websites that say that they participate in competitions and do not say that it's optional. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Will the less competitive teams generally state on their website that competing is not required? Or do I have to email and ask? Because so far the vast majority of the teams in our area have a websites that say that they participate in competitions and do not say that it's optional. You are probably going to have to talk to them. Some might tell you that while you do not have to participate in all meets you must do at X meets. Then, you can consider whether any have a low enough minimum that might make it worth considering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondeviolin Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 I would email or call each one. The team my son swims with has "requirements" for each practice level that includes meet participation for the upper levels. BUT, I know that they are more recommendations and the aim of his club is to be family friendly and inviting. I know a few older swimmers who don't compete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 I am curious about this as well. My kids asked to join swim team this fall (first time) because they saw the swim team practicing during summer camp. One of my kids will probably enjoy competing. The other seems pretty uninspired. Although she has the skills, she doesn't care for the rigor and tends to be slow during practices etc. I don't know what it will be like when they have meets come summer. Can kids opt out of some or all of the races? Or how does that work? I really know nothing about swim team except what time the practices are. :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Opting out of meets is team dependent. The idea that a kids who doesn't like to sprint will get any fitness benefit out of swimming on her own is questionable. Fitness benefit requires getting your heart rate up. Getting your heart rate up requires working hard (ie. sprinting or butterfly) SHe may enjoy swimming on her own, but I wouldn't consider it either strength or endurance building. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Interesting thread. I hear about the grueling practice schedules from parents of competitive swimmers. Dd would love to swim laps with some coaching once or twice a week during the winter when she is not doing cross country or track. The local outdoor pool is summer only in our climate and the local Ys essentially stop lessons after 12 years old. I will call around. It rather irks me that kids today, as they get older, seem to have a choice between borderline professional or couch potato when it comes to sports. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 The swim club nearest me has a homeschool swim team that practices right before regular school gets out. They recommend the child competes in 2 meets a season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MysteryJen Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 You will need to talk to each team individually. They may not say that meets are optional, but they may not be required. Our swim team does not require meet participation. But (and here, I am speaking about our team in particular), kids who don't go to meets ultimately are not very happy. The majority of our age groupers attend a lot of meets (2 a month on average) and that builds much of the camaraderie. Relays, races and just hanging out together as a team build some very close group relationships. Swim team is a competitive sport. It isn't just exercise. There are lots of options for swim team. Rec league teams and summer leagues are low key. But racing and meets are going to be part of any swim "team." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 So what happens to kids who are just not fast swimmers? Do they get kicked or shamed off the team or are the tolerated? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 The idea that a kids who doesn't like to sprint will get any fitness benefit out of swimming on her own is questionable. Fitness benefit requires getting your heart rate up. Getting your heart rate up requires working hard (ie. sprinting or butterfly) SHe may enjoy swimming on her own, but I wouldn't consider it either strength or endurance building. I have to completely disagree with the above. Are you saying that there is no fitness benefit to jogging or running, unless you are going at an all-out-sprint? For most people, swimming at even a slow speed raises your heart rate above walking and into the jogging range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 My kids' coach keeps them swimming up and down the lanes continuously for 1 hour. Even slow, that would seem to be exercise, but I'm not an expert. I have never been much of a swimmer myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Are you saying that there is no fitness benefit to jogging or running, unless you are going at an all-out-sprint? For most people, swimming at even a slow speed raises your heart rate above walking and into the jogging range. Of course not. There's a happy medium between walking and sprinting, whether you're running or swimming. You can teach them to take their pulse and swim hard enough to average over 150bpm), but I don't personally know any kids who are disciplined enough to do that regularly. So what happens to kids who are just not fast swimmers? Do they get kicked or shamed off the team or are the tolerated? This really depends on the team (leadership sets the tone). I've seen both. Ask a few other parents. If possible, ask a few parents of kids who have left the team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MysteryJen Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 I have never seen slow kids "shamed." Or not tolerated. We have plenty of slow kids who go to meets and have fun. Everyone can have a best time in a race. In fact, one of the unhappy kids on our team is fast. He just doesn't come to meets. And he misses out on the fun had by the rest of the group, fast and slow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 One thing I would be concerned about is if the coach knows you will not compete how much attention will your dc get. For the fees club swimming costs I would not want my child ignored. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 The swim club nearest me has a homeschool swim team that practices right before regular school gets out. They recommend the child competes in 2 meets a season. We have a similar club. It is a subset of a large local USA program. They have 3 practice days a week and you can do 1-3. They have four "race days", a mini meet just for the homeschool swimmers, over the school year. They do record times. The middle and high school swimmers either swim for the homeschool team or for local public schools, if they want to compete for real. This is just a practice group and coaching during the week. Led totally by homeschool parents who are also USA swim coaches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
songsparrow Posted October 29, 2014 Author Share Posted October 29, 2014 Thanks to everyone for the replies! Dd has decided to stay on swim team for the time being. But I did learn that some YMCAs offer upper levels in their progressive swim program that might be of interest to kids who want to swim recreationally for fitness (without the long-term commitment and competition requirements of swim team). The Shark, Porpoise and Barracuda classes seem to work on refining stroke technique, flip turns, diving off the block and building endurance so I assume that they have similar drills as swim team practice. Not all Ys offer them, and the descriptions of what the class covers seem to vary a bit from Y to Y. Some Ys also offer "Swim Fit" classes which teach the fundamentals of team training, so they also sound similar. I thought that information might be of help to some others! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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