How to Get Kids Involved in Competitive Swimming

Kids who swim well might be ready to join a team. Competing on a team helps kids develop self-confidence, good sportsmanship and whole body fitness. Parents can help kids find a swim team by following the advice of families already involved in the sport.

How to Find a Swim Team

Finding a swim team is a fairly straightforward process in the United States. Visit the USA Swimming website to locate teams close to home. Make a list and call swim coaches to narrow the selection. Ask prospective coaches about their experience, goals, expectations, practice requirements and meet schedules.

Encourage kids to try out for a few teams before making a decision. Coaches, swimmers, parents, practices, pool conditions and swim meet schedules vary from team to team. Trying out for several teams allows parents and kids to select one that best fits their expectations.

While kids are trying out, observe the coaches and swimmers. Good coaches keep the kids moving and attentive. They offer advice and encouragement. Assistant coaches follow their directions. Together, the coaches provide workouts appropriate for kids of all swim levels.

Make an effort to chat with team parents. Are they happy with the program? Do they feel informed of their child's progress? Are their kids enthusiastic about practices and meets? How often does the team compete? What are the coach's expectations? This useful information is easily gathered in casual conversation.

If the tryout goes well, ask the coach if kids can try a few workouts before joining. Children may take a few days to warm up to the program. If practices are going well and the child is eager to join the team, sign consent forms, register the child with USA Swimming and get to the practices.

What to Expect at Swim Practices

Swim team practices require hard work, dedication and enthusiasm. Consider starting with a three-day workout schedule. Time off between practices gives kids a day to recover.

Practices vary from day to day. They include many drills to improve technique, speed and endurance. Some coaches have set schedules that reserve specific days for particular skills. Others prefer to mix it up.

To optimize workouts, make sure kids arrive early and prepared. They should have a healthy snack and fluids before practice. Always bring extra goggles, caps, suits and towels. Encourage kids to swim hard and attend practice. Consistent workouts pay off at swim meets.

How to Prepare for a Swim Meet

For the uninitiated, swim meets may seem like chaotic splash festivals. That's because meets are virtually non-stop. Kids are divided by age groups. Each age group competes in individual and relay races. All races have several heats per age group. Multiply each age group by the number of races and heats. Now cram those numbers into a two-hour time frame.

To help minimize stress, arrive early and prepared. Make sure kids are suited up and ready to dive in. Bring extra suits, caps, goggles and towels: suits tear, goggles break, caps shred and towels get soggy.

Swimming makes kids thirsty and hungry. Water, electrolyte drinks, fruit, energy bars and trail mix refuel swimmers. They can be munched as needed and therefore reduce risks of stomach cramps.

For warm weather meets, apply sunblock and provide shade. Folding chairs with attached umbrellas are great. On cold days, make sure kids have jackets, sweats or blankets to stay warm between races. Even indoor pools get chilly during the winter.

Before the meet starts, make sure kids understand the rules. The coach will review these, so will the meet organizer. Getting disqualified for an early start, illegal turn or incorrect finish is devastating for kids new to competitive swimming. To avoid disqualification, clarify rules that seem unfamiliar to the child.

How to Develop Good Sportsmanship

Swimming is both an individual and team sport. That means kids compete against the clock and each other. The combined effort can be stressful. Make sure kids understand that they are part of a team. Everyone contributes to earn points for the team. The team with the most points wins the meet.

Individual performance is indicated by time. A lower time in an event shows individual improvement; place in this instance is irrelevant. Kids who learn to separate team standing from individual performance have fun cheering for their teammates and swimming in competitions: they are demonstrating good sportsmanship

With a little parental guidance, kids can join a swim team and succeed in competition. Just be sure to select a team that best matches family expectations. Parents and kids need to work together to optimize workouts and performance in meets.

Always arrive on time and well prepared. Remember to keep a cool head when competition is hot. Practice good sportsmanship to make friends and enjoy success on a swim team.