Frequently Asked Questions
Q: At what age is my child ready to join the Aquadogs?
A: Most swimmers join the club between the ages of 8-12 years old. Depending on a swimmer’s strength in the water, they may be ready to join the Aquadogs as young as 6.
We have also helped many swimmers who did not join a competitive program until high school go on to have successful college swimming careers.
You can always schedule an evaluation with an Aquadog coach if you are unsure whether or not your swimmer is ready for the program!
Q: What is the difference between a USA Club like the Aquadogs and a rec team/PVSL team?
A: The Aquadogs are for swimmers who decide they want more than what their local rec leagues have to offer. We believe rec leagues like the PVSL are an invaluable outlet to introduce children to the sport, but that is not the same thing as preparing an athlete for the rigors of college swimming or qualifying for Olympic Trials.
If a swimmer has serious goals of swimming in college or qualifying for national-level competitions, then it requires a step up in commitment from a local town team. The Aquadogs are for those athletes who are ready to take the step up.
Q: My child loves their PVSL team. Would they have to quit to join Aquadogs?
A: No! We have quite a few swimmers who compete for both their local PVSL team and the Aquadogs. In fact, we encourage participation in the PVSL for younger athletes, due to their regular dual meet schedule!
That being said, if your child is winning every event at the PVSL championship by half a pool length, then it might be time to move on!
Q: My child plans to do high school swimming. Do the Aquadogs support that?
A: Yes! The Aquadogs are proud to be the biggest supporters of high school swimming, by far, among local USA Swimming clubs. We offer significant discounts to swimmers during their high school seasons, and encourage all of our athletes to participate for their high school teams.
Q: Are we required to attend all of the meets?
A: No, though we recommend swimmers attend as many competitions as possible, due to the invaluable experience. Simply put, the more a swimmer attends meets, the better they will get at competing.
Swimmers are required to attend all end-of-season championship meets for which they have qualified, whether as an individual swimmer or relay-only swimmer.
Q: Why do the Western Mass Aquadogs compete in Connecticut Swimming?
A: We have found that the Connecticut Swimming LSC provides the best competitive environment for teams in the Pioneer Valley and Connecticut River Valley, as opposed to New England Swimming, which caters primarily to teams along the I-93 and I-95 corridors.
