Parents: Here’s How To Find A Quality Swim Program For Your Child

Research is key in finding the right swim team and practice facility for your family and new swimmer. Whether your family and swimmer are in the sport of swimming for the long haul or just looking for a summer swim team, don’t just jump into the closest local program for convenience. Take some time and explore your options. A good place to start, especially if you are new to the area, is USA Swimming’s website usaswimming.org. On this site you will find local teams listed with current phone numbers and individual team’s websites. By making a list of clubs that are commutable for your family, you can decide which programs to focus on. Visit team websites and check out practice times, coach biographies, and the general feel of the organization. Many clubs will offer a visiting or trial offer including watching or participating in a few practices. Some teams offer an entrance interview where you can sit down and talk with the coaches. This is a great way to find out if these teams are a good fit for your family. Be sure to also get all of the team paperwork in advance. Most clubs have packets for all members which include member policies, behavior expectations, volunteer requirements, fees, and meet schedules. These are all important things to look at when selecting a potential teams for your family. Of course you can ask other parents for recommendations, but in this day and age take all comments with a grain of salt. Sports are competitive by nature; parents of athletic children are often even more competitive. What is a good fit for another family may not be a good fit for your family. Also keep in mind that children are all different and will be successful in different situations.

Read More Swim Parent Resources: 

• How Parents Can Help Their Children Overcome the Fear of Swimming
• How to Prepare Your Child for Competitive Swimming
• Swim Parenting – Raising A Swimmer