Choosing a Team
Once an athlete has decided they want to participate in competitive swimming, the choice of a team is the most critical and one of the most confusing decisions to make. The following list is designed to give the new swimmer and parents a few ideas about what to look for in a swim club.
Coaching stability – Does the team have a stable coaching staff that has been with the team for an extended period of time? A stable coaching staff means the swimmers are being developed with a consistent and long-term training approach.
Professional coaching – Ask if the coaches continue to seek improvement by enrolling in continuing education classes and if they have obtained ASCA (American Swimming Coaches Association) certification. Are the coaches full-time professional coaches? Are they involved in local, state and national swimming organizations? The answers to these questions should give you a good perspective on the professionalism of the coaching staff.
Facilities – Does the team have adequate pool time? How many swimmers are in a lane during practice? It’s difficult to learn proper technique when you are crowded!
Results – Is the team effectively helping their swimmers reach their goals? How competitive are they relative to other clubs? While the team’s results in championships and at the national level are a good indication of program quality, they should not be your only consideration. A better measure is how the results progress through a swimmer’s career. A team with age-group accomplishments is impressive, but it is important to consider whether it is followed by success at national and high school levels. Results at all levels are far more important than success in one individual area.
Organizational stability – Is the team well-managed and organized? Is it financially stable? Do the parents have a voice in the organization?
Club ratings – USA Swimming conducts several ratings of swim teams which can be helpful when evaluating a club. The Club Excellence Program identifies teams that are leaders in swimmer performance, operations and support for the sport on a state and national level. The Club Recognition Program grades a team’s operations, business execution and financial stability. The Toyota Virtual Club Championship ranks teams solely on the performance of their swimmers.
Training philosophy – How do the coaches approach training? What is the long-term training approach? Short-term success is relatively easy to come by, what is important is how short-term success relates to the overall development of its athletes.
Fees – How much does it cost to participate? What do you get for your money? Do fees include meet entries? Ask about “escrow accounts”. Are fees year-round or for a single season? Are there special memberships such as health club or YMCA fees? How many practices per week are included?
Volunteer requirements – How much time is the parent expected to contribute to the team?
Practice times – Are the practice times convenient for the swimmer/parents schedule?
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