Hey everyone, this is my first post here. I'm a 20 y/o male and have just recently gotten into swimming. I swam in 8th grade and was pretty average but have no swim team experience otherwise. I've ran cross country, track, wrestled, powerlifted, and played basketball before for what it's worth.
I go to a community college and was recently thinking that it might be fun to join their swim team. I'm decently athletic and learn fast, but obviously having just started swimming, I'm terrible. Haha I mean I can do the strokes somewhat (butterfly is iffy), and have some endurance, but that's about it, very very basic stuff.
I was wondering how feasible it might be to join? There aren't try-outs and the off-season training (summer and fall, then meets start in February), etc. is open for all students, but from what I've heard about the coach, she doesn't like having newbies join (understandably). What do you guys think? If I train my butt off for the forseeable future, is there an spot for me on the team? Should I contact the coach/participate in off-season training or train by myself first? Should I forget about it and continue to swim for fun anyway and/or join a class? (I'll continue to swim regardless ha).
Sorry for all the questions... I guess what I'm asking for is maybe some benchmarks to know when/if I'll ever be ready to join without wasting the coach's time?
Thanks for reading. Apologies for the silly/newbie questions. :)
***I don't mean any offense to those future/current/past college swimmers who've swam for years by thinking I could possibly join... I know I'd be one of if not the slowest on the team and am okay with that, I just want to push myself and have fun playing a sport again***
^ This seems a little harsh to me. In most cases college coaches will be expecting to coach college level swimmers. They don't have the time to teach swim lessons. Obviously JuCo versus D-I are going to be completely different scenarios, though.
But the thing to do for sure is talk to the coach. She can tell the OP exactly what is expected of swimmers on the team.
^ Not harsh enough. Granted I was a kid, wanted to do well and didn't know any better. But he could have provided some direction on when and where I could swim, rather than being a self serving jerk. That people try to justify coaches being that way is not helpful and simply perpetuates their bad attitudes.
So why do you paint "college coaches in general" with this broad brush? Seems to me you had a bad experience with one individual.
@Jlvs2run: Would a college track coach or football or basketball coach be very likely to want to work with someone who hadn't done the sport before? Doesn't mean the coach should be a jerk, but expecting a college coach to have time to work with someone new to the sport is probably not realistic for any sport - not just swimming...
Depends on how good you might be in initial trials. A coach should be willing to give anyone a test and if he/she sees potential from further training, then OK.
I recall a news story maybe 20 years ago from Hudson Valley CC in Troy, NY. A 35 yr old returning adult student runner joined the team. He had never competed for any school before, so still had years of eligibility. He turned out to be the fastest guy on the cross country team and was even named a Junior College All-American.
Depends on how good you might be in initial trials. A coach should be willing to give anyone a test and if he/she sees potential from further training, then OK.
Lots of college football and basketball teams have open tryouts. I'm sure they find a diamond in the rough enough to make it worthwhile. Tryouts are less likely for timed sports like swimming and running, I suspect. A coach can just ask you your times and that will tell him/her enough.
^ This seems a little harsh to me. In most cases college coaches will be expecting to coach college level swimmers. They don't have the time to teach swim lessons. Obviously JuCo versus D-I are going to be completely different scenarios, though.
^ Not harsh enough. Granted I was a kid, wanted to do well and didn't know any better. But he could have provided some direction on when and where I could swim, rather than being a self serving jerk. That people try to justify coaches being that way is not helpful and simply perpetuates their bad attitudes.
Definitely talk to the coach. Tell her your plans and ask her how you might fit in. It sounds like the newbies story could just be hearsay as most coaches at a community college know they only have a 2 year window. If she doesn't have an off-season training program with others, find a team. Whether it be a masters team or an age group team, just find a team and join in. It's so much easier to make it to practice if you have others relying on seeing you there. And don't cut yourself short on your abilities. I know several people who picked up swimming later in life and became awesome swimmers. Good luck and remember, after your schooling is done, masters swimming can become a lifestyle.
Thanks for the quick reply. :) I'll definitely take your advice and join a team of some kind if she doesn't have an off-season program (or doesn't want me haha). You might be right about the stories being hearsay... They made it sound like I was wasting my time starting to swim at this age (which I'm glad to hear doesn't mean I can't become great at it :) ).
Thanks again. You made me feel a lot less anxious about it.
