I remember when my son began swimming with USS around 7 years ago, they had minimum requirements for him to be able to swim the length of the pool. They took it from there.
Are there any minimum requirements, time or distance wise, for adults to join a Masters team?
I'm in my early 40's and have some physical challenges. I dearly love the water and have wanted to be a swimmer all my life. I know the basics of the strokes and am wondering if I would be able to join a team.
TIA,
Becca
Parents
Former Member
Becca,
You are clearly "good enough" to join Masters right now. Some clubs might have requirements. Just think of these requirements as directing traffic. You might not fit in with one club, but that may be because they are a triathlete's group who are doing lots of long distance, low rest swims to prepare for open water swimming, or because most of the team is gearing up for USMS National Championships, or some other reason that has more to do with them than you. There are plenty (i.e. the vast majority) of other clubs where you will fit right in.
Do you need private lessons before you are "good enough" to fit in? No. Private lessons, because of the personal attention, can be an excellent way to improve your swimming. But, the most cost-effective way to really learn the strokes is a Masters club with good on deck coaching (and helpful hints from your teammates). Don't cheat yourself out of the camaraderie that will keep you coming back to team workouts long after you would have given up on lap swimming on your own.
So, what's up with an age group team wanting your child to be able to swim a lap? Having coached a summer league team, I can tell you the key concern with lots of young kids, some of whom are weak swimmers, is purely safety. On our team, we did not exclude these kids; we simply asked that a parent get in the water and work with them to ensure their safety (at least until their kid could swim a lap). For adults, who know when to stop or ask for help, that is not as much of a concern, so you will not see many Masters teams impose that sort of a rule.
Welcome to the gang. Trust me, you'll be swimming IM's before you know it.
Matt
Becca,
You are clearly "good enough" to join Masters right now. Some clubs might have requirements. Just think of these requirements as directing traffic. You might not fit in with one club, but that may be because they are a triathlete's group who are doing lots of long distance, low rest swims to prepare for open water swimming, or because most of the team is gearing up for USMS National Championships, or some other reason that has more to do with them than you. There are plenty (i.e. the vast majority) of other clubs where you will fit right in.
Do you need private lessons before you are "good enough" to fit in? No. Private lessons, because of the personal attention, can be an excellent way to improve your swimming. But, the most cost-effective way to really learn the strokes is a Masters club with good on deck coaching (and helpful hints from your teammates). Don't cheat yourself out of the camaraderie that will keep you coming back to team workouts long after you would have given up on lap swimming on your own.
So, what's up with an age group team wanting your child to be able to swim a lap? Having coached a summer league team, I can tell you the key concern with lots of young kids, some of whom are weak swimmers, is purely safety. On our team, we did not exclude these kids; we simply asked that a parent get in the water and work with them to ensure their safety (at least until their kid could swim a lap). For adults, who know when to stop or ask for help, that is not as much of a concern, so you will not see many Masters teams impose that sort of a rule.
Welcome to the gang. Trust me, you'll be swimming IM's before you know it.
Matt
