The Oakton swim team gathers for a cheer at last weekend's meet versus Robinson. (Photo byRachel Sapone, Oakton Media Group.)
There was a spirited debate that emerged from the Oakton-Robinson preview story. Many of the comments focused on the balance between high school and club competition. With several high-profile regional and national meets conflicting with high school dual meets, many elite local swimmers are faced with tough decisions on how to split their time. Different high school jurisdictions have set of limits on the number of high school team meets swimmers can miss in order to compete at another event. The affect on the performance and morale of the team due to those swimmers’ absence is certainly something that deserves a closer look. So, our question is:
How does an elite swimmer, if forced to choose, pick between individual and team competition with his or her club or high school?
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Key word in question is “elite”. An elite swimmer, a swimming scholarship candidate, needs to be competing at a higher level than is found in 95% of the local HS dual meets. Missing one or two dual meets because of club meet conflicts is always the correct decision for the “elite” swimmer. College coaches aren’t asking about a swimmer’s performance in the Centreville/Chantilly dual meet, they want to see times from the rested Christmas meets. HS swimming is a tremendous activity for all of the kids. For the majority of them, it will be the pinnacle of their swimming careers. For an elite swimmer, HS swimming is a social outlet, more of a detriment to their long term goals. This doesn’t mean that they don’t enjoy it, that it isn’t fun, but it creates huge amounts of conflict in their daily lives. Hopefully swimmers are in a high school program where the coach, parents and team mates can accept this reality and allow the “elite” swimmer to do what is needed to secure their scholarship or national rankings.
Having watched my own child struggle with this predicament for 4 years, I can say that the situation is not easy on anyone involved. He never wanted to miss a high school meet, yet for many of the reasons stated above, he had to attend his share of club meets. No matter what way he decided, he knew someone wouldn’t be happy and those hurtful criticisms would always seem to make their way back. The kids didn’t develop the club vs. high school structure as it’s established now, yet they are the ones who are continually judged and criticized for their decisions. It would be great if all parties could get together and figure out if improvements can be made in the scheduling/structure of high school swimming in the area to make it a more productive situation for everyone. it’s not an issue in all other parts of the country for various reasons. In the meantime, we also need to remember to cut the kids some slack and reserve judgment where possible.
The new development for elite swimmers is Junior Nationals in December. This is just two years old, and is in direct conflict with the open of the high school season. Previously, a really committed swimmer could perform the miraculous juggle — racing from Christmas Champs such as Sport Fair or Dolan across town to high school meet all in one day. Hard on the parents, but good for learning time management. It’s hard to do that road race from Cleveland. A proposal — for Montgomery County at least — what about shifting the second exhibition meet in Montgonery County at the end of the season to the front of the season? This eliminates the conflict with Juniors for the elite swimmers. Further, this would allow the casual swimmers more time to get in shape before the times really count, and allow coaches to get more reliable times for them before relay carnival. The coaches will always have the USA Swimming times for the elite swimmers. Finally, it makes the dual meet season really mean something — if half the swimmers are out due to Juniors, the results are really not that revealing, either for this year or last.
Many elite swimmers didn’t attend Winter Juniors because it was too much and conflicted with school / Dolan / Sport Fair. The social outlet of high school swimming is really nice for the elite club swimmers and based on experience the focus for HS was VA States or Metros. Winter Juniors isn’t a good idea in my opinion, but USA Swimming thinks otherwise. The fact that NCSA in the spring is the premier meet for elite club swimmers and USA Swimming isn’t involved is the reason they have Winter Juniors.
Bottom line is way too many meets and demands for elite swimmers which over time will hurt, not help the swimmers. The focus for elite swimmers swimming HS meets should start after Christmas.
“The fact that NCSA in the spring is the premier meet for elite club swimmers and USA Swimming isn’t involved is the reason they have Winter Juniors.”
I don’t think this is a correct statement. Winter Senior and Junior Nationals are placed where they are to allow elite level swimmers a longer period of time to train for Summer Long Course Nationals. USA Swimming has arranged its quadrennial schedule for 2009-2012 to emphasize this.
Actually back in the day USA swimming got rid of Jr Nats and replaced it with sectional meets. So their were sectionals , Open , and Nat’s.
NCSA came about 9 years ago and explains their philosophy here:
http://ncsassociation.homestead.com/juniornationalchampionship.html
NCSA has always been a thorn in USA swimmings side, they dont like any competition(usa swimming that is).
Many beleive USA swiming brought back Jr’s to knock NCSA off its feet.
All Jr’s does is undercut the local LSC’s high level December meets and high school swimming. If you want a higher level meet and you have the times, just go SC.nats.
And dont put to much stock in USA swiming quad plan, they change it to suit their agenda. The system that was in place two years ago was great …for the local clubs, for the high schools and for the athletes and their families.
NCSA meet is great for kids although it was way to crowded last year, hopefully they will tighten the times this year.
Texas HS schedule has it right. Our “elite” swimmers use the October / November duals and TISCA to prepare for Juniors. After Jr Nat, most swimmers will gear down till after Christmas before hitting it hard again for the Texas HS Championships at the end of February. The high school schedule and USA Swimming schedule fits us perfect. Texas clubs did do well at Junior Nationals @ Ohio State. Plus, A&M Sectionals is one week after the State Championship.
Appears to me the swimming community in Texas is working together.
NCSA did tighten the times for this year – 0.5 sec per 100 yd for the girls times – the boys remained the same. To address the issue Parent of Elite Swimmer mentioned – the reason MCPS has a scrimmage at the beginning and end of the season is to address the issue we have this weekend – in case of weather cancellations they can make up the dual meet at the end of the season – switching it to the beginning would be silly.
For our club swimmers this year, to accommodate the High School vs US Swimming schedule, our coaches decided the swimmers would EITHER go to Dolan OR to Jr. Nats. Their feeling was that some swimmers truly need the experience of competing on that national stage. For the elite swimmers, it does get old swimming against the same swimmers over and over and over – even when you add in the NOVA kids, we see them at least 2X/year if not more.
Sounds like Texas doesn’t use the “season” schedule that is used in MCPS – where a sport must be either Fall, winter or spring which prevents them from spanning October and November for dual meets.
I think swimfan, too sums it up well when they mention that we should cut the kids some slack and reserve judgement. The elite swimmers work as hard or harder than any other sport, there are few that require the type of time commitment and those that do, (ie ice skating gymnastics) are also the “bastard children” of high school sports with few fans from the high school actually coming to watch the teams. That brings me back to my earlier comment that when the schools commit to the kids the same way they commit to football/basketball training and facilities, then they can expect the same return commitment, otherwise they need to allow the swimmers to do what they need to do for college.
After swimming high schoo for four years, you begin to realize dual meets are kind of a joke…or at least at the school I went to. High school swimming is great for districts, regions, and states, but honestly, club meets are a lot more important than a dual meet.
Swimmom, you’re 100% correct on this statement, “when the schools commit to the kids the same way they commit to football/basketball training and facilities, then they can expect the same return commitment, otherwise they need to allow the swimmers to do what they need to do for college”. Our swimmer signed with a D-1 school, not because of what was accomplished in high school but what was achieved on a Junior & Senior National level. Still high school is fun and less pressure with lots of social events for the kids to relate and come together.
Texas_LoneStarState says:
December 21, 2009 at 2:03 am
Swimmom, you’re 100% correct on this statement, “when the schools commit to the kids the same way they commit to football/basketball training and facilities,
thats the stupidest statement ive ever heard. football doesnt have club and recruiting for college is diffrent.
the people that are saying its bad to skip j nats for a highschool dual meet have clearly never had to make that decison between the two.
“Someguy”, I think you must be in some Special Ed program. You fully missed the point. High school budget tons of money for football and basketball programs. Whereas high school swimming is just a sport one never thinks about until they need to meet the Title IX requirements.
If you’re a elite swimmer who can get into 5+ A finals at Jr National, no high school coach will stop you from going to Juniors. If he did, he’ll lose all those points you can win for him at the State Championship Meet. Really if your that good of a swimmer, there is no decision to be made between a Dual or Junior National meet. At Junior Nationals at Ohio State, there was probably no less than 30 college coaches there to check out the talent. If you want to make an impression, its one of the meets to be at.