Post by freshsqueezed on Aug 22, 2021 10:36:12 GMT -5
If your child swims competitively, how much per month is the fee? My son would like to get into swimming competitively. We have two options - a team that has been the local program for years and is through the local school district or a swim business that is going to start offering a swim team for kids that have progressed up to that level. He would be a novice level (8 years old)...like just starting out and still learning but able to do various strokes a full length of the pool. Anyway, I am asking because I inquired about the cost of the new swim team through the local swim school business and it will be $225 a month. Is this a normal price for a level that I am describing at this age involving practice twice a week? Honestly I was a bit taken aback but if that is the cost to do swim then so be it. I am still trying to get fees for the other team.
My child isn't on the swim team, but we've been researching competitive sports for our 8 year old. (He's decided on soccer.) $225 would be reasonable in my area for club sports or teams run out of a private facility.
Post by expectantsteelerfan on Aug 22, 2021 11:21:57 GMT -5
My kids do swim team in the summer through the private pool that we belong to, and it's $50 per kid I think (on top of the pool membership). I'm pretty sure lessons cost the same, and if they progress in lessons to then start swimming with the swim team, they can switch over without paying again (dd did that the year we joined when she was 7). Ds is swimming for the school rec team this year (it's a fall sport), and I'm not sure how much it costs, but most of our rec. 1 season sports run from $90-$125 for the season so I'm guessing it's in that range.
ETA I just looked up the club that swims both seasonally and year round (multi-district) that our summer coaches always recommend for those who want to be competitive, and it's over $1500 for the fall season only!
My child isn't on the swim team, but we've been researching competitive sports for our 8 year old. (He's decided on soccer.) $225 would be reasonable in my area for club sports or teams run out of a private facility.
Interesting. We had been considering trying out for select baseball and it was not as high as this so that’s why I was so surprised.
Our local swim team/club is like $80/session (each session is 4ish weeks unless one of those weeks is a major holiday, then they skip that week). I think there’s like a $50 registration fee per year. $225/month sounds like a LOT.
I pay $100 per kid with a family max of $300 for summer swim. It is 6 weeks. Daily practices offered and two meets a week.
We haven’t done winter swim yet but I think it’s about $250 for each 6 week session (although I think you have to do all of them you dont just pick and choose).
I assume the cost is higher for winter swim because indoor pool space is pricey and hard to come by. Similar to how icetime is $$ and hard to schedule.
Post by ilikedonuts on Aug 22, 2021 13:15:36 GMT -5
Our team’s lowest level group is $105/month. $225/month is insane and laughable to me. Our team has one of the highest prices in our local swim committee and if maxes out at $165/month for the highest level. That group offers practice 8-10 times a week depending on the season.
Post by ilikedonuts on Aug 22, 2021 13:20:31 GMT -5
I feel like I should add my kids do year round USA swimming. They’ve both been on a USA year round team since they were 4 (so 5 years now for my oldest). There are initial start up fees every year (for USA registration and caps) and some teams have booster fees as well that cover extra stuff like end of season parties, etc.
Our team is super competitive and in a medium cost of living area.
Post by edwardo123 on Aug 22, 2021 17:20:56 GMT -5
My girls have been swimming year round since my oldest was 5, so about 8 years. All groups pay registration, swim insurance, and USA swim fees once a year, about $200. The beginning group is $100 and the high school maxes out at around $300 monthly. On top of that, each family has a $750 fundraising commitment and volunteer hours to complete. Most families prorate the fundraising fees, but you could sell candles and other stuff to avoid paying out of pocket.
Some teams are cheaper but a membership to the Y or rec center is required. Swim meets are additional. Overall, it’s a decent value. The younger teams get 5 hour practices a week. We were paying over $80 a month for one thirty minute lesson at Goldfish.
Our competitive team is about $100/month and my son is second from the top level. Depending on the level it’s $10 more or less. We also have a yearly USA swimming fee (I think that’s less than $100). We do have mandatory volunteer hours (10 hrs) for being timers at meets etc. It cost $50/hr for missed volunteer hours.
My son has access to five 2 hour practices a week (1/2 hour dry land and the rest swim time). We go about three times a week.
My child isn't on the swim team, but we've been researching competitive sports for our 8 year old. (He's decided on soccer.) $225 would be reasonable in my area for club sports or teams run out of a private facility.
I agree with this. My oldest is a figure skater, and ice time is obviously expensive, but even at 8, $225/month would have been a DREAM. I think pools are easier to come by than ice rinks, but they still have many of the same limiting characteristics.
The other thing that I would make sure you understand, is how all-inclusive that $225 is. What fees and costs come on top of it? Some sports orgs include uniforms and other logo-wear in the fee, others you pay for. Any coaching fees on top of that? Especially if your kiddo gets asked to come in for an extra practice. What about competition fees - included or extra? Is this cost getting you a career, credentialed coach, or a volunteer, or somewhere in between?
I’d guess that the wide range of fees you’re seeing in the comments, is partially due to what all is or isn’t included in various areas.
Post by ilikedonuts on Aug 23, 2021 8:53:19 GMT -5
I had a whole response typed and then my phone ate it so hopefully I remember everything that I was saying.
Is this a swim school like a goldfish or something similar? Because if it is I would personally suggest looking for a true USA or YMCA swim team. I’m not knocking a swim School like Goldfish Because that is where my kids learn the basics of swimming but it’s not the same and I don’t feel like the quality of swim instruction is the same for a long-term swim team. We have a lot of kids that come out of a goldfish type swim team in transition to our year-round team and it is a huge shock to them and they still almost always need to start at our basic beginner level even after multiple years of a Goldfish swim team.
Also if it is a swim school that owns the pool, they own the pool so they shouldn’t need to pay a premium For pool time. And in USA swimming for example you always need a certified coach on the pool deck at all times and in most states or it might be a USA swimming policy, there always needs to be certified lifeguards on deck. So it’s not like in the lower levels you’re paying less money because coaches aren’t certified or it’s a volunteer anything like that.
Our new swim schedule went up so I can confirm, I pay $105/month for my youngest whose a beginner for 3 1 hour practices a week. I pay $115 for 5 90 minute practices for my older daughter who is 9 and is a couple levels from the highest level.
We pay about $100/month regardless of what level your kid is on.
For my 5 year old that means she swims 45 min/day 5 days a week, year around with 2 8 week breaks.
For my 13 year old (who has been swimming competitively since she was 5) that means 3 hours a day, 5 days a week, with 2 3 week breaks a year.
With three kids we have tried every sport on the planet, swimming is by far the greatest value.
How do you manage 3 hour practices 5 days a week?!? That’s a huge commitment
Things get a bit easier with older kids as you can just drop off and do other things. Shorter practices are harder because there is no time to do other things.
We pay about $100/month regardless of what level your kid is on.
For my 5 year old that means she swims 45 min/day 5 days a week, year around with 2 8 week breaks.
For my 13 year old (who has been swimming competitively since she was 5) that means 3 hours a day, 5 days a week, with 2 3 week breaks a year.
With three kids we have tried every sport on the planet, swimming is by far the greatest value.
How do you manage 3 hour practices 5 days a week?!? That’s a huge commitment
It is, but that's just how it is with swimmers. My husband and I were swimmers, so we knew early on that if our kids committed to swimming, it would be a huge time suck.
We, thankfully, have a great carpool system in place. And now that she is in middle school, practices are immediately afterschool in the same building, so we just have to pick her up at 6 (and even that, we carpool with neighbors). It gets a little hairy in the summers or if practice times get moved around, but we make it work.
Post by barefootcontessa on Aug 25, 2021 17:06:33 GMT -5
I never realized how costly our programs are. We swim year round on a USA team. For my youngest 3 one hour practices per week is about $200/month. Five practice a week, between 1.5 and 2 hours is $275 and the six days a week is $300. Prices will increase significantly when my older son progresses.
I never realized how costly our programs are. We swim year round on a USA team. For my youngest 3 one hour practices per week is about $200/month. Five practice a week, between 1.5 and 2 hours is $275 and the six days a week is $300. Prices will increase significantly when my older son progresses.
Are you in a HCOL area? Do you make a payment for each of the 12 months? I know a team or two by me that does like 9 payments to cover the entire 12 months so their monthly costs are higher.
Ours is $830 for fall/winter and $356 for spring/summer. This is for novice so junior and senior cost more since they have more hours of practice per week. They take the entire month of August off so I guess it comes out to about $108 per month. Splash fees for meets are an additional charge per race. We are in HCOL.
This is for 3 one hour practices per week. There are 5 to choose from but novices are only expected to come to 3.
I am shocked at how cheap some of these clubs are. My 10 year old swims year round at a highly ranked USA swimming club, and we pay $350 a month for her level (6 days a week). We also pay per event at meets, so every time she steps on the block it is between $7-$10 an event, so when she does a 2 day meet it is an extra $50-$100. She also does summer swim at our neighborhood pool, which is about $150 for the 5 weeks, and an extra $25 for the city championship meet, then she does Fall league at our neighborhood pool, which is $125 for 4 meets (she practices with her year round team) and $25 for champ meet. It is pricey. I live in a big city in the SE.
I am shocked at how cheap some of these clubs are. My 10 year old swims year round at a highly ranked USA swimming club, and we pay $350 a month for her level (6 days a week). We also pay per event at meets, so every time she steps on the block it is between $7-$10 an event, so when she does a 2 day meet it is an extra $50-$100. She also does summer swim at our neighborhood pool, which is about $150 for the 5 weeks, and an extra $25 for the city championship meet, then she does Fall league at our neighborhood pool, which is $125 for 4 meets (she practices with her year round team) and $25 for champ meet. It is pricey. I live in a big city in the SE.
The per event for meet costs is definitely how it works everywhere I think for USA swimming. We pay per event, a team surcharge, a LSC surcharge and often a meet surcharge. I sometimes cry when I get the charge for a month where my kids did 3-4 multi day meets 😂
I am shocked at how cheap some of these clubs are. My 10 year old swims year round at a highly ranked USA swimming club, and we pay $350 a month for her level (6 days a week). We also pay per event at meets, so every time she steps on the block it is between $7-$10 an event, so when she does a 2 day meet it is an extra $50-$100. She also does summer swim at our neighborhood pool, which is about $150 for the 5 weeks, and an extra $25 for the city championship meet, then she does Fall league at our neighborhood pool, which is $125 for 4 meets (she practices with her year round team) and $25 for champ meet. It is pricey. I live in a big city in the SE.
The per event for meet costs is definitely how it works everywhere I think for USA swimming. We pay per event, a team surcharge, a LSC surcharge and often a meet surcharge. I sometimes cry when I get the charge for a month where my kids did 3-4 multi day meets 😂
Yeah, sorry, I wasn't implying it was just our team, I know it is how it works for all USA swimming meets!