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Step 1
Establish exactly what you and your child need from a swim club. Do you primarily want a steady workout for your child, are you hoping for a lot of swimming instruction, or do you want your child to compete with a team? For many people, it is a combination of these factors. Find out what your child wants.
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Step 2
Contact pools in your area find clubs within a distance you're willing to travel. Can your child drive or take the bus?
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Step 3
Attend a swim meet with your child. This is a great place to see different clubs and coaches in the same place.
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Step 4
Find out who the coaches of the clubs in your area are and talk to them when they are not too busy. (Swim meets are intense times for most coaches, but they are also usually eager to recruit new swimmers.) Introduce your child to the coaches.
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Step 5
Ask the coaches about their clubs, workout schedules, fees, and entrance requirements. Take notes for later review and comparison.
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Step 6
Consider the coach to be a big factor in your choice. A good swim coach can make a world of difference in how you and your child feel about attending practices every day.
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Step 7
Be sure your child is ready to join a club. He or she should know all the strokes and be able to swim at least five hundred yards without stopping.
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Step 8
Attend a workout and ask the coach if your child can swim a trial workout. There should be no objection to this, as coach already has to run the workout, and it provides a chance to look over your child's swimming ability. It's fine to have trial workouts with two or three different teams.
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Step 9
Talk to the coach afterward about whether your child will be continuing to attend workouts with the club.
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Step 10
Pay your fees and don't let your child skip workouts. Make it part of the regular routine.
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Step 11
Attend swim meets with your child to chart progress. Help your child to compete against his or her own personal bests, not just against others.
