How To Join Tnca Team?

Should I join my school swim team?

• I've always wanted to be on the swim team, but I've never actually tried to make it a reality. I'm a sophomore, going to be a junior next year, and I was wondering if it was too late for me to join the swim team for my school. Girls swim season has already started this year, so I was thinking to join next year. I took swim lessons when I was in elementary, and I finished those. But I just recently took swim at school, and I wasn't doing so great. I didn't have endurance, and it seemed a lot harder than it was before. I was out of breath after two laps. I've asked a couple of my friends on the swim team if I should join, and they said yes, but the thing is they've been swimming for competitively for years, unlike me. I can't do butterfly, can't swim to the bottom of the pool, can't do flip turns without getting water up my nose, and I don't have endurance. I'm hoping I can get better through this year, so I'll actually have a chance. I'm planning on taking non-competitive swimming. It's a fall, winter, and spring sport at Four Seasons. I'm hoping I can get better if I go through all three seasons. After that I was thinking of trying the regular swim team out during summer, and then joining the school's swim team when it's back to school. So if I do go for this, how often do you think I should practice? How do I build up my endurance? How are lanes set up at school? All I know is that it's slowest to fastest. Is lane one for people who are slow or people who can't swim at all? And based on your swim team which lane might I be put in? Thanks! :)

• Answer:

  Well, you could still join this season if you wanted to! I'm a sophomore this year too, and our season hasn't started yet, but last year (my freshman year) there were about 15 freshman on the team and only about 5 of them had swam competitively before. i don't know how it is set up at your school, but at mine lane one is for people who haven't swam on a team before, need to learn the strokes, and flip turns. lane two is for people who have already learned the basics, but need help making it better so they don't get disqualified in a meet. lane 3 is sort of like junior varsity, the know how to swim, they know the strokes, they are just working on their times. Lane 4 is varsity, girls who are already fast but compete against each other to get faster. however, if your set on not doing swim team this year, and want to build endurance, you should start out slow, and gradually build. record how long you cans swim at a continuous pace. increase the number of laps you swim every week. decide on a goal you want to accomplish and work toward it. make sure you work on different strokes and your breathing. my coaches always told me 3 strokes and 1 breath (freestyle). use kick boards and pull buoys! they will help increase the muscle in your arms and legs and will help you swim faster. as for practicing, try to go 3 times a week for short amount of time, instead of going once a week for a long session. I still think that you should join swim team this year, even if it has already started. just remember, there's probably other girls on the team who haven't swam before either. last year on my team there were 3 seniors who had never swam on a team before! the coaches will be very supportive, trust me. swim team is super fun, and I think you would love it.