💦 How Practices Work at VAC
We’re not here to float — we’re here to fly.
At VAC, we’re more than just a swim team — we’re a crew of fast fish learning to swim smarter, stronger, and together. Whether your swimmer is dipping a toe into the competitive world or already cruising the lanes like a pro, there’s a place for them in our pod.
🏊♀️ Practice Groups
Grouped by stroke—not just age.
We place swimmers based on a combination of ability and age. That means your swimmer won’t be stuck with kids way beyond (or behind) their level. We believe in smart lane mates:
- Challenging enough to push each other
- Similar enough to feel safe and confident
We don’t throw five-year-olds in with the teenagers — that’s just weird. But we also don’t sort strictly by age, because fast is fast, and effort is effort.
Coaches place swimmers in the right group after tryouts. Trust us, we know what we’re doing.
📅 Seasonal Schedule
VAC is year-round — because progress doesn’t hibernate.
We break the year into three seasons, each with its own rhythm:
- 🏁 Fall Season (September–March) — 5 practices/week
- 🌼 Spring Season (April–June) — 4-5 practices/week
- ☀️ Summer Season (July–August) — 3-5 practices/week
We recommend attending at least 3 practices a week to keep your swimmer improving and in sync with the group.
Can’t make that every week? No worries. Life happens — just keep showing up when you can.
🚫 Just to be clear: This is not swim lessons. Our coaches stay on the deck — just like they do at meets — because this is the meet.
To join the team, your swimmer must be able to swim one full Olympic-length lap (50 meters) without stopping, grabbing the lane lines, or clinging to the wall.
If they can manage a freestyle stroke — whether it’s smooth or still a little splashy — we’re happy to help them improve.
But if they’re still doggy paddling or struggling to make it across, we recommend a few more swim lessons before diving in.
🏆 What About Swim Meets?
Ah yes, the main event.
Meets are how swimmers track progress, cheer each other on, and show off their hard work.
New swimmers usually start with just one or two races — and we’ll guide you through everything, from warmups to “heat sheets.” Expect about one meet per month, mostly on weekends.
And no, you don’t need to know how to time or turn a stopwatch into a laser beam. But we do encourage parents to volunteer — it takes a village to run a smooth meet (and we like our meets smooth).
💸 What’s This Going to Cost Me?
Not an arm and a leg — just a solid kick.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Team Dues | ~$250–$800 per season (depends on group & season) Payment Plans available |
| USA Swimming Membership | ~$90/year (required for all swimmers) |
| Meet Fees | ~$5–$6 per event |
| Team Suit | Required for meets (price varies by size/brand) |
| Team Cap | Included — on the house (or, pool deck) |
We keep things affordable while still offering elite-level coaching and a supportive, high-performing team culture.
👀 What Do Parents Do?
We hang out upstairs in the stands, phones in hand and eyes on the lanes.
No shouting instructions. No pacing the pool deck. Just good vibes, warm bleachers, and an excuse to relax while your swimmer gets their splash on.
🌊 Ready to Make Waves?
Tryouts are free, quick, and pressure-free — just show up, swim across the pool, and we’ll take it from there.