Summer league swimming in Loudoun County is fun and exciting. Old Dominion Swim League and Colonial League offer a great social activity for youngsters of all ages and swimming capabilities. It is a great whole family activity and is a team sport that focuses on individual performance and hard work! Great, so you are sucked in and it is a tremendous success...

August arrives, now what? Swim clinics, year round teams, high school swimming, developmental public facility groups all provide opportunities and I say, dive in! Swimming is a lifetime skill providing a healthy body, mental benefi ts, and most importantly, safety. Th e annual statistics for drowning of young children and teenagers are staggering!!! So jump in, stay wet and fi nd the kind of program that fi ts your youngster’s goals and commitment level.

Year round swim teams, or USA Swim Teams, in the area off er a variety of programs that range from recreational to highly competitive and sessional or monthly programming to year round commitments and competition. Coaches range from those motivated to nurture and develop a love of swimming in the youngest of swimmers to those who specialize in regional, state and national level highly competitive swimming.

The choices are many and the path for the sport is a long rewarding one, but like with any journey, careful planning and consideration is the key to success. Whether the goal is personal fitness, water safety, swimming as a cross training sport, high school or college swimming….the motivation to spend countless hours in the pool has to be intrinsic and based on fun and enjoyment. The metric nature of improvement in times for swimmers provides constant feedback on performance.

Unlike a lot of youth sports, the clock doesn’t lie or have grey areas. Honest, hard work put in at the pool generally produces improvement and best times!

Kids who like swimming tend to work well with structure and goals. They enjoy the challenge of self-progression and thrive on building lasting friendships through the sharing hard work and commitment. Athletes who are swimmers generally have higher GPA’s and better time management skills. There are opportunities for parent involvement in timing, officiating, and team social activities.

Swimming year round is a great sport for kids of all ages and abilities. It builds confidence and focus, provides access to wholesome social interaction and a healthy, fit lifestyle while building a skill that can be used for a lifetime. Go ahead...jump in!