Am i too old to start swimming & some other questions. pleeease answer!?

Question

I'm fourteen & want to get on the swimteam when my freshman year starts. I have a few questions-

1) I've never swam before, & can't do so formally (all the strokes & such). Will all this be taught or will they assume you know?

2) Obviously, I'm fourteen, but have never been on a swim team before. Am I too old to start?

3) What kind of "gear" do I need for this, & where can i get it?

THANK YOU, so much!(:

Answer 1

I don't think your too old .. maybe before the tryouts (or whatever) you could talk to the swim team coach about what is needed and where to get it .. also maybe ask the coach to hook you up with on of the Senior swimmers to kinda get you up to par and swimming and everything that goes with it .. getting the stuff for swimming (goggles, etc) try the local Sporting good store... also be sure if your school offers a swimming class take it cause if you don't make it this year .. there is always next year :)  good luck to you and MAKE THE TEAM !!!!

Answer 2

Ok now here's a question I can relate to for I had the same problem my freshman year. If you really want to be on the swim team be careful not to underestimate the size of the pool. Most high school pools are big. If you can't do the strokes and what not I would go to some swimming lessons. Now considering that most swimming lessons are not a couple weeks long, it would be wise to take some and try again next year. But if you really have that driv to succeed than I suggest going to the coach and asking him/her to give you lessons. If you make the team they will go over some aspects of swimming and work on some strokes. Think of it this way if you made the team, you must have had previous knowledge of strokes and such. That's a caches point of view. No you are not too old to start. You don't have to start at 3 years of age to be good at something. Last but not least...gear. You're going to need some goggles,preferably speedo, to cover the eyes. If you are a girl, guessing by avatar, then I would suggest a swim cap as you see on olympic swimmers. 1 is ok but 2 gives reassurance of the covering of hair. The less hair on the head the better. When you swim competively, hair slows you down. You will also need a sort of 1 piece bathing suit swim wear. It's not really a bathing suit but looks like a 1 piece bathing suit. I have practiced with girls but since I am a guy it is kind of difficult to go in to detail about it. If you are looking for somewhere to get this stuff try Sports Authority. Don't get goggles from the nearest dollar store or Wal-Mart. Those goggles are flimsy and don't keep water out of your eyes very well. Again try Sports Authority, I hope was of help, and good luck on the tryouts

Answer 3

It's def. not too late. First study the sport and know the basics. I'm sure there are many hs swimmers who start freshman year. I started when i was 13 in the 8th grade and i'm gonna be a senior this year. I was tall and lanky which helped, but it only took me a month or two to learn the basics. Also...do some jogging and running to get in shape, cuz if your not experienced...fitness will help. As for gear, all you need is a competietive swimsuit, swim cap, and race goggles. Good luck, just stick to it and youll be fine

Answer 4

Nothing is too late to start as long as you are willing to learn. Maybe you can learn from your friends first before you join the team(better to know some techniques). All you need will be swimsuit and goggle which you can get from any sportwear shops.

Answer 5

I think if you want to get on the high school swim team, you should be able to at least know how to swim freestyle and swim up and down the pool. depending on how impressive your team is of course, that level of skill will vary.

1)most high school teams wont be teaching since they're so limited on time. so if you want to get good, i suggest a club team, but of course you will need to be able to swim.

2)  however, 14 is not TOO late, if you're able to pick up things quickly.

3) you will need goggles, swim cap (recommended) and a suit that doesn't drag you down (one piece for girls).  they sell these online as well as sports stores like Chick's, Big 5, Sports Chalet. you might want to try www.4swimwear.com or www.metroswimshop.com. but i don't recommend buying suits online at first because you don't know your suit size. so experiment ! and good luck!