The time commitment for college swimming typically involves training, team meetings, and competition. The specific hours depend on the NCAA division and program.

NCAA Division I

• At the top conferences, the schedule is close to a full-time job

• Time spent swimming, lifting weights, doing dryland, working on muscle rehab, team meetings, and recovery will easily add up to 25+ hours per week. 

• Travel for dual meets and championship meets can also take up multiple weeks each semester.

• Required practices during major holidays and breaks, (ex: only given 5-7 days for winter break to go home, often still expected to train doubles, full training load during summers)

NCAA Division II

• Still a serious commitment, but often less intense than D1.

• Training schedules usually average 15–20 hours per week, depending on the program

• Balances strong athletic competition with more breathing room for academics and other activities

• Often more time off during holidays

NCAA Division III

• Emphasis is placed on academics first, with athletics being an important but secondary commitment.

• Typical weekly training is around 10–15 hours per week, though top programs may push higher.

• Travel demands are usually lighter, and athletes have more flexibility outside of the pool. 

• More leniency when it comes to studying/ missing practices for illness or injury

• Most time off during holidays, some swimmers take the whole summer off

After speaking with over thirty college coaches, I’ve learned what they value most in recruits. One Lap Ahead teaches you how to talk to college coaches by providing key points and questions to identify the schools that best align with your goals. This is something I cover in the breakout plan

I transferred colleges after my sophomore year, and I know how stressful the process can be. There are lots of questions to be asked before even entering the portal. It can be overwhelming, which is why I’d love to help you navigate this process. I will assist in finding schools that accept your academic credits and fit your athletic and personal goals. This is something we can discuss in a Starting Block Session.

Looking through the existing team roster and seeing where you rank in your top events is a great start. Looking through their instagram to see transfers and new commitments can also be beneficial. We can help to develop a realistic list of schools that can be a good fit for each swimmer.

There are about 600 schools that have swim teams. Walk-on opportunities and academic scholarships can make a huge impact. Many athletes have joined teams as walk-ons and earned athletic scholarships later in their careers. Additionally, plenty of swimmers commit to a school during their senior year of high school, so it’s not too late.

It depends on the level:

• D1: National-level times or strong state-level times

• D2: State-level to regional-level times

• D3/NAIA: Regional-level to solid varsity high school times
  Many schools post “time standards” on their websites.

We can discuss the differences and explore where you might fit in a Starting Block Session

• Official: These are paid for by the school, and can only happen after August 1st of an athlete's junior year. They are typically a weekend-long endeavor, and parents often have the option to join. Athletes are immersed in the team environment, participate in team events, meet the staff, view practices, and have meetings with academic staff and coaches. 

• Unofficial: You pay, so you can take them at any time. You can let a coach know you’re coming and try to schedule a time to meet with them, but they are under no obligation to meet you or allow you into their facilities. Sometimes coaches will encourage an unofficial visit if it fits your schedule better. If you have never spoken to the coach, you are still free to visit any school as you wish.

For those interested in Division I and Division II programs, the recruiting period starts June 15, before an athlete’s junior year. From this date, athletes and coaches are officially allowed to contact each other. Division III schools don’t have the same restrictions, so communication is more flexible. And remember—many swimmers commit during their senior year, so even if you start later, there’s still plenty of opportunity! Book a Starting Block Session to get ahead today!

They’ll respond to emails, call or text after allowed dates, invite you on visits, or send recruiting questionnaires. If a coach doesn’t respond immediately, it could simply mean they didn’t see your email. It’s always worth sending an intro email and a follow-up if you’re not sure.

Yes, but understanding expectations, time management, and schedule planning are key. Many swimmers do STEM, pre-med, or other demanding majors while competing. STEM majors, for example, may have fewer options available for class times, so athletes may have to complete practices on their own if their classes interfere with the practice times. Some coaches are much more flexible with this than others. My advice is to speak with an academic advisor and the coaches to make sure it can work ahead of time. At the end of the day, coaches want their athletes practicing with the team as much as possible.

Identifying the gaps in a team and seeing if you can fill a gap is key. How an athlete ranks within the team is important. Coaches love to get athletes who will make an immediate impact, so if you rank #2 on the team before joining, you are likely to make an impact right away. Relays score double the amount of points as individual races at conference meets, so if you can contribute to a relay in a strong way, you might be more desirable than if you couldn't. If a team only has one breastroker, for example, and you have strong breastroke times that rank well in the conference, a coach will want this.