As summer swim approaches, we wanted to share some tips, products and everything else that comes with being a (new?) swim parent or swimmer.
What do I need to buy?
The most basic essentials are a swim suit and goggles. And our team provider A3Performance has it all available on our team shop.
For kiddos with longer hair, we also highly recommend a swim cap. These can also keep you warm on a cold morning too! BST Team Caps will be the only cap allowed at meets. However, we’ll allow other caps at practice.
Really? That’s it?
Technically speaking. Yes. That’s all you need to buy for your swimmer to have a successful season. However, we also know how responsible a group of kids are, don’t we? So realistically you’ll want to buy 2-3 pairs of those goggles and maybe an extra suit (team or otherwise). But the best news is, these suits will last if taken care of properly. How do I know? I still wear one that’s like 3 years old, and yes it’s from A3.
Other items that may prove helpful throughout the season include:
- Sunscreen
- Sandals or other reptilian-logoed shoes (c’mon what are Crocs anyways?)
- Hoodies/Long-sleeve shirts/Shorts/Pants
- Towels (yes multiples; meet nights can be cold with a wet towel)
- Sunglasses — Keep the sun out of your eyes at the pool
- Lots of sharpies
- Goggles
- Probably more goggles
- Additional goggles (okay Greg, we get it!)
- Backpack/cinch bag
- Snacks (for meets)
- Tent/Sport umbrella (for outdoor meet camp area)
- Water Bottle — should be present at EVERY practice and meets (and subsequently taken home, looking at you Sean…)
- Extra suit for practice, because who wants to wear the same suit every day?
Okay, but what about Jammer vs Brief? Or X-back vs FlashBack?
This is 100% up to you and your swimmer. I (Coach Greg) will speak personally. I prefer a brief to a jammer. It allows for more range of motion and is just more comfortable. But the lack of leg coverage can be intimidating to some. The jammer is a great option and one that I wore for years prior to converting to team brief.
The same goes for the X-back (more coverage) vs the FlashBack (slightly less). While I cannot say for certain how the suits will fit, my high school athletes seemed to have enjoyed the x-back suit over the past two years. The FlashBack appears to have a deeper cut on the sides of the suit with less material on the back. That being said, if you order one and you don’t like it send it back! A3 will help arrange all suit returns (just don’t wear it in the pool before deciding you don’t like it).