Is Youth Swimming Becoming Too Expensive for the Average Family?

Courtesy of Kevin Pierce. Follow Kevin on SubStack here.

Walk into any local pool on a Saturday morning, and you will find the beginner swimmers, their nervous smiles, their slightly too big goggles, and their excited parents huddled on the bleachers with coffee cups and camp chairs. There is nothing quite like the start of a swimming journey. These kids are not thinking about college scholarships or Olympic dreams. They are learning to float, breathe, kick, and maybe finish a lap without stopping. But for more and more families, even getting started in this sport has become a financial challenge. The barrier to entry, once relatively low, now feels out of reach for too many.

Swimming has always been a sport that taught discipline, resilience, and community. For generations, it was seen as a place where any child regardless of income, background, or experience could learn life skills, stay healthy, and maybe discover a passion for the water. But over the past decade, swimming has taken on a new identity. It is no longer just a seasonal activity or a recreational option. In many places, it has become a full-blown industry. And that shift is pricing out the families who simply want to give their child a chance to learn and grow.

The story often begins with a flier or a friend’s recommendation. A parent signs their child up for lessons or a developmental team, thinking they are getting involved in something wholesome and structured. At first, everything feels manageable. The child learns strokes, makes a few friends, and enjoys practice. The pool becomes a second home. But then comes the team gear list, the unexpected meet fees, the pressure to join the “competitive” group, and the suggestion to swim year-round. Suddenly, the family realizes that what started as a simple activity has grown into a major financial commitment.

Many swim clubs, even with the best intentions, do not design their programming with the entry-level family in mind. They offer one path, and that path often accelerates quickly. Within months, a swimmer who was just learning breaststroke may be expected to attend weekend meets, wear specific team-branded gear, and participate in fundraising or additional training sessions. The message is clear. If you want to stay on track, you need to keep up.

For some families, that is simply not possible.

There are countless parents who want to keep their child in swimming but are quietly struggling to afford it. They may hesitate to speak up because they do not want to be seen as less committed. They may avoid conversations with coaches because they fear being told their child will “fall behind.” And eventually, when the pressure builds and the costs pile up, they leave. Not with anger. Not with drama. Just a quiet withdrawal. One missed practice becomes two. One season becomes their last. And another young swimmer disappears before they ever got a fair chance.

This is the tragedy of the ten thousand dollar lane. It is not just about the elite swimmer flying to nationals or buying their third tech suit of the season. It is about the child who never makes it past the first six months because their family is overwhelmed by the unspoken expectations that come with being on a swim team.

Swimming has always had a learning curve. It requires patience. It demands routine. But now it also demands a level of financial flexibility that many working-class and even middle-class families do not have. When a child cannot attend a meet because their parent is working a weekend shift or when a family cannot afford the latest team jacket, they are made to feel like outsiders in a sport that should be inviting them in.

The reality is that many of the systems we have built around youth swimming were not designed with equity in mind. We do not talk enough about the cost of entry for new families. We do not acknowledge the anxiety that comes with trying to buy the “right” equipment or navigate confusing registration systems. We do not consider how intimidating a swim meet can be to a parent who has never participated in organized sports. And we certainly do not make enough effort to create flexible, welcoming pathways for families who want to swim but cannot commit to the full-time club model.

There are ways to change this.

First, we must stop assuming that every swimmer who joins a team wants or needs to be on a high-performance track. Not every swimmer is aiming for Division One. Some just want to learn, to move, to be part of a group. That should be enough. We need to create spaces in our programs for swimmers who swim two or three days a week, who participate seasonally, who need transportation support, or who cannot afford the top-tier dues. We should not treat those swimmers as less serious or less worthy. They are not temporary. They are vital.

We also need to think carefully about how we communicate with families. Entry-level swimmers and their parents need clear, empathetic, and transparent messaging. They need to know what the expectations are financially, socially, and emotionally. They need to be told that it is okay to say no. That missing a meet does not mean you are falling behind. That your child can still benefit from the sport even if they never wear a tech suit or swim year-round.

It is also time to rethink how we talk about value in swimming. Right now, value is often equated with performance. Faster times, more medals, higher rankings. But what about the child who learns to float after being afraid of water? What about the swimmer who makes their first friend on the team? What about the family who shows up consistently, supports others, and grows together through the sport? These stories matter too. They are the heartbeat of swimming, and they deserve as much space and recognition as any record-breaking swim.

As coaches, we need to become more aware of the signals we send. When we give more attention to the top performers, we risk making the entry-level swimmer feel invisible. When we base praise on results rather than effort, we create a culture that only celebrates the few. And when we only offer advanced training, travel, and gear to those who can afford it, we quietly push others out of the picture.

As a sport, we are better when we reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. That means welcoming swimmers from every income level, every background, and every ability. That means building programs that are truly inclusive—not just on paper, but in spirit and in practice. That means asking tough questions about our pricing, our expectations, and our assumptions.

Because somewhere, a child wants to try swimming. Their parent is Googling “local swim teams near me” and wondering if they can make it work. They are willing to drive to the pool, pack snacks, learn new lingo, and do whatever it takes to give their child a chance. But they are nervous. They are not sure what it will cost or whether they will be able to keep up. That family is standing at the edge of the pool, hoping someone will say, “Come on in. You belong here.”

We owe it to them to make that welcome real.

Swimming should not be a luxury. It should be a sport for all. It should be the place where any child can show up, dip their toe in the water, and find something that changes their life.

The ten-thousand-dollar lane may be the reality for some. But it cannot be the only lane we offer. We need beginner lanes. Flexible lanes. Family-friendly lanes. We need to widen the pool deck, not narrow it.

Every swimmer deserves a chance to fall in love with the water, no matter what their family can afford. And every team, coach, and organization has a responsibility to make that dream possible.

Let us make sure that the next beginner swimmer is not turned away. Not by words, but by silence. Not by exclusion, but by assumption. Not by an outright no, but by a quiet signal that says, “You do not belong.”

We can do better. We must.

Because swimming is not just for the fastest. It is not just for the elite. It is for everyone.

ABOUT KEVIN PIERCE

Kevin Pierce is a dedicated high school swim coach, leadership consultant, and advocate for athlete development. As the head coach of the Ridley High School boys’ swim team (Folsom, Pa), he has a passion for helping young swimmers reach their full potential, both in and out of the water. With years of experience in coaching, mentoring, and program development, Kevin specializes in leadership training, team culture, and athlete motivation.

Beyond the pool deck, Kevin is the founder of Green Mystique Leadership Consulting, where he works with youth and high school athletes to develop leadership skills that extend beyond sports. He is also the author of Leo The Lion’s Great Adventure, a children’s book that teaches leadership lessons through storytelling.

Kevin contributes to SwimSwam with insightful articles on high school swimming, leadership in sports, and strategies for fostering a winning team culture. His expertise in balancing athletic performance with leadership development makes him a valuable voice in the swimming community.

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