Getting Ready for Swim Team Tryouts: Starts, Turns, and What Coaches Look For

Swim team tryout preparation starts with knowing what is actually being tested. For families at EVO Swim School in Gilbert and Mesa, the next step is the Rio Swim Team, and its process looks different from a typical tryout. Here is what coaches evaluate, how starts and turns fit in, and how to prepare your child this winter.

What Swim Team Tryouts Actually Evaluate

Many parents picture a one-shot audition. EVO's pre-team page explains that "Rio Swim Team doesn't work that way. Rio offers a free evaluation for group placement. The evaluation is about finding where each swimmer fits, not about cutting kids."

The Skill Ladder Behind Placement

Rio's club programming page lists the skills each development group expects. Starts and turns appear as clear benchmarks as swimmers move up.

EVO's Advanced Stroke class, the last level on the classes and schedules page, is designed to build many of these skills. 

For broader training habits, EVO's guide on how to train your child for competitive swimming covers the bigger picture.

Starts: What Coaches Look For

Starts appear in Rio's benchmarks at the Development 2 level, where swimmers are expected to perform starts "proficiently and by legal USA Swimming standards." That makes the rules the place to begin.

The Legal Start Positions

The USA Swimming rulebook sets out three start positions young competitive swimmers need to know.

• Forward start. Freestyle, breaststroke, and butterfly swimmers start "with at least one foot at the front of the starting platform or the deck."
• In-water start. Swimmers starting in the water "must have at least one hand in contact with the wall or starting platform."
• Backstroke start. Swimmers "line up in the water facing the starting end, with both hands placed on the gutter or on the starting grips."

Where Starts Fit in Preparation

EVO's Advanced Stroke page focuses on strokes, flip turns, streamlining, and team routines rather than starts. If your child is aiming for a higher Rio group, ask during the evaluation call where they stand on starts and what the coaches recommend.

Turns: The Skill Kids Need Earliest

Turns show up one step before starts in Rio's skill ladder. Development 1 already expects a flip turn with a streamlined push off the wall.

What a Legal Turn Requires

Each stroke has its own turn rule under USA Swimming. Knowing them helps your child avoid habits that would not count in a race.

• Freestyle. "Upon completion of each length, the swimmer must touch the wall."
• Breaststroke. The touch is made "with both hands separated and simultaneously."
• Butterfly. The same two-hand, simultaneous touch applies at every turn and at the finish.

Why the Push-Off Matters

A turn does not end at the wall. Rio's Development 1 benchmark pairs the flip turn with a streamlined push-off, and streamlining off the wall is a core part of the Advanced Stroke curriculum.

How EVO's Advanced Stroke Class Builds These Skills

Advanced Stroke is designed as the bridge between mastered strokes and team readiness. EVO calls it "the direct feeder into the Rio Swim Team."

What the Class Covers

Advanced Stroke serves swimmers ages 6 to 12, who typically arrive after Dolphin is already comfortable with all four strokes. Sessions run 60 minutes, and the format mirrors real team practice.

• All four competitive strokes. Refining freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly for efficiency and speed.
• Flip turns and streamlining. Pushing off the wall with proper form for faster, smoother transitions.
• Endurance and stability. Holding technique across full pool lengths.
• Competitive swimming basics. Circle swimming, lane etiquette, and swim team fundamentals.

The curriculum is built to develop these skills over time. Every child progresses at a different pace, and no class can promise a specific placement.

What to Expect at Your Child's First Team Evaluation

The process is simple, and it happens through the same office families already know.

Schedule the evaluation - Call the office at 480-404-6191 to book a free evaluation.

Get placed by skill - Swimmers are placed based on current skill level rather than age, and specific schedules and group assignments are confirmed during the evaluation call.

Complete registration - Finish pre-registration online, noting your group level and practice location.

Gather the gear - Development groups need goggles, fins, and a kickboard, which Rio stocks at both EVO locations.

Rio practices at both EVO locations, and EVO's SanTan Gilbert facility includes an outdoor 8-lane, 25-yard pool used for competitive training, a familiar setting for kids coming up through lessons.

In the Weeks Before

Parents asking how to prepare for swim team tryouts in Gilbert or Mesa can keep it simple:

• Keep attending weekly. Consistent Advanced Stroke classes keep strokes, turns, and endurance sharp.
• Frame it as a fit check. EVO notes that Rio places swimmers based on skill rather than performance under pressure, so there is no audition to cram for.
• Ask questions on the call. Coaches can tell you which skills to focus on for the group your child is aiming for.

Start Preparing This Winter in Gilbert and Mesa

Book a free Rio evaluation by calling 480-404-6191, or if your child needs more time to build strokes and turns first, join us today and browse Advanced Stroke class times.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the Advanced Stroke class cost?

Advanced Stroke is $114/month for one 60-minute class per week. EVO's annual registration fee of $35 per child or $45 per family also applies.

Can my child go straight from Sea Lion or Porpoise to the team?

Rio's entry-level Advanced Stroke Group accepts swimmers who have graduated from EVO's stroke lesson program or can perform the basics of all four strokes. Children typically take EVO's Advanced Stroke class after Dolphin, and the free evaluation confirms the right placement.

Does my child need to dive to join the team?

Not to start. Starts appear as a benchmark for Rio's Development 2 group, not its entry group. USA Swimming rules also allow in-water starts, with at least one hand in contact with the wall or starting platform.

Will my child have to compete in meets?

For Rio's development groups, meet attendance is strongly encouraged but not mandatory. A team cap and team suit are only required for swimmers who plan to compete.

What is the 15-meter underwater rule?

Under USA Swimming rules, freestyle, backstroke, and butterfly swimmers can stay underwater for no more than 15 meters (16.4 yards) after the start and after each turn.