Gliders Tryout:
what to know
How the Gliders Tryout Works
Once your child has collected every sticker in their progression book, they can start preparing for the tryout.
Your child's instructor will let you know when the 2-week review period begins. During these lessons, they'll reinforce and polish every skill your swimmer needs for the tryout.
At the end of the review, the instructor updates your child's Skill Tree in the Swimstr app and marks them "Ready for Gliders Tryout." Your swimmer will also receive their "Ready to Tryout" sticker, which means it's time to schedule a tryout!
Once your instructor gives the green light, stop by or call the front desk to book your swimmer's tryout.
The tryout is run by a designated evaluator rather than your child's regular instructor. This gives every swimmer a fair, consistent assessment.
Your swimmer moves up to Gliders and starts working with coaches on the pool deck.
The evaluator will add feedback and areas to work on to your child's Swimstr account. Their instructor will focus on those skills in upcoming lessons, and your swimmer can retake the tryout when they're ready.
What it demonstrates
Readiness to move from in-water support to pool-deck coaching.
When it happens
Whenever your instructor recommends it; every swimmer moves at their own pace.
How to get ready
Join a Tryout Prep Clinic to practice and build confidence beforehand.
What's Next After Freestylers?
FAQ
Your child's instructor will let you know. Once your swimmer has earned every sticker in their progression book, they'll start a 2-week skill review to prepare, then earn their "Ready to Tryout" sticker.
After the 2-week review period, your instructor will mark your child "Ready for Gliders Tryout" in the Swimstr app. Once you get the green light, stop by or call the front desk to book the tryout.
Tryouts are run by a designated evaluator rather than your child's regular instructor. This gives every swimmer a fair, consistent assessment.
That's completely okay, and it's part of the process. The evaluator will add feedback and areas to work on to your child's Swimstr account. Their instructor will focus on those skills in upcoming lessons, and your swimmer can retake the tryout when they're ready.
Gliders is the first level of our Stroke Development program. Instead of teaching in the water, instructors coach from the pool deck. This helps swimmers build independence and refine their technique as they work toward Flyers and, eventually, Pre-Team.
Ready to see the full path or get tryout-ready?
