Is swimming a team or individual sport?

Question

My coach constantly tells the team the it is a team sport but a former Olympian told me that it is very much an individual sport.

Answer 1

Your coach is trying to inspire you to greater things. It's not like he/she can realistically stand in front of you and say, "You're all in it for yourselves! No one can help you! No one else cares!"



Realistically, swimming is a team sport in only limited respects. High school and college teams are typically limited on the number of entrants per event. For the "good of the team" you might not get to swim the events you prefer. And obviously relays can only be entered by a team.



Your team might cheer for you, but ultimately, you are in the water all by yourself. Yet, in spite of this, I think I understand what your coach is saying. I've swum on both loosely associated clubs and tightly-knit teams. I can assure you that swimming on a TEAM is more thrilling and satisfying. Try to understand what your coach is trying to tell you -- it can make your experience much more worthwhile.

Answer 2

Both are right. Sychronized swimming is a team sport. There's also relays, but then there are individual events like the butterfly.

Answer 3

It is very like an individual sport, but it can be considered team sport because of team spirit/relays.

Answer 4

well it's a bit of both you are all on a team because you work toegether during training and keep each other focused but when you dive into that pool the reality is it's all on eyes on you, there is a transition that occurs , while in training you guys are a team and you train as a team, at a meet it's a one person show.

Answer 5

it all depends on how you look at it...if you have a competitive swim team, and there are a lot of close meets, then if two people dont hit theyre normal times, the whole team could go down...but if you dont have a competitive swim team, its all about the time...its personal opinion

Answer 6

My coach always says swimmers are "naturally selfish people" haha because we basically swim for ourselves. I mean obviously when you swim, you swim by yourself.



But when it comes to highschool/college, or some more serious swim clubs... each one of your swims count towards the team score.



Basically it's both.

Answer 7

i think it is a team because u earn points for the whole team not just ur self

Answer 8

it can be both.