Jim Montgomery Swim School · Dallas, TX · Summer Swim Team · Rec League
"We never let endurance be an excuse to abandon form. Both matter — and both are teachable at every level."
If you've been on the fence about signing your child up for a summer swim team we understand the hesitation. The word "team" can carry a lot of weight — images of stopwatches, competitive rankings, and kids who seem to have been born in the water. But here at Jim Montgomery Swim School, we've built our summer swim program around one simple belief: every swimmer deserves to feel capable, encouraged, and genuinely excited to get in the pool.
Our summer rec league swim team is exactly that — a recreational program designed to build confidence, sharpen technique, and make summer mornings something your child actually looks forward to. No pressure. No shame. Just growth.
2026 SUMMER SWIM TEAM — QUICK DETAILS
Season: Memorial Day – June 26, 2026
Practice Days: Tuesday – Friday
Practice Time: 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Meet Days & Time: Mondays in June at approximately 4pm warm-up and 5/5:30 start time PM
League Type: Recreational League
Practice Length: One focused hour.
Championship Meet: Wednesday June 24th early morning.
What Does a JMSS Summer Practice Actually Look Like?
Every practice at Jim Montgomery Swim School — whether on our year-round team or our summer rec swim team — is one focused hour. That's not an accident. We've designed it that way because we believe in quality over quantity. In that hour, our coaches guide swimmers through purposeful sets that build cardiovascular endurance while reinforcing proper stroke technique. These two things go hand in hand, and we never sacrifice one for the other.
One of the things that most distinguishes our program from other Dallas youth swim teams is what happens when we notice a swimmer's technique starting to slip. Rather than pushing through and letting bad habits take hold, our coaches pause, identify the regression, and reinforce the correct movement — with patience and clarity. We talk through why good form matters, not just for today's practice, but for the long-term health and longevity of each swimmer's relationship with the sport. A swimmer who understands the "why" behind their technique is a swimmer who keeps improving for years to come.
The Four Pillars of Our Summer Swim Program
Endurance, Built Gradually We meet swimmers where they are. Building stamina takes time, and every child's timeline looks different — and that's completely okay with us.
Technique First, Always From beginner to advanced, we monitor form at every level and step in when we see technique slipping — with kindness and clear explanation.
Pushed With Love We expect effort and heart. But we celebrate each swimmer's progress on their own terms — not compared to the kid in the next lane.
Growth In and Out of the Pool We believe that being part of a swim team builds character and self-belief. Watching our swimmers grow as people is just as meaningful as watching them go faster.
No Two Swimmers Are the Same — And We Mean It
Here's something we say to our swimmers and their families all the time: no two swimmers are the same. Some kids take to the water immediately. Others need a season or two before something clicks. Some will build endurance quickly; others will need more time — and that time is not wasted time. Our coaches are there every step of the way to guide, support, and celebrate each individual swimmer so that they leave every practice feeling accomplished.
We don't measure success by how fast your child swims compared to someone else. We measure it by whether they're working hard, trying their best, and moving in the right direction. As long as the effort is there, we will never stop working with your swimmer to help them improve.
The Why Behind Our Program: A Personal Story
When I was in elementary school, I joined a swim team. I was excited, I was eager — and I was not as fast as many of the kids in my lane. Rather than encouragement, I received the instruction to swim faster if I didn't want to get lapped. My coaches couldn't understand why I struggled and there was no direction or any type of encouragement to push me in the right direction. The criticism I was given became my internal monologue. I began to believe I would never be a good swimmer, and that belief robbed me of the joy I could have had in a sport I genuinely loved. I truly believed I would never get better and I did not see any way to catch up.
I was placed into a faster lane solely because my dad was an Olympic swimmer and was extremely fast in his events. While I understand genetics can kick in it was not a situation that any young swimmer would like to find themselves in - we should build our athletes up and not place unrealistic expectations on them. The pressure I felt was immense and when I finally convinced my parents I did not want to go back I felt such relief. As an adult, I look back and know that that experience helped me become the coach I am today but I do often wonder would I have loved swimming through high school if things had been different?
That experience never left me. And it became the entire reason our program was developed to be encouraging while pushing our students to learn and grow as swimmers. I wanted to create the environment I wish I'd had as a young athlete — one where hard work is expected but shame has no place, where a coach's voice in your head sounds like encouragement, and where swimming builds you up rather than tears you down.
That is our promise to every swimmer who joins our team: we push with love. We will challenge you, hold you accountable, and ask for your very best — and we will do all of it while making sure you know that you belong here.
What to Expect at a Monday Evening Meet
Monday evenings are meet nights — and they're one of our favorite parts of the summer season. Meets typically begin around 5/5:30 PM and give swimmers a chance to apply everything they've been working on in practice within a real competitive setting. For many kids, their first meet is nerve-wracking — and that's completely normal. What we've found, season after season, is that the nerves almost always transform into pride by the time they touch the wall. There's nothing quite like finishing a race knowing you gave it everything you had.
Meets also carry incredible energy. Teammates cheer for each other, families connect on the pool deck, and the league atmosphere is genuinely fun and community-focused — exactly the right environment for young swimmers to experience competition for the first time without it feeling overwhelming.
Is This the Right Program for My Child?
Our summer swim team is a wonderful fit for:
If your child can swim 25 yards of freestyle or has passed Swordfish 1 and wants to be part of a team that will challenge them and cheer for them in equal measure, we would love to have them. If you're unsure whether they're quite ready, reach out — we're happy to talk it through and help you find the best fit.
Join the JMSS Summer Swim Team in Dallas This Season
Our 2026 summer swim season runs from Memorial Day through June 26th, with Tuesday through Friday morning practices from 9:00 to 10:00 AM and Monday evening meets starting around 5:30 PM. Spots are limited, and we'd love to save one for your swimmer.
At Jim Montgomery Swim School, we believe every child who gets in the water and gives their best deserves a coach who sees them, supports them, and sends them home proud. That's the standard we hold ourselves to — every practice, every meet, every season.
Come see what swimming looks like when it's built on love for the sport and love for the swimmer. We can't wait to meet your family.
Sincerely,
Coach Ellis
Contact us today to sign up or learn more
*Not able to commit to the schedule for the summer swim team? We also offer a year-round program for our Swordfish 3 and above students.
