Central Bucks Swim and Dive Teams
At Central Bucks Swim and Dive, we have two teams: CBST-SAL (which includes CB Diving) and CBST USAS. Click below to learn more about the two teams and determine which team is the right one for you.
Teams Overview
Central Bucks Aquatics offers two age-group swim teams and one age-group dive team. Team participants are typically age seven through 12th grade.
Each Central Bucks School District high school has a swim and dive team available to the students in 9th-12th grade. Information about these teams should be obtained from the high school coach or school office. High school athletes often compete on their high school team as well as with CBST-USAS and/or CBST-SAL. For information about that, please email Jennifer Steinberg at jsteinberg@cbsd.org. Also see information available at this link.
CBST-SAL
CBST-SAL is part of the Suburban Aquatic League (known as the SAL) which is a dual meet league comprised of over 20 teams in the Pennsylvania suburbs of Philadelphia. Of our two Central Bucks swimming teams, CBST-SAL is typically the better fit for athletes new to or less experienced with competitive swimming. This team is designed for emergent competitive age group swimmers and provides practices appropriate for developmental swimmers (those newer to competitive swimming) and more advanced swimmers. Members of this swim team generally have practice available four weeknights, October through January or early February, at either CB South High School or CB East High School, depending on the night of the week. Dual meets, meets in which two teams compete against each other, are held on Saturdays. There are typically six or seven dual meets each season throughout the months of November, December, and January. CBST-SAL swimmers also have access to many invitational meets (meets with several teams during which swimmers compete on an individual, rather than team, basis) which are usually held on Sundays.
Central Bucks Diving
Central Bucks Diving also competes in the SAL as part of CBST-SAL. Our dive team is designed for emergent competitive age group divers and includes both brand new divers and more experienced divers. New divers are typically 7 years of age or older and must be able to independently swim to the side of the pool and climb out after each dive. Members of the dive team generally have practice available three weeknights, October through late January or early February, at CB South High School. Dual meets, meets in which two teams compete against each other, are held on Friday evenings, Saturday mid-morning/early afternoons, or (less often) on Sundays. There are typically six or seven dual meets each season throughout the months of November, December, and January. Divers in the SAL may also have access to a few invitational meets (meets with several teams during which divers compete on an individual, rather than team, basis) which are usually held on Sundays.
CBST-USAS
CBST-USAS is an age group USA Swimming team for swimmers typically age nine and over. USA Swimming is the governing body of swimming in the United States. CBST-USAS is part of the Middle Atlantic Local Swimming Committee, known as MA Swimming. MA Swimming encompasses teams in Eastern and Central Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, and Delaware. Of our two Central Bucks swimming teams, CBST-USAS is typically comprised of athletes more experienced with competitive swimming. This team is designed for both the senior level (high school) and the age group level swimmer. CBST-USAS swimmers typically have practice available five days per week (age group) or six days per week (senior group), and practices are generally at either CB South High School or CB East High School, depending on the time of the year and the night of the week. CBST-USAS attends many local and travel meets as a team. USA Swimming meets are generally not dual meets with teams competing against each other to win the meet but rather, are meets in which individual swimmers and relay teams compete for personal time improvement. CBST-USAS also offers training for college swimmers during school breaks.
Step 1: Is My Swimmer Ready For a Team?
Team swimming is appropriate for swimmers ages seven and above* who:
- can swim all four competitive strokes (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly); our less experienced team swimmers know freestyle and backstroke and have some knowledge (may be very limited depending on age) of breaststroke and butterfly
- have the endurance and attention span to practice for an hour or more (depending on age)
- are able and willing to listen to and respond to coaches’ instructions and suggestions in a team format – they must have the attention span and disposition to work cooperatively in a team practice setting (fairly high swimmer to coach ratio, independent from parent who will be off pool deck and out of locker rooms at all times)
- want to be on a swim team – swim team participation involves hard work and dedication so must be primarily swimmer (not parent) driven
*If your six-year-old swimmer meets the criteria above and would like to be on a swim team please contact Jennifer Steinberg at jsteinberg@cbsd.org to explore the possibility of participating in an evaluation to determine team readiness.
Does my child need to be fast to qualify for the team?
No, we consider a swimmer’s ability to do all four stokes more important than speed, however, swimmers need to have the endurance to complete a practice and the ability to keep up with the practice sets for their group. Increased speed will come with time.
If you are new to our teams, please consider the pre-team swim clinic.
While swimmers are not required to participate in the pre-team clinic to participate with the team, we often find (especially with the younger swimmers) that being out of the water for two months (from when their summer club team ends until our evaluations for CBST-SAL) causes them to not be evaluated as ready for the winter team. See pre-team clinic information here.
If you are interested in a swimming program but your child is not team-ready based on this information:
Please refer to the Swim Lessons and/or Clinics sections of the CB Aquatics website for other options.
Step 2: Choosing Your Team
CBST-SAL Criteria
Swimmers who are team-ready per the above information but have not previously participated on a competitive winter swim team are generally best suited to start with our SAL team as it provides an excellent introduction to the sport of competitive swimming. For many swimmers, this team remains the right level of challenge and commitment throughout their time in age-group swimming. Swimmers on this team often go on to join their high school swim teams and continue to swim in CBST-SAL meets throughout their high school years.
CBST-USAS Criteria*
- Age 9 or over
- Previous competitive winter swimming experience
- Interested in more challenging practices and competitions
- Able to swim all four competitive strokes legally
*While the SAL is highly competitive, the most serious and dedicated swimmers often choose to swim on our USAS team. Many of these swimmers also choose to participate in SAL meets through CBST-SAL.
Swimmers under 9 years of age are generally better suited for our SAL team; however, if your 8 year-old swimmer has competitive swim team experience and would like to practice with CBST-USAS – no meets available – contact Jen Steinberg at jsteinberg@cbsd.org to explore the possibility of an evaluation.
If you are unsure of which team would be a better fit for your swimmer after reading the information on this website, please contact Jennifer Steinberg at jsteinberg@cbsd.org. When doing so, be sure to include your child’s swimming background (prior team participation if any, current skills).