Tryouts will be from 4:00 – 6:30 p.m. each day from Tuesday, Aug. 19 through Thursday, Aug. 21 at the Montclair Swim Club (1901 Woodhaven Way in Oakland). Swimmers will be grouped by age and given a 30-minute time slot. The coaching staff expects to see the swimmers (ages 9 and over) on all three days in order to get a clear sense of swim competency and coachability, which will help with group placement. Swimmers ages 8 and under will only be expected to come for two days, Aug. 19 and Aug. 20.
PST is comprised of eight swim groups (Green, Blue, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, YRHS (year-round high school) and Titanium). For more information about the expectations of the differing groups, please refer to the PST 2025-2026 Handbook found on the website here. Please note that PST is a year-round swim team (see exception below*). This tryout is for the 2025-2026 swim season. Practices for all accepted swimmers will begin on Aug. 23, 2025.
For families joining PST in our younger groups, Green and Blue only, we realize the commitment to a competitive swim team might not be fully appreciated. As a way to support and encourage new swimmers to discover their love for swimming, PST will offer shorter terms for Green group families (12 weeks in the fall, 12 weeks in the spring, and 8 weeks in the summer). You can register for the fall session only, or choose to continue on.
The Blue group will have a 6-month trial that runs August to February. In January, Blue group swimmers and their guardian(s) will meet with their swim coach and decide if PST’s competitive swim program is the correct environment for their swimmer to thrive. Swimmers in the Blue group can opt to leave the team in February or continue on.
This family trial is only available to swimmers who are new to PST and who participate in our Blue group. Starting in year two, families are contractually liable to pay for the entire season when they register.
If your swimmer would like to try out email joinpst@piedmontswimteam.org
Please include your swimmer’s first and last name, their age/DOB and what swim experiences they have had, to date.
TRYOUT EXPECTATIONS
Swimmers age 8 and under: Tryout expectations include the ability to swim 25 yards of Freestyle (with side breath) and 25 yards of Backstroke. Legal Breaststroke and Butterfly are not required but are helpful.
Swimmers age 9-11: Tryout expectations include the ability to swim a 50 Freestyle (with side breath), a 50 Backstroke, a 25 Breaststroke (with a legal kick), and a 25 Butterfly with basic stroke mechanics.
Swimmers age 12 and older: Legal 200 IM with proper breathing mechanics. Swimmers should be able to complete the 200 IM under 5 min.
Specific information about monthly dues, volunteer expectations and the practice schedule (PST swims at three pools) can all be found within the 2025-2026 handbook on the PST website here.
If you decide to move forward with tryouts and your swimmer is accepted on to the team, there will be a 48 hour window in which to register. Please familiarize yourself with PST practices and policies prior as the turnaround time for registration will be quick.
There will likely be a waitlist and we want to extend the opportunity to those families/swimmers as soon as possible, if needed.