The Trail Stingrays Swim Club is back in the water and inviting local swimmers to come join the fun.
The club is in full spring-recruiting mode this April encouraging club members to bring a friend to the pool for the upcoming season.
“Everyone is welcome, we’d just like grow our numbers in all age groups,” says Stingray coach Samme Beatson.
Anyone over six can join the club, the only prerequisite is the ability to swim a length of the pool. The club starts its season in earnest May, 1 and this year, with the addition of a co-coach, promises to be twice as competitive and twice as fun as last season.
“I’m really excited, this summer there is going to be a new co-head coach working with me, Amanda Macasso, so I’m pretty excited about that because with two head coaches I feel like we can do a lot more with the club,” said Beatson. “I feel like it’s going to shape up to be another great season.”
Macasso is returning to Trail coach her old swim team after completing University.
A highlight of the Stingray experience is joining the team as it travels to various cities for swim meets throughout the swim season, culminating, for some, in the provincial meet in Vancouver.
The Stingrays also enjoy a history of excellence, winning five of six swim meets in 2012 including a fourth straight regional championship.
“This year we’re mostly focused on growing our club’s numbers and having fun, but I know we still have a great group of kids who are very motivated to be good swimmers, and I have faith in our coaching staff this year, so I think we’ll still be at the top,” said Beatson.
Training intensifies as the summer progresses but coaches keep the swimming sessions interesting with skills instruction and drills, stroke training, diving and flip turns and include outdoor activities combined with dry land training sessions throughout the summer.
The Stingrays swim three days per week in May, then ramps it up to five days per week from June to August, but the club is flexible.
“If someone has other commitments they can choose to do just one or two practices per week or however many they want.”
Making new friends while doing something that is both fun, interesting, and healthy is a great way to spend the summer. On Apr. 29 the Stingrays will hold a barbecue/registration night from 5-8 p.m. at the Trail Aquatic Centre.
Learn more about the Trail Stingrays by visiting their new website at www.stingrays.ca.