Monday, July 19, 2021

JH Stingrays 2021-2022 Swim Year!

Thanks for your interest in the JH Stingrays.  Below is some information about the upcoming year.

First, assuming the Rec Center gives us sufficient lanes and times, we are hoping to be able to open registration in mid-August for all returning swimmers from the 2020-2021 season.  We anticipate opening registration to new swimmers shortly thereafter.  Practice for the 2021-2022 swim year begins August 30!  Please be sure to check back in August for the registration link if you are a new swimmer, and put your email into the box on the right for notification of blog posts.

Second, there will be 5 practice levels for next year, and the coaches are working on criteria and skills to be mastered at each level.  If your swimmer swam in 2020-2021, your swimmer will likely start in the same practice group as last season, unless the coaches decide to invite swimmers to move between levels.  New swimmers will be asked to attend a 20 minute skills assessment during the week prior to the start of swim practice so that they can be placed in the appropriate level. 

In general, practice times will start at 5:45 or 6:00 pm in the fall, but please note that the start time for practice remains subject to the high school girls’ fall schedule and will likely change throughout the year (although we will do our best to minimize changes).  Below are the practice days based on level, and the monthly costs.

  • Level 1 – T/Th – (1 hour) - $140/month
  • Level 2 – T/Th – (1 hour) - $140/month
  • Level 3 – M/W/F – (1 hour) - $150/month
  • Level 4 – M/T/W/Th/F (3-5 days per week, 1.5 hours) - $200/month
  • Level 5 – M/T/W/Th/F (2 hours) - $250/month

Third, we will be trying something a little bit different this coming year, and rather than swimming in “sessions,” once your swimmer is signed up, your swimmer will swim continuously until you give us notice that your swimmer would like to step off the team.  Billing will be monthly, at the rates listed above.  There will be four dates over the course of the year on which swimmers can choose to leave the team, new swimmers can be added, and current swimmers can transition to a new level (September 1, December 1, April 1, June 1).  USA swimming registrations will be charged to all swimmers joining the program on September 1, and will be billed to new swimmers as they are added to the team at the transition dates.  We hope that this system will be simpler for our year-round swimmers who will not have to re-register for each new session, will allow swimmers to exit and join the team with greater ease and predictability, and will commit swimmers to long enough periods between transitions to give coaches consistency and bring swimmers to the next level. 

Fourth, all swimmers will be registered for any “home” meet, which will be billed separately, and are strongly encouraged to compete.  Expectations for attendance at away meets will be based on levels.  Levels 1 and 2 must compete at the home meets.  Level 3 is expected to compete at 4 total meets, Level 4 is expected to compete at 5 total meets, and Level 5 is expected to compete at 6 total meets over the course of the 2021-2022 swim year.   

Finally, last year we saw the addition of a Western Wyoming District meet which took the place of Wyoming Winter State due to COVID cancellation. The five western Wyoming district teams plan to continue with a District meet in the coming year, which will precede the Wyoming Winter State Championship in March 2022.  We are working together with the other teams to encourage competition and participation in all regional meets by adding a high point award.  Swimmers will earn points by competing in meets hosted by the five teams: Sublette County Swim Team (Pinedale), High Altitude Swim Club (Lyman), Sweetwater Aquatics Team (Green River), Kemmerer Swim Club (Kemmerer), and Jackson Hole Stingrays. These points will be cumulative and a high point award for boys and girls in each age division at the final District meet.

In addition to these point-earning meets, there will be additional opportunities to compete in Idaho Falls, Lander, Bozeman, and Missoula. We are working on a meet calendar for advance planning purposes, which will be posted to the blog.

We know this is a lot of information to digest, and if you have questions, please don’t hesitate to email the board at jhstingrayboard@gmail.com or Coach Craig at jhstingraycoach@gmail.com.

JHSR Board and Coaches