The Winterfest Invitational Meet January 16-18, 2026
Winterfest is a 3-day, invitational meet hosted by SPY and held each January at the Eppley Recreation Center at the University of Maryland, College Park. The meet was held for the first time in 2000. By 2013, SPY was hosting more than 1700 swimmers from 46 different teams, hailing from Maine to Florida and as far away as Illinois.
On Saturday and Sunday, there are preliminary and final events, with finals being held each evening. In a competition like Winterfest, the coaches' motto is "night time is the right time"- and Winterfest provides top swimmers the opportunity for a "Swim off" battle with competitors of equal caliber.
Winterfest is one of the largest YMCA age-group meets in the country and is both a USA- approved meet and a YMCA-Sanctioned Championship meet. Winterfest has developed a reputation as a fun, fast, competitive, professional event held in a world-class setting.
For our younger SPY swimmers, it gives them a chance to participate in an elite competition with some of the country's top swimmers in their age bracket- an opportunity that they wouldn't otherwise get. For other teams, Winterfest provides their athletes with experience in a "fast" pool with a high level of competition, allowing their swimmers a good opportunity to make important cuts before championship season.
Team Awards are given for Top 3 Team Scores
We hope to see you in January!
- For general questions about Winterfest, please contact [email protected]
- For specific questions, please contact SPY Head Coach Crystee Ballard at [email protected]
Important Links:
Programs:
T-SHIRTS & SWEATSHIRTS will be available for purchase at meet.
Meet Notice: HERE
Meet Files: HERE
Meet Results (pdf): HERE
Meet Results File: HERE
Meet Back-up: HERE
Team Scores: HERE
Emails to Coaches:
SwimCloud Entry Page: HERE
SwimCloud Entry Warning Messages: IGNORE. All compliance checks will be done by downloading entries from SwCl, importing into Meet Manager and running reports.
Qualifying Times: HERE
Officials Link: HERE
Officials Contact: [email protected]
Timer Requests:
Timer Instructions: (Please report to volunteer check-in ~ 45 minutes prior to session start.)
Volunteer Check-in (map):
Parking: HERE
UMD Parking Map: Here
Parking Map During UMD Basket Ball Games: HERE
Session Time Line: HERE
Psych Sheets: HERE
Coaching Information:
Warm Up Schedule: Morning - 6:30AM Afternoon - HERE
Seating Information: Spectators are allowed.
Weather Statement:
Results:
Final Team Scores:
Emily Schindler Memorial Winterfest Scholarship
Emily Schindler spent most of her life in the water. Joining the Severna Park YMCA (SPY) when she was 9 years old, she always put friendship above the competition of the sport. Emily exemplified team spirit as a swimmer on the team for 9 years. Always encouraging others to remain positive, Emily brought a smile to everyone around her.
On a snow-covered road in Garrett County Maryland in January 2004, Emily was killed in a car accident. Emily was a freshman at Frostburg State University at the time of her death.
Winterfest has special significance to Emily’s family. At the inaugural Winterfest Meet in 2003 Emily gave the devotional at the start of finals that she had written. Her devotional was read at her funeral a year later. She wrote about her coaches seeing something in her that her times didn’t show, how swimming had been her greatest adventure and that real success only comes in finding a place in heaven.
Three weeks before Emily’s accident she attended Winterfest 2004. She was there as a volunteer timer and to cheer on her brother and her former teammates. The Schindler family is honoring Emily’s memory with a scholarship to a participant from a visiting team at Winterfest
Scholarship Rules
- The scholarship amount will be $500, awarded to a graduating Senior.
- Members of SPY swimming are not eligible.
- The swimmer must be swimming at Winterfest, unless an injury precludes attending after entries have already been submitted.
- Applications must be received by January 1, 2026.
- Applications will be evaluated by representatives of the Schindler family.
- Questions regarding the scholarship application process can be directed to the Schindler family at [email protected]
