Perfect 50 Free Challenge Recap

Lou Petto

🌟 Perfect 50 Free Challenge Recap

Building Strong Skills for Long-Term Success

This weekend’s Perfect 50 Free Challenge at our team Time Trial was more than just a test of speed—it was a showcase of skill, focus, and fundamentals. Every swimmer who raced the 50 Freestyle was evaluated on a 10-point technical checklist, created to help athletes master the key elements that lead to long-term success in the pool.

Rather than emphasizing times, the goal of this challenge was to celebrate great technique and body control, helping swimmers understand that true speed comes from how well they execute each part of their race.

These skills form the foundation for efficient, powerful swimming—from beginner athletes learning proper breathing patterns to advanced swimmers chasing personal bests. By focusing on these fundamentals now, our Stingrays are building habits that will support faster, smarter racing all season long.

🏁 The Perfect 50 Free Checklist

Each swimmer earned up to 10 points by demonstrating the following skills with precision and control:

  1. Strong, clean dive

  2. Tight streamline off the start

  3. Three strokes before the first breath

  4. Breathing every three strokes on the first 25

  5. Smooth, controlled flip turn

  6. Streamline off the wall

  7. Two strokes before first breath off the wall

  8. Breathing every three strokes on the second 25

  9. No breath from the flags to the wall

  10. Fingertip finish ~6 inches below the surface

🏆 Congratulations to Our Perfect 10 Swimmers

These swimmers demonstrated excellence in every area, earning a Perfect 10 on the checklist! Each athlete will receive a special edition Perfect 50 T-shirt in recognition of their achievement. Shirts will be ordered this week and distributed soon—stay tuned!

Perfect 10 Swimmers:
Jonas Andermann Pellegrini
Aria Anlauf
Olivia Bairros
Aaliyah Bermudez
William Bradley
Sophie Cain
Nora Carlsruh
Brooks Carlsruh
Collin Casey
Adaline Chanin
William Clarke
Mina Cohn
Shane Corcoran
Aarav Daw
Kalyani Deshpande
Utkarsh Deshpande
Jack Frank
Alyssa Giovannis
Jonathan Harvey
Zachary Hason
James Haven
Amelia Higgins
Miles Knickerbocker
Emma Koziol
Charlotte Kudenchak
Lucas Levin
Benjamin Najem
Saitanish Patange
Liv Piazza
Devin Sanford
Ian Smith
Vishakh Srinivasan
Ella Taffera
Dawson Vogel
Fearne Wheadon
Chloe Zolovick
Kaylee Zolovick

💬 Why It Matters

The Perfect 50 Challenge teaches our swimmers that racing isn’t only about reaching the wall first—it’s about how well you move through the water. Focusing on great dives, smart breathing, and strong finishes creates swimmers who are efficient, confident, and ready to excel at every distance.

At the HCY Stingrays, we believe the best way to build champions is to build great habits. By mastering the fundamentals, our athletes are preparing for success not just this season, but for years to come.

Fast swimming starts with smart swimming—and the Stingrays are leading the way. đŸ’Ș🐟