🐟 HCY Stingrays Scoop

Welcome Back, Coach Andrew Lippitt!

We are excited to welcome Andrew Lippitt back to the Stingrays coaching staff as a volunteer assistant coach. Andrew will be supporting several groups where we currently have coverage gaps, and we’re grateful to have his experience and energy back on deck.

Andrew brings a strong background as both a former competitive swimmer and a seasoned coach, and he is looking forward to working with our athletes again — including his two daughters, who continue to swim with the team.

Please join us in welcoming Coach Andrew back to the Stingrays family!

 

Dual Meets This Weekend

We have two home dual meets this Saturday versus Jersey Shore YMCA:

• Girls Meet – Check-in at 1:45 PM
   
• Boys Meet – Check-in at 3:45 PM

We will be using an altered meet format for these duals:

• 8 & Under: Each swimmer will compete in all four 25s (Fly, Back, Breast, Free)
   
• 9/10, 11/12, and 13 & Over: Each swimmer will compete in all four 50s of stroke

Seeding: All events will be seeded by time, similar to an invitational format, rather than the traditional dual meet odd/even lane assignments.

To conclude each meet, we will run two relays:

1. 8 & Under 100 Freestyle Relay
    
2. Mixed Age 200 Freestyle Relay – one swimmer each from 9/10, 11/12, 13/14, and 15 & Over

Looking forward to a fun and fast weekend of racing!

 

Autumn Challenge – Meet Information

We are excited to host the Autumn Challenge Invitational from November 14–16 at the Perth Amboy YMCA. This is one of our three major hosted meets each year, and our team has a strong tradition of running excellent events — thank you in advance for helping us continue that standard!

We are still welcoming volunteers for all sessions. Even if online volunteer spots appear full, we can always use additional timers. For families with swimmers in the 10 & Under and 11–12 sessions, marshaling is critically important — your support in this area is greatly appreciated.

Volunteer Benefit:
If you volunteer during the meet, the team will cover your swimmer’s meet entry fees (up to $80 per swimmer).

If you have any questions or need assistance signing up to volunteer, please contact:
Jeff Cain – [email protected]

Thank you for your continued support — we can’t run great meets without our Stingray families!

 

🎯 30 Visit Challenge: Holiday Edition 

Swim Team should take full advantage of this and all get the 30 days in!!!!

Don’t let the holidays sideline your goals! Stay active and motivated during the busiest season of the year with our 30 Visit Challenge: Holiday Edition.

How It Works:

• Visit the Y 30 times in 9 weeks (November 1 – January 2) to earn fun prizes and keep your wellness routine strong.
• Just like our Summer Visit Challenge, large poster boards in the Wellness Centers let you add a sticker for each visit, creating a visual tracker to celebrate your progress together!

Dates:

• Saturday, November 1, 2025 – Friday, January 2, 2026 (9 weeks)

Registration:

• Free to join
• Members only
• No minimum age — everyone is encouraged to participate!

[REGISTER HERE]

Prizes:

• 10 Visits: RCY sticker (great for water bottles, laptops & more!) or bottled water
• 20 Visits: Protein bar or sports drink
• 30 Visits: Celebrate your success with a Y Ice Scraper or Festive Y Ornament*

*Prefer more flexibility? Choose 2 of the 10 or 20 visit prizes instead!

Prizes will be available for pick-up at the Welcome Center and recorded in Daxko upon receipt.

Stay active, have fun, and let’s make this holiday season one full of movement and celebration! 🎉

 

📱 Stay Connected with GroupMe

Join your swimmer’s GroupMe chat to stay updated. We recommend both parents and older swimmers join:

• Seniors: Join Here
• Pre Seniors: Join Here
• Junior 2: Join Here
• Junior 1: Join Here
• Little Stingrays: Join Here
   

 

🏅 Fall Meet/Event Schedule

 

🚨 Important Practice Updates – Fall 2025 🚨

Nov 8 – Dual Meets

• No practice: J1, J2, Pre-Senior
• Senior practice: 7:00–8:30 AM @ Deer Path

Nov 14 - Distance Session of Autumn Challenge

• Senior 1/Senior2 Canceled
• Junior 2/Pre-Senior - 5:30-6:15 Meet Warm up prep
• Little Stingrays - Normal Practice

Nov 15-16-17 - Autumn Challenge 

• Practices canceled for the meet along with the Monday following the meet

Nov 22 - Boys Dual Meet

• Canceled: J1, J2, Pre-Senior Boys
• Senior Boys: 7:00–8:30 AM @ Deer Path
• Girls: Normal schedule for J1, J2, Pre-Senior & Senior Girls @ Deer Path

Nov 27th - HAPPY THANKSGIVING

• The YMCA is closed for Thanksgiving - Enjoy the day with your families.

💡 Tip: Mark your calendars now! These changes affect all groups—especially during meet weeks.

 

See you on the pool deck,
Coach Lou & Coach Ruby