Manta Rays News 11.21.25

Jocelyn Paxton

Happy Friday Manta Rays!

Here’s your weekly team news!

Safe Sport Training Courses

For the 2025-2026 season, we are requiring ALL parents/guardians and ALL athletes (ages 12-17) complete the USA Safe Sport Training.

We are VERY close to achieving our Safe Sports Recognition, so please complete training and have your swimmers complete training ASAP!

These training courses are offered online on a monthly basis and last for 1 hour (7-8pm Central time) via Zoom or any time through USA Swimming University.  Once training is completed, they are valid for 18 months!

To access the training via USA Swimming University:

  • Log in to their USA Swimming parent account
  • Click Education> Safe Sport.
  • Scroll to "Parents Guide to Misconduct in Sport"> Select the training.
  • Once completed: our Club portal will be automatically updated with a record of those that have successfully completed the training.

If you or your athlete(s) attend the Zoom training our club portal will be updated manually by the Safe Sport staff that led the training, but we would appreciate it if you let us know you have attended so we can monitor our Club's portal for updated information. If you complete the training via USA Swimming University, our club portal will be automatically updated!

To register for the training via Zoom visit: https://www.usaswimming.org/safe-sport/ssrp-training-resources

Safe Sport Policy Reminders

For swimmers, locker room use at MHS will be limited to:

  • Showering prior to entering the pool.
  • Changing into or out of practice attire.
  • Use of toilet facilities.

Swimmers should come to practice in their suits & ready to swim so that locker room use is not required beyond what is listed above.

Adults should not be using or entering the locker rooms at MHS.  If you must enter the locker room to assist or check on your child briefly, please notify a coach or Parent Booster Committee member (if available). 

Also remember that we share these locker rooms with the high school teams and there is overlapping use for the first practice session.

 

Team Calendar

If you haven’t added the Manta Rays team calendar to your bookmarks or your personal calendars yet, you’re missing out! This is an easy step to make sure you don’t miss important deadlines and changes to practice locations!

Here are quick links to add the calendar:

Here’s a look at important upcoming dates:

  • Monday, November 24th: Sign Up Deadline for our next YMCA home meet on December 6th
  • Wednesday, November 26th-28th: No Practices-Thanksgiving
  • Sunday, November 30th: Sign up deadline for USA meet at BLST.
  • Thursday, December 4th: Practices at the YMCA (MHS Boys home swim meet at Carver).
  • Friday, December 5th: YMCA membership and Dual representation deadline
  • Saturday, December 6th: YMCA Home Meet at Carver

Swimmer Folders/Award Crates

Friendly reminder that after meets (home, especially), swimmer awards/ribbons are placed in their folders.  These folders are located on the window ledge at Carver. 

Most YMCA teams award ribbons by event & gender 1st-8th place overall (not by heat) and issue participation ribbons for younger swimmers only (usually 8 & under only) for events completed legally (meaning no ribbons for disqualified swimmers). Every team/meet is a little different so be sure to check folders a few days after the meets.

For swimmers 12 & younger, we ask that an adult retrieve any awards/ribbons placed in these folders.  Too many times, ribbons are left lying around or mysteriously disappear when we allow younger swimmers to dig through folders.

Swimmers 13 & over should be responsible enough to retrieve the contents of their folders.

We are not responsible for lost or misplaced ribbons/awards. If you think final placing, ribbons or other information is incorrect, please reach out to the coaching team.

 

Duck, Duck, Axolotl?

You may have heard your swimmer talking about receiving duck charms for good attendance.  Here’s what that’s all about:

At the beginning of the season (whenever that was for your swimmer), all swimmers received a bag tag with a chain. 

For each week your swimmer meets or exceeds the minimum recommended practices per week, they get to add a charm to their chain (White, Purple Junior, Purple Senior, & Gold Junior must have at least 3 per week, Gold Senior must have at least 4 per week...this will fluctuate based on the number of practices available each week).

Also, the charms will not available every day. Generally, I will bring them with me on Mondays & Wednesdays.  If we miss your kiddo because they aren’t at practice those days, don’t worry, we’re keeping a list!!  If kids miss a few weeks in a row, I will place charms in their individual folders at MHS so we don’t get too far behind!

This is our way of rewarding those with good attendance and hopefully encourages them to keep it going all season long!

If your swimmer doesn’t have their tag & chain, check their folder!

Team Apparel

With the holiday season rapidly approaching, we want to remind everyone that if Manta Rays team apparel is on your family’s wish list, team apparel must follow specific YMCA branding guidelines and should only be purchased through approved vendors.

Any apparel personalization (names on items for swimmers or parents) must follow YMCA of the USA Branding guidelines, YMCA Core Values, and USA Swimming Rules & Regulations.

Individuals are not permitted to use the Manta Rays Team Logo, Team Name, or YMCA logo/name for personal use without a sub-license agreement and written authorization on file with the team.

We have several approved vendors both locally and online.  You can find direct links to approved vendor store fronts for our team on the team website: https://www.gomotionapp.com/team/ymca-2205/page/team-apparel--gear

Check back frequently as we are adding more local vendors in the near future and may have some on site at future home swim meets!

 

Team Caps & Team Photos Updates

Caps are in the final stages of production and should be shipped in the near future.  We should have them by our next home swim meet.

Team photos are in the editing process, and we are working with the photographer to schedule make-up dates for those that missed the first opportunities.  We will post dates in Heja if they become available.  When photos are finished, you will receive an email from Mississippi Pearl Photography.

 

 

Have a wonderful weekend-Go Manta Rays!

-Jocelyn