The Stingray swim teams are making a splash in town.
The Kingfisher-based youth swim team, coached by a former Kingfisher High School and college swimmer, has moved their weekly practices to the Okarche Municipal Pool for the summer season, said pool manager Kelli Neuenschwander.
Practices will be 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays.
The team will compete at places around central Oklahoma including Yukon, Mustang, Norman and Oklahoma City.
“We’re really excited to have that opportunity to host the swim team practices during the week,” Neuenschwander said. “Our Okarche kiddos have joined the swim team.”
A meeting was Monday night, June 7 to organize the team and set the practice times.
The teams are about filled up, but there are a few more spots available, said Head Coach Leslie Alvarez. Alvarez is also a former assistant manager of the Kingfisher Aquatic Center. She is currently a law student at the University of Arkansas Little Rock and working at the Canadian County District Attorney’s office in El Reno for the summer.
Alvarez was on the Kingfisher High School swimming team from 2011 to 2015. She then swam for St. Gregory’s University in Shawnee from 2015 to 2017 before St. Gregory’s closed down. Alvarez then went to Oklahoma City University.
The Stingray teams will compete in their first swimming meet of the year in Norman Saturday, June 19 at the Westwood Family Aquatic Center.
The Okarche pool opened before the Memorial Day weekend this year at full capacity.
The Stingray teams were previously coached by the late Lori Johnson, Alvarez said. Alvarez had helped coach under Johnson, and she wanted the teams to carry on.
“I definitely wanted to keep the team going,” Alvarez said.
Alvarez said the older swimmers will practice from 6 p.m. to 7:20 p.m. and the swimmers 10 years-old and under will practice from 7:20 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Neuenschwander said the turnout this year has been bigger than ever with swimmers, despite weather setbacks. New lifeguards are Tori Spomer, Emily Neuenschwander, Emma Reherman, Tucker Neuenschwander, Jax Vallerand, Ember Black, Laura Liebl, Hannah Mueggenborg and Emma Stover.
Not pictured- Emma Stover . (Photo provided)
Rainy, cold weather has been the norm, but temperatures are expected to be in the upper 90s Thursday and Friday.
“We’ve just been dodging the weather so far and we’ve stayed open although we have had to close for rain and then reopen,” Neuenschwander said.
The Stingrays team is for ages 6-18.
For children 6 years-old to 10 years-old, the registration fee is $45.
The cost for ages 11 years-old to 18 years-old is $55.
The meets are at 7:30 a.m. on Saturdays at Edmond, Will Rogers/Oklahoma City, Mustang, Stroud, Norman and Yukon locations.
Practices are not mandatory but are recommended. The team provides swimsuits, googles, swim equipment, T-shirts.
Children do not need to have prior experience in competitive swimming but should be able to maintain themselves in the water and swim the length of the pool without assistance.
For more information call Alvarez at (405) 368-2291.
