Worthington Stingrays Swim Team

Building confident swimmers, strong teammates, and a lifelong love of the water.

The Worthington Area YMCA is Home to the Stingrays!

This youth team supports more than 60 young athletes. We compete against teams from all over the state of Minnesota and some from Iowa. Swimmers must compete in 3 meets over the season in order to qualify to participate in the sectional meet hosted annually by a team within our section. After which, if they qualify, they may move on to compete at the Minnesota YMCA State Swim Meet hosted at the University of Minnesota.

Requirements

Ages 5–18. YMCA membership required. Swimmers must swim 25 yards (8 & under) or 50 yards (9 & up) freestyle and backstroke, understand breaststroke and butterfly, and perform a forward dive. Stroke mastery not required.

Swim Season

The swim season begins in October and runs through February. If swimmers make regional time, they would continue practice until March.

Practice Times

Practices are split by ages and are held on Monday and Thursday evenings starting at 6:00pm and Tuesdays from 4:00-6:00pm.

Meet Schedule

We host 3–4 home and 3–4 away Saturday meets. Swimmers must attend 3 meets to qualify for Sections, with opportunities to advance to State and MYAS Regionals.

Team Handbook

Attendance Policy

There is no strict attendance policy-your swimmer can put as much or as little time into practice as works for your schedule. Of course, attending regularly helps swimmers improve, but we understand life gets busy!

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Stingray Google Calendar

Stay up to date with all Stingrays events using our Google Calendar. You’ll find practice schedules, meet dates, team events, and important deadlines all in one place. We recommend adding it to your personal calendar so you never miss an update. Check back regularly, as details may be updated throughout the season.

FAQ Headline

No. First-year swimmers receive a free Stingray cap during their first season, and additional or replacement caps can be purchased if desired. Some meets may require swimmers to wear plain caps or those with only the team logo. Team suits are optional, but many families choose to purchase one for a unified team look. If you’d like to order suits, gear, or other equipment, SwimOutlet has an option to support the Stingrays when you shop through our team store.

Essentials:

  • Goggles
  • Swimsuit (one-piece suits for girls; jammers are preferred for boys, though trunks are fine too)
  • Swim cap (recommended for swimmers with long hair)
  • Towel
  • Water bottle
  • Bag to carry all swim gear to and from practice

Nice-to-Haves:

  • Extra pair of goggles (in case one breaks)
  • Extra swim cap
  • Toiletry items if showering right after practice
  • Dry clothes for after practice

No, makeup practices are not offered. All Stingray members are Y members and may attend lap swim sessions, following YMCA supervision rules:

  • Ages 5 – 9: A parent/guardian must stay in the facility and supervise their child at all times
  • Ages 10 and up: Swimmers may be in the facility without a parent/guardian

Note: Lifeguards and aquatics staff are not there to babysit. Lap swim is intended as active participation in laps or water exercise.

Swimmers should sign up for meet events by 8:00 PM on the Monday before each meet. Signups can be done at practice or online through a Google Form, with coach assistance if needed. Signups open the Thursday before the meet.

Coaches create relays based on who is attending, and every swimmer will be in at least one relay. Swimmers may sign up for up to three individual events.

Families are asked to help at home meets in roles like timers, stroke & turn judges, starters, admin, and concessions. Each family should volunteer at least 2 home meets per season, with extra help needed if Worthington hosts Sectionals. Home meets are a key fundraiser, and your support helps grow the program.

Parents are also asked to donate concession items, including cash contributions, drinks (pop, water, Gatorade), and food (hot dogs, fruit, baked goods, snacks, walking taco toppings).

Parents must supervise their children when they are not on the pool deck, as coaches are busy running the meet. If volunteering, please arrange supervision by coordinating with another adult or family, or by scheduling shifts.

Setup before and cleanup after meets are a shared team responsibility.