SHEARWATER: The East Hants Stingrays will head to Shearwater Pool on July 25 looking for strong performances in the water, but the club says one of its biggest successes has already been achieved outside the lanes.
The Stingrays will join swimmers from across Nova Scotia for the summer competition at Shearwater Pool, with warmups expected to begin around 7:30 a.m. and racing scheduled to start at approximately 8:45 a.m.
While the focus will be on fast times and personal bests, the Stingrays enter the meet reflecting on the friendships and partnerships that have helped shape the program in recent years.
A turning point came several seasons ago when flooding forced the East Hants club out of its home pool. The Colby Sailfish opened their facility to the Stingrays, allowing the team to continue training while creating friendships that remain strong today.
Now back at their own pool, the Stingrays regularly welcome Sailfish swimmers to East Hants, while many Stingrays athletes also take part in practices at Colby.
What began as an act of generosity has grown into a lasting partnership built on a shared commitment to competitive swimming.
That spirit of cooperation expanded last season when the Stingrays teamed up with the WAEG Waves to co-host a swim meet.
The event proved to be a success, bringing together athletes, coaches and families from both clubs for a day of spirited competition and community.
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The partnership returns this season, with the Stingrays and Waves once again working together to host the meet.
Club officials say the event’s success is driven not only by the swimmers, but also by the volunteers who make competition possible.
Parents from all participating clubs serve as officials, timers and meet volunteers, helping keep races running smoothly while building friendships of their own.
Those connections have become one of the defining features of the Stingrays program.
Swimmers from the Stingrays, Sailfish and Waves regularly cheer each other on, celebrate achievements and form friendships that extend well beyond race day.
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The Stingrays will bring a roster of 38 swimmers to this year’s competition under head coach Troy MacArthur, assistant coach Roslyn Tate, and junior coach Connor MacArthur.
The club’s newest swimmers compete in the Whiptail Rays group, while more experienced athletes make up the Electric Rays and the veteran Manta Rays.
As the team prepares for another busy day of racing, the Stingrays hope to add more personal bests and podium finishes to their season.
Just as importantly, they’ll continue building the relationships that have become one of the club’s greatest strengths.
