Morris Hospital YMCA member Cailey Walker says her son Van (age 10) has always been a swimmer.
“We’ve never been able to keep him out of the water. He’s loved to swim right from when he was a baby,” she said.
But up until last year, there was never a thought of swimming as a team activity. Cailey says that changed after Van attended a fall swim clinic hosted by the YMCA’s JETS Swim Team.
“It was wonderful. Head Coach Dave Hedden was so welcoming and invited Van to join the team,” Cailey said.
After getting a few practice sessions in, Van said he was excited to get the opportunity to swim competitively.
“I love swimming because I love being in the water and I love racing. My specialty is backstroke, but my favorite race is the 200 freestyle,” he said.
In addition to meets, Van said his favorite parts of being a JET have been participating in group activities like the annual Navy Seal Fitness Challenge, as well as the overall team atmosphere.
“The coaches are really supportive and nice, and my teammates are nice. Nicer than any other team I’ve been on,” he said.
Cailey said the welcoming nature of the program extends to the team parents.
“We have found a really wonderful community with a lot of great people that we would have probably never met otherwise. That’s what we like most about the JETS, the friends we’ve made,” she said. 
The Walkers are also looking forward to the future of the program in Morris. The team will begin training at the Morris Hospital YMCA later this fall, and Cailey said Van has already gotten additional chances to swim at the Y.
“We’ve used the lap pool a lot, especially during school breaks. During Christmas break, Van was begging to come in every day. It’s nice because I can also go for a walk on the treadmill while he’s swimming,” she said.
Van said he can’t wait to begin training with new teammates at the Morris Y.
“Whether you’re new to swimming, or if you are really good at swimming, anyone can join. Everyone is welcome,” he said.
If your child is interested in joining the JETS, a fall swim clinic is the perfect opportunity for swimmers to meet some of the coaches and learn new swim skills. Throughout the clinic, coaches will also evaluate swimmers to determine if they meet criteria to be placed on the team. Due to popular demand, a second clinic at the Morris Hospital YMCA has been added for August 4-6! Additional details can be found below.
JETS Swim Team Fall Clinic
Date: Monday, August 4-Wednesday, August 6
Time: 5-6 p.m.
Location: Morris Hospital YMCA
Cost: $25
Open to ages 6-17.
