GREATER JOLIET AREA YMCA

This weekend, the JETS Swim Team will host its annual Summer Classic Swim Meet at Lake Central High School in St. John, Indiana. In honor of the 50th Anniversary of this beloved event—formerly known as the Dr. Pepper Super Swim Meet—we’ll be sharing stories and memories from JETS swimmers, volunteers, coaches, and families.

Today, we shine the spotlight on Assistant Coach Alyssa Vallejo! Alyssa has been a member of the JETS coaching staff for the past ten years, having previously swam as a member of the team in her youth. 

“I started swimming on the team when I was nine years old. I had taken swim lessons, learning the basic strokes, then had friends that approached me and my sister about joining,” Alyssa said.

Alyssa said the very first time she swam in a competitive meet was at the Summer Classic.

“It was crazy. I’m not going to lie, I cried at first because I didn’t know what was going to happen. But, I had friends to help me along. It also helped that there were prizes for each event. I won one of my first heats so that solidified how things could be fun,” she said.

Even when results didn’t go Alyssa’s way, the meet provided memories that have stayed with her to this day.

“I remember when Dr. Pepper came out with the berries and cream flavor and it was a heat winner prize. Both me and my sister wanted to win really badly. She ended up out-touching me to the wall by .1 seconds. I was upset at first, but she shared the Dr. Pepper with me, so it all worked out,” she said. 

Alyssa continued to swim on the team through high school and also taught swim lessons in her spare time. When her college career was unexpectedly cut short, returning to the JETS as a coach became a perfect way to stay connected to the sport.

“I wanted to swim competitively in college, but I had to have surgery to remove a brain tumor. That ultimately halted my career. I felt like the best thing I could do was to teach other kids how to swim and help them have the same kind of experiences I had with the team,” she said. 

Alyssa said that coaching has offered her new perspectives on success. 

“The best part about coaching is getting to see kids improve. And, it’s not just in their swimming skills, it’s seeing the growth of their personalities and social skills. I love when they want to give back to the community,” she said. 

Alyssa believes the JETS’ program mentality is what makes the difference for swimmers. 

“When you join a team focused on the ‘team atmosphere,’ you tend to get athletes who want to stick with the sport. If I hadn’t made as many friends, I might not have stuck with it as long as I did,” she said. “Our coaches have always made it a point of emphasis to do team activities together. I made friends with all of the kids in the group and I always had people to talk to. I feel like the team is all about togetherness and promoting positive role models. It also taught me about the value of hard work. That was the message growing up and is still true to this day.”

The Y would like to thank Alyssa for her contributions to the JETS program and we wish her and the team the best of luck at this weekend’s 50th Anniversary meet! 

Click below to read more JETS stories from our #TimeLaps series.

Sunday, June 8 – Mark Broucek

Monday, June 9 – Jeff Rubocki

Tuesday, June 10 – Lee Rakoski

Wednesday, June 11 – Kristin Orban

Thursday, June 12 – Bob Baish

This weekend, the JETS Swim Team will host its annual Summer Classic Swim Meet at Lake Central High School in St. John, Indiana. In honor of the 50th Anniversary of this beloved event—formerly known as the Dr. Pepper Super Swim Meet—we’ll be sharing stories and memories from JETS swimmers, volunteers, coaches, and families.

Today, we shine the spotlight on Bob Baish. Bob is a former JETS parent and a longtime Friends of Swimming volunteer and YMCA supporter.

“It all started at the Galowich Family YMCA a little more than 30 years ago,” Bob said. “Our daughter Linsdey was starting to swim and she really had a passion for it. My wife (Jeanne) had gotten word of the JETS and soon after Lindsey tried out and made it. The rest is history.”

Bob said it was at one of his first meets as a volunteer that a fellow JETS parent, Lee Rakoski, approached him about getting a little more involved in Friends of Swimming, a volunteer-run group responsible for transporting and operating the electronic timing system used at swim meets. 

“Lee came over to me and said, “I heard you can back up a trailer.” And, I said ‘I’ve backed up a few trailers in my life.” He immediately replied, “Do you want to help us with the timing system?” And so that’s where it all began for me,” he said. 

Bob would go on to help at JETS meets like the Summer Classic for more than 25 years, while also traveling throughout the Midwest with fellow volunteers to non-JETS assignments. These trips served as a way to get more practice with the equipment, and the income generated by rental fees were reinvested back into the JETS program.

“We’d go to places like Morrison, Illinois and Madison, Wisconsin,” he said. “With the money we earned, we started being able to provide new equipment to the JETS, and we were able to provide scholarships for JETS swimmers going to college.”

Though his days as a JETS parent are behind him, Bob believes the impact of being involved with the program is still felt to this day. 

“I saw our daughter change for the better. She learned a work ethic that I don’t know if I would have been able to teach her myself. And I’m now seeing that being instilled in our granddaughter,” he said. “It also had a great impact on our family. We met a lot of good people through the JETS that became like a family to us. Everyone got along so well.”

He also noted that volunteering with the JETS will always be a great opportunity for families in the Y community. 

“The commitment you have to make as a parent is a little different than any other sport, but if you’re willing to make it, it’s definitely worth your effort,” he said. “You can just look at the amount of people it’s touched across Joliet and the surrounding areas. There’s value that money can’t buy. And you can see an amazing turnout each year on the team.”

The Y would like to thank Bob for all his contributions to the JETS program and wish the best of luck to all the swimmers and families getting ready for this weekend’s 50th Anniversary Meet!

Click below to read more JETS stories from our #TimeLaps series.

Sunday, June 8 – Mark Broucek

Monday, June 9 – Jeff Rubocki

Tuesday, June 10 – Lee Rakoski

Wednesday, June 11 – Kristin Orban