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

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’re proud to spotlight Kristin Orban – a JETS alum, devoted YMCA volunteer, and generous supporter – whose experience with the team began when she was just nine years old.

“I started swimming with the JETS because I had completed all the swim lesson levels at the Y and that was the next logical step. My swim instructor said I had natural talent so I should try out for the swim team. That led to a 15+ year career as a competitive swimmer,” she said.

Kristin said the highlight of each season was competing at the Summer Classic.

“It was a big attraction. It was a huge meet in the summer and a lot of teams would come,” she said. “We were a very strong team and seeing everyone doing well in the pool was really fun. It was our big meet and we dominated.”

But the lasting memories went well beyond earning medals and topping podiums. 

“The friendships you acquire are really important,” Kristin said. “I loved the sport because of who I was swimming with. I’m still friends with everyone that I swam with on the JETS. We were a family unit. We spent a ton of time together all year long, and it wasn’t just at swim meets and practices.”

Kristin credited the passion and dedication of the JETS coaching staff and parent volunteers for the longevity of the Summer Classic and the amazing impact the team has had on thousands of young athletes over the years. 

“The commitment all of the parents and coaches have had to keep the program running successfully has continued to be passed on with each generation. There is a true community built within the swim team. Everyone is always there for everybody else,” she said.

Even though her days of competitive swimming are behind her, Kristin and her family continue to support the Y through contributions to the Mission Strong Fund, which helps to ensure nobody is turned away from the Y due to the inability to pay. 

“When my father passed away, my mother helped start an endowment intended to help kids in the JETS program,” Kristin said. “To be able to help those families, to help the children, to be part of the mission, that’s why I’m so committed to the Y. Our programs are there to build better families.”

A longtime YMCA volunteer, Kristin serves on the Gala and Golf committees and recently joined the advisory council for the new Village of Shorewood YMCA, which is scheduled to open in Spring 2026. She credits her commitment to community service to the principles instilled in her during her time with the JETS.

“The JETS built up my character at a very impressionable age. Dedication, determination, discipline, those are all very important attributes that you need in your life. I truly believe that if it wasn’t for the time I spent with the JETS, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” she said. 

The Y would like to thank Kristin for all of her contributions to the YMCA and 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

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 Lee Rakoski. Lee, a former JETS parent, longtime Friends of Swimming volunteer, and YMCA supporter, says his connection to the program dates back to 1977 when his oldest daughter started swimming.

“My wife and I were newbies. There were other parents whose kids had been swimming for some time. But my daughter took to water like a fish to the sea so we wanted to make sure we had her back the whole time,” he said. 

Lee first got involved with Friends of Swimming, a volunteer group responsible for transporting and operating the electronic timing system used at meets, because of a fortuitous set of skills. 

“I taught with electronics so I felt comfortable making any fixes if needed. Every once in a while, I’d get the alert ‘Hey we heard a bad beep’ or ‘We didn’t get a touch on that pad’ and I was the repairman for it,” he said. 

Lee said serving as a parent volunteer at events like the Summer Classic was sometimes hard, but always rewarding.

“I jokingly say misery loves company. It would get extremely hot at Inwood on that Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in June. But everybody worked together. Any time you needed help you could find a volunteer. The parents weren’t afraid to help out to make the meet run smoothly,” he said. 

Lee also said the meet didn’t pass up on any opportunities to make an impression. 

“First of all, you have to have teams willing to come. And in order to have teams willing to come, the coaches have to have respect for everything in the operation. We always said the quickest way to a coach’s heart was through their stomach. The parents were always good about putting on a hospitality room with food. We were never short on teams,” he said. 

And fun JETS experiences weren’t limited to the Summer Classic.

“There are so many good memories. Everything sticks with you. It’s not just a hit or miss thing. But I do remember when the team went down to Y nationals in Ft. Lauderdale. My daughters won a couple events and there was another swimmer that was seeded something like 60th in an event and she ended up winning it,” he said. 

Lee credits the teamwork displayed from all leaders in the program for the continued success of the JETS.

“We had a great relationship with the coaches. We recognized how good they were and they always recognized the help they were getting,” he said. 

The Y would like to thank Lee 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

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’re proud to spotlight Jeff Rubocki—a former JETS parent and a standout alum. Jeff recalls some of his earliest childhood memories being connected to his time with the program.

“I started swimming with the JETS when I was five years old at the downtown Joliet YMCA and I continued all the way through college. It was a great experience for me and I made a lot of friends. My family made friends as well,” he said. 

Jeff said swimming with the JETS gave him a positive outlet for competition, with the Summer Classic at the forefront of many of his best moments in the pool. 

“When I was very young, the meet was at Inwood and outside. It was the biggest meet for the JETS to put on, and I remember the huge number of swimmers that would come in from around the area to compete,” he said. “If you won your heat, you’d win a six pack of Dr. Pepper and the trophies would have little cans of Dr. Pepper with a swimmer on top. For a young kid, it was a great incentive to go out and compete.”

Jeff said his parents also served as volunteers for the meet, and that he gained further appreciation for all the work that goes into making the event possible when he started volunteering while his own children competed with the JETS. 

“I remember my mom putting together the physical heat and lane cards on paper. It was a ton of work. Even as the meet has progressed with modern technology, there’s still a lot to be done. It’s not until you go through that experience yourself that you realize how many sacrifices are made,” Jeff said. “It’s a lot of work but it’s worth it all. You take a lot of pride in it. You want to keep it going.”

Beyond volunteering, Jeff and his wife Cheri have played a role in the lasting impact of the JETS as donors to the YMCA Mission Strong Fund, which helps to ensure nobody is turned away from Y programs due to the inability to pay. 

“As you grow older and gain perspective on things, you realize how important it is to give back if you’re able to. That’s why my wife and I support the Y,” he said. “I think the Y has a great reputation of giving kids opportunities that they wouldn’t otherwise have and we see what it does for kids in the community. You want them to be involved in things that help them develop critical skills like communicating with others, feeling part of a team, and that’s what Y programs like the JETS do.”

As he reflects on the future of the JETS and the Summer Classic, Jeff believes that the sense of community continues to make the difference. 

“The longevity of the event speaks for itself. It’s helped out so many kids and families in different ways that folks who remain around the area understand they can play a role in helping it continue to develop,” he said. 

The Y would like to thank Jeff for all his contributions to the YMCA and 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