Swimming — Page 2 — Greater Joliet Area YMCA

Make a Splash at the YMCA: 2026 Winter Swim Lesson Sale

January 15, 2026

The Greater Joliet Area YMCA is excited to announce a Winter Swim Lesson Sale!

Save $7 when you register for Winter 2 swim lessons from January 19-26.

Offer valid at any Greater Joliet Area YMCA location. Open to Facility Members and Community Members. Some restrictions may apply.

Use promo code: SWIMWI26 when registering online. You can also call your local branch to reserve your time slot:

C.W. Avery Family YMCA
15120 Wallin Drive
Plainfield, IL 60544
(815) 267-8600

Galowich Family YMCA
749 Houbolt Road
Joliet, IL 60431
(815) 744-3939

Morris Hospital YMCA
2200 West Dupont Avenue
Morris, IL 60450
(815) 513-8080

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Masters Swim Team Members Conquer River, Lake, and Pool

October 9, 2025

Pictured left to right: Kathleen Marshall, Karen Spangler, Christa Jameson, Coach Marcie Ryan Curran, Ramiro Guzman, Pris Copple, and Coach Jen Hazard.

The C.W. Avery Family YMCA would like to give a shoutout to members of the Masters Swim Team who represented the Y at indoor and outdoor competitions throughout Illinois in September.

On September 6, Y swimmers Kathleen Marshall, Karen Spangler, Christa Jameson, Ramiro Guzman, and coaches Marcie Ryan Curran and Jen Hazard participated in the Big Shoulders 5K and 2.5 K Open Water Swim in Lake Michigan in Chicago. Morris Hospital YMCA member Pris Copple also participated as a member of the Joliet Park District’s Blue Tides team.

Another highlight from the Wind City came when Ryan Goble finished second in the men’s mile during a historic Chicago River Swim on September 21. The event, made possible thanks to environmental restoration efforts, marked the first time in a century that a swim meet was held in the river.

Back in the pool, Mike Burcham and Laurie Biskie took part in the Illinois Senior Olympics on September 20 in Springfield. During the meet, Burcham broke an age-group record for the 200 individual medley that had stood since 1992.

We are so proud of our masters swimmers, and we wish them the best as they continue their fall season!

Do you have an interest in swimming? Join the YMCA’s Masters Swim Team! Open to Y members, the team is designed for avid swimmers and triathletes (ages 18 and over) who are looking to improve their swimming endurance and technique in a team environment. Workouts focus primarily on the four competitive strokes: butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle.

Practices are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5 a.m.-6 a.m. and 6:15 a.m.-7:15 a.m., as well as Sundays from 7 a.m.-8 a.m. Swim Club members who choose to compete in meets can do so in one of 12 different age groups.

If you are interested in joining the team, stop by a practice to meet with coach Marcie Ryan Curran or coach Jen Hazard, or contact the Y at (815) 267-8600.

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Goggle Up: Van Walker’s Y Story

July 25, 2025

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.

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Make a Splash with Summer Swim Lessons at the YMCA

June 25, 2025

At the Y, we know enjoying time in the pool is a fun way for kids and families to beat the summer heat. But in order to make a splash, cool off, and enjoy the best moments of summer, we also know that safety comes first. As the nation’s leading swim lesson instructor, the YMCA is proud to offer a wide range of swim lessons to help members of all ages stay fit, healthy, and strong when they spend time in and around the water. Most importantly, YMCA swim lessons will help you gain confidence and learn vital water safety skills that will last a lifetime.

To learn more about summer swim lessons, view the program guide of your local Y branch by clicking below

We also encourage you to use our Swim Lesson Selector to quickly identify your child’s swim stage. For a full description of our swim lesson stages, click here.

And don’t forget, early bird rates for our Summer 2 session are available through Monday, June 30. Don’t miss your chance to save!

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Stories from the JETS: Alyssa Vallejo

June 13, 2025

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

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