The annual banquet is a time when Stingray’s family – current and alumni – come together (away from the pool deck) to socialise. Once the important work of eating is complete the swimmers, volunteers and coaches are recognised.

Award categories and those recognised at the 2018 Banquet are:

Stingray’s wildly popular ‘Paper Plate’ Awards are hand designed and created by our coaches – Coach David and Coach Neil – for each for the clubs member. These awards recognise the unique qualities of each, and every, swimmer and are based on a single moment, an entire practice or multiple occasions.

The Spirit Award. There is more involved than performance in swimming. Attendance, sportsmanship, a positive attitude, compassion, work ethic at practice, team spirit and leadership combine to serve as the criteria for this award. The 2018 Spirit Award recipients are: Bronze – Marquelia Sanderson; Silver – Casey Coles; Gold – Abbey Walton; Senior – Elana Sinclair and High School Development – Abigial Codner.

The Most Improved Award. Our coaches give this award to the swimmer in each group who demonstrates the most improvement from the beginning of the swim year. This award encompasses not only improvements in times, but also training habits, attendance, attitude and a swimmer’s willingness to learn. The 2018 Most Improved Award recipients are: Bronze – Sashka Parker, Silver – Abriann Cooper, Gold – Jorian Neblett and Senior – Kyra Rabess.

Swimmer of the Year. This award recognizes the club member with the highest percentage of overall improvement in all disciplines performed throughout the year. Their beginning of the year best times are compared to their best times performed throughout that year and weighted against age group time standards. Stingray’s 2018 Swimmer of the Year is John Bodden.

Shepheard’s Cup. Coach Marie, Coach Charlotte and Peter Shepheard donated the Shepheard Cup as a legacy to their son and brother Leo, who died tragically young (19) in a car accident. With the Shepheard family’s encouragement, presenting this cup comes with an important message to our swimmers, some of whom are starting to drive, about road safety.

The Shepheard Cup this year was awarded to a swimmer who has been committed; enthusiastic and passionate about swimming, this swimmer doesn’t always place first, but does outstandingly well; he represents club and country with pride at home and overseas and is generally great to be around the pool and to have on the team. This year’s Shepheard Cup recipient is Liam Henry.

The Parent Award. Parents are the backbone of our club. They are volunteers who donate their time and talent in many meaningful ways. The volunteer who was nominated for this award has single-handedly thought up and organised past fundraisers, assisted with the organisation and running of every swim meet this year, was consulted with on the website on numerous occasions and continues to support our fundraisers by printing tickets, picking up donations, handing out tickets, and doing all the heavy lifting literally! There were many to choose from, but this year’s Parent Volunteer of the Year is Simon Gunn.

See you … we say, “See you at Christmas…” to Zachary Moore and “Little” John Bodden as they head off to school in the US for the first time, joining the other Stingray (and Cayman) swimmers who are already there.

Zachary is now at St. Andrew’s School (in Boca Raton, Florida) where he is finishing his High School education and “Little” John joins Stingray teammate Cole Morgan at McKendree University in Illinois.

And the Swimming. Stingrays’ senior swimmers started the summer with the opportunity to attend a two-week training camp at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC). Led by UNC’s Head Coach and Asst. Head Coach, and supported by Stingray’s Head Coach David Pursley – the swimmers trained hard, attended informative lectures and found a little time to go hiking and take a swim in a glacier lake!

Stingray swimmers represented Cayman, as part of the Cayman National Swim Team at CCCAN in Aruba, joined with members of Cayman’s other two swim clubs (Camana Bay Aquatic Club and Seven Mile Swimmers) to compete as Cayman Swim Clubs in two international meets; and took part in the domestic end of season Summer Meet at the Lions Aquatic Center. Stingray swimmers represented themselves, their country and their club well in all instances … and local media coverage of their successes was noted and appreciated.

The local end of season Summer Finale Meet took place for the second year and, while it can be challenging to staff in terms of volunteers – officials and parents to run the meet – swimmers, parents and coaches alike all commented on the importance of this meet in the annual swim calendar.

“It provides those swimmers who may not be in a position to travel to an overseas meet with a goal meet to train for and focus on,” said Kathy Jackson, SSC President.

“I think this meet is great. It keep the kids swimming – and training – through the summer. The physical activity is great and the ability to stay fit for the next swim season, even while enjoying the long summer holidays is just great,” said Duke Sullivan, SMS parent and CIASA Director.

Summer Finale High Points winners were: Girls 6&U Elena Kish, Darren Mew Sport & Fitness; 7-8 Riley Watson, Stingray Swim Club; 9-10 Jessica Drysdale, Seven Mile Swimmers; 11-12 Jillian Crooks, Camana Bay Aquatic Club; 13-14 Sophie Ackerley, Seven Mile Swimmers; and 15&O Alison Jackson, Stingray Swim Club.

Boys 6&U Noah Watson, Stingray Swim Club; 7-8 Chase Watson, Stingray Swim Club; 9-10 Andre Massias, Seven Mile Swimmers; 11-12 Ramon Rayos del Sol, Camana Bay Aquatic Club; 13-14 Jorian Neblett, Stingray Swim Club; and 15&O Keannu McKenzie, Stingray Swim Club.

What’s Next?

For Stingray the new year and swim season kicks off with a bang this Saturday 8 September with beach training followed by a potluck breakfast.