Hey Johnnie Swim and Dive fans and alumni, I hope you are all doing well! We are ramping up and excited as the new school year starts and the swim season is just around the corner! Practices will start in 11 days, and our guys are chomping at the bit to get the season started and begin their quest for a MIAC Championship. We have another large roster of 32 men on our team this season and our expectation is that we will be very competitive in the conference and hopefully onto NCAAs as well. There are a few things I wanted to share with you before the start of our season.
Our Meet schedule can be found here: SJU Swim and Dive Meet Schedule, if you can make it to a meet please stop by down on the pool deck and say hi. Our biggest meets of the year are the Rochester Invite and of course MIACs. These are the two meets that we will have big competition, prelims/finals, and tapers preparing us to swim at our peak. These are some of the best times to watch the Johnnies compete at their best against some of the best competitors in the state.
Mark your calendar for Thursday, September 12th as that is the date of this years Go Johnnies Challenge. This is our annual team fundraising event. This event makes such a difference to our team. We would not be able to offer the experience that we do to our athletes without this fundraiser. If you are able to donate, please follow this link: Go Johnnies Challenge. All donations go directly to the swim and dive team and help purchase team tech suits for our conference team as well as crucial training equipment to help our team continue to push for a MIAC Championship.
The annual alumni meet is Saturday, September 28th at 3:00 pm. We will host a luncheon for anyone that would like to meet the current team. This is a great opportunity to sit and chat with some of the guys on the team and tell them what it was like for you as a member of Johnnie Swim and Dive. 😊 Brunch/Lunch with the current team and head coach Ben Gill will be at SJU Refectory from 1-2 pm Alumni will pay at the door, and cost is $15. Please note that brunch/lunch is served until 1:30 pm, though alumni will gather in The Refectory until about 2 p.m. with the current team. Feel free to arrive before 1 p.m. if you would like more time to eat with food service concluding at 1:30 pm. Swim/Dive Meet (SJU Pool in Warner Palestra): 2 p.m. The meet will feature short events and fun relays for everyone. Swimming isn’t required, but socializing is highly encouraged. After the meet we will have an alumni gathering somewhere in St. Joe for drinks and socialization.
We have a Johnnie swimmer being inducted into the J-club Hall of Honor this fall. Luke Vestrum is being honored as part of the newest class to be inducted into the Hall of Honor. Saturday, October 5th will be the date of the banquet (Homecoming football game as well during the day, if you need another excuse to come back to campus 😊). If you would like to come to the event you can find more information and a registration link here: Hall of Honor. This is always a great event and a great opportunity to support some of the best athletes in all sports to come through Saint Johns.
Our annual Intersquad Red vs. Blue is a two-day meet at the Palestra on Friday, October 11 (5:00 pm), and Saturday, October 12 (11:00 am). While this is not an official meet, it does kick off our competition season, and is always a lot of fun for those who are a part of the teams. Come and cheer for the teams and watch the guys as prepare for the start of the competition season the following week.
If you are interested in ordering some Johnnie Swim and Dive apparel/swag for yourself we have two different options. There is a team store which has the typical apparel you are welcome to order and have delivered to your home. For the team store, follow this link here: Team Store. The team store is only open for two weeks (September 9 – September 23), so order now! If you are looking for something different or can’t make the order in time, there is a 24/7 store as well where you can get SJU Swim and Dive customized apparel and stuff. Follow this link here: 24/7 Store. If you have any questions, feel free to let me know!
Lastly, if you don’t follow us already, check out our social media pages for more up to date information about the team as the season progresses. You can follow us on Instagram or Facebook @SJUSwimandDive. We look forward to seeing you around the pool deck during this upcoming season!
Coach Gill