There is a team called RAYS, Roswell All-Star Youth Swimming, and it is the City of Roswell's official GRPA (Georgia Recreation and Parks Association) swim team. If your child is loving their Roswell summer swim league experience, they may also be interested in trying out for RAYS.
In July, the Georgia Recreation and Parks Association (GRPA) hosts a large swim meet where teams from all over the state will compete against each other. These teams vary in size from very small teams, to medium-sized City teams like RAYS, to large teams that encompass an entire county. It is a huge fun meet and a great experience for our swimmers!
RAYS will start swim practice as soon as the summer league season is over. The first practice is Tuesday, July 5th. They will practice every day M-F from 5:30-6:30pm at the Roswell Area Park Pool. They will practice for approximately 3 weeks and then attend the GRPA Class A swim meet at the Cherokee County Aquatic Center in late July. Coach Melissa Massey will serve as the head coach for the RAYS team.
RAYS Qualifier Meet Eligibility:
In order to participate in the RAYS team, you must:
1) be a City of Roswell resident ages 7-18 as of June 1, 2022,
2) participate in, and qualify for a spot on the team during the RAYS qualifier swim meet which will be held on Monday, June 27th at Roswell Area Park, and
3) commit to swimming in the GRPA Class A swim meet on July 22-23, 2022
RAYS Qualifier Meet:
Swimmers can swim up to 3 individual events and 2 relays in the GRPA meet and are allowed to register to swim 3 individual events in the qualifier. Swimmers with the top three fastest times at the qualifier meet, for each boys/girls event in each age group, will qualify for the RAYS as an individual event participant. All swimmers will also swim the short freestyle event at the qualifier meet (even if this is not one of the 3 individual events that you are choosing to try to qualify for), so times can be collected for relay placement consideration. Relay teams will be selected by the head coach based on qualifying times.
The qualifier meet for RAYS will be held on Monday, June 27th. To enter, you need to register for the qualifier meet with the Roswell Rec and Parks department.
That registration can be completed by clicking here. The cost of the qualifier meet is $10.
Once you complete your registration with the City of Roswell, you will receive a Google Form (emailed to the email address you used to register with the City) to complete which will allow you to select the events you wish to enter at the qualifier. Unlike a regular summer league swim meet, you will select the events you wish to compete in---you will not be placed in events by the coaching staff. You will also need to provide a copy of your child’s birth certificate for age verification purposes.
Who is eligible: Any City of Roswell resident, aged 7-18 on June 1, 2022
Where: Roswell Area Park Pool
When: Monday, June 27th
Cost: $10
Registration deadline: Friday, June 24th at 5pm
Check in time: 7:30 am
Warm up time 8:00 am
Meet start time: 8:30 am
RAYS Team Participation:
If you qualify for the RAYS team by being one of the top-3 finishers in your event during the qualifier meet, you will complete an additional registration with the City of Roswell Parks and Recreation Department for the RAYS team. Links to this registration will be sent to qualifying swimmers following the qualifier swim meet.
RAYS Practice:
Practice dates: Tuesday, July 5th- Thursday, July 21st
Practice times: M-F 5:30-6:30 pm
Where: Roswell Area Park Pool
GRPA Swim Meet (for RAYS team)
Who is eligible: Swimmers who qualify for the RAYS at the qualifier meet
Cost: $58. This cost includes coaching, use of RAP pool facilities for training, meet entry fees, a RAYS t-shirt and a RAYS swim cap.
When: Ages 10 and under- Friday, July 22nd
Ages 11 and up- Saturday, July 23rd
Where: Cherokee County Aquatics Center, Canton, GA
Format: The GRPA Class A swim meet is a preliminary/finals format swim meet. This means that all swimmers will swim in the preliminary round of their events in the morning. The top 8 swimmers (and alternates) will return in the afternoon for the finals session which will determine the final results of the meet.
