What an incredible way to dive into a brand-new season! Our first meet of the year, Fall First Try, was more than just a competition — it was a celebration of teamwork, learning, and ROW pride. The day kicked off with a lively morning workout filled with cheers, laughter, and a quick refresher on meet routines and expectations. Swimmers came together to support one another, shake off the summer break, and get back into racing mode with smiles and determination. With 137 ROW athletes ranging in age from 7 to...

The Cunningham Classic is named in honor of Angus Cunningham, one of the longest-serving officials at the Region of Waterloo Swim Club. This meet is a tribute to Angus and his unwavering commitment to the club. Even after his daughter graduated in 2011, Angus has continued to serve ROW year after year. His dedication to the club and his ability to create an athlete-focused environment make him a cornerstone of our swim community. The first meet after March Break is designed to ease athletes back into racing while setting the...

The Ontario Age Group Swim Meet, held from February 27 to March 2 this year, showcased the impressive talent and competitive spirit of swimmers across the province. Although the event was not classified as a championship meet, it served as an important opportunity for swimmers to compete at a high level, refine their skills, and push for personal and club records. Swim Ontario, the provincial governing body for competitive swimming, organizes this event annually to provide swimmers with opportunities to compete at a high level and achieve provincial standards. The...

The WOSA (Western Ontario Swim Association) Championships were held at the Canada Games Aquatic Complex in London, Ontario, with 26 clubs participating. This 3-day competition featured heats and finals for 13&O swimmers, while 12&U swimmers competed in timed finals. As the first major championship meet of the winter season, it provided an excellent opportunity for athletes to compete at a high level despite some challenging weather conditions. Leading up to the meet, workouts on Wednesday and Thursday were canceled due to the weather, and tough conditions persisted throughout the event....

The Dean Boles meet, hosted by ROW and named after the previous Head Coach and current CEO of Swim Ontario, was a unique event that included sessions for all age groups. This allowed younger swimmers (12&U) to interact and race alongside the older athletes (13&O), which is not typical for most meets. The competition took place over the weekend with two Long Course Meter (LCM) sessions on Saturday and two Short Course Meter (SCM) sessions on Sunday, featuring the same events. This format provided plenty of opportunities for racing, allowing...

A Strong Start to the Year: Highlights from the New Year's Cup & Scarborough Pan AM Winter Classic The start of the year marked an exciting return to competitive swimming for many athletes, with two major meets showcasing impressive performances and new milestones. The New Year's Cup and the Scarborough Pan AM Winter Classic were both filled with standout moments that demonstrated the hard work athletes had put in over the holidays, even after a short return to the pool. New Year's Cup: New Format, New Challenges This year’s New...

As the fall season wraps up, we are proud to celebrate the incredible progress and achievements across all levels of our program. From Junior Development swimmers to National and Provincial Development athletes, the commitment, growth, and teamwork displayed this season have been nothing short of exceptional. Junior Development 2, TOPs, RSA Age Group Junior Development 2 (JD2), TOPs, and RSA Age Group swimmers had an impressive fall season marked by steady progress and notable achievements. JD2 competed in the Fall First Try, Aces Fall Invitational, and ROW Novice meet, while...

Wow. Region of Waterloo Swim Club… ROWs showing at Team Showdown has left us relatively speechless. As a swim club, we rose above and beyond all expectations - with massive best time rates by incredible margins, greater energy than 1000 suns, and a sense of unity that should not be taken for granted! What a great group of athletes! Team Showdown is a team meet, with the overall objective of winning the Team Banner. In order to win the Team Banner, a club needed to have the highest total of...

The NYAC Cup, held over three days at Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (TPASC), featured a competitive field with heats and finals for 13 and over and timed finals for 12 and under. Known as one of the fastest pools in the province, TPASC hosted 33 teams, including elite competitors from clubs like OAK, NYAC, TSC, WAC, Brock, HTAC from Halifax, and Neptune from Montreal, as well as university teams from Waterloo and Guelph. The event even witnessed a new Canadian record in the men’s 50 Breaststroke set by Olympian...

The first meet of the season began following a morning workout focused on teaching meet expectations and team cheers. This event served as an important learning tool by helping swimmers assess and identify areas for improvement and shaking off the “dust” after summer break. 136 ROW athletes from 7 to 17 years old raced together in a single session, and showcasing a diverse range of experience from just one year to eleven years. Overall, the meet was a fantastic way to kick off the season as we head into future...