Manta Rays, The Dragonfly Foundation is looking for our help in raising money and setting a world record. Please read the message below from a former Manta Ray parent who is involved in this wonderful event. The Dragonfly Foundation is a Mason based non-profit; and our mission is to bring comfort and joy to children and young adults enduring cancer and bone marrow treatments. We are partnering with Kings Island in Mason, Ohio to gather a group of 180 individuals to simultaneously shave their heads, and break the World Record....

It started with a small mole on Chuck's back. Now, seven months later, Chuck is facing Stage 4 aggressive metastatic melanoma that has spread to his lymphnodes. Fortunately, it hasn't yet spread to his organs. There is hope. And Chuck, his wife Tracey and two beautiful daughters Kayleigh and Payton are clinging to every bit of it! However, this wonderful family needs your help (and they would never ask for it themselves). Chuck, who spent the last decade of his career as a catastorphic claims specialist, has helped thousands out...

YOUTH SERVICE AWARD We're calling on young change-makers to apply for a Summer of Service Award. Winners receive a $1,000 award to help make a lasting, positive change in the world. Who are we looking for? Young people who are creating lasting, positive change through volunteer and community service projects. We're especially interested in ongoing, youth-led projects that highlight the creativity and commitment of young people working to meet the needs of others. If you are a young person already involved in volunteering, we want to hear your story of...

Webinar: "To Push or Not to Push- How to Get Results that Last" Dear Parent, Have you wrestled with the dilemma of how much to push your child? Check out the “Parents” section of our web site (Growing Champions for Life) where you’ll find the registration link to this month’s Life-Skills Webinar, “To Push or Not to Push – How to Get Results that Last” scheduled for Wednesday, July 16th. This month’s True Hero Parent article, “Handling Adversity: Prisoner, Settler, or Pioneer” will help the entire family deal with obstacles...

PLATINUM, NATIONAL, AND HS VARSITY CANOE TRIP Platinum, National and HS Varsity Manta Rays are invited to attend a six-mile canoe trip down the Little Miami on Tuesday, July 8. Swimmers need to be dropped off at Morgan’s Canoe Ft. Ancient at 11:00 a.m. and picked up at 2:30 p.m. The cost is a discounted $28 (tax included) per canoe with 2-3 swimmers per canoe. Sign-up on the white board in the comp pool. We are in need of parent chaperones to help the coaches on this trip. Interested chaperones...

Mark Daasch from NovaCare will be on the pool deck Thursday, 7/3, from 7:45-9 a.m. If your swimmer has any aches or pains that you want him to evaluate, please see him on deck on Wednesday. There is no cost for the evaluation. If you have any questions for Mark, please feel free to contact him directly. Mark Daasch, PT, DPT Center Manager NovaCare Rehabilitation 1198 Smiley Ave. Cincinnati, OH 45240 513-671-6362 [email protected]

We are very excited to announce that Virginia Tech has hired Manta Ray coach Emilie Hoeper. While we hate to see Coach Emilie move on, we are excited to see her pursue her dreams of becoming a college coach. Emilie Hoeper FROM SWIMSWAM.COM: “I am so excited about this opportunity and to be joining a coaching staff that is so motivated and passionate. The Hokies have an amazing program and they are only getting better. I can’t wait to get the season underway and look forward being apart of the...

Mason Manta Rays Mid-Summer Meet Recaps Kicking off the 2014 season was the Clippers Artic Splash, held May 2nd-4th. The Manta Rays came home with a second place finish overall, behind the host team of the Clippers, and also 250 best times. Over the weekend, there were several event winners. Terry Tao won the boy 13-14 200 breaststroke, 50 freestyle, 200 IM and 100 breaststroke. Emily Yu came home with a victory in the girls 11-12 50 freestyle and 50 breaststroke . In the boys 11-12 age group, Adam Chaney...

DESIGN COMPETITION For the last ten years, we have used the above logo for our LSC pins. We have reached the end of the supply which we originally purchased. Rather than reorder the same logo pin, we would like to conduct a design competition to find a new one! This competition is open to all members of Ohio Swimming, including our athletes, coaches, officials, and parents of our athletes. The designs submitted will be voted on by the Board of Directors of Ohio Swimming. The creator of the winning design...

This weekend, hundreds of the best swimmers around the country flock west and converge in Santa Clara, California. Manta Ray Sydney Lofquist will be competitng right along side the best in the country. She will be swimming six events. The Arena Grand Prix at Santa Clara commences on Thursday, featuring numerous Olympians, NCAA veterans, post-graduates, club swimmers, high schoolers, and age groupers from all over the world. Huge names return to the pool for one final dress rehearsal prior to this summer’s National Championships. Many Bay Area swimmers are expected...