YMCA, NRG Swim Team Announce Partnership in Fairless Hills

River Crossing YMCA is announcing a new chapter for competitive swimming in the Fairless Hills community. Beginning with the upcoming Fall/Winter season, the Fairless Hills YMCA Swim Team and the long-standing NRG Swim Team program will come together to create the Fairless Hills YMCA , home of NRG Swim Team.

The partnership brings together the strength, history and tradition of NRG Swim Team with the resources and community impact of River Crossing YMCA. The combined program will provide expanded opportunities for young swimmers while continuing to build upon the culture and tradition that NRG Swim Team has established in the community since 1988.

Leading the program will be Coach Ray Keown, who will serve as Head Coach of the Fairless Hills YMCA and continue his leadership of NRG Swim Team. Part of the NRG Swim Team family throughout his life, Coach Ray grew up swimming with the program before joining the coaching staff in 2002, eventually becoming Head Coach in 2009. Over the past two decades, Ray has coached swimmers at every level of the program, from the youngest developmental athletes through Senior Elite swimmers. He has helped guide athletes to tremendous success both in and out of the pool, with many moving on to qualify for Olympic Trials, USA Swimming national-level competition, Junior Nationals, the U.S. Open, Zone teams and select camps, as well as Division I athletic scholarships and Academic All-American recognition.

“NRG Swim Team has been such an important part of my life for so many years,” said Coach Ray, who was inducted into the Neshaminy Sports Hall of Fame for his achievements as a student athlete. “I grew up in this program, competed as a swimmer, and have spent more than 20 years coaching and helping to develop the next generation of athletes. I am incredibly excited about what this partnership with River Crossing YMCA can mean for our swimmers, our families and the entire community. We have an opportunity to build something special while continuing to honor the history and culture that have made NRG such a meaningful program.”

As part of the new structure, swimmers from the existing NRG program will join the Fairless Hills YMCA Swim Team, creating a stronger and more unified competitive swimming program. Practices will take place at both the Fairless Hills YMCA and Sandburg Middle School, providing additional opportunities and flexibility for the growing program.

The partnership will also position Fairless Hills as an important part of the newly formed River Crossing YMCA Swim League. For the first time, Fairless Hills will compete as its own YMCA swim team, separate from the CBR program based in Doylestown.

Fairless Hills will join five other River Crossing YMCA branches in the league:
•    Doylestown YMCA
•    Quakertown YMCA
•    Bethlehem YMCA
•    Nazareth YMCA
•    Hunterdon County YMCA

The new league creates opportunities for friendly competition, team development and connection between swimmers and families throughout River Crossing YMCA communities.

“This is an incredible opportunity for both River Crossing YMCA and NRG Swim Team,” said Lou Petto, Senior Director of Competitive Aquatics for River Crossing YMCA. “NRG has a tremendous history in this community, and Coach Ray has dedicated much of his life to building and maintaining that program. Bringing that tradition together with the YMCA allows us to create even greater opportunities for young people and families.

“We are not simply combining rosters. We are bringing together two organizations that share a commitment to developing young people through swimming. We want to build a program that serves every level of swimmer, from those who are just beginning their competitive swimming journey to athletes pursuing the highest levels of the sport.”

The partnership represents a significant investment in the future of competitive aquatics in the Fairless Hills community. By combining NRG Swim Team's decades-long history and established coaching culture with River Crossing YMCA's resources, facilities and commitment to youth development, the program hopes to expand its offerings and create new opportunities for swimmers for years to come. 

Swim Team webpage

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