Naperville Swim Conference

Naperville Swim Conference The NSC is a summer recreational swim team conference comprised of 20 teams and 3,000+ swimmers Swimmers in the league range from 5 to 18 years of age.

The Naperville Swim Conference (NSC) is a summer recreational league swim team conference comprised of 20 teams and more than 3,000 swimmers. All of the teams are local to the Naperville, Illinois, area and are members of a neighborhood pool. As part of a swim season, teams swim at dual meets at the area pools during the summer season which culminates with a set of championship meets known as the City and Classic Championship Meets.

Nobody warned you about the concession stand. You showed up to watch your kid swim. You did not expect to spend $47 on d...
06/05/2026

Nobody warned you about the concession stand.

You showed up to watch your kid swim. You did not expect to spend $47 on donuts, Gatorade, a hot dog of questionable origin, and approximately fourteen pieces of candy sold by very persuasive 9-year-olds in swim caps. And yet. Here we are. 😂

Welcome to one of the great joys of NSC swim meet season. Here is your official concession stand survival guide.

🌭 THE FOOD SITUATION
Every meet concession stand is a little different, but you can count on the classics: hot dogs, donuts, bagels, chips, and some variation of a breakfast sandwich that tastes significantly better than it has any right to at 7:30am.

What to eat: the donuts. Always the donuts. A bagel is also a solid, practical choice that won't weigh you down for a four-hour meet. The hot dog is a gamble but a beloved one.

🍬 THE CANDY SITUATION — AND OH, THERE WILL BE CANDY
Here is something nobody tells first-year swim parents: the teams sell candy. A LOT of candy. Swedish Fish. Sour Patch Kids. Airheads. Nerds ropes. Kit Kats. Skittles. Pixie Sticks. Things you haven't thought about since 1997.

And the kids selling it? Adorable. Relentless. Completely impossible to say no to. They will find you. They will make eye contact. They will hold up a bag of gummy worms with the confidence of a seasoned salesperson and you will absolutely hand over your cash.

Pro tip: bring small bills. You're going to need them.

Also worth knowing: every dollar spent on team candy goes back to supporting the team. So really, buying four bags of Swedish Fish is basically an act of community service. You're welcome.

☕ THE COFFEE SITUATION
If there is coffee, get the coffee immediately upon arrival. It will be gone. This is not a drill.

The NSC concession stand is a summer institution. Buy the candy, enjoy the donut, and embrace every gloriously chaotic, delicious minute of it.

See you out there. 🌊💙

We need to talk about pool deck behavior. Not because you're doing anything wrong. But because a few gentle reminders go...
06/02/2026

We need to talk about pool deck behavior. Not because you're doing anything wrong. But because a few gentle reminders go a long way — and some of you have cowbells. 👀

✅ DO THESE THINGS

Cheer for everyone. Your kid, their teammates, the kid in lane 1 from the other team giving everything they have. Be that person.

Learn your swimmer's heat and lane BEFORE the event starts. Write it on your hand if you have to. Nothing deflates a swimmer like looking up to find their parent cheering for the wrong lane.

Bring the spirit. Noisemakers, signs, team colors — all of it. The energy you bring to the pool deck is contagious. Be loud. Be proud.

Cheer through the finish. Don't stop when your swimmer hits the wall. Every kid in the water deserves to finish to noise.

Thank the volunteers. They showed up before you and they'll leave after everyone else. A simple thank you goes a long way.

❌ DON'T DO THESE THINGS

Don't coach from the pool deck. Your swimmer has a coach with a plan. Yelling stroke corrections mid-race is more distracting than helpful. Let the coach handle it.

Don't walk in front of the timers during a race. The finish is more important than your photo angle. Always.

Don't compare your swimmer to others out loud. Near other parents. Near other swimmers. Just — don't.

Don't leave after your kid swims. Their teammates are still racing and the team still needs your voice.

The best thing you can do for your swimmer on meet day is show up, cheer loud, and let them feel your pride from across the pool deck. They'll remember that long after they forget their split times. 💙

We came across this gem from Elizabeth Wickham over on SwimSwam and had to share it with our NSC families. Elizabeth vol...
05/31/2026

We came across this gem from Elizabeth Wickham over on SwimSwam and had to share it with our NSC families. Elizabeth volunteered for 14 years on her kids' club swim team as a board member — so when she says swimmers are the best kids, she has earned every word of it. 💙

We think you'll agree.

⬇️ 10 REASONS SWIMMERS ARE THE BEST KIDS

ONE — They are too tired to get into trouble. They'd rather be tucked into bed watching Netflix than going out late at night.

TWO — They have unbelievable appetites and are open to trying new things. In fact, they'll eat pretty much whatever you put in front of them.

THREE — They are clean. They get a daily rinse in chlorine as well as take long showers.

FOUR — They are good students. They know they won't have time — or will be too tired to do homework later — so they work ahead and try to get it done before practice.

FIVE — They're comfortable around adults. They communicate with coaches, swim parents, and officials regularly.

SIX — They've experienced failure and know it's not the end of the world. They understand there's another chance, and that with hard work, they can do better.

SEVEN — They're strong and fit. Working out is something their bodies crave and they're in better shape than most of their classmates.

EIGHT — They are there for their teammates and friends. If someone is upset or has a problem, they're more than willing to listen and help out — and they can make hours at a meet pass by with silliness and laughter.

NINE — They are confident. They put in long hours and hard work to reach their goals. With each improvement along the way, they build self-confidence.

TEN — We know their swim friends and their families — and that they are good kids we want our children to hang out with.

To every NSC swimmer out there — this is you. All ten of these. We see it every single summer on the pool deck. 🌊

Read the full article by Elizabeth Wickham at the link below!
https://swimswam.com/10-reasons-swimmers-best-kids/

05/29/2026

A little swim and a lot of fun over at Huntington Estates. 🥰

TEAM SPOTLIGHT: Ashbury Alligators 🐊🌊Formed in 1994 and coming into 2025 with more momentum than ever — the Ashbury Alli...
05/29/2026

TEAM SPOTLIGHT: Ashbury Alligators 🐊🌊

Formed in 1994 and coming into 2025 with more momentum than ever — the Ashbury Alligators are fired up, record-breaking, and bringing their whole neighborhood along for the ride.

Let's talk about what's been happening in Alligator waters.

🐊 A RECORD NUMBER AT CLASSIC AND CITY
The Alligators sent their highest number of swimmers to Classic and City Championships in years. Not a handful. Not a modest turnout. A record. That's a program that is growing, thriving, and showing up when it matters most. Every swimmer in that cap earned their spot — and the Alligators showed up as a team.

🐊 A LONG-STANDING POOL RECORD — GONE
The 11/12 boys came to swim this season and made history doing it. A long-standing pool record that had been on the books for years? Broken. That's the kind of moment that gets talked about for a long time in Ashbury.

🐊 THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARADE — WITH CANDY AND A WATER FIGHT
Okay, this might be our favorite tradition in the entire NSC. The Ashbury Alligators don't just parade through their neighborhood before a big meet — they bring candy AND start a water fight with the neighbors who come out to cheer them on. The community doesn't just watch the parade. They're part of it. Soaking wet and loving every second. If that's not the spirit of summer swimming, we don't know what is.

🐊 HOSTING THE SOUTHSIDE INVITATIONAL
The Alligators also have the honor of hosting the Southside Invitational — bringing together all the teams that feed into Neuqua Valley High School for a day of fierce, fun competition. Swimmers racing against their peers. Future Wildcats competing side by side before they ever share a hallway.

Founded in 1994 and better than ever in 2025 — the Ashbury Alligators are record-breakers, parade-throwers, and one of the most electric communities in the NSC.

Ashbury Alligators, the NSC is cheering for you. Keep chomping. 🐊💙

TEAM SPOTLIGHT: Tall Grass Lightning ⚡🌊Incorporated in 2002 and hitting the pool for the first time in 2003 — the Tall G...
05/27/2026

TEAM SPOTLIGHT: Tall Grass Lightning ⚡🌊

Incorporated in 2002 and hitting the pool for the first time in 2003 — the Tall Grass Lightning have spent over two decades building one of the most spirited, community-rooted programs in the NSC. And they are just getting started.

⚡ 25+ HIGH SCHOOL COACHES WHO NEVER LEFT
Here's the detail that stops us in our tracks. Tall Grass has more than 25 high school coaches on deck — kids who grew up swimming for the Lightning and came back to lead the next generation. If that doesn't tell you everything about the culture this team has built, nothing will.

⚡ BAG TAGS OVER RIBBONS
Forget the ribbons. At Tall Grass, time drops earn bag tags — a fun, wearable celebration of personal improvement that swimmers can show off all season long. It's a small detail that says a lot: this team celebrates YOUR progress, not just the podium.

⚡ FUN FRIDAYS + THE CLASSIC PARADE & PASTA PARTY
Every Friday brings something fun, and the tradition doesn't stop there. Before Classic and City meets, the Lightning throw a pasta party AND a neighborhood parade — because the biggest meets of the summer deserve a proper sendoff.

⚡ SPONSORSHIP DAY & GIVING BACK
Tall Grass shines a spotlight on the local and neighborhood-owned businesses that support the team through their annual Sponsorship Day — because community support goes both ways. And at their movie nights over the years, they've collected donations for dog shelters and other charities, because this team knows that swimming is better when it's connected to something bigger.

Open to everyone — no membership required. Just bring your love of swimming and your competitive spirit.

Tall Grass Lightning, the NSC loves having you. Keep striking. ⚡💙

It's that time of year. The pool is opening, the swim bag is packed, and your swimmer has just informed you that their g...
05/26/2026

It's that time of year. The pool is opening, the swim bag is packed, and your swimmer has just informed you that their goal this summer is to break every record in the NSC, win every event, and also eat a snow cone after every meet.

Love the energy. Let's talk about goals. 😄

Setting goals before the season is one of the best things you can do as a swim family — but there's an art to it. Here's how to find the sweet spot.

🎯 MAKE IT THEIR GOAL, NOT YOURS
Your goals for your swimmer and your swimmer's goals are not always the same thing. The ones you set together should come from THEM. Ask what they want to get better at, what would make them proud, and then actually listen. Even if the answer is "I just want to have fun and eat snacks." Write it down. Valid.

🎯 FOCUS ON WHAT THEY CAN CONTROL
Time drops are great — but nerves, conditions, and meet day chaos all play a role. Help them set process goals too. "I want to work on my flip turns" beats "I want to go faster" every time. Those are things they can show up and control every single day.

🎯 KEEP THE LIST SHORT
One to three goals. That's it. A swimmer laser focused on two things will outgrow a swimmer chasing ten every time. Write them somewhere visible — the bathroom mirror, the swim bag, anywhere but the refrigerator.

🎯 CHECK IN, DON'T HOVER
Mid-season, ask casually: "how do you feel about your goals?" Not a performance review. Not a post-meet debrief. Just a conversation. Then let them lead.

🎯 CELEBRATE THE PROCESS
The swimmers who feel most successful at the end of the summer aren't always the ones who dropped the most time — they're the ones who know they showed up and grew. Make sure your kid knows that's what you're cheering for.

Here's to a great season, swim families. 🌊💙

Today we pause before we dive in. 💙Memorial Day is more than the unofficial start of summer. It's a day to honor the men...
05/25/2026

Today we pause before we dive in. 💙

Memorial Day is more than the unofficial start of summer. It's a day to honor the men and women who gave everything so that we could have days like this — days filled with laughter on the pool deck, early morning practices, and the kind of community that makes a neighborhood feel like home.

We don't take that lightly.

To every military family in the NSC community — thank you. To every swimmer, parent, coach, and volunteer who has a loved one who served or is serving — we see you today, and we are grateful.

And when the moment of remembrance passes and the starting blocks fill up and the water starts flying — we hope you feel it. The joy of a new season. The excitement of a fresh start. The warmth of a community that has been counting down to this moment all year long.

Twenty teams. Hundreds of swimmers. One incredible summer ahead.

The Naperville Swim Conference season is officially here. Let's make it one worth remembering. 🌊

Happy Memorial Day from all of us at the NSC. 🇺🇸💙

TEAM SPOTLIGHT: Stillwater Starz ⭐🌊Founded in 1997 and growing stronger every single year — the Stillwater Starz are pro...
05/24/2026

TEAM SPOTLIGHT: Stillwater Starz ⭐🌊

Founded in 1997 and growing stronger every single year — the Stillwater Starz are proof that when you build something with the right values at the center, people show up. And they keep coming back.

🌟 GROWING LIKE CRAZY — FOR ALL THE RIGHT REASONS
Over the last seven years, summer registration has grown by more than 70%. That's not a marketing campaign. That's word of mouth. The Starz offer something for everyone — from first-time swimmers to seasoned competitors chasing personal bests all summer long.

🌟 THE ONLY TEAM IN THE NSC WITH EVENING PRACTICES
Busy kids. Working families. Real life. The Starz get it — which is why they're the only team in the conference to offer an evening practice option alongside their standard five-day morning schedule. Great swimmers shouldn't have to choose between the pool and everything else on their plate.

🌟 A 2025 TO CELEBRATE
A winning record in dual meet competition AND the first-place girls trophy at the Southside Invitational at Ashbury — for the very first time. First place. First time. That's a moment this team will remember. ⭐

🌟 FEED MY STARVING CHILDREN
Every year the team packs meals at Feed My Starving Children in Aurora as a reminder that a fun-filled summer of swimming is a gift, not a given. They want their swimmers to understand how fortunate they are — and how good it feels to give back. That's not just a great swim team. That's a great community.

🌟 A TEAM FOR EVERYONE — AND WE MEAN EVERYONE
Culturally, ethnically, and in terms of swimming experience — the Stillwater Starz are one of the most diverse teams in the NSC. Families from every walk of life, neighborhoods across the southwest side, and club swimmers from four or more USA Swimming clubs all call this team home in the summer. No matter who you are, you will be warmly welcomed and you will find your people here.

No membership required. No neighborhood restriction. Just open arms and a star on your cap.

Stillwater Starz, the NSC is so glad you're here. Keep shining. ⭐💙

TEAM SPOTLIGHT: Maplebrook II Dolphins 🐬🌊Founded in 1971 and still rewriting the record books in 2025 — the Maplebrook I...
05/23/2026

TEAM SPOTLIGHT: Maplebrook II Dolphins 🐬🌊

Founded in 1971 and still rewriting the record books in 2025 — the Maplebrook II Dolphins are record-breakers, door-sign-leavers, car-decorators, and one of the most genuinely joyful communities in the NSC. Here's why.

🐬 RECORDS BROKEN. NAMES TO KNOW.
Avery Meisenheimer, Macy Fults, Lauren Eschmeyer, and Natalie Vogel shattered BOTH the pool AND team records in the 15-18 Girls 200 Medley Relay. Lauren Eschmeyer also set a new team record in the 50 fly. Add a massive number of time drops and outstanding swims at City and Classic — this team delivered all season long.

🐬 THE INTERSQUAD MEET
Boy swimmers dress up in character with girl coaches. Girl swimmers dress up in a different character with boy coaches. Then they race — corkscrew races, dolphin dives, relays, and beautiful chaos. It's competitive, hilarious, and completely their own.

🐬 CHAMPIONSHIP MORNING MAGIC
The morning of every championship meet, every Dolphins swimmer wakes up to a motivational sign on their front door — left by their coaches. Before the nerves. Before the blocks. Their coaches show up for them first. That says everything.

🐬 PASTA PARTIES, DECORATED CARS & THE BLUE DOLPHIN AWARD
Before City and Classic, kids decorate coaches' cars and sign their t-shirts at the pasta party. And at season's end, the Blue Dolphin Award goes to one boy and one girl per age group — not the fastest swimmer, but the one who works hardest, improves the most, and lifts everyone around them. The award that matters most.

🐬 BLUE DOLPHIN BOYS INVITATIONAL — JUNE 25TH!
Now in its second year, this 5-team boys-only invite features fun relays and is already a beloved new tradition. Mark your calendars!

Maplebrook II Dolphins, the NSC loves everything about you. Keep making waves. 🐬💙

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