Two days ago, the Chicago Sky won their first ever WNBA championship title! The stands sold out every night during the series and you can’t scroll through social media without seeing the final 10 seconds and the celebration afterward (well, at least I can’t). Though, even with all the excitement, the big win and a parade that was held today for the team, fans can’t seem to get merchandise like shirts and jerseys anywhere! According to a Chicago Tribune article “Cheryl Bernard said she and her daughter Taylor, 12, have...

Do you know the history of our own home pool? The current Norris Aquatic Center has come a long way from where it began! Originally built in 1910, the first pool on campus was located in Patten Gym, which is the building on the southern corner when you turn on to campus drive! The pool was only a 5 lane, 25 yard pool, a single one and three meter springboard, and none of the amenities we are used to (think about practicing without lane lanes or starting blocks!). The pool...

What would you do if your community gave up on your child? The answer for a family whose son is on the autistic spectrum “form a competitive swim team, recruiting diverse teens on the spectrum and training them with high expectations and zero pity”...”Swim Team chronicles the extraordinary rise of the Jersey Hammerheads, capturing a moving quest for inclusion, independence and a life that feels winning.” WILD teammate, Grant O’Donnell, and family recently watched this film at home. Here is what Grant had to say, “The Swim Team documentary was...

Did you know that the longest unassisted open ocean swim was performed by a Croatian Olympic swimmer named Veljko Rogošić? He swam a total of 225km (139.8 miles!) across the Adriatic Sea. It took him 50 hours and 10 minutes to complete. He was 65 when he completed this feat, showing that age doesn't have to slow you down! So the next time you're tired after 2 hours of practice, just imagine having that practice be 25x longer!

Fall Session will run October 4 through December 23 and costs $225 this year with 10% discount for NU Affiliation. Swim times: MWF 12-1:30pm TTh 6-7am Sat 12:45-2:15pm

Hispanic Heritage Month started last week on September 15. This time of recognition celebrates the contributions, culture and history of Latino folks. Raise your hand (ours are raised!) if you’re wondering why this month of celebration starts in the middle of September, or you’re not sure which to use, Latino, Latinx or Hispanic. Maybe you need a little history brush up? Check out this video by Cracked for explanations on why it can be confusing as well as a quick history lesson. For more resources and facts explore the Hispanic...

Did you know how long swimming as we know it has been around? There are cave paintings from 10,000 BCE of what we think represent a group of swimmers, but we've also discovered reliefs from Egyptian tombs in 2000 BCE showing the front crawl. Here's an Assyrian relief from 890 BCE showing the same thing! The first recorded swim meets seem to have been in about 36 BCE in Japan, so as we get closer to our first meet think about how someone getting ready to race over 2000 years...

Our mission at NASA Wildcats is to foster a culture of excellence, inclusivity and equity through the sport of swimming. In keeping with that mission, the Did You Know (DYK) section of our newsletter highlights stories of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). While these stories are primarily about athletes, we also highlight different holidays in varying cultures, mental health, and statements from the team regarding worldly incidents that may impact our community members. Who are our community members? You!, your athletes, our coaching staff, board members, volunteers, facility staff, and...

The Olympics officially kick off this week with opening ceremonies on Friday! There are so many awesome stories out there about different athletes from around the world. Here are some inspiring tales to get you pumped for what is undoubtedly going to be an unforgettable Olympics and a couple of pieces about what to expect from athletes who are committed to racial justice. Americans to Watch at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics The 7 Runners Representing the Refugee Olympic Team Allyson Felix Lands Spot at 2021 Tokyo Olympics and First as...

Did you know that there is a 100x50 Freestyle Relay? Recently 100 Egyptian Swimmers got together and raced a 100x50 meter relay finishing with a time of 42:12.15, that's averaging 25.3 per 50! There were athletes from all over the county, ranging from Olympic and Paralympic swimmers, to Masters Swimmers, to junior championship swimmers aged between 15 and 62. Click here to read more!