Join us for the 2026 Lionfish team picture! All swimmers - Little Lionfish, Pre-Team, and Swim Team - are encouraged to join. Please wear your Lionfish team suit or tshirt. We'll meet on the competition pool deck to line up for the picture.

We are excited to announce our first-ever Lakelands Lionfish Swimathon! This exciting new team event will combine swimming, fundraising, food, music, and plenty of team spirit. Our goal is to challenge swimmers to see how many laps they can complete while raising funds to support improvements that will benefit our entire program.

Why We're Swimming 

Funds raised from the Swimathon will help purchase new training equipment and storage solutions for our team. From kickboards and fins to paddles and noodles, these resources will be used by swimmers of all ages and will help strengthen our program for years to come. 

How Fundraising Works 

You should be expecting an email from 99 Pledges, the platform we will be using for this fundraiser. Each swimmer will receive a personalized fundraising page through 99 Pledges, making it easy to share with family and friends. Supporters can choose to make either a flat donation or pledge a specific amount per lap completed by the swimmer. After the Swimathon, each swimmer's total laps will be entered into the platform. For donors who chose a per-lap pledge, 99 Pledges will automatically calculate the final donation amount based on the swimmer's lap total. All donations are collected securely through the platform and will go directly toward supporting our team and funding new equipment and storage resources. 

Team Lap Challenge 

We're setting a team goal of 1,500 total laps! Every lap swum by every age group will count toward the goal. If we reach 1,500 laps, the team will earn a team ice cream bar extravaganza! *Please Note* Lap counts vary significantly by age group and ability level. Below are estimates based on age group. Actual laps will be recorded during the Swimathon. 

• 8 & Under: 5–10 laps 
• 9–10: 15–30 laps 1
• 1–12: 30–50 laps 
• 13 & Over: 50–100+ laps 

Parent Volunteers Needed 

To make this event successful, we will need parent help throughout the day. If you have a swimmer participating, it is encouraged that you sign up to volunteer during that time block. Volunteers will assist with: 

• Counting and tallying laps (two parents per lane; 12 parents per session) 
• Cheering on our athletes and creating a fun atmosphere

If you are available to help, please let us know. Parent support will be essential to making our first Swimathon a memorable experience for everyone. We hope all swimmers will join us as we kick off what we hope becomes a new team tradition. Whether your swimmer completes 5 laps or 50 laps, every lap matters, every donation helps, and every swimmer contributes to our team's success. 

Thank you for your support, and we look forward to making a splash together! Go Lionfish!