Upcoming Event: Swimming & Diving versus Boston College on September 26, 2025 at 4 p.m. Diving / 5 p.m. Swimming
/
4 p.m. Diving / 5 p.m. Swimming
Swimming & Diving
vs Boston College
Duke Swimming & Diving Teams With North Carolina To Raise Money For Children's Hospital
5/18/2006 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
DURHAM, N.C. ? The instant the whistle blows, a row of young athletes plunges into the roped-off lanes in the pool, arms and legs propelling them toward the coveted finish line in hopes of the personal glory of a first place swimming ribbon. On May 30, however, some North Carolina youths will again compete against each other, but not for their own benefit. They will race to the finish with aspirations of aiding other children they don't even know.
Last year, two teams -- one from Chapel Hill and one from Durham ? started Swim for Smiles, a now annual tradition of holding a swim meet to raise money for their respective home-town children's hospitals ? UNC and Duke.
But this year, it's getting personal. The co-chairs of this year's event are none other than UNC's head swim coach, Frank Comfort, and Duke's head swim coach, Dan Colella.
“The vision for Swim for Smiles in 2005 was to create an exciting, worthwhile charity event that would inspire these young swimmers to use their talents to help others in need,” says Gary Kayye, co-founder of the Swim for Smiles fundraiser and a parent rep for the Chapel Hill-based team ? the CCR Sharks. “And, in 2006, we want to focus on taking Swim for Smiles to the next level and with both UNC and Duke involved, I am confident we will.”
Kayye's dream is to eventually take Swim for Smiles national. There are more than 2,500 summer swim leagues in the U.S. Each has an average of 10 teams, with most team rosters listing more than 75 swimmers. Summer swim leagues are known for having both great fun and competition. The Triangle area is no different. In Chapel Hill and Durham alone there are more than 25 summer league teams and a half a dozen year-round teams.
So, he'll settle for Chapel Hill and Durham for now.
“I presented the concept to the Chapel Hill Summer Swim League board and they were excited about bringing Swim for Smiles to every team in the league next year,” Kayye explained. “And, we're meeting with the Durham league later this month and feel confident that with the momentum of UNC and Duke behind us, we'll get their participation, too.”
Dan Colella, the head swim coach for Duke, said: “When Gary Kayye contacted me to explain Swim for Smiles and then asked if I would like to be involved it took me all of about a second to agree. It is a great cause and a great way to get involved with the grassroots of swimming. I know our athletes will have flashbacks to the good old days of summer league swimming and I hope they can provide some motivation to the younger athletes to continue in this fine sport as well as raise money for the local children's hospitals.”
“UNC Swimming looks forward to a long relationship with Swim for Smiles,” said UNC's head swim coach, Frank Comfort. “How could we say no? I had already decided to say yes even before Gary and I spoke.”
This year's event will be held on May 30, 2006, at Chapel Hill Country Club and will feature the CCR Sharks and the Hope Valley Farms (HVF) Flying Fish in an event that will include more than 300 young swimmers ages 4 to 18.
“Last year's event was incredible,” comments HVF parent rep Ellen DeFlora. “It was literally 65 degrees and raining but we still had over 250 kids participating ? swimming and raising money for kids who can't swim because they're in the hospital.”
Money will be raised through a number of special swimming events and relays, but the flagship event is the Parent/Child relay team race. In addition, the event will feature relay teams from both the UNC and Duke programs swimming against the HVF and CCR coach's relay teams.
Both teams are currently raising money through private donations, selling event T-shirts, remembrance silicone two-colored bracelets and Swim for Smiles mesh pool bags.
Donations can be sent to the:
Swim for Smiles Foundation
400 Meadowmont Village Cr.
Suite 425
Chapel Hill, NC 27517
-d-u-k-e-
Duke Athletics: A Tour of Campus
Saturday, October 19
A Century of Blue Devil Brilliance
Saturday, October 19
Senior Social Kick: Kevin Explains Cubed Food Theory
Friday, March 10
Senior Social Kick: Brad Solves a Rubik's Cube
Friday, March 10
