As the sun sets on another unforgettable HOX summer season, it’s clear this team is about more than fast times—it’s about family, fun, and fierce team spirit.
Spirit Week brought the energy with themed activities after every practice. From Spirit
Nails Monday to Car Paint Thursday, swimmers proudly showed off their HOX pride. The week wrapped up with our beloved Fast Water Friday, a tradition that had the pool buzzing with excitement (and a few butterflies).
It was also Coaches Appreciation Week, and HOX families showed up big. Each day, thank you notes, sweet treats, and surprise coffee runs reminded our coaches just how much they’re appreciated. Their dedication and heart are the fuel behind this incredible team.
The Last Chance Meet gave more than 750 swimmers a final opportunity to sharpen their times before championship season.
With the Kona Shaved Ice truck, airbrush tattoos, and some seriously fierce races, it was a perfect combo of fun and focus.
Our youngest swimmers closed out their season with the heartwarming mini-HOX graduation, where each swimmer completed a lap in meet-like conditions. Afterwards, families joined together for the traditional Hike to the Hawk, an annual rite of passage for all HOX.
One of the season’s biggest highlights was the 2025 Valley Swim Association (VSA) League Championship Meet. This three- day event brought together nearly 2,000 swimmers from across the league, competing in 84 events. Friday’s session was hosted at Blackhawk Country Club, with Saturday and Sunday action continuing at Dougherty Valley High School. As is tradition at VSA, Coach Sean poured a jug of HOX pool water into the away pool to bring home-spir
it luck to the team. The competition was ferocious, the relays were electric, and the HOX spirit was in full force.
We wrapped the season with our End-of-Season Awards Ceremony, recognizing achievements big and small—from record-breakers to spirit boosters—and then sent our qualifiers off to the County Meet, the final competition of the summer for many and the ultimate chance to leave it all in the pool.
From painted nails to personal bests, thank-you notes to championship races, this season was packed with memories, milestones, and a whole lot of heart.
By Stacie Mihalik