Dear SJSSL Families,
As another incredible summer season has come to a close, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to every swimmer, family, coach, volunteer, and official who made the 2026 St. Johns Summer Swim League Champs such a memorable event.
Champs represents the culmination of months of hard…
Last Saturday morning, James Hale, Coach Kirk and I presented a $9,100 check from the St Johns Summer Swim League to Joyce Delifus with the Shawn D Delifus Foundation. The money that our league raised IS providing FREE swim lessons to 130 kids at the Johnson Family YMCA here in Jacksonville this month!
Shawn Delifus was the CEO of Stroke Doctor International and he was the head age group coach for the Julington Creek Loggerheads here in St. Johns County. Shawn passed away very unexpectedly at the age of 30 on April 22, 2016. Shawn touched many of our local swimmers lives and was the youngest and only US African American coach to simultaneously coach two gold medal Olympians, Ryan Murphy and Caleb Dressel.
I have tried to write this article several times in the hope that I could capture all the feels! I cannot put into words how I felt and what I experienced during our visit with Ms. Delifus last Saturday morning. You will have to take my word for it, our donation WILL help save the lives of kids in Jacksonville! THANK YOU!
For more information about how you can continue your support of the Shawn D Delifus Foundation, please check out this August 1, 2024 story run on First Coast News and check out the Shawn D Delifus Foundation website.
Thanks again for a great season and for your support on the deck AND in our Jacksonville community!
Kristen and the 2024 SJSSL Board
