Jonesboro, AR — (JonesboroRightNow.com) — May 16, 2025 — The JETS Aquatic Club is looking to add new members as it offers free swim assessments and the opportunity to join the JETS Summer Swim Squad.
The team is open to kids aged 5-19 years old. The JETS Aquatic Club is a nonprofit offering year-round competitive swimming opportunities.
Although this is not the club’s first time doing free swim assessments, head coach Brandon Charitat said that it was the first time assessments would be done before the summer swim season. He said this would allow club leadership to “hit the ground running.”
Registration will be held Tuesday, May 20, from 5 to 7 p.m., with additional chances to get assessed on May 27 from 9 to 10 a.m., May 28 from 9 to 10 a.m. and 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., and May 29 to 30 from 9 to 10 a.m. at the Jonesboro City Pool, located at 1421 W. Nettleton Ave.
“We were collecting as much data as possible, getting people signed up easier and trying to streamline the whole process so that when it comes time to start the season June 1, everyone’s ready and there’s no administrative stuff to do. People can just show up and get in the pool and have fun,” Charitat said.
While the assessments are free, joining the club costs $249 for the first child and $200 for each additional child. Registration fees can be paid all at once or in two payments, although Charitat noted that scholarships are also available for families that qualify.
The price includes all practices during Summer Swim Season; an evaluation from multi-certified coaching staff; a JETS Aquatic water bottle, swim cap, and drawstring bag for the season; and the opportunity to compete with kids across Arkansas. At the end of the summer, there will hold a banquet to celebrate all swimmers and their progress during the season.
Although the meet schedule is not complete yet, Charitat said all meets will be posted on the Jets Aquatic Club website under the team events tab, which they keep as updated as possible. Charitat said meet prices will be discussed before each meet, however, all meets are optional.
“We rejoined the South Wind Swim Conference, which is a branch of the AAU (Amateur Athletic Union), for the summer team,” Charitat said. “The people who show up and swim for the summer team will be swimming at AAU meets and not USA Swimming sanctioned meets. There the two governing bodies for the sport.”
According to Charitat, South Wind Swim Conference is the only AAU branch in Northeast Arkansas. Although they haven’t been a part of South Wind for the last three or four years, he said they got so much interest in it that they decided to rejoin.
“So almost every weekend during that eight weeks, we have a meet somewhere,” he said, noting there would probably six meets throughout the summer season.
For more information call Charitat at 982-718-7840 or JETS president Tim Byrd at 218-553-1775.
For more information about scholarships call JETS treasurer Doug Pruitt at 870-974-2521 or former JETS president and board member Jim Rose at 870-740-1488. You can also visit the club’s website or follow it on Facebook.