WELCOME

The Stillwater Starz is a developmental summer swim team and a member of the Naperville Swim Conference (NSC). A volunteer-driven 501(c)(3) nonprofit, our mission is to develop confident, capable young swimmers and foster a love of competitive swimming in a safe, supportive, and fun environment.

Our swimmers range from 4-18 years of age, and most are residents of the Stillwater subdivision and other nearby communities in southwest Naperville, Plainfield, and Oswego. For our youngest swimmers, their time on the Starz is often their first experience with competitive swimming. It’s also where many of our returning swimmers, some of whom now swim year-round in club and school programs, got their start. Join us this summer, and find out what fun you can have when we shoot for the Starz together!

TEAM SERVICE OPPORTUNITY: Join the Starz at Feed My Starving Children or Donate What Your Can

Lea Fortkamp

Starz Families,

The Fortkamps--Lea, Mark, and Henry--moved to Stillwater in 2013 and settled in on our corner of Skylane and Charlestowne, just a block away from the elementary school our children would eventually walk to. The following year, Zoe joined us, and three years later, when our son Henry was five, he joined the Stillwater Starz. Within minutes, it seemed, our family was  "all in" on summer swim. 

Here's tiny 6U Henry with his first hard-earned bag tag (25BK) and his biggest little fan.

 

And here's five year-old-Henry's very first appearance on a Starz roster; he's nestled in right next to 12-year-old Future Coach Megan and 8-year-old Future Coach Sachin:

 

Because Mark and I are fortunate enough to have jobs that make it possible, we've been able to give Henry and Zoe the chance to grow up in a wonderful community like Stillwater in a thriving city like Naperville. Here, our kids open the door each morning to every opportunity a young person could want. There's been swim, water polo, track and field, soccer, gymnastics, horseback riding, softball, incredible academic opportunities and more over the years, and, at the end of each day, no matter the activity, our kids have always walked back in the door to three square meals, unlimited portions, and all the snacks a kid could ever want. As you can imagine (and have probably experienced in your own homes), that's A LOT of snacks.

Sometimes, living where we do, how we do, it's easy to forget that our kids have so much more than the essentials that they need to thrive. It's easy, too, to forget that those essentials--including a stable supply of healthy food--are not a given for every child, everywhere.

 

FEED MY STARVING CHILDREN:
Thursday, July 10
 
At 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 10, Starz coaches, parents, and swimmers will join forces at Aurora's Feed My Starving Children to pack nourishing meals for kids in need! Please sign up NOW on our website or the SportsEngineMotion app if you can attend this service event. Sign-up CLOSES on Thursday, July 3.
 
Packing is a LOT of fun, and it’s a great way to encourage our kids to be thoughtful, global citizens! Children must be at least five years of age, and each group of participating swimmers MUST volunteer with a parent. We encourage coach participation, too!
 
Log into stillwaterstarz.org (or your app) TODAY to sign up for this fun, rewarding event. When you commit your swimmers, please add the names of parent volunteers and participating kids' ages in the notes. If you’ve already registered and missed this step, please add this information now.
 
If you can't make it or would like to do more, the Stillwater Starz will also be making a donation to FMSC in addition to our pack. Please Venmo @Kathryn-Rosensweet if you wish to contribute. In the note please write, “FMSC.” FMSC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
 
 
If you're able to give, either through your service or financially, thank you for your generosity. If you can't help this time around, we'd love to pack with you next season! This is one of our most treasured team traditions, and we'd love to have you join us whenever you're able, however you're able.
 
 
Thanks, everyone. I'll be back with a full wrap-up of last night's incredible evening at Ashbury later this weekend! I'm still basking in the joy of it all.
 
 
Lea Fortkamp,
Stillwater Starz Parent Board