About Swim Champs

Swim Champs carries forward more than 25 years of Michigan masters swimming heritage.

Founded in 2026 as a rebrand of Stray Cats Masters, our roots reach back to the late 1990s when two original clubs — the Grand Rapids Stingrays and the Lansing Cats — independently formed to bring competitive masters swimming to their respective communities. Both teams built strong reputations across the state and competed in USMS sanctioned meets throughout the late 1990s, 2000s, and early 2010s.

In 2015, the two clubs merged to form Stray Cats Masters, combining their roster strengths and broadening reach across central and western Michigan. After a decade as Stray Cats, the club rebranded as Swim Champs in 2026 to better reflect its growing identity as a race-focused, community-driven team welcoming swimmers across the state.

Today, Swim Champs (USMS workout group SC, Michigan LMSC) trains at multiple pools throughout Michigan. We are open to swimmers of all levels with a competitive focus — built around training together, racing together, and supporting one another at meets.