About the FISH

Founded by Head Coach/Executive Director Ray Benecki in 1991 at Spring Hill RECenter in McLean, Virginia; FISH has grown to over 350 members in the Northern Virginia Area. Spring Hill RECenter has been our base of operations since conception and with our expansion as a team, we started a second site, Audrey Moore at Wakefield Park in 2009.
 
 
 
Our mission is to encourage the pursuit of excellence while nurturing a love for the sport of swimming; and developing the values and skills for success in life along the way. The FISH is committed to providing a safe, healthy, and positive environment for all athletes to grow and appreciate their sport amd their teammates. 

 

 

USA Swimming Awards 

 

Club excellence awards are only given to the top teams in the nation based on national performance

2012, 2013, 2014,
2015, 2018, 2019		 2016, 2017, 2020 2009

 

Specific Accomplishments and Achievements

Open Age Group
4 World Records (1 Record Holder) Multiple Top16/Top10 National Age Group Rankings
9 American Records (1 Record Holder) 3 Top16/10 National AG Relays
9 Olympic Trials Qualifiers (since 2004) 3 Sectional Records
2 Olympians (2008, 2012) Sectional High Point Winner
5 Time World Champion 9 Eastern Zone Champions
9 National Titles (1 National Champion) 2 Virginia State Champions
5K Open Water Champion 68 PVS Records
10K Open Water Champion (50+) 1st Place (Large Teams) PVS Age Group Champs

 

Read more about our achievements in the Team History.

 

FISH Programs

Audrey Moore REC: Spring Hill REC:
Amazing Awesome
Fantastic (AAG/TF) Incredible
Age Group Incredible Prep
  Terrific
  Advanced Age Group
  Age Group
  Mini FISH

Awesome FISH - Our elite swimmers' group. 10 practices offered per week + drylands.
Incredible FISH - National team swimmers, 10 offered practices per week + drylands.
Amazing FISH - National and Senior swimmers, 8 offered practices per week + drylands.
Incredible Prep - High school swimmers, 4 offered practices per week.
Terrific FISH - 9 offered practices per week + drylands.
Fantastic FISH- 8 offered practices per week + drylands.
Advanced Age Group - 7 offered practices per week + drylands.
Age Group - 2-3 offered practices per week.
Mini FISH - 1-3 offered practices per week.
 

Winter Conditioning - non-competitive, once-per-week instruction (Register Form)
Free Summer Clinics - non-FISH swimmer, NVSL swimmers (Reston, McLean, Annandale)

Learn more about our programs and requirements

FISH Practice Locations

Fall / Winter Summer
Audrey Moore RECenter - Annandale, VA Autumnwood Pool - Reston, VA
Spring Hill RECenter - McLean, VA Glade Pool - Reston, VA
The Madeira School - McLean, VA Hunter Woods Pool - Reston, VA
Providence RECenter - Falls Church, VA Lake Audobon Pool - Reston, VA
George Mason University - Fairfax, VA Lake Newport Pool - Reston, VA
Tuckahoe Rec Center - McLean, VA St. James Athletic Facility - Springfield,VA
Westwood Country Club - Vienna, VA Providence RECenter - Falls Church, VA
Yorktown High School - Arlington, VA Ridge Heights Pool - Reston, VA

Get directions to our practice locations

Contact Us

FISH Headquarters: 1340 Old Chain Bridge Rd., Suite 300C, McLean, VA 22101

Managing Director: Monika Paris - 703.870.8664
Executive Director/Awesome & Incredible FISH: Ray Benecki - 703.282.2667
Head Coach/Amazing FISH: Matt Pelletier
Incredible FISH Prep: Kim Schmidt 
Terrific FISH: Nicole Harmon
Audrey Moore Site Coach: Ryan Westhafer
Advanced Age Group: Curtis Din
Age Group: Ethan Gerlach
Mini FISH: Jeanne Fye 

Read about our coaches and staff

Join The FISH

Ready to join? The first step is to schedule a try-out. We will not accept registrations without an evaluation.
After your evaluation and review, you can register for the team.