CHERRY
BOWL HISTORY

On
July 25, 2009, the families of the Charleston and Haddontowne
Swim Clubs will proudly serve as co-hosts of the 50th Annual
Cherry Bowl Swimming Championship. The event will be a special
one, not only honoring the greatest athletes in Cherry Bowl history
with the unveiling of the All-Time Cherry Bowl team, but also
cheering on the next generation of legends as 750 athletes from
thirteen clubs set their sights on taking home both team and
individual glory in 66 swimming events. A week of events will
culminate on Race Day, where more than 2000 spectators will enjoy
a day-long celebration of sportsmanship, community and friendship.
The
Cherry Bowl has grown from its humble beginnings to one of the
East Coast’s largest outdoor, community-based swimming
events. In August 1960, the swim clubs of Kingston Estates, Woodcrest,
Barclay Farms, Hunt Tract and Downs Farm came together for a
relatively modest swimming tournament. Little did those clubs
know at the time that they were giving birth to what would become
Cherry Hill’s most cherished annual tradition. That first
meet consisted of 49 swimming and diving events and the team
from Woodcrest took home the inaugural title. The Cherry Bowl
was born.
It
did not take long for other clubs to recognize the significance
of the Cherry Bowl. Just twelve years after it began, the Cherry
Bowl almost tripled in size and brought together fourteen swim
clubs, including all of the clubs that participate today.
Beyond
the athletic competition, the Cherry Bowl is truly an event like
no other in Cherry Hill. In the days before the event, teams
engage in good-natured fun with each other by leaving traditional “good
luck” (or, sometimes, “not so good luck”) notes
on the front walls of opposing clubs. Entire neighborhoods are
transformed with posters and banners rooting on their favorite
swimmers. The township roads become filled with cars displaying
soaped-up windows bragging about their team’s chances at
a title. Fans begin lining up at 6:00 a.m. to secure the best
seats. When the teams emerge for the opening parade, dressed
in costume and in full vocal cheer, there is no mistaking the
importance of the day to the athletes, their families, and their
community. After a year of waiting, the Cherry Bowl is here again.
What
makes the event even more special is the volunteer effort put
in by countless club and community volunteers. By the time Race
Day ends, several hundred volunteers will have given their time
to organize, officiate, and feed the swimmers and their supporters.
The financial support that the Cherry Bowl annually receives
from the business community is not only critical to the success
of the event itself, but also enables the clubs to continue Cherry
Hill’s tradition of community-based swim clubs where families,
children, adults, and seniors can enrich their health and their
lives each summer.
We
look forward to having you join us.
For the Complete
Club Information Packet Click
Here
|