____WELCOME! __50th Annual _Cherry Bowl --Swimming _Championships!

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.