Christie Hayes
2020 Inducted into the New England LMSC Hall of Fame (Pool Performance)
1997 Inducted into the William Smith College Heron Hall of Honor
USMS Records
Pool – 5 lifetime individual, 1 currently held; 1 lifetime relay
W70-74: 200 Free SCY
Long Distance – 2 lifetime individual, 1 currently held
W70-74: 1-hour ePostal
USMS All-Star – 1 year pool
USMS All-American
Pool – 20 individual (140 points)
Long Distance – 4 individual (28 points), 3 relay
USMS Top Ten – 410 individual, 37 relay
NELMSC All Time Top Three – 177 points
Club: New England Masters (NEM)
Christie Hayes was born in Virginia in 1948 to ADM Jack, U.S. Coast Guard, and Bogie Hayes. She has 3 siblings in Virginia, Washington, and Alaska. She attended many different schools from Grades 1 through 12 as her family traveled the country with the U.S. Coast Guard. She graduated from high school in 1966.
Christie spent one year at Vejle Gymnasium, Denmark, as an American Field Service Exchange Student. She received a B.A. in English from William Smith College in Geneva, NY and an M.Ed. in Special Education from Wright State University in Dayton, OH. She also earned an M.S. (6th year) in Technology in Education from Bank Street College of Education in New York City.
Christie swam and competed off and on as an age-grouper depending on where her family lived. She was a member of William Smith College swim team, and was named to the William Smith College Heron Hall of Honor in 1997.
Christie has been a member of U.S. Masters Swimming since 1973 and has earned national Top Ten rankings almost every year since then. She served as president of Connecticut Masters in 1977 to 1978. She earned two golds and two silvers at the first Master Swimming World Championship in Tokyo in 1986, and was featured in Sports Illustrated’s Faces in the Crowd section for her wins. In February 2018, she set a national record in the 1-hour ePostal swim. In May 2018, she set four National records in 70-74 age group: 1650-, 1000-, 500-, and 200-yard freestyles.
Christie worked as a learning disabilities/special education teacher in Groton Public Schools from 1973 through 2008. During those years, she was the facilitator for the Student Assistance Team; Chairperson of the Groton Public Schools School Based Mentoring Program; a member of the Instructional Technology Study group and in-service instructor. She also served as an exchange teacher in Beloretsk, Russia, for one month in 1992. She was named Eastern Point Elementary School Teach of the Year in 1991.
Christie is also a committed volunteer, working with the Big Brother/Big Sister program, and is involved with St. John’s Episcopal Church, St. John’s Shoreline Soup Kitchen and Pantry, and her alma mater William Smith College. She won the Champion for Children Award from Town of Groton Department of Human Services in 2000.